More 30 minute dinner ideas you will love!
30 Minute Korean Beef Recipe » SO good, and so little effort I knew I was in for half an hour of coming up with genius ideas to pass the time…that all involve my phone. Do you do this? Here are all the things I thought for a millisecond I could do, before remembering that I was phone-less:
Text Eric about how hilarious it was when baby Valentine stripped completely naked and brought me her “swim soup” when she saw the other kids getting dressed for their lessons, and then cried real tears when I told her she wasn’t getting in the pool. (when we arrived, she threw rocks in the pool to vent her frustration.) Instagram Check the Find my Friends app to see how Eric’s commute was going Check email Do research on just how inappropriate it would be to name our next kid the new name I’m currently obsessed with, but might actually be a stupid name to give a kid (no, I’m not pregnant, and yes, we already named a kid Valentine, so how much worse could it be?) Text reminders to friends about Taco Tuesday this week Call my mom Duolingo, a language app (I’m trying to learn French…kinda.) Read scriptures
This was all just in a half hour. Do you ever have thoughts like these, over and over again, when you forget your phone?? It’s pretty pathetic how attached I am! Then after I got home I used my phone to take a picture of the list I had made so that I didn’t have to worry about losing it. FULL CIRCLE GUYS. Well I’ll take some cornbread with my Chili Mac, hold the cinnamon rolls please. No way guys. We’re getting it done in 30 minutes, and we’re just pulling out stuff from the pantry (this is 100% true if you have an unopened package of Velveeta in your pantry as well). No shopping trips required. When we’re done, we’ve got a dinner that is:
Kid pleasing Easy on the budget Major comfort food Protein packed (beef AND beans!) Enough food for leftovers
This is “add to the regular rotation” level stuff for me. It’s not often a dinner checks allllll the boxes. For the chili mac: To garnish:
Not into Velveeta? Use sharp cheddar (or another melty cheese like monterey jack or pepper jack instead). If you’re vegetarian, you can omit the ground beef, substituting an additional can of beans of your choice. Instead of beef broth, I recommend Better than Bouillon vegetable base (it has a super rich flavor, so good!). Can’t find Rotel? You can substitute a 15 oz. can of diced tomatoes and a 4 oz. can of diced green chilis. It will be a little more than the Rotel, but still a great substitute. You can substitute canned white beans (like great northern beans or cannellini beans) for the kidney beans. Honestly black beans or pinto beans would work too! The garnishes are what really makes chili mac a craveable meal. I love crushing tortilla chips on top and adding shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped onion, and sliced avocado. Add what sounds good to you!
Don’t go hating on my Velveeta now. It makes for the CREAMIEST, CHEESIEST soups ever. I wouldn’t put it on a sandwich (okay well. Maybe a grilled cheese.) But I’m telling you, Velveeta in soup is just lovely. If it’s not your thing, you can totally use shredded cheddar instead. I’ve tried it both ways and they are both delicious! (whichever one you use, you should definitely top each serving with freshly shredded cheddar.) PS I recently posted this recipe for Quick and Easy Chili! It’s done in 45 minutes. It’s super good and has a secret ingredient that totally surprised me! 30 Minute Pesto Penne with Cherry Tomatoes « a light and fresh pasta dinner with summer flavor. One Skillet Beef Meatballs with Rice and Peas « I love how simple this one is! Plus, ONE skillet. Easy Rotisserie Chicken Nachos « I love eating appetizers for dinner. This one’s protein packed. Easy Salisbury Steak Recipe « 1950s TV dinner comfort food (but homemade). Easy Spaghetti Sauce Recipe (30 Minutes) « so much flavor in so little time. Mini Chicken Pot Pies with Crescent Rolls « these little beauties are a huge kid favorite! 30 Minute Chicken, Corn, and Black Bean Enchiladas from Barefeet in the Kitchen 30 Minute Mexican Soup from Back for Seconds 30 Minute Beef Bourguignon from A Beautiful Plate « what!! I have to make this!! Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram
