| Bring on the easy, make-ahead meals! Today, I'm sharing eight favorite recipes that deliver big flavor with minimal fuss - and most importantly, they make dinner night a breeze. Included in the list are: - cozy casseroles
- slow cooker staples (that don't require fussy steps after cooking is done)
- one big-batch overnight recipe that can be repurposed into yummy leftovers
- a fresh salad that holds up for days
I hope you find these recipes to be helpful as you prep for busy dinner nights ahead!
1. Floating Taco Bowls with Creamy Lime Dressing This meal is a huge favorite of ours (and is also one I use A LOT for a take-in meal to others). It is easily customizable as everyone dishes up their own bowl. The slow cooker method makes it a great make-ahead meal to prep early on in the day. The filling can also be made and frozen to easily reheat later.
2. Easy Cheesy Weeknight Pasta Bake This delicious pasta bake can be made the night before or morning of and baked when needed. It can also be assembled and frozen for a freezer meal to be used later. Details in the notes section of the recipe!
3. Make-Ahead Overnight Tater Tot Casserole While this may appear to be a breakfast casserole, we eat it most often for dinner. It is hearty, filling, and so delicious. The leftovers of this meal make EXCELLENT breakfast burritos. Pile the filling in tortillas with a little extra cheese, roll up, and then refrigerate or freeze to warm up when needed!
4. The Best BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches This easy slow cooker meal is super fast to throw together, so it is perfect when you need a meal that cooks all day. The shredded pork can also be frozen to reheat later.
5. Slow Cooker Posole Not only is this recipe exploding with flavor, but it is another one that is great as a "set it and forget it" meal. There are hardly any additional steps needed after it is done cooking. Serve it with chips, shredded cabbage, and avocado. It's incredible!
6. Mississippi Pot Roast The beauty of this recipe is that a) it cooks all day and requires minimal effort to get ready in the slow cooker and b) the gravy makes itself so there's no need to strain drippings and simmer gravy before eating. The meat is delicious over potatoes OR served on buns with provolone cheese.
7. Baked Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti A favorite pasta casserole, this chicken spaghetti can be assembled the night before or the morning of to bake later in the day. It can also be frozen prior to baking, making it a most excellent freezer meal.
8. Asian Chicken Salad This is the salad of which the intro spoke of. 😉 Thanks to the thinly sliced yet hearty cabbage, this salad holds up well for days as leftovers or for a make-ahead meal. If intentionally making it ahead of time, prep all the ingredients and store separately; toss together before serving.
Explore Last Minute Grilling Recipes for Labor Day!
Do you have big plans for the Labor Day holiday (if you are celebrating)? We are still hunkered down a bit at home with my 16-year old recovering from surgery, which is a bit of a bummer as he was just starting to perfect some wicked wakeboarding tricks prior to surgery and would have loved to be at the lake. Instead, I think we'll grill some of our favorite "cookout-type foods" and maybe get wild and crazy with a family cornhole tournament in the back yard (a great one-handed game we can all play in solidarity with my son). One of his favorite recipes is this bacon jalapeño popper dip, so I think I'll whip that up for him on the holiday. 💙 Have a safe and fun weekend! | 
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