Quick Family Recipes For Busy Weeknights

Quick Family Recipes for Busy Weeknights 🍽️

At JKL, we know that home isn’t just four walls, it’s the late-night chats, the quick midweek meals, and the controlled chaos of dinner time with the people you love. Between open homes, school pickups, and the occasional "what-day-is-it?" moment, dinner needs to be fast, easy, and loved by the whole crew.

So, from our real estate family to yours, here are some go-to recipes that will save your weeknight sanity and maybe even earn a few “wow”s at the dinner table. Let’s get cooking!

🌮 1. 20-Minute Taco Night

Perfect for: Tuesdays (or any day ending in “y”)
Serves: 4

What you’ll need:

• 500g beef or chicken mince

• 1 packet taco seasoning

• 8 taco shells or tortillas

• Shredded lettuce, grated cheese, chopped tomato, sour cream

How to whip it up:
Brown the mince, stir in the seasoning and a splash of water, then let it simmer. While that’s doing its thing, get the family involved in prepping the toppings. Stack, wrap, or crunch—however your crew does tacos, everyone leaves the table happy.

🟣 JKL tip: This is a great “team dinner”—set everything out and let the kids build their own.

🍝 2. One-Pot Spaghetti Bolognese

Perfect for: When there’s homework and house hunting
Serves: 4-6

You’ll need:

• 500g beef mince

• 1 onion, chopped

• 2 garlic cloves

• 1 tin diced tomatoes

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 2 cups stock (chicken or veg)

• 250g dried spaghetti

How to make it happen:
Sauté onion and garlic, add mince until browned. Stir in tomatoes, paste, and stock, then break spaghetti in half and toss it in. Let it simmer (lid on) for 15 mins, stirring occasionally. Done. And you’ve only got one pot to wash.

🟣 JKL tip: Add some grated veggies. It will mix in with the sauce & the kids will be none the wiser!

 

 

🍗 3. Sheet Pan Honey Soy Chicken & Veggies

Perfect for: A midweek “I want something healthy but CBF” vibe
Serves: 4

You’ll need:

• Chicken thighs or breast

• 2 tbsp honey

• 2 tbsp soy sauce

• Garlic & ginger (fresh or from a jar)

• Mixed veggies (carrot, capsicum, broccoli, zucchini—whatever’s hanging out in the fridge)

How to:
Mix the sauce ingredients, coat chicken and veggies in it, lay everything on a tray and roast for 25-30 mins at 200°C. That’s it.

🟣 JKL tip: Double the sauce, save half for the next night’s stir-fry. Future you will thank past you.

🥔 4. Loaded Baked Potatoes

Perfect for: When the fridge is a mystery box
Serves: However many spuds you bake

You’ll need:

• Large potatoes

• Cheese, sour cream, spring onions

• Leftover bolognese, beans, pulled chicken—whatever’s around

Make it work:
Microwave or oven-bake your potatoes. Cut them open and stuff them with your toppings. It’s like edible Tupperware for leftovers.

🟣 JKL tip: Set up a "baked potato bar" and let everyone create their masterpiece.

Real homes are lived in, and lived-in homes have fast dinners, noisy kitchens, and little moments around the table that remind us what really matters. That’s what we’re about at JKL. We’re more than just your local real estate team—we’re your real estate family.

Need help finding the perfect kitchen to whip these up in?
🟣 Knock on our door anytime—we’ll have the welcome mat out for you.