Easy Simple Dinner Recipes

A fresh twist on the traditional pasta salad, this rustic Italian style dish is great as a side at dinner or as a cold summer salad for lunch the following day. The four ingredients in this salad are basil, orzo, tomatoes, and pine nuts, but feel free to make additions or substitutions. Toss in roasted garlic or fresh parsley for more flavor; swap out the pine nuts for toasted walnuts or cannellini beans to save money; add in feta, ricotta salata, or small chunks of parmigiano reggiano; or a pieces of grilled chicken. Toss with extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. Read More

Baby herbs and spicy sausages create a mouth watering salad you'd never expect! Add in the Parmigiano Reggiano and you have yourself an easy salad to remember. Consider adding corn, grilled peppers or tomatoes, or thinly sliced red onions if you need to liven it up. Or switch out the chorizo for Italian sausage or chicken sausage. Read More

Though traditional bruschetta recipes call for toasting the bread, then rubbing with raw garlic and topping with cold tomatoes and basil, this recipe switches it up with olives and mozzarella cheese. You may want to still rub the bread with garlic and bake for a few minutes before putting the tomatoes and cheese on top to prevent soggy bread. Read More

Incorporating asparagus into any dish is simple way to make it effortlessly elegant. In this recipe, you'll wrap chicken breasts in prosciutto before baking them, while you saute the asparagus in butter and lemon. Add a slice of provolone cheese to eat chicken breast for a European variation. Alternatively, quickly broil the asparagus for a different texture. Read More

A fresh approach to serving meringue, this dessert was made popular by Prince William's Alma Mater, Eton School. This dish is best prepared in summer, or whenever you have access to extremely fresh and flavorful raspberries, because the quality of the dish relies upon the quality of the berries. Plus, it's the perfect light and sweet finish to an outdoor summer meal. Creamy and delicious, but it won't weigh you down. You won't need egg yolks for this recipe, so you can buy pre-boxed whites to prevent waste if you wish. Read More

This is the easiest cherry pie ever! Use mini pie pans if you have them; if not, regular sized muffin tins should work fine. You just spread storebought pie crust dough into the cups, add in a mixture of cherries and sugar (with vanilla and cinnamon if you so desire), top with remaining dough and sugar, and bake. Feel free to swap the cherries with blueberries, apples, or strawberries for another mini pie sensation. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream. Read More

Have you ever infused your own lemonade? It's not as hard as you think! Just cook cherries with sugar and water for about 20 minutes, let them cool, and add them into storebought (or homemade) lemonade. Mix with vodka or sweet tea vodka for a refreshing summer cocktail. Garnish with real cherry! Read More

So much higher-class than a tequila sunrise, but the same pretty effect in the glass! A layer of crushed raspberries and a layer of orange juice topped with Prosecco creates a beautiful pink and orange drink. Serve it as an aperitivo (before-dinner drink) for best results and wow factor. Read More