Baked 3 Packet Pot Roast: The Dump-and-Bake Sunday Dinner That Falls Right Apart Prep 20 minutes · Bake 3–4 hours · Serves 6 · About $4.50 per serving This baked 3 packet pot roast is the closest thing to a magic trick my kitchen knows. A chuck roast gets seared, dropped onto a bed of […]

Ground Beef Chow Mein Casserole: The Oven-Baked Fakeout That Tastes Like Takeout Prep 25 minutes · Bake 20–25 minutes · Serves 6–8 · About $1.75 per serving Ground beef chow mein casserole is what happens when a weeknight cook loves takeout chow mein but also loves the idea of one dish, a lid of bubbling […]

Macaroni and Tomatoes: The 4-Ingredient Oven-Baked Pantry Dinner That Feels Like Home Prep 10 minutes · Bake 40–50 minutes · Serves 4 · About $0.70 per serving Macaroni and tomatoes is the meal I make when the pantry is thin and the bank account is thinner. Dry elbow macaroni goes into a glass casserole dish, […]

Hamburger Potato Casserole: The Cheesy, Hearty Family Dinner That Feels Like Home Prep 25 minutes · Bake 80–90 minutes · Serves 6 · About $2.30 per serving Hamburger potato casserole is the weeknight dinner I make when the grocery budget is tight and the table is full. Ground beef, thinly sliced potatoes, onion, cheddar, and […]

Baked Italian Subs: Crusty, Cheesy, Golden-Top Sandwiches Just Like the Deli Prep 10 minutes · Bake 8–10 minutes · Serves 4 · About $2.15 per sub My dad used to bring home these massive Italian subs from a little deli downtown — the kind of place with a hand-lettered sign and a case full of […]

Brownie Cheesecake: The Fudgy, Creamy Showstopper With Hot Fudge Dripping Down the Sides Prep 20 minutes · Bake 50–60 minutes · Chill 4 hours (overnight better) · 12 slices · About $1.30 per slice I made this brownie cheesecake for my sister's birthday last month, and she actually teared up when I carried it out. […]

Sausage Cream Cheese Crescents: Golden Baked Crescents That Disappear in Minutes Prep 15 minutes · Bake 12–15 minutes · 16 crescents (8 servings) · About $0.85 each Sausage cream cheese crescents are the recipe I make when I want to set something on the table and watch it vanish before the main food arrives. My […]

No Peek Beef Tips: Fork-Tender Beef and Gravy, Oven or Slow Cooker Prep 10 minutes · Oven 2–2½ hours (325°F) or slow cooker 6–8 hours low · Serves 6 · About $2.40 per serving No Peek Beef Tips is the dinner I make when I want the house to smell like something has been cooking […]

Baked Scallops: Buttery Garlic Parmesan Scallops Ready in 20 Minutes Prep 10 minutes · Bake 18–20 minutes · Serves 4 · About $3.60 per serving This is my third attempt at these baked scallops this week, and tonight's batch is the best one yet — ridiculously good, the kind of good where you eat one […]

Bisquick Cheddar Biscuits: Buttery, Fluffy Cheese Muffins With a Secret Pinch of Vanilla Prep 5 minutes · Bake 12–15 minutes · Makes 12 muffins · About $0.22 each I made these Bisquick cheddar biscuits on a Sunday morning when my sister showed up unannounced, still in my coffee robe, with half a carton of buttermilk […]