Addie is going through this phase of being hungry all the time (I mean… I am hoping it’s a phase??) She’s always been a fabulous eater, chowing down on 90-100% of what we put in front of her (I know, #blessed).  But let me hit you with a recent real life example…

After picking Addie up from school, I took her straight to Nordstrom Rack, my go-to for kids shoes (…let’s be honest, mama likes their shoes, too). Snack time at her school is at 3pm yet just a mere 90min later, Addie was beside herself with hunger. Had you been at the Rack on that afternoon, you would have found me hushing my darling, sobbing daughter who was shouting, SHOUTING in the check out line, “Mommy!!!! Why won’t you feeeeeeed me?? Mommy, I’m SOOO hungry my tummy hurts!!! Mommy, whhhhy?!?!!!” *cue kidless store clerk judgy eyes*

Needless to say, when I walk into our home after a long day at work with an apparently nutrient-deprived daughter, I need dinner on the table STAT. If I had it my way, our timeline on a weekday would look like this:

4pm: walk out of the office
4:30pm: elbow my way through traffic, arrive at Addie’s school
4:50pm: walk into our house, embrace Addie’s pleas for a snack
5:25pm: dinner on the table, forks in mouths (I know, I have some high expectations)

And now that we have our kitchen (mostly) back up and running, I’m back doing what I love to do… cooking fresh and delicious food for my people.  It’s what I look forward to at the end of my workday.  I try to cook from nearly scratch at least three times a week which is about all I can muster.  Here are three quick, simple (6 ingredients or less!) and fork-lickin’ good recipes for you to test run with your family.  You’ll get folks to your dinner table in a split:

Sausage + Kale Skillet by Budget Bytes – 5 ingredients

• Time Saving Tip: rather than buying a pack of sausage and having to de-case them, pick a healthier (and conveniently easier packaged) Italian chicken sausage like Isernio’s, found at in most grocery stores.

Chicken, Zucchini + Prosciutto by Real Simple – 5 ingredients

• Time Saving Tip: the most time consuming part of this dish is pan-cooking the prosciutto (since you have to do it in batches). Shave off time by laying out all of the prosciutto on parchment paper on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 12-13 minutes. Presto prosciutto!

Salmon with Lemon-Cilantro Vinaigrette by Real Simple – 6 ingredients

• Time Saving Tip: When you purchase your salmon, ask the store butcher to slice the skin off. Leave it to the professionals and save yourself the fishy hassle.  And if you’re carb averse, this pairs wonderfully with pan-cooked zoodles.

Because I’m always looking for new recipes to add to the rotation… what’s your go-to weeknight meal?  It doesn’t have to be fancy, it just has to be delicious.