4 Simple Dinners to Ease into the New Year

Let's start the new year with nice, easy, and quick recipes. We have a sheet pan dinner, a stir fry, and more!

By
Rachel Knecht
Rachel Knecht
Rachel Knecht
Rachel Knecht turned her home baking into a career in 2016 when she began working as the head baker at The Greenbean Coffeehouse in Seattle, WA. Afterwards, she started Baking with Rachel (her blog), began teaching kids' cooking classes, and recipe tested for the cookbook "Let's Stay In" by Ashley Rodriguez.
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Updated May 16, 2025
Rachel Knecht
Meal Plan Week 1

Welcome to 2022! A whole new year is in front of us. That means a whole new batch of yummy weeknight dinners and fun weekend baking projects! I am excited, but also a little tired after last month’s series of elaborate meals.

I want to help my family ease back into a routine of school, work, and easy family-friendly dinners. By easy I mean 10 ingredients or less and ready in under an hour. 

In addition to being easy, I want this week’s meals to bring balance back into our diet while leaving us full and satisfied. Our holiday was full of sweet treats and cheesy casseroles.

I've gathered light, easy, and quick dinner ideas for this week. I hope they help you ease into the new year! If you're going meatless in January, here is a great place to start.

  • Easy Pasta with Winter Greens

    Swiss chard, lemon, and parmesan pasta heaped in a low bowl.
    Alison Bickel

    Pasta is a safe offering in my house. This dish saves me the trouble of having to make a side salad—the sauce has two bunches of chard! The greens are cooked in the pasta water, then they are blended into a creamy, vibrant sauce.

  • Sheet Pan Sausage, Peppers, and Onions

    Overhead view of a sheet pan sausage dinner.

    Here is a quick and easy sheet pan dinner! Cut Italian sausages into bite-sized chunks and roast them with bell peppers and onions. A simple seasoning of olive oil, salt, and black pepper means it can be served in many ways: on its own, with pasta or rice, or tucked into a hoagie.

  • Easy Cashew Chicken

    Cashew chicken
    Elise Bauer

    Easy Cashew Chicken is a quick stir fry that requires little prep. The chicken marinade doubles as a sauce—be sure to cook the marinade since it held raw chicken. Serve this dish with rice.

  • Stovetop Double-Stack Cheeseburgers

    Stovetop Burgers with Cheese
    Nick Evans

    By the end of the week, it’s tempting for me to head for a drive thru. These homemade stovetop burgers curb the craving. Plus, it's simple! No need to fire up the grill or shape the patties into rounds. Use lean 90/10 ground beef and top it with fresh lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and whatever else you like with your patty. 

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