Prime moms are no stranger to evenings of coming home from a long day at work and frying whatever’s in the fridge for easy meals. But even on stressful days, a satisfied tummy with delectable dinner ideas tends to turn the day around. The best way to cap off a productive day for you and the family? Turning to these easy dinner recipes for a healthier, tastier dinner! 

Sweet & Sour Meatballs

Prime Mom tip: when cooking for dinner, you don’t always have to start from scratch. A little pre-work on weekends help. Take this meatball dinner recipe for example. With meatballs prepped ahead of time, all it takes to cook up a serving with a flavorful sweet and sour sauce is 20 minutes! Check out this easy dinner recipe.

Ingredients for Freezer Meatballs:

• 5 lbs. ground beef
• 1 ½ cups plain breadcrumbs 
• ½  cup whole milk 
• ½  cup fresh parsley, chopped  
• ¼  cup heavy cream 
• 2 heaping tbsp grainy mustard 
• 1 tsp salt 
• 1 tsp ground black pepper 
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes 
• 4 large eggs 
• Olive oil, for frying

Directions for Freezer Meatballs

1. In a large bowl, combine and knead beef, breadcrumbs, milk, parsley, cream, mustard, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes and eggs.
2. Scoop out and roll tablespoon portions of the meat mixture into balls. Line balls on baking sheets with parchment paper before freezing for 10 minutes. 
3. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium to high heat. In batches, cook meatballs for 5 – 6 minutes each or until all sides are light brown and the insides are cooked. Drain half-cooked meatballs on paper towels before lining them back on baking sheets and freezing for 30 – 45 minutes. 
4. Finally, store meatballs into freezer bags. 

Ingredients for Sauce and Meatballs for Dinner:

• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup vinegar 
• ¼ cup ketchup 
• 1 tbsp soy sauce 
• 2 ¼ cups pineapple juice 
• 1 tbsp cornstarch 
• 25 frozen meatballs,
• 1 tbsp hot sauce, more to taste 
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup pineapple chunks, 
• Pineapple juice from chunks
• 4 tbsp sliced green onions 

*Makes 4-6 servings

Directions for Sauce and Meatballs for Dinner:

1. In a saucepan, combine brown sugar, vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce and 2 cups of pineapple juice. Stir and bring mixture to a gentle boil over medium to high heat. 
2. To thicken the sauce, combine cornstarch with remaining pineapple juice in a small bowl until smooth. Add the blend into the sauce.
3. Add frozen meatballs, hot sauce and bell pepper. Blend and mix well before covering saucepan and letting it further cook for 8 – 10 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and the meatballs are heated enough.
4. Stir in pineapple chunks and top mixture with half of the green onions. 
5. Plate meatballs and sauce over rice, garnished with the rest of the green onions. Serve with a side of buttered Mega Prime Kernel Corn. 

Chicken Carbonara

Pasta can be faster in prep, and tastier with the right ingredients! Cook up a comforting serving of good ol’ chicken carbonara with this easy dinner recipe that can be done in under 30 minutes! 

Ingredients

• 12 oz. fettuccine
• 4 slices bacon
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
• Salt, to taste
• Ground black pepper
• 4 large eggs, beaten
• ¾ cup of Parmesan, grated 
• ⅓  parsley, chopped
• Extra Parmesan and parsley for garnish

*Makes 4 servings

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, but save a ½ cup of pasta water.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon for 5 minutes before adding garlic Cook for another 2 – 3 minutes or  until bacon is crispy. Transfer to a bowl and drain half of the fat left in the skillet.
3. Cook chicken in the skillet with bacon fat. Adjust the heat to medium-high. Season generously with salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.
4. Reduce heat to low and return cooked bacon to skillet. Toss for a bit before adding cooked pasta in the mix.
5. In a separate container, beat eggs, Parmesan, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Pour egg mixture over pasta and toss until coated. Add a few tablespoons pasta water until desired creamy consistency is achieved. 
7. Garnish Carbonara with Parmesan and parsley before serving.

Ginataang Hipon, Sitaw at Kalabasa

Best served with rice, this creamy, sweet veggie Filipino delight takes only 30 minutes to prep! Here’s how to cook Ginataang Kalabasa, Sitaw at Hipon.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 cups coconut milk
• 2 finger chili peppers
• 2 cups kalabasa, pared, seeded and diced into chunks
• 2 cups sitaw, ends trimmed and sliced
• ½ lb large shrimp, tendrils trimmed
• salt to taste

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat, heat oil. Saute onions and garlic until soft. Add fish sauce and stir for about 1 minute. Pour coconut milk with chili peppers and let the mixture simmer. Lower heat and let it cook for 3 – 5 minutes.
2. Throw in chunks of kalabasa and sitaw, and cook for another 3 – 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
3. Lastly, add shrimp to the mix and leave to cook for 4 – 5 minutes. Season with salt before serving with rice. 

Family craving for chicken? Check out easy chicken dinner recipes you can make on the fly!