Easy Family Recipes with an Exotic Twist

You make mac ‘n’ cheese. You make easy chicken recipes. You make spaghetti and meatballs. Yawn, isn’t anyone getting bored? It’s time to bring excitement back into the kitchen by cooking up some exotic meals. Meals from other cultures and countries don’t have to be complicated or hard to make to be delicious and fun. Here, we’ve cited some extremely easy family recipes that incorporate exotic cuisine.

Asian Cuisine:

Asian dishes are usually spicy and typically use rice as a base or side. If you’re wanting to whip up some Asian cuisine we recommend having soy sauce, rice, and Asian chili sauce on hand to add to nearly every Asian dish.

  • Stir fry: Stir fry meals allow you to put all of your leftover veggies to work. While a wok is ideal for stir-fry cooking, you can also use a skillet. Mushrooms, spinach, broccoli, carrots, zucchini, and bean sprouts all taste great in stir fries. Just add a protein, like tofu, shrimp, or chicken, and some rice and you’ll have an easy meal that everyone will love.
  • Thai Chicken and Coconut Soup: For anyone who loves coconut, coconut soup is a great way to replenish your nutrients after a long, hard day. You can deviate from the traditional version of Thai soup by adding more sustenance, like chicken and rice. Typical ingredients include Asian fish sauce, lime juice, low sodium chicken broth, lemongrass, ginger, coconut milk, chiles, and cilantro.

Indian Cuisine:

Indian meals often perplex the palate by combining often contradicting tastes, like sweet and salty or creamy and spicy, together flawlessly. Cumin, turmeric, milk, and rice are typical ingredients in Indian cooking.

  • Slow Cooker Indian Stew: If you’re a fan of your slow cooker, try arranging an Indian stew that will be ready for action by dinnertime. Adding curry powder, ground ginger and cayenne pepper to a stew with chicken, onion, garlic, chicken broth, diced tomatoes, lime juice, and spinach make a fantastic dish.
  • Tikka Marsala: Is an Indian favorite.  You can make it with chicken, beef or lamb, in a single pot with various spices including cumin, cayenne and paprika, some tomato puree, a little yoghurt and heavy cream.  Delicious in about an hour.

Greek Cuisine:

Greek cuisine is great for those who have many of the staples already at home. For example, Greek food often uses olive oil, sugar, butter, and salt.

  • Falafel: Chickpea fritters, or falafel, is one of the best things you can make with chickpeas. Put oil in a large saucepan then scoop tablespoons of chickpea batter, made with ground chickpeas, into pan until nicely brown for about 5 minutes. You can serve falafel with lettuce, tzatziki sauce, and pita bread.
  • Chopped Greek Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette: You can easily make a delicious, Greek salad out of Greek staples like feta cheese and black olives. The ingredients combine well with tomatoes, baby greens, endives, cucumber, and shallot vinaigrette to make a refreshing salad that anyone can appreciate.

You don’t have to go out to eat to get some ethnic cuisine. Stay in and have some Indian, Chinese, Thai, or Greek food for a change!

Easy Family Meals for Big Families or Family Events

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average family size is around three people. However, that doesn’t mean that you, in particular have a small family! For those with bigger families, it may be difficult to find recipes or meals that are easy to make for a group of hungry youngins’. Luckily we have plenty of strategies and easy meals up our sleeves that are a cinch to whip up for a hungry morass. These recipes could be perfect for family events, birthday parties, or simply weekday meals for the larger than average family.

Easy Family Meals Ideas

  • Sticky Pork: Place pork in a crock pot, then cook on low for an entire day. About thirty minutes before serving, shred the port in the crock pot, then turn the slow cooker on high and add water and cornstarch to thicken the mixture. This combination makes a thick, sticky, meaty sauce that everyone enjoys. Pour the meat sauce over rice and serve with some veggies for a wonderful, complete meal.
  • Pasta: Pasta dishes are a godsend when you’re cooking for a bigger number of people. You can serve Italian sausage, veggies, and fiber all in one meal, and pretty easily, too! Try opening up the casings of Italian sausage (which you can buy in bulk at the butcher counter), browning the meat, and throwing in pasta sauce for some added, hearty flavor. Add some frozen peas for a little green, and a side salad with olive oil vinaigrette.
  • Lime Chicken: Spicy lime chicken can be made in the crock pot with ease. Just take about six boneless chicken breasts and marinate them in onion, garlic, parsley, oil, lime juice, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Then, grill them and serve with fresh veggies and rice. That’s it! Everyone will have plenty to eat and the grill does the bulk of the work for you.
  • Pizza: Make your own pizza with tomato sauce, mushrooms, bell peppers, and a pound of sausage. A 16 inch pizza will serve about 6 people, so you can make two and save the leftovers by wrapping eat piece in aluminum foil and popping them in the freezer. Eat your pizza slices within two months. They aren’t as good as fresh-out-of-the-oven slices, but they save you time when you’re feeding the masses!
  • Chicken Pot Pie: One way to save a buck is to use meat as a side rather than a main dish. For example, you could make chicken pot pie with leftover chicken pieces. All you need is chicken broth, some pastry dough, peas, egg, and carrots, to make a delicious chicken pot pie out of inexpensive ingredients.

Having a bigger family may be a challenge during dinner time, but with these tips, you can feed plenty and make it look like a breeze.