OWNeasy dinnerseasy dinner recipesquick recipes

5 Scrumptious Meals You Can Make In A Brownie Pan

Author of The 8x8 Cookbook, Kathy Strahs, introduces us to her secret weapon for delicious, supereasy weeknight suppers.
Lynn Andriani
The Dinner Puzzle You'll Actually Want To Solve
Kathy Strahs
While cramming bone-in chicken breasts into an 8x8 pan might be a bit of a challenge, drumsticks fit perfectly; their elongated shape allows you to arrange them in a zigzag pattern that can accommodate plenty while still leaving the skin room to brown and crisp. Underneath the meat lie chopped carrots, turnips and red potatoes; the vegetables absorb the chicken's flavor, as well as the honey-balsamic dressing that gives this dish a deliciously sweet undertone.

Get the recipe: Honey-Glazed Chicken with Root Vegetables
A New Way To Cook Grains
Kathy Strahs
Adding uncooked couscous to a baking dish may seem a bit unorthodox -- but it turns out to be a great way to infuse the North African staple with incredible richness when you pour a hot mixture of apple cider, mustard, cinnamon and thyme over the grains then arrange browned pork chops on top and cover with cooked onions and apples. Bake for 15 minutes and you'll have a juicy, fruit-enhanced meal.

Get the recipe: Pan-Roasted Pork Chops with Apples and Couscous
The Back-Pocket Baked Pasta
Kathy Strahs
The ingredients for this amped-up mac 'n' cheese keep beautifully in the pantry or freezer, so you can (almost) make it at a moment's notice. It starts with a package of fresh cheese tortellini (though you can also use dried), along with fresh or frozen peas and some lemon zest. Add a jar of Alfredo sauce thinned with water and bake the dish for 35 minutes. Then stir in a small handful of pancetta (which you can store in the freezer), sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top and bake for 10 minutes more, until the cheese is bubbling.

Get the recipe: Baked Tortellini Alfredo with Pancetta, Peas and Lemon
No-Mess Meatballs
Kathy Strahs
Taking the time to make homemade meatballs on a weeknight may seem a little luxurious, but they actually come together quickly -- and if you bake them, cleanup will be a breeze. Strahs' recipe is straightforward: It's a combination of ground beef and pork, plus egg, bread crumbs, grated Parmesan, garlic and some seasonings. She forms the mixture into balls, arranges them in four-by-four rows in her pan, then slides them into the oven for 15 minutes, which is just enough time to boil some pasta or toss a salad.

Get the recipe: Italian-Herb Baked Meatballs
A Fresh Fish Dinner You Can Make Anytime
Kathy Strahs
Stash cod fillets in your freezer and orzo in your pantry, and you'll never be too far away from a fresh and light supper (or lunch, even). You steam the fish over a bed of orzo that you've par-boiled in a separate pot, which keeps the fillets moist and flaky and gives the pasta just enough moisture to cook through. Gremolata, which is an impressive-sounding word for parsley, lemon, garlic and olive oil, adds some zesty flavor -- without adding another grocery-store run to your life.

Get the recipe: Roasted Cod with Gremolata and Lemony Orzo

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Before You Go

Dinner for 4 in 29 Minutes
Meatballs with a Twist (er, a Flat Edge)(01 of05)
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Meatballs may have a reputation for being the anchors of a Sunday supper, but crisp, tender portions of ground beef can be had on a weeknight. The trick is to take the "ball" descriptor as a mere suggestion; instead of rolling the meat mixture into perfect rounds, drop it by the spoonful into a hot pan. No one's really going to care that the finished balls look more like 3-D pentagons; the point is, they're supremely tasty, especially next to a tangle of lightly sautéed Swiss chard. Put a pot of water on to boil before you start, and the pasta will be ready just as the last meatball is coming out of the pan (toss it with some olive oil and grated Parmesan before serving).

Get the recipe: Mark Bittman's No-Roll Meatballs (credit:Alison Gootee)
Not Just Another Grilled Chicken Recipe(02 of05)
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When you coat chicken breasts in honey mustard then cook them, the sauce caramelizes a bit, giving the meat a sweet and crunchy exterior. A terrific, if unusual, accompaniment is strawberry salsa; it's chunky, fruity and tempered by red-pepper flakes, red onion and mint, all of which provide a cool contrast. Serve with pita wedges for scooping up extra salsa.

Get the recipe: Grilled Chicken with Strawberry Salsa (credit:Charles Masters)
The Laid-Back Steak Dinner(03 of05)
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One of the most reliably foolproof ways to take some of the pressure off cooking dinner is to make sandwiches: What could be more stress-free than a casual supper that barely requires setting the table? You can make it even easier on yourself by going with this ultra-simple cheesesteak recipe, which calls for flank steak, a cut that cooks in about eight minutes. Thinly sliced, it's a savory complement to a fast version of pimento cheese that includes shredded sharp cheddar and hot cherry peppers.

Get the recipe: Cheesesteak Pita Wraps with Pimento Cheese (credit:Alison Gootee)
A Spanish Take on the Classic Speedy Supper(04 of05)
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No collection of under-30-minute meals would be complete without quick-cooking seafood, and here's a recipe you probably haven't tried before. It manages to pack a flavor punch with just six ingredients. Chorizo is the secret weapon; you only need a small amount of the richly seasoned dried Spanish sausage to bring depth and intensity. Cherry tomatoes soften in the skillet, and then you cook cod fillets until they're golden, about six minutes. Some crusty bread will soak up the juices nicely.

Get the recipe: Cod with Chorizo and Tomatoes (credit:Jonny Valiant)
Pasta That Uses the Most Efficient Vegetable(05 of05)
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Here's a smart way to cut down on prep: Use veggies that are already small and don't require lots of chopping. Peas are the perfect example, which this unexpected recipe uses to great effect, as the bright green veggies bring a pop of color and flavor to fettuccine tossed in a butter-lemon-Parmesan sauce. Basil, fresh radishes and toasted walnuts are the other elements of this beautiful, multi-layered dish, which happens to be vegetarian but still has plenty of heft, thanks to the nuts and cheese.

Get the recipe: Fettuccine with Peas, Radishes and Basil (credit:Alison Gootee)
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