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, […]

3-Ingredient Cream Cheese Poppers   Others require complicated prep, multiple bowls, and enough dishes to make you wonder why you started cooking in the first place. And then there are recipes like these 3-Ingredient Cream Cheese Poppers. Three ingredients. A few simple steps. And a bite-sized appetizer that's crispy on the outside, creamy in the […]

Pour zesty Italian dressing over raw whole chicken breasts in the glass casserole dish with 2 other ingredients and your family will beg for more   Some of the very best family dinners start with a handful of pantry staples and a baking dish. This easy chicken dinner leans on the bold tang of bottled […]

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 […]

Baked Fried Chicken: Crispy Oven-Fried Buttermilk Chicken   I grew up thinking fried chicken had to be complicated. My aunt finally sat me down one Sunday and said, "You're overthinking it." She was right.   This isn't deep-fried. It's baked. And somehow it comes out with that shatteringly crispy, golden crust that makes you forget […]

Green Chile Cheese Bread (Biscuit Pull-Apart Bread)   I brought this to my sister's game night last month, and three people literally stood around the pan pulling pieces off before I could even set it down properly. One guy—total stranger—asked if I catered. I just laughed and said it's refrigerated biscuit dough and ten minutes […]

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. […]