For years, I have asked my dad to make Pumpkin Soup in the fall.  I never had the recipe (and my dad didn’t seem all that open to sharing).  My entire family loved the soup so much that my dad had to start making triple batches.  Finally he relented and gave up the recipe.  Boy, was I shocked to find out that the recipe is simple.  Easy ingredients and done in record time - definitely my kinda soup.  I’ve never made a soup that is as delicious or as quick as this one.

I always serve the soup as the main course for dinner. Along with a hearty salad and lots of freshly sliced baguette, this is a meal that warms the soul. And gets to the table in under 20 minutes.

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Turkey Sloppy Joes

My spouse is a typical “meat and potatoes” guy.  Eating red meat isn’t a healthy option every night so I’ve learned to adapt meals that satisfy his love of meat.  The trick?  I use ground turkey instead of ground beef.  With a flavorful sauce, the meat-lovers in your family will never know the difference.

 I serve this meal with a hearty green salad, carrots and dip (for my carrot loving son), and store-bought, oven-baked fries.  A healthy meal that goes from pan to plate in 20 minutes. 
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This is one of my favorite meals to make because it is so.o.o.o.o. simple AND my kid can help the whole way through.  This recipe dates back to my Girl Scout days when we made this at a sleepover.  So easy.  You can actually put your kids to work and they won’t even notice that it is they who are cooking the meal. 

English Muffin Mini-Pizzas

Ingredients:

• Engligh Muffins (my preference is either wheat or sourdough, but choose whatever you like).  I typically count 1.5 muffins per adult, 1 muffin for kids, and .5 muffin for toddlers. Hungry dads and teens can easily eat 2+ muffins.
• Shredded Cheese - I mix one pack of pre-shredded mozzarella with a hunk of cheddar I shred myself
• Tomato Sauce - use canned pizza, canned pasta, or homemade sauce - whatever you have on hand will work
• Your Favorite Pizza fixings - whatever you like on your pizza.  This is where the kids can customize their pizzas. Just remember that these are mini-pizzas so a little goes a long way.

 Instructions:

Slice the English Muffins in half the same way you would for breakfast.  If your kids are helping (and you want to stretch the time), you can have them individually toast the muffins in your toaster.  If you are pressed for time, throw them under the broiler for a couple of minutes until browned.

Turn the oven on to 450 degrees.

Slap on a spoonful of sauce on top of each toasty muffin.  Add your cheese and your toppings.  To save yourself the headache, let your kids customize their own pizzas.  Let them pile up on the veggies.

Tip: to remember which pizza belongs to each family member, have them write their name on the foil next to each pizza that they have created.

 
Cook in the 450 degree overn for 8-10 minutes until cheese is melted and lightly browned. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.  I typically serve mine with a fresh fruit smoothie or veggie sticks.

This is a great meal to go with a family movie night - and will cost you a fraction of the price of getting a pizza delivered.

Whenever I tell my coworkers that I cook dinner everyday, I am often met with shock and awe.  It’s as if I get to be “Mother of the Year” by being a full-time working mom that can cook a meal.  And while I don’t mind getting total respect for being SuperMom, it’s an overstatement.  I do cook a meal nearly every night (I throw in a couple of left over nights to ensure that we are not wasteful).  For me it is cheaper AND faster to cook at home than eat out.  

It’s not like I am cooking 5-course meals every night.  Dinner is not fancy or gourmet.  I cook simple, wholesome foods.  My only requirement to a dinner recipe is that it is balanced and takes less than 20 minutes to prep, cook, and get on the table.  After all, the whole family is hungry when we walk through the door at the end of the day.  None of us had much patience or enough blood sugar left to wait for a meal.  I do save my longer-to-prepare meals for the weekend or weekdays when I work from home.  Instead of cooking veggies or having a salad, I keep cut-up veggies in containers in the fridge and throw a few varieties on a plate.  Served with home-made Ranch dip and we all eat a ton more veggies than we would if I cooked ‘em. 

My 20-minute meals have become my comfort go-to meals.  Periodically, I’ll share one of my favorite recipes.  Be sure to share yours in the comments.  I’m always looking for new ideas. 

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