What’s for Dinner? 5 Recipes with a Twist

It’s February, and that means love is in the air! Love for your team. Love for your partner in crime. Love for getting dinner on the table every night like a pro! This week’s meal plan gives you five great dinner ideas with simple twists on the classics like skillet chicken, mac and cheese, and Ritz Cracker Crusted Cod.

By
Rachel Knecht
Rachel Knecht
Rachel Knecht
Rachel began testing recipes for Simply Recipes in 2018. She started her food blog in 2017 and taught children's baking classes around Seattle.
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Published February 01, 2020
Rachel Knecht
Close up of beef Pho in an orange bowl with a second yellow bowl nearby.

February is overflowing with reasons to gather friends and family around a dinner table. Be it a Super Bowl party, Valentine’s Day, Black History Month, or the long President’s Day weekend let's enjoy this month to its fullest.

To help us make the most of dinnertime, I picked recipes for the week that offer a twist on traditional standbys.

Baked Cod with Ritz Cracker topping is a tasty change from my usual baked fish. I can already see the excitement in my children’s eyes when I tell them they get to eat Ritz Crackers for dinner!

Miso Glazed Chicken Wings add a spicy kick to weeknight chicken. The first time my oldest ate spicy wings, he was hooked. I have a feeling I’ll need lots of napkins for this meal.

Stovetop mac and cheese used to be a favorite dinner, but we’re all tired of my usual recipe. This Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese is exactly the change we need. Mac and cheese with a crunchy bread crumb topping? Yes, please!

Why should chicken have all the fun? Mom’s Ground Turkey and Peppers helps me meet my goal of branching out from beef and chicken. Ground turkey sounds like a great place to start.

I am so excited to discover this recipe for Easy Wok-Kissed Beef Pho. My husband and I love to go out on lunch dates for pho, but I have yet to make it at home. Sounds like the perfect “date night in” meal.

I hope each of you have a fantastic week cooking, eating, and enjoying time with friends and family.

  • Baked Cod with Ritz Cracker Topping

    Baked Cod with Ritz Cracker Topping
    Elise Bauer

    Any recipe with five ingredients, zero chopping, and a 20-minute bake time is immediately at the top of my “to make” list. Skinless and boneless cod is a light flavored fish that works perfectly with buttery Ritz crackers. Can’t find cod? Any white fish will work in this recipe. Serve with Roasted Zucchini with Garlic.

    Get Recipe

  • Miso Glazed Chicken Wings

    Miso Chicken Wings
    Megan Keno

    These spicy wings are a quick weekday meal. Miso is a soybean paste found in the refrigerated section of the produce aisle, close to salad dressings. It adds a salty, tangy kick not to be missed. Serve with Easy Vegetable Fried Rice.

    Get Recipe

  • Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese

    Kraft mac and cheese - a silver spoon is scooping homemade mac and cheese our of a white casserole dish
    Alison Bickle

    Somehow, I’ve raised a mac and cheese connoisseur. Only certain types will do, and he especially loves the kind that’s baked with a crunchy top. I totally agree. I love this not-from-a-box recipe and the easy cheese sauce. No fussy roux, which lands this recipe firmly in the weeknight favorite category.

    Get Recipe

  • Mom's Ground Turkey and Peppers

    ground turkey recipes: ground turkey and peppers dish
    Elise Bauer

    Turkey doesn’t have to be a big holiday production, and this recipe proves it. Using ground turkey instead of the whole bird keeps it simple and flavorful. Ground turkey is browned in a skillet with onions, red pepper, and the added kick of chipotle or chili powder. Serve with rice or noodles.

    Get Recipe
    Continue to 5 of 5 below.

  • Easy Wok-Kissed Beef Pho

    Simple Beef Pho Recipe
    Alison Conklin

    Fragrant Vietnamese noodle soup is one of the few soups that I order again and again. Why not have it anytime? This quick version simplifies the broth, making it a doable weeknight meal. Your sweetheart will be swooning over this heart-warming soup.

    Get Recipe