The Recipe Reality Check

Because December is magical and also absolutely unhinged, here are three simple dinner ideas to have in your back pocket for when you have no mental energy left.

Between trying to remember where exactly the gifts are hidden in, church events, and the never ending “Mom, I need a snack” parade, the last thing I want to do is think hard about dinner. This is my personal lineup of fast, no drama, sanity saving meals that keep us fed during the holiday rush.

⭐ 1. Asian Style Pork Tenderloin & Noodles

This recipe has honestly become a lifesaver in our house. It is one of the first things I learned how to make on my own and still one of my absolute favs. It feels like something you’d order out. It’s super flavorful, slightly sweet, a little savory, and the actual effort level? Just brown the meat and boil the water.

My experience:
This is one of those meals where I genuinely feel like I tricked the universe. The marinade does all the heavy lifting, and it doubles as the sauce, which means fewer steps and fewer dishes.

I usually throw the pork in the marinade not long before the actual cooking time and when dinner rolls around it’s basically: brown pork, add carrots, boil noodles, toss it all together. Done. Even better? Ben will actually eat the noodles without having to beg him, and Paul is always excited when he realizes this is what’s for dinner.

Here’s the version I like to make (just slightly edited with the seasonings): Asian Pork and Noodle Skillet

⭐ 2. Taco Soup

This is my version of December comfort food. It’s warm, cozy, and impossibly easy.

My experience:
This is my “I cannot think about dinner today” meal. Everything goes into one pot, it simmers quietly while I finish whatever last minute holiday task popped up (wrapping gifts? cleaning up crumbs? emotionally recovering?), and it tastes good every single time.

Plus I love that it makes a big batch. We usually have leftovers, and it somehow tastes even better the next day. If Ben is home, I dial back any spice and let him dip tortilla chips in the broth because that’s his preferred method of “eating soup.”

Tastes Better From Scratch’s recipe is simple, yummy, and customizable for every tastebud: https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/taco-soup/

⭐ 3. “Shake and Bake” Style Chicken with Easy Sides

The name may remind you of childhood, but listen: this meal is a weeknight MVP. Crispy chicken with basically no effort? Sign me up.

My experience:
This is the meal I pull out when I want something that feels like a “proper dinner” but I absolutely do not have “proper dinner” energy. The chicken coats quickly, bakes without supervision, and always turns out crispy and delicious.

I tend to pair it with:

• Seasoned Instapot rice because why stand over a stove when a button exists
• Steamed broccoli with butter and garlic salt because that’s the only way my toddler will eat broccoli

Everyone eats it (a small miracle), it comes together fast, and it makes me feel like I’m still functioning as an adult even when the holiday season is determined to take me down. Paul especially loves this one and would probably eat it once a week if I’d let him.

No link for this one.

✨ Final Thoughts

Look, December is busy enough. Dinner should not feel like another task on the ever growing holiday to do list. These three meals keep our evenings easy, warm, and stress free so we can save our energy for the important things.

Like cleaning glitter out of the carpet. Again.

Looking for more holiday season ideas? Check out more here: Seasonal Recipes

The Recipe at a Glance

• Recipe Source: The Pioneer Woman
• Difficulty: Surprisingly doable (once I stopped pan frying like it was hazardous material)
• Promised Time vs. Actual: Pretty accurate. I wasn’t held hostage in the kitchen

Why I Chose This Recipe

I’ve always had a secret fear of pan frying because I imagined catastrophic oil pops and that one story about a friend who set a towel on fire. But this recipe kept popping up everywhere, and honestly? It looked really good. And I figured: if anyone can hold my hand through pan frying, it’s Ree Drummond.

The Cooking Experience

Shockingly this wasn’t hard. The steps were clear, the breading was simple, and the frying part ended up being much less dramatic than the disaster reel I had built up in my head.

A few notes:

• The coating crisped beautifully.
• The gravy? Chef’s kiss. Comfort on a plate.
• No surprise ingredients or complicated techniques.

Did I still flinch when the first piece hit the oil? Yes. Did I survive? Also yes.

The Family Taste Test 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Me: Loved it. Truly felt like a Southern diner comfort meal at home.
Paul: Very into it. He went back for seconds and would have had thirds if I made more.
Benjamin: Not his favorite, but he did take more bites than expected. The real star of the plate for him? The mashed potatoes.

Overall table vibes? Cozy, calm, and pleasantly surprising on the toddler front.

My Honest Verdict

⭐ Nice meal for a night alone with the hubby.
It’s tasty, comforting, and feels more special than a normal weeknight dinner.

Original Recipe