c/easy-weeknight-dinners

I just wasted $15 on a 'quick' sauce that took longer than making it from scratch

I bought one of those fancy jarred simmer sauces for chicken last Tuesday, thinking it would save me 20 minutes. It cost $7, and I still had to buy the chicken and veggies, so the total was about $15. The instructions said to cook it for 25 minutes, but it was way too thin, so I had to let it reduce for another 15. My simple tomato sauce from a can of crushed tomatoes, garlic, and dried herbs only takes about 20 minutes total and costs maybe $3. Has anyone else found that some 'shortcut' products actually make dinner take longer?

Update: My Wednesday night dinner plan fell apart in the best way

I was going to make a simple pasta, but my power went out for almost two hours right when I got home. I had to get creative with a can of chickpeas, some spinach, and a lemon I found. I just tossed it all in a bowl with some olive oil and it was weirdly good. Has anyone else had a 'no-cook' dinner turn out better than expected?

I thought homemade was always better, but jarred sauce saves my sanity

For a long time, I insisted on making tomato sauce from scratch. It took forever and made a mess. One busy night, I grabbed a jar from the store. The dinner was on the table in half the time. Now I keep a few jars in the pantry for those rushed evenings.

Update: My friends are into sheet pan dinners lately, and my evenings are way easier.

Appreciation post: My one-pan dinner shift

I thought good meals needed multiple pots. A simple sheet pan recipe proved me wrong.

My brother's simple stir fry on a busy night flipped my idea about solo cooking.

From daily delivery to my dependable dish

Honestly, I relied on food apps for years. Now, a simple frittata makes weeknights feel good.