I have been looking back at when I first started posting recipes, motivated by people asking about dishes I made on repeat that my kids always asked for. These top favorite family dinners have held up over time, and I thought they deserved some new light.
Starting from the top left and working across the rows and then down to the next row, they are:
Pot Roast with Egg Noodles – I think this may be my most requested recipe from the kids. Everyone loves it and the tender beef and flavorful gravy pair so well with chewy egg noodles. I make these easy egg noodles at home, and they are just about the easiest pasta you can make. No pasta machine required.
Hainanese Chicken Rice – This recipe is so simple and easy but it has an amazing amount of flavor. A whole chicken is used to make the meat, a simple chicken soup, the broth to cook the rice, and is also used in the hot sauce. This is a super cost effective recipe and each person can customize their meal with the two sauces so it works for kids or people with food limitations as well as those who want a lot of punch in their meal.
Pork Katsu Sandwiches on Milk Bread – This Japanese sandwich features a super crispy pork cutlet served on soft fluffy milk bread with tangy cabbage and sweet/tart katsu sauce. We really love this one.
Beer Braised Short Rib Sandwiches – This one is also up there with my most requested and most made recipes. All the components of this sandwich come together in such an amazing way. The deeply flavored beer braised beef is nicely offset with the pickled vegetables and horseradish, and you get a little creamy bite from the aged cheddar.
Korean Fried Chicken Bao – This recipe pairs crunchy, spicy, sweet korean fried chicken with fluffy bao buns and pickled veggies for an absolutely fantastic bite. I usually make two steamers full of buns for these because they make great leftovers too!
Caldo Verde – Caldo verde is a very simple but super flavorful soup made with Spanish chorizo, potatoes and greens. The broth is spicy and tangy and so addicting. My family loves this soup and it is easy to make.
Sweet and Sour Chicken – This is my friend Christine’s family recipe and I’m so lucky she shared it with me and has allowed me to share it with others. This gets asked for on repeat at my house. The sauce is perfectly sweet/tart and full of aromatic ginger, garlic and scallions.
Short Rib Chili – This is not your average chili. Made with tender short ribs, really dried chilies and dark beer, it is deeply flavored and super delicious. It has hints of mole flavor and pairs so well with a bit of cheddar and a dab of sour cream.
Beef Pho – Vietnamese beef pho is a tasty soup made with tender steak, a fragrant and flavorful broth, rice noodles and fresh herbs on top. Don’t skip the fried shallots too as they add wonderful flavor.
These recipes never disappoint and bring smiles to my dinner table. I hope you make and enjoy them too!