We’ve officially entered into it, friends. Spring sports season, that is. It’s a time of the year that I dread. It’s the one time of the year that my kids are in multiple sports and have multiple practices and games each night, all of which require parental participation at most and transportation at least. Navigating this requires color-coded spreadsheets, calendars and sometimes, even the ability to defy the laws of physics and nature. But we manage. All parents in our same boat do, to varying shades of insanity and execution. We’re all in this together, struggling through to make sure that our kids get the most out of this 21st century childhood game.
I was chatting with some friends at football practice the other night (while Jeff was at another football practice across town) and we got on this topic rather easily, as we were all trying to plan out weeks that seemed overwhelming and impossible and downright scary, trying to work out carpools and ride shares and really anything we could to ease the burden on each other. We all seemed resigned to this life, accepting it for our lot in life right now, shaking our heads at the excess of it all but knowing no other way.
Our lives right now are not our own, and that’s ok. We signed up for it and honestly love our kids to the ends of the earth and back, so it’s a small price to pay.
But that doesn’t make it easy or calm or stress-free. For most of my peers, afternoon activities start around 4:00 (or earlier) and sometimes don’t wrap up until 8 or 9. That’s tough, especially when you factor in homework and, you know, feeding your kids something that resembles dinner. And the thing is, most of us don’t want to hit up the drive-thru every night. Most of us very much desire to do better and more and time just isn’t in our favor.
And that’s where I come in. That conversation was haunting me as I sat down and started to gather up some recipes for posts this week. These are all great parents I’m talking about here, trying hard to do their best, and they’re all overwhelmed.
I can’t help with a lot, there’s only so much carpooling and ride support one person can do. But I can offer up some dinner ideas. I can do a quick interweb search and find some recipes that are quick and easy and family friendly. I can at least do that.
It’s not a ton, I know….but here is my little love letter to my parent friends everywhere. Have some quick and easy dinner on me.
Shrimp and Asparagus Pasta by Salt and Lavendar
Ready in 20 minutes. Filled with the crisp flavor of spring asparagus coupled with the bite of fresh shrimp? What more could you possibly want? Give this beauty a try and have dinner on the table in a snap.
Margherita Pizza with Balsamic Drizzle by Allys Sweet and Savory Eats
Pizza night never looked so easy. As quick as delivery yet definitely tastier, this pizza uses one of the best kitchen short cuts ever, store bought pizza crust, to give you a fresh from the pizzeria taste in just 15 minutes!
Easy Sriracha Chicken Lettuce Wraps by Food Meanderings
You had me at Sriracha. Seriously. You did. Lettuce wraps are a favorite of everyone, and adding in the kick of Sriracha makes it fun and delicious. Give these a try the next time you’re in a pinch but want to stay on the healthy side. And if your kids kick up about the lettuce part (mine totally would), throw it in a tortilla and call it a win.
One Pan Lemon Garlic Salmon and Parmesan Asparagus by Saving you Dinero
There’s that pesky asparagus again, popping up all over spring recipes. You know why? It’s delicious. It’s a spring vegetable. And it cooks up like a dream. There’s also no better pairing than salmon and asparagus, especially when they can be baked up together in one pan. Simple really is better, and this recipe proves it with every bite.
Lazy Falafel by Rhian’s Recipes
Here’s one for you veggie loving folks, but if you just like to keep it meatless every once in a while like I do, this one is perfect for you, too. Falafel is one of my favorites, but it’s so time-consuming and, quite frankly, a pain to make. This recipe keeps all of the flavors, just in deconstructed form. So it’s sort of like modern art on your dinner plate. And who can argue with that?
Poor Mans Ramen by Beauty from Burnt Toast
Oh come on, now. You didn’t think I could do a round up of easy and quick dinners and not include this, did you? Easily the fastest meal of the bunch, yet one that satisfies everyone and leaves them asking for more, this delicious meal comes together in 3 minutes. Yes, you read that right. THREE minutes. You can thank me later. It’s that good.
Creamy Prawn Scampi by My Food Story
What is about shrimp and pasta that go together like, well, shrimp and pasta? I don’t know, but Scampi is always delicious, but when you make it creamy, then it’s downright divine. This recipe comes together in a breeze, just the time it takes to boil down the pasta and you’ll be serving up a gourmet meal to your family.
Welcome to BurntToast! My name is Meaghan, and this is my safe space, a place where we can share stories, share recipes and share life. It’s my dream that you can come here, kick your shoes off and pour yourself a glass of wine while you read, laugh, and maybe even hop into the kitchen. This is my heart, for all of you to see. And ALL are welcome here.