Nostalgia-Ready Dinner Recipes

Please even the most finicky eaters with a collection of family-favorite recipes.

Related: Quick, One-Pot Meal Ideas To Feed the Whole Family

Chicken Tenders with Creamy Honey Mustard

This is fast food you can feel good about eating. Children and grown-ups alike will love not only the crispy chicken, but also dipping it (and some veggie sticks) in the sweet, tangy sauce.

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg, lightly beaten
coarse salt and ground pepper
4 cups crisp rice cereal
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders (tenderloins)
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
4 medium carrots, cut into sticks
1 cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into sticks

1. Preheat oven to 475. Place flour in a shallow bowl, and egg in a second one; season both with salt and pepper. Pulse cereal and oil in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Season with salt and pepper; transfer to a third shallow bowl.

2. Coat chicken: first in flour, shaking off excess; then with egg, letting excess drip off; and finally in cereal mixture, pressing to help it adhere. Place on a baking sheet, and bake until light golden brown and cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes, turning over halfway through.

3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together sour cream, mustard, and honey; season with salt and pepper. Serve tenders and vegetables with creamy honey mustard on the side.

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Easiest Spaghetti and Meatballs

Don’t turn to canned sauce the next time your kids ask for spaghetti and meatballs. We’ve got a super-simple recipe for this Italian favorite that takes only 30 minutes to make and shines with the flavors of hearty beef chuck and ripe tomatoes.

Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large egg
1 pound ground beef chuck
1/4 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes in puree
3/4 pound spaghetti

1. Set a large pot of salted water to boil. In a bowl, combine Parmesan, parsley, garlic, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Add beef and breadcrumbs; mix gently. Form into 16 balls.

2. In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium. Add meatballs, and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer; cover partially, and cook, stirring occasionally, until meatballs are cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, cook pasta until al dente. Drain, and return to pot; add meatballs and sauce, and toss gently. Serve with Parmesan.

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Sesame Beef and Broccoli

Children aren’t always fans of a busy plate, which is why this stir-fry of sesame oil-infused beef and broccoli is a safe bet. Finely chopped herbs like garlic and scallions disappear into the simple sauce, invisibly imparting their flavor on the meat and veggies.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 piece (3/4 pound) filet of beef, cut in 3/4-inch strips (about 2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 scallions, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
2 small garlic cloves, minced
1 pound broccoli, florets cut into small pieces, stalks peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
Cooked rice, for serving

1. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add beef, and sprinkle with the salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer beef to a plate.

2. Add scallions and garlic to skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 30 seconds. Add broccoli and 1/2 cup water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is dry, about 3 minutes. Stir together broth, soy sauce, and cornstarch in a small bowl, and add to skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is no longer cloudy, 1 to 2 minutes. Return beef and any juices to pan; cook, stirring often, until beef is heated through, about 1 minute. Remove from heat, and stir in sesame oil. Serve with rice.

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Breaded Chicken Cutlets

Even picky eaters don’t mind it when a perfectly browned and crunchy fried breast of chicken winds up on their plate. Serve with lemon wedges, as in our tried-and-true recipe, or any other favorite condiments.

3 large eggs
Coarse salt
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs (see below)
1 cup vegetable oil
8 thin chicken cutlets (about 1 1/2 pounds total)
lemon wedges, for serving (optional)

Cook’s Note
Making breadcrumbs: For 3 1/2 cups, pulse 9 slices white bread in a food processor until fine crumbs form.

1. In a shallow dish, whisk eggs with teaspoon salt; let stand 5 minutes. In another shallow dish, season flour with 1/4 teaspoon salt. In a third shallow dish, season breadcrumbs with 1 teaspoon salt.

2. In a large cast-iron skillet or other heavy deep skillet, heat oil over medium. Meanwhile, pat chicken dry with paper towels. Coat in flour, shaking off excess, then dip in egg (letting excess drip off). Dredge in breadcrumbs, turning twice and patting to adhere.

3. Increase heat to medium-high. Working in batches, add chicken to skillet; cook, gently shaking skillet occasionally, until chicken is browned, about 4 minutes. Turn with tongs; cook until browned and opaque throughout, 2 to 3 minutes more (if browning too quickly, lower heat). Between batches, skim off brown crumbs from oil with a slotted spoon. Drain chicken on paper towels; season with salt.

Panko-Crusted Fish Sticks with Herb Dipping Sauce

You’ll never go back to frozen once you try this simple recipe. We combine panko breadcrumbs and Old Bay seasoning for an easy breading that bakes up crunchy and finger-friendly in just 15 minutes.

To make fish sticks, cut tilapia fillets in half lengthwise down center line. Halve again lengthwise, then crosswise.

1 large egg, lightly beaten
coarse salt and ground pepper
2 cups panko
1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds tilapia fillets, cut into wide strips (see note, above)
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving
2 teaspoons prepared white horseradish

1. Preheat oven to 475, with racks in top and bottom third. Line two baking sheets with aluminum foil; set aside.

2. Place egg in a wide shallow bowl; season with salt and pepper. In another bowl, combine panko, Old Bay, and oil. Dip tilapia into egg, shaking off excess, then into panko mixture, pressing to adhere. Place on prepared baking sheets.

3. Bake until lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes, rotating sheets from top to bottom halfway through. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, parsley, mustard, lemon juice, and horseradish; season with salt and pepper. Serve fish sticks with sauce and lemon wedges on the side.

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Delicious Desserts in 15 Minutes or Less
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