Easy Family Dinners | Wholefully https://wholefully.com/easy-family-dinners/ Fresh Family Meals - Made for Everyday Life Thu, 18 Jul 2024 15:57:56 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wholefully.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/favicon-150x150.png Easy Family Dinners | Wholefully https://wholefully.com/easy-family-dinners/ 32 32 Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs https://wholefully.com/slow-cooker-barbecue-ribs/ https://wholefully.com/slow-cooker-barbecue-ribs/#comments Thu, 18 Jul 2024 15:57:53 +0000 http://backtoherroots.com/?p=9409 I used to be completely and utterly intimidated by cooking ribs. There are a lot of great rib recipes in my family. There was even a “rib-off” last summer between my sister and my dad. Ribs are a bit of an art form ’round these parts. Could I possibly live up to that? Turns out, I totally can, thanks to my beloved slow cooker. Read the post »]]> https://wholefully.com/slow-cooker-barbecue-ribs/feed/ 27 Grilled Veggie Sandwich with Pesto-Feta Mayo https://wholefully.com/grilled-veggie-and-pesto-stacked-sandwich-with-lemon-feta-mayo-daves-2/ https://wholefully.com/grilled-veggie-and-pesto-stacked-sandwich-with-lemon-feta-mayo-daves-2/#comments Thu, 27 Jun 2024 14:14:52 +0000 http://backtoherroots.com/?p=27064 This delicious grilled veggie sandwich features a flavorful pesto-feta mayo that you'll want to put on Everything. grilled veggie sandwich on a cutting board These grilled veggie sandwiches are a weekly thing for us in the summer. They really are meant to be eaten when veggies are fresh (and cheap). Would this taste good in January? Probably. But it'd also cost you $15 per sandwich to grab all the out-of-season produce. Eat these sandwiches now. Eat them often. And then dream about them all winter long. That's what we do. Get the recipe »]]> https://wholefully.com/grilled-veggie-and-pesto-stacked-sandwich-with-lemon-feta-mayo-daves-2/feed/ 4 Sausage and Peppers Recipe https://wholefully.com/sausage-and-peppers-recipe/ https://wholefully.com/sausage-and-peppers-recipe/#respond Mon, 24 Jun 2024 06:41:00 +0000 https://wholefully.com/?p=78009 With robust Italian sausage and tri-color bell peppers, this Sausage and Peppers Recipe is hearty and wholesome with plenty of flavor.
A colorful sausage dinner served on a white plate with fresh basil and a white kitchen linen nearby.
Sausage and peppers is a simple yet nourishing meal that's great for enjoying the bounty of the summer season, or for a quick and wholesome meal during back-to-school time. Not only is this sausage and peppers dish easy to make, but it’s also incredibly satisfying, making it a go-to option for busy weeknights when you need dinner on the table fast. Full of bright colors and zesty flavor, this sausage and peppers dinner is sure to be a hit with your family. Read the post »]]> https://wholefully.com/sausage-and-peppers-recipe/feed/ 0 Slow Cooker Bacon Brown Sugar Baked Beans https://wholefully.com/slow-cooker-brown-sugar-baked-beans-2/ https://wholefully.com/slow-cooker-brown-sugar-baked-beans-2/#comments Thu, 20 Jun 2024 16:58:07 +0000 http://backtoherroots.com/?p=27823 Slow Cooker Bacon Brown Sugar Baked BeansThis post is brought to you by a Wholefully partner. Guys. I don't want to jinx it, but I think Fall might actually be here to stay. We've had the A/C off and the windows open for the better part of a week now. The leaves are starting to turn colors and the chickens are slowing down their laying (a sure sign that the days are getting shorter). I know Fall is everyone's favorite season, but I'm actually an equal-opportunity season lover—hence why I live in a place that gets all four of 'em. Although, I have to admit, I am particularly jazzed for the cooler temps this year. Summer is wonderful—and if I had to pick, I'd say I'm a summer girl—but I'm about half past over the bugs and poison ivy and humidity. It was a good run, sunshine and warm weather, but I'm ready to wear my scarves and boots full-time, k? Slow Cooker Bacon Brown Sugar Baked Beans Another sure sign that Fall is here in our house? Hockey season has started (well pre-season anyway)! I know everyone's all jazzed about football, and we've been watching our fair share of the gridiron, too, but we're definitely more of a hockey (and college basketball) household. This probably comes as no surprise, considering my husband is Canadian (he's actually from the city with the highest number of NHL players per capita—it's kinda in the water there). I never got into hockey until we were married, but it was love at first watch! Read the post »]]> https://wholefully.com/slow-cooker-brown-sugar-baked-beans-2/feed/ 16 Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies https://wholefully.com/sheet-pan-chicken-and-veggies/ https://wholefully.com/sheet-pan-chicken-and-veggies/#respond Tue, 18 Jun 2024 15:09:40 +0000 https://wholefully.com/?p=64976 This meal combines juicy roasted chicken with root vegetables, all cooked perfectly in one pan. Here’s how to get it done with minimum effort. Overhead of a sheet pan loaded with roasted root veggies topped with roast chicken pieces and lemon halves. Sheet pan dinners are perfect for busy weeknights. Everything cooks on the same pan, making the cooking—and the cleanup—a breeze! Sheet pan chicken and veggies are no exception. You get succulent and juicy chicken with the perfect servings of vegetable sides with no fuss, very little meal prep time, and practically no mess. Read the post »]]> https://wholefully.com/sheet-pan-chicken-and-veggies/feed/ 0 Instant Pot Mac and Cheese Recipe https://wholefully.com/instant-pot-mac-cheese-recipe/ https://wholefully.com/instant-pot-mac-cheese-recipe/#respond Wed, 12 Jun 2024 14:00:00 +0000 https://wholefully.com/?p=60948 This Instant Pot mac and cheese is rich, gooey, and creamy. All the flavor of cheesy mac and not the slightest bit of effort. Overhead of a large serving bowl and two individual bowls of mac and cheese on a counter with spoons alongside. Is there anything better than an ooey-gooey bowl of mac and cheese? Yes! An ooey-gooey bowl of mac and cheese made from scratch in an Instant Pot. Homemade mac and cheese is miles above the kind you buy in the store. It’s fresh, cheesy, and creamy. It’s the classic comfort food you know and love, only better! Read the post »]]> https://wholefully.com/instant-pot-mac-cheese-recipe/feed/ 0 Watermelon Basil Salad https://wholefully.com/watermelon-feta-salad/ https://wholefully.com/watermelon-feta-salad/#comments Mon, 10 Jun 2024 06:03:00 +0000 http://backtoherroots.com/?p=13127 Topped with homemade balsamic vinaigrette, this Watermelon Basil Salad is bursting with flavor and color! It’s perfect for a potluck or as an everyday side dish.
Overhead of a large serving bowl of watermelon basil salad on a light counter with a kitchen linen and wooden serving spoon beside it.
Watermelon basil salad is like summer on your plate! The tangy zip of the vinaigrette is perfect with the creamy goat cheese and shredded basil. This salad is so refreshing, especially on hot days. And the best part? It's super easy to make! Watermelon basil salad with balsamic dressing is a crowd-pleaser that's sure to impress your guests while keeping your prep time to a minimum. So why not add a little summer flair to your BBQ spread with this delightful salad? Read the post »]]> https://wholefully.com/watermelon-feta-salad/feed/ 6 Instant Pot Shrimp Jambalaya https://wholefully.com/instant-pot-shrimp-jambalaya/ https://wholefully.com/instant-pot-shrimp-jambalaya/#comments Thu, 06 Jun 2024 15:55:50 +0000 https://wholefully.com/?p=49946 https://wholefully.com/instant-pot-shrimp-jambalaya/feed/ 2 Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries https://wholefully.com/crispy-sweet-potato-fries-baked/ https://wholefully.com/crispy-sweet-potato-fries-baked/#comments Wed, 05 Jun 2024 14:24:47 +0000 https://wholefully.com/?p=49090 There is nothing worse than soggy, floppy, limp sweet potato fries. And that’s exactly the result I got the first few times I tried to make sweet potato fries in the oven. I was trying to replicate the crispy, dippable, deep-fried sweet potato fries I had recently eaten from a local restaurant, and I was sorely disappointed with what came out of my oven! So I took it as my personal charge to perfect making crispy sweet potato fries in the oven. I tested different pan types. I tested different pan coverings. I tested different size fries. I tested different temperatures. I tested when to add the salt. I tested soaking versus not soaking. I tested different mix-ins. And I finally landed on the no-fail, perfect-every-time formula for crispy baked sweet potato fries! We make these crispy fries in our house at least once a week, and everyone in the fam gobbles them happily. Baked fries sit on a baking sheet next to a small ramekin of dipping sauce.

First up, let’s talk about the problem: Why do sweet potato fries get so soggy in the oven?

A lot of us think of sweet potatoes as just a sweeter, more orange version of regular potatoes, but in fact, they are a completely different vegetable with completely different composition. Because of that, sweet potatoes just don’t behave the same way regular potatoes do when baked. Regular potatoes have a much lower water content, meaning they can crisp up nicely in the oven. When you pop sweet potatoes in the oven, that higher water content tends to steam the sweet potatoes instead of roasting and caramelizing them. You know what steamed sweet potatoes are? They are soggy, floppy, and way too soft to dip in ketchup! Read the post »]]> https://wholefully.com/crispy-sweet-potato-fries-baked/feed/ 1 Instant Pot Swedish Meatballs with Mushroom Gravy https://wholefully.com/swedish-meatballs/ https://wholefully.com/swedish-meatballs/#comments Fri, 31 May 2024 15:21:28 +0000 https://wholefully.com/?p=32364 When I first made these meatballs back in 2018, these Instant Pot Swedish Meatballs were an immediate hit. My husband requested them weekly. My daughter happily ate her mini meatballs. They feel like good stick-to-your-ribs comfort food. This dish is packed with so much flavor, and the Instant Pot makes it so fast and easy to make—it’s just an all-around winner-winner-meatball-dinner.Read the post »]]> https://wholefully.com/swedish-meatballs/feed/ 15