I have noticed that in our family parties or reunions, kids usually stay away from the huge, rich dishes such as pork chops, roast beef, and grilled fish. They always gravitate towards that one pasta dish that the adults mostly ignore. Spaghetti has established its presence in our family reunion table ever since we were kids; and it seems like it’s going to stay there for the next generations. Spaghetti is a favorite among the kids in the family. My nieces and nephews love it most especially if there are huge meatballs on top of the serving pan. They will always fight for a piece of those! Whenever they come over to my house for sleepover, I make sure that I put those extra large meatballs in there.

Lately, I’ve noticed that while they still love spaghetti, their appetite is not as big as before. Some of them still manage to finish their plates full of the spaghetti, but there’s no fight over meatballs anymore, and the pan isn’t as empty as it was before. I guess it’s true that it doesn’t matter how much you love something; sometimes there is a need for a change or a reinvention. I found this recipe that actually helped bring back those appetites. I just tried it in last month’s reunion and it was a huge hit! I just added a few things to give it a little twist – and voila!

Photo courtesy of Food.com. Recipe courtesy of Taste of Home.

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Quick Tip: Serve with a side of green salad.

Out of all the Asian cuisines, I have only ever been addicted to Japanese cuisine. Indian in particular is something that I haven’t learned to love. It’s not that it tastes bad; Indian cuisine actually tastes really good. The problem with me is, it’s too flavorful for my own good. I am not a fan of strong flavors. I rarely finish eating anything that has a strong flavor no matter how delicious it is.

I first tasted this butter chicken at my friend’s party. Her parties have themes; and the theme for that day was Asian Cuisine. This one was placed on a separate table and had no label unlike the others. I thought it was a prank at first; until I was able to smell its delicious aroma. My friend confirmed that it was eatable, but it’s something that not everyone liked, which was why she didn’t choose it for her menu. However, the catering service made an honest mistake of replacing lemon butter chicken with this one. I got curious so I tasted it. Surprisingly, it wasn’t as strongly flavored as I thought it would be. Ever since, I have been looking for a recipe that will offer the similar taste. And this is what I recently found.

Photo courtesy of Food.com. Recipe courtesy MN via All Recipes.

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Quick Tip: You can substitute the ingredients with other ingredients based on your preference. (i.e. Curry powder for tandoori marsala)

I can never get enough of pasta; can you? I can eat it all day, all night, and for the rest of my life. I am not kidding! Pasta is on my list of forever faves. My friends know that the only way to coerce me for an impromptu night out is a promise that they will bring me to our favorite Pasta House at the mall the next day.

I am not Italian, but I grew up in a quasi-Italian household just because we always had pasta on our table. I remember talking about how my family and I used to sit down every Friday night just to plan about what type of pasta dish we’d have for the weekend. Even now that I have my own house, I carried the tradition with me, except that I do experiments once in a while. Pasta is quite a flexible little thing. You will be surprised that it goes well with almost anything!

Photo courtesy of Aimless Musings. Recipe courtesy of The Pioneer Woman.

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Quick Tip: Serve with garlic bread or cheese sticks.

Casseroles are the perfect housewife’s meal.  It’s basically a meal that all takes place in one amazing pot and one amazing casserole dish.  It’s also perfectly satisfying to anyone who eats it!  It pairs well with ANY sides and it is a hearty comfort meal kind of dish.

I think everyone gets excited when a casserole comes out of the oven.  It invites everyone back to the dinner table, encourages them to put their devices to the side and munch down.  Better yet, it does all of this without saying a word.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Simply Recipes.

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Quick Tip – This can be served with sour cream and salsa for a ethnic twist!

I like to plan ahead when it comes to meal planning.  One of my favorite ways to do that is to make a big batch of a recipe and freeze it for later.  The great thing about doing this is that I have recipes stocked in the fridge for any busy day that I can quickly heat up for my family.  The downside, of course, is that the same meal can get old if we’ve had several busy nights in a row.

This chili recipe is PERFECT for preventing leftover burnout.  On day 1, have the chili straight from the bowl.  On day two, add some lettuce, tomatoes, olives, and other favorite toppings to make taco salad.  One day 3, use the same ingredients but build nachos as your meal.  So versatile, all using similar ingredients, but in different proportions.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Heidi Washington.

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Quick Tip – To store, spoon 3 cups into a gallon size freezer bag and place flat in the freezer.  Once frozen, you can turn the bag upright to take up less space.

As a child growing up, I can distinctly remember my mother making goulash on the regular. She loved the stuff, and we did too. Macaroni noodles, stewed tomatoes, and a hearty tomato sauce were all that I needed to feel happy and full at dinnertime. Sometimes, my mom would toss in bacon to the mix. Mmm!

As a mother and wife to my own family, I have since carried on the tradition of having goulash night at our house. I love the combination of flavors that this meal brings to the table. I always use ground beef in my goulash, but I’ve heard others use ground turkey. What do you think you’ll use?

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Quick Tip: Try not to overcook your noodles as you want them to stay somewhat firm.

I’m a big fan of sour cream. I also love noodles. So, you can guess my amazement when I discovered a casserole that combines the two of them. Baked sour cream and noodle casserole is da bomb! It’s easy to make and even easier to eat. My family comes running to the dinner table when I make this sumptuous due of flavor.

One of the best things about sour cream and noodle casserole, other than it’s bold flavor, is how simple and quick it is to throw together. You use very basic ingredients that you probably have on hand, so there are no impromptu trips to the supermarket. You’re going to love how this casserole smells while it’s baking in your oven, too.

Recipe courtesy of Life in the Lofthouse.

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Quick Tip: Serve this great bake with crusty bread and a side salad.