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30 Minute Dinners

Quick and Easy Recipes to Get a Home-Cooked Meal on the Table Fast

By , About.com Guide

Taco Salad Recipe

Taco Salad Recipe

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It's so easy to get caught up in the activities and play dates and sports that you find yourself without time to make dinner. Then you end up with fast food or ordering in. But it is possible to have a healthy, satisfying meal on the table fast. These easy 30 minute dinner recipes give you lots of ideas.
  • Grilled Chicken Breasts - Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are soaked in a simple lemon and olive oil marinade, then quickly grilled in this fast dish. I use the George Foreman grill for this recipe, because it cooks the chicken very fast, but feel free to use an outdoor grill if you prefer. Serve with a green vegetable and rice for a light and easy meal.

  • Baked Cod Recipe - Who knew fish could taste so good? This baked cod recipe has "kid friendly" written all over it. It is topped with Dijon mustard, crushed cornflakes and melted butter. What's not to like?

  • Easy Taco Salad Recipe - With just five ingredients, this dinner couldn't be easier to make. Thousand Island dressing gives this recipe a sweet, zesty flavor that appeals to both kids and adults. For variety, try topping this taco salad with sliced black olives, diced green onions, chopped red bell peppers or sour cream.

  • Quesadillas with Vegetables and Cheese - Finely-chopped vegetables are sandwiched between cheese and flour tortillas in this super easy recipe. These quesadillas are a great way to introduce kids to a variety of vegetables. Just be sure to chop them finely. Serve these quesadillas with salsa, sour cream or guacamole.

  • Pecan Crusted Salmon Recipe - Whoever said you can't serve your family healthy food and get dinner on the table fast never tried this recipe. The crunchy topping makes this salmon special, and the whole recipe takes less than 25 minutes from start to finish.

  • Hot Dog Chili Recipe - If you're a fan of chili dogs, you will adore this simple chili recipe. Hot dogs are used in place of beef. I like using an all-natural, nitrate-free hot dog or kosher hot dog for this recipe. If you prefer a less spicy dish, simply leave out the green chiles.

  • Chicken Stir Fry Recipe - This simple stir fry has a sweet-spicy sauce made with orange marmalade and soy sauce. It has a hint of spice from red pepper flakes, but if you prefer milder food, just use freshly-cracked black pepper instead.

  • Beef Tacos - What could be more kid-friendly than tacos? This is a classic ground beef taco recipe that can form the basis for an easy taco bar. Set up some fixings - sour cream, tomato salsa, guacamole, shredded cheddar cheese, etc. and let the kids garnish the tacos as they like.

  • Chicken French Bread Pizza Recipe - French bread is the shortcut for the pizza crust in this recipe, and rotisserie chicken is the shortcut for the topping. A mix of cheeses gives this pizza a real restaurant-quality flavor.

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