The Jewish high holiday season has come to an end. It's time to settle into routine and I'm here to make it easier for you with my 5 quick comfort dinners for fall! Even after cooking countless meals over the past month, somehow the family still expects dinner to be served. Every day. Crazy, I know! Below you'll find a round up of dinners that are quick to get on the table and deliciously comforting as the weather gets chillier.
What recipes are included in this post?
1. Sloppy Joe sandwich- a kid favorite meal! Classically served in a bun or even a baguette. To balance out the meal serve with a quick garden salad or coleslaw and pickles.
Sloppy Joe Sandwich
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef
- ⅔ cup ketchup
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoon mustard
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 buns for serving
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat oil. Add the beef and cook over medium heat 3-5 minutes, until no longer pink. Drain.
- Stir in the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Lower the flame to a simmer, cover the pan and cook for 15-20 minutes. Serve on buns.
2. One pot mac and cheese- This version tastes incredible and as a bonus, is made all in one pot! That's right, no separate pots for boiling noodles and making cheese sauce.
One pot mac and cheese
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon flour
- 3 cups water
- 4 cups milk
- 16 oz raw pasta
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon mustard powder optional
- 3 cups shredded cheese I prefer cheddar
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large pot, melt butter over a medium flame. Add flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring often. Add in 1 cup of water and whisk until the mixture is smooth and beginning to thicken. Add in the remaining 2 cups of water and the milk.
- Add pasta, salt. garlic powder, mustard powder (if using), and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes or until the pasta is al dente. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese. Serve immediately.
3. BBQ baked drumsticks- Summer is tucked away, but you can still enjoy it's flavor with these barbeque baked drumsticks! I like to serve them with white rice and broccoli, roasted zucchini, or green beans for a balanced meal.
BBQ Baked Drumsticks
Ingredients
- 6 chicken drumsticks
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp onion powder
- ½ tablespoon chili powder
- 1 Tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 cup your favorite bbq sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Prepare the dry rub; in a small bowl combine garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, paprika, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Generously rub onto the drumsticks.
- Place on prepare baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Flip and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
- Brush with BBQ sauce and bake 10 minutes. Flip and bake an additional 10 minutes. Broil for 2-3 minutes if desired to finish.
4. Sausage and rice- Sausages are a nice change from chicken or ground beef for a weekday meal. This chicken and rice dish is one of my favorite uses for Italian sausages, but feel free to use any kind of sausage that you like.
Sausage and Rice
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon olive oil divided
- 4 sausages sliced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 red pepper diced
- 1 ½ cups raw long grain white rice (such as basmati)
- 2 ½ cups broth (I prefer chicken)
- ¾ teaspoon smoked or regular paprika
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup frozen peas
Instructions
- In a pot with a heavy base, heat 2 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add sausages and cook for 5-7 minutes until lightly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pot. Add in the garlic and onions and cook for 2 minutes. Add in red pepper and cook 2 minutes more. Add rice, broth, paprika. salt, black pepper and the seared sausages to the pan. Stir, bring to a boil, then lower the flame to a simmer and cook covered for 20 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the stove, add the peas and cover again. Let it sit for 10 minutes, the residual heat will cook the peas. Fluff and serve!
5. Vegetable quesadillas - I used to get a mushroom and onion quesadilla at a local café growing up, and I still think about it from time to time. It was served with fries and always hit the spot! You can put any sautéed veggies you like in your quesadilla. I’ve compiled my favorite vegetables in this one. I love how the corn gets a little toasty in the pan and adds such a wonderful flavor. Serve with sour cream, salsa, and/or guacamole.
Vegetable Quesadillas
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
- 8 oz sliced mushrooms
- 1 red onion finely diced
- 1 red pepper diced
- 1 cup corn
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ¼ cups shredded cheese of your choice (I like to use a Mexican blend)
- 4 large flour tortillas
Instructions
- In a wide skillet, heat butter or oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms in a single layer and cook undisturbed until browned, 3-5 minutes. Stir and add onions, red pepper, corn, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. Cook until onions smells sweet, about 5 minutes.
- Remove the vegetables from the skillet and set aside.
- Wipe the skillet down and turn heat to medium. Lightly spray with additional oil and lay a tortilla down. Spread ¼ of the shredded cheese over the entire tortilla. Top half of the tortilla with ¼ cup of the vegetables. Carefully fold the tortilla in half and press down with a spatula so that it stays folded.
- Cook until toasted, about 2 minutes. Carefully flip and cook until the second side is toasted and the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a cutting board and cut in half. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, cheese, and cooked vegetables. Serve with sour cream, salsa and/or guacamole.
Can these be made in advance?
There recipes come together pretty quickly, all under 1 hour. There's no need to really prepare them in advance. What you can do though to make the process smooth is to measure and chop all your ingredients beforehand so that you can cook these 5 quick comfort dinners for fall efficiently.
I hope you enjoy these recipes and add it to your weekly rotations!
Recipes as printed in Whisk magazine, October 2021.
