We all love an easy dinner and we all want healthy dinners that taste great. Right!?
I’ve got you covered with this one pan recipe, Healthy BBQ Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner. It has tender chicken thighs roasted together with sweet potatoes, onions, brussel sprouts, and carrots.
After the veggies and chicken are roasted in the oven you drizzle everything with a homemade BBQ Vinaigrette that is out of this world.
We’ve all been there. Your neighbor is sick. A mom friend just had a baby. A family just lost their Father. It’s in times like these that communities come together to take care of each other. Provide support, provide a meal, and simply be there to help.
I remember when I had just had my first baby I wanted to tell everyone, if you are coming over to see the baby please bring FOOD! It was one job that I just couldn’t wrap my mind around with a newborn.
The thought of cooking a meal for my family was just too overwhelming. But we all needed to eat, right!? Especially if you are caring and nursing a newborn around the clock.
A great way to provide support to our friends and neighbors in need, in an ongoing and organized way, is by setting up a meal train.
If you are not familiar with mealtrain.com it is a web site that allows you to create an online meal sign up for a family or person in need. You then email that sign up out to all the people that would like to help the family. Everyone signs up for a particular day to bring a dinner.
The family receiving the meals can even note on mealtrain.com if they have allergies, how many people you should plan on feeding, and if they have strong food aversions or picky eaters (for example that would be fish and seafood for me).
The other nice feature of using meatrain.com is that you can space it out so the family doesn’t have a fridge full of food one day and nothing the next week. You can also see what other people are bringing, so the family doesn’t end up with lasagna three nights in a row!
Let’s get one two things straight:
If you are taking a meal it is nice to attach a note letting them know that you are thinking of them. On this note card you can also date the meal, give them cooking instructions & temps, or reheating instructions.
If you are paralyzed by the idea of making a dinner for another family then you are in the right place. Here are 10 dinner ideas for that meal train you want to sign up for.
These are recipes that travel well, reheat perfectly, and will be enjoyed by the entire family:
If you know the family is not going to eat these chicken or beef tacos the night you are bringing it, no problem.
Simply mix all the ingredients in a disposable foil baking pan and cover, uncooked. Make sure to write out the baking instructions for them.
This is a super easy option if you are short on time!
This cheesy potato casserole makes quite a bit, so you could even make it in two smaller pans and have one for your family and one to take to the meal train family.
If the family is not going to eat this dinner right away, simply mix the cheesy potato casserole and place in a disposable foil pan, uncooked. Then write out the baking time and instructions.
Buy a Rotisserie Chicken and cut the two breasts into slices, and remove the legs. Place all the pieces in a pan for easier serving.
We all know Chili tastes better with time. So this is a great dinner for a meal train!
If the family doesn’t get to it right away, no problem!
This is comfort food at it’s finest. This is exactly what I would want if I had a meal train being delivered to my house. A carb-full casserole, with veggies and chicken!
Make sure you vent the pan when you take it to the family. You do not want the noodles to over cook during travel time! Or it can be prepped ahead and baked at their home.
Breakfast for dinner is always a winner at my house! These Make Ahead Egg Cups are great to take for a meal train because you can make them ahead, pop them in the fridge and then reheat them before you take them to the family, or send them refrigerated with reheating instructions (which are included in my recipe).
If you are taking these to a house with kids they are easily made kid-friendly. Simply pull some of the sausage out of the skillet before adding the spinach. I know my kids can be finicky about green stuff in their food. Then you can make a few cups that only have sausage, egg, and cheese in them.
This is a little more labor intensive meal. It is great to make if you have a little extra time or are taking dinner on the weekend.
You can take this hot and ready to eat, or prep the lasagna roll ups in the pan and cover with foil, uncooked, and send the dish with cooking instructions.
To make this option vegetarian simply replace the sausage with frozen spinach that has been thawed and completely pressed and drained of it’s liquid.
These truly are My Favorite Chicken Enchiladas. This is a great option for a meal train because I have yet to hear a bad review on this recipe!
Don’t most people love Mexican food!? Maybe it’s just the people I choose to surround myself with?
Chicken Noodle Soup always makes you feel better. It is what our Mom’s gave us when we were sick!
This is another recipe that gets better with time. However, it can also tend to thicken as it sits in the fridge. So, I would recommend sending reheating instructions, they may want to add ยฝ cup of water or chicken broth to the soup to reconstitute.
This is also a meal that I consider a one pot dinner. I wouldn’t send a lot of extra side dishes with this. It is pretty filling on it’s own. I will recommend some other items to send to fill the box.
This is a great freezer friendly option if you are taking dinner to a family that will not eat the food for a week or two. There are freezing tips as well as reheating tips in this post.
I think this is also a great option if there are kids in the family.
This Baked Penne with Sausage is also a great freezer friendly option!
Do not think that because you signed up for the meal train that it has to be some show stopping home-made-with-love type of meal. Most of the families that are receiving a meal train just need the FOOD!
So if you are short on time or feel completely out of place in the kitchen, just grab take out from your favorite restaurant or a gift card to a restaurant near the families house. They will feel your love no matter what you show up with… as long as they can easily eat.
Sign up for the Mom's Dinner Newsletter and get dinner help delivered straight to your inbox. From new recipes and videos to weekly dinner ideas and kitchen tips, it's your go-to resource for feeling confident at dinnertime.
Skillet Dirty Rice & Beans is a super easy skillet dinner, made in one pan. The rice is cooked with warm aromatics like onions, garlic, Cajun seasoning, and smoked paprika. Then you add diced tomatoes, chicken broth, and smoked beef sausage. Finally the kidney beans get added and you are left with a delicious dinner that is cooks in under 30 minutes, without a watchful eye.
This is not a spicy dish, it is simply full of warm and comforting flavors. Of course, you can make it spicy by adding extra red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.
[feast_advanced_jump_to]I love a one pan dinner. There is nothing better than finishing dinner and only having one pan to wash.
This one skillet dinner is great on a night when you are busy and just want to be able to throw dinner in a pot and get on with your night.
Some of our other favorite one pan dinners are:
I actually had to look this up when I thought about this recipe. So I thought I would provide the information right here on Mom’s Dinner.
What I found is that Dirty Rice is called dirty because when white rice is cooked with all the Cajun and Creole spices the rice takes on a dirty appearance. Makes sense!
I like to use Louisiana Fish Fry Cajun Seasoning in this recipe.. and all my Cajun style recipes. It has a great mix of spices and salt.
Now if you choose to use a different Cajun seasoning check and see if it contains salt. If it does not, add a little less than ยฝ teaspoon of salt when you add the other seasonings to the onion-sausage mixture. Then wait to taste for additional salt at the end.
This is a great set it and forget it recipe. Once all the ingredients are in the pot you have about 20-25 minutes to leave the kitchen and get other things done.
4. Pour the chicken broth and tomatoes into the skillet and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Now add the rice and bring the heat up to medium high and let the liquid come to a hard simmer.
5. Lower the heat to low and pop the lid on. Simmer on low for 18-20 minutes.
6. Remove the pot from the heat and let it sit, with the lid on for 5 minutes.
7. Stir in the kidney beans and it is time to eat!
Sautรฉ the onions first until they begin to soften, then wait to add the garlic so it has a more pronounced flavor.
Choose the sausage link flavor that you like – smoked beef sausage or Cajun style Andouille.
Use the Cajun seasoning that you love. If you use one that doesn't include salt, add a little to taste.
If you use a rice other than long grain white rice, use the rice cooking time on your packaging.
This Sausage Beans and Rice is a pretty complete meal on it's own, so don't feel bad if you serve it without sides! But if you want to add some dishes, here are some great ideas:
Leftover Cajun Beans and Rice store really well! It makes a great leftover lunch. Keep in the fridge in a covered container for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet with a little broth or water.
โญโญโญโญโญ
The new gameshow, 100 Cooks, premieres on Food Network June 7th, 2026 at 9est/8cst. I hope you will tune in!
This Instant Pot Chicken Stock is a super fast and easy way to make chicken stock. It has wonderful depth of flavor and great health benefits. This is also a great recipe to use up leftover vegetable scraps and rotisserie chicken carcasses that would otherwise go in the trash!
It really enhances recipes like Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup, Corn Chowder, or even Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo!
Broth, Stock and Bone Broth are not the same things. The real difference comes from how they are prepared and the strength.
Broth – Considered a lighter/delicate version of these three. Broth is made by simmering meat, veggies and aromatics. No bones are used in making broth.
Stock – A heartier and more flavorful option. Stock is made by cooking the bones/carcass of a chicken with veggies and aromatics. It will have a richer color as well.
Bone Broth – The most intense of all three. Bone broth is similar to Stock in that it is made with the bones/carcass of the chicken. It should be simmered for so long that the bones almost bread down, releasing their collagen into the broth.
You just need a few simple things to make amazing chicken stock in your Instant Pot:
Veggies – Did you know that you can use veggie scraps to make Chicken Stock!? When you peel carrots, slice onions, or trim celery you can pop those scraps in a freezer bag and keep them for up to 6 months.
Chicken Base – This is a completely optional ingredient. I always have it in my fridge so I add it when I make chicken stock. It just adds a richer flavor that my family likes.
Add your onion, garlic head to the pot.
Now add in the chicken carcass, bones, and veggie scraps, making sure not to go past the max fill line on the inside of your pot.
Pour water over the top so that it fills just under the max fill line in your pot.
Close the lid and turn the vent to seal.
Set your pot to cook on manual- high pressure for 30 minutes.
Do a 10 minute natural release and then finish with a quick release.
Strain the solids from the stock by using a fine mesh colander over a large bowl. Then with a wooden spoon press the solids so they release all their flavor into the broth!
Portion your stock into containers for storage.
I like to portion my Chicken Stock into 2-4 cup size portions. These plastic containers from Amazon work great. I also like to use large mason jars in the fridge.
Keep your strained Chicken Stock in the fridge for up to 7 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
After it has been refrigerated and completely cooled the fat will solidify on the top of the broth. Skim off the majority of that and discard before using.
It helps with everything to inflammation, arthritis, and boosts immune systems. Read all about it here!
It will turn back into a complete liquid with just the smallest amount of heat.
To make this “bone broth” instead of stock, just increase the cooking time to 60 minutes.
Eating or drinking homemade bone broth or chicken stock has great health benefits. Here are just a few:
These are great tips for making super flavorful and easy chicken stock in your kitchen:
โญโญโญโญโญ
The new gameshow, 100 Cooks, premieres on Food Network June 7th, 2026 at 9est/8cst. I hope you will tune in!
These Banana Bread Muffins have been made thousands of times by Mom’s Dinner readers, and if you look at the recipe card it has over 70 Five Star Ratings! They are tender, delicious, and moist. They have the banana flavor that you love and just a hint of vanilla from the vanilla extract and vanilla Greek yogurt.
They make a perfect quick breakfast on-the-go, a lazy breakfast on the couch with coffee, a great after-school snack for the kids, or a little something special to throw in their lunch box.
Great recipe, just made these for a church bake sale. I may just have to buy them back!! – Janice
This is my most favorite recipe for Banana nut muffins. I love the Greek yogurt idea. I used plain, nonfat.
Yumza! – Paula
You bought the bananas. You bought a lot of bananas because last week your kids couldn’t get enough bananas! This week they have decided they hate bananas and will only eat apples. Sound familiar?!?
Now you are left with a pile of over-ripe bananas that, at any minute, will start attracting fruit flies. This is the time that you need this recipe for Banana Bread Muffins with Greek Yogurt.
We have discussed this before, but let me say it again… I am not a profesh baker. So, when you see me baking on Mom’s Dinner, you know it is going to be a super easy recipe! This recipe for Banana Bread Muffins is no exception. Put away your stand mixers and your hand held mixers. All the stirring and blending is done by hand!
I told you, I keep it real simple. You only need 3 ripe bananas for this recipe, so if you have more than that I always recommend breaking them into 1 inch chunks and popping them into the freezer, they are perfect for morning smoothies!
Over Ripe Bananas – You will want 3 medium sized bananas that have gone brown and are very ripe/soft. This is the perfect recipe for when you have bananas that nobody ate! But the recipe is SO good it is worth buying bananas and waiting for them to ripen.
Greek Yogurt – I really like to use a vanilla flavored Greek Yogurt to enhance the vanilla flavor, however plain will absolutely work!
Sugar – The recipe originally called for 1 cup of white sugar. I have since reduced that to ยพ cup with the feedback that 1 cup was a little too sweet. I have also had people comment that they cut the sugar back to ยผ cup without any issue.
Butter – We love salted butter in the Mom’s Dinner kitchen and that is what the recipe was tested with. However unsalted butter will work too.
All Purpose Flour – This recipe was tested with unbleached all purpose flour. If you choose another type of flour (whole wheat, almond, etc…) the recipe may not work the same.
Kosher Salt – It is counterintuitive, but a little salt actually enhances the sweetness of the bananas.
Eggs – The recipe was tested with 2 large eggs.
Vanilla – A vanilla extract adds a delicious flavor to the Banana Muffins.
Baking Powder and Baking Soda – You will use both powder and soda in this recipe. It helps keep the muffins tender while allowing them to rise in the oven. Make sure your baking powder and baking soda are not expired!
By using a โ cup of vanilla or plain Greek yogurt in this recipe you are able to cut the traditional amount of butter in half, to just a ยผ cup. The Greek yogurt adds great flavor and moisture to the muffins.
This is a super simple recipe. All you need are 2 bowls, a fork, a mixing spatula, a mesh colander, and a muffin tin lined with paper liners.
Using the back of a fork, mash the ripe bananas until they are pretty smooth and there are no large chunks remaining. Set aside.
Combine the Greek yogurt, softened butter, and sugar, until it is creamed together. Add the eggs, salt, vanilla, and mashed bananas.
Sift in the flour, baking powder, and baking soda into the banana mixture. Stir together.
Scoop the banana muffin batter into the muffin tin that is lined with paper cups. Fill each cup about โ full. This should give you between 15-18 muffins.
Pop it into the 350ยฐF preheated oven for about 14-16 minutes, until the muffins are cooked thru and golden brown on top.
Yes, you can make this recipe into banana bread instead of muffins. It actually makes incredible banana bread; full of flavor, tender, and moist.
Simply prepare the batter as directed in the recipe, place the batter into a greased loaf pan, and bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes until the center is cooked through.
Because these muffins are extra moist from the bananas and Greek yogurt, storing them properly will keep them soft instead of sticky or dense. Let the muffins cool completely, then place them in an airtight container lined with a paper towel to absorb any extra moisture. They will stay fresh at room temperature for about 3 to 4 days, or you can refrigerate them for up to a week.
If you want to keep a batch on hand for easy breakfasts or snacks, they freeze really well. Just pop them in a freezer bag and thaw one at a time when the craving hits.
I love a traditional Banana Bread Muffins, but if you want to add some extra flavors this recipe plays well with others. So what can you put in your banana bread muffins? Here are a few ideas to get you started:
โญโญโญโญโญ
The new gameshow, 100 Cooks, premieres on Food Network June 7th, 2026 at 9est/8cst. I hope you will tune in!
A super flavorful sheet pan dinner that is easy-to-make and ready in 30 minutes! It can even be made ahead for easy weekly meal prep. This one pan dinner is full of all the fall colors and flavors that you want in your comfort food this time of year.
The smoked beef sausage is warmed thru and the fresh veggies are roasted and perfectly caramelized.
When the sheet pan dinner is pulled hot from the oven you drizzle on a smoked paprika vinaigrette that adds another delicious layer of flavor. It compliments the fall veggies and smoked beef sausage perfectly.
You need to get on board with the sheet pan dinner trend, asap! You can have your entire dinner made in one pan, in the oven, all cooked together, and these recipes are usually done in 30 minutes or less!
Not only is this an incredibly easy way to get dinner on the table… it leaves very little clean-up after the fact.
PIN THIS SHEET PAN DINNER RECIPE HERE!
If you like a one pan or one pot dinner, definitely check out my One Pot Dutch Oven Lasagna or my Dutch Oven Spinach Artichoke Lasagna
This is a great tip for just about any recipe that calls for roasting or browning in a pan. The key to roasting is making sure you have enough space on the pan between the veggies.
If you over crowd the pan they will steam instead of roast. This is also the same when you are trying to brown in a pan, if you over crowd (or add too much liquid) your item will steam instead of brown.
Grab your largest sheet pan and preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Cut all your veggies:
Put all the vegetables on the sheet pan and drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss everything around with clean hands so it is all coated with oil.
Pop that into the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
PRO TIP: Do not crowd the pan with the veggies or they will steam instead of roast. If you need to use two sheet pans, err on the side of too much room.
Meanwhile cut the sausage link into about 20 pieces.
Pull the sheet pan of veggies from the oven, they will be about half way cooked. Give them a good toss with a spatula and then add the sausage to the pan, right on top of the vegetables.
Put it back in the oven for an additional 12 minutes. This will warm the sausage thru and start to caramelize the veggies.
While the sheet pan dinner finishes, go ahead and make the smoked paprika vinaigrette. In a mason jar, mix together all the vinaigrette ingredients:
Put the lid on the jar and shake it vigorously, until all the ingredients are emulsified together. If you do not have mason jars use a bowl and whisk.
Pro tip: I do not recommend adding salt to your vinaigrette. The veggies and sausage are salty enough! Promise.
Once you pull the sheet pan out the oven, drizzle the vinaigrette over the veggies and beef. Give it a toss with a spatula to distribute the vinaigrette and it’s time to eat.
If you know that you are going to have a really busy week, this is a great dinner to prep and have in the fridge for later!
Simply cut all the veggies and place them in an airtight container for up to 2 days. You can also prep the vinaigrette in a mason jar and keep it in the fridge.
When it is time for dinner, just follow the baking instructions and dinner will be ready in under 30 minutes!
This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Mom's Dinner at no cost to you!
Do you love a creamy, garlicky spinach artichoke dip? Do you love a thick and hearty lasagna? Then you are going to love this recipe for Dutch Oven Spinach Artichoke Lasagna!
It is a delicious, creamy, and cheesy lasagna recipe that makes a great one-pot meal. It tastes like the perfect spinach artichoke dip and lasagna mash up. Just add a little Italian Sausage to make this amazing lasagna recipe complete.
[Read more…]Greek Turkey Burgers with Raspberry Mint Aioli are a deliciously juicy grilled turkey burger topped with tangy feta cheese, red onion, and baby spinach dressed with a slightly sweet raspberry vinaigrette. They are topped with an amazing Raspberry Mint Aioli sauce, which isย mayonnaise mixed with a touch of raspberry vinaigrette, a little garlic, and a hint of mint.
This One Pot Lasagna recipe has all the classic lasagna flavors that you love: pasta, sausage, basil, tomato, cheese… lots of cheese. Except this recipe is SO SIMPLE to make! It all comes together in one pot and is ready in under an hour.
For a more traditional lasagna made in a 9×13 pan, pop over to this Homemade Lasagna recipe! Or for something that is made in just 30 minutes, pop over to this Skillet Lasagna.
My love for lasagna is a life long love. When I was little, vegetarian lasagna was my requested birthday dinner every year. My Mom made her lasagna with carrots, zucchini, and cottage cheese. That is why I still like zucchini and carrots in my lasagna recipe. I truly love cottage cheese in my lasagna too, however, my husband would probably die of grossness if I put cottage cheese in his lasagna, so we opt for ricotta cheese instead.
Back in the day I did not eat meat. Strictly vegetarian from age 12 to 27! It all stemmed from a bad dream that still haunts me if I think too hard about it. EWWWWW.
Now-a-days I like a meat lasagna recipe. In this recipe I use a mild Italian turkey sausage. You could also opt for an Italian pork sausage.
Lasagna can be super labor intensive to make. That is why I love this recipe for One Pot Lasagna. It all comes together in my dutch oven. There is no precise layering required! It is easy to make and easy to clean up.
If you do not have a Dutch Oven (I use my 5 quart Le Creuset), you can use any heavy pot that has a lid and is oven safe (about 5-8 quarts in size).
Start by sauteing your onions, garlic, and carrots in olive oil. Once the onions have softened, about 5 minutes, add the sausage and cook thru while crumbling. If you use pork sausage you will want to drain some of the fat off before moving on to the next steps;
Pour in a jar of your favorite marinara sauce. Pour 1 cup of water into the empty marinara jar and shake it with the lid on. Now pour that into the pot. Stir to combine everything.
Break 10-12 oven ready lasagna noodles into 3-4 pieces each. Nest those pieces into the sauce, making sure each piece is covered in sauce.
Dollop the top of the sauce with tablespoons of ricotta cheese.
Sprinkle the cut zucchini on the top.
Place the lid on top and pop it in the oven for 30 minutes.
Then remove the lid and sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese. Bake for an additional 10 minutes. If you want the cheese a little browned, like the picture below, you can turn on the broiler for a few minutes… but watch it carefully so it doesn’t burn the cheese.
Let the Dutch Oven Lasagna rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
I usually reserve lasagna for the weekend or for a Sunday night family dinner. However, with this easy lasagna recipe you can plan this for a weeknight.
I like to pair this recipe with a green salad or a caesar salad. Sometimes we will have garlic bread as well.
If your family likes this dinner recipe, here are a few other Italian inspired recipes from Mom’s Dinner to check out:
I hope you give this recipe for One Pot Dutch Oven Lasagna a try in your kitchen!
Love-Susie
โญโญโญโญโญ
The new gameshow, 100 Cooks, premieres on Food Network June 7th, 2026 at 9est/8cst. I hope you will tune in!
This Lemon Penne with Oven Roasted Broccoli is such a bright and light pasta recipe! When you want pasta, but you don’t want something heavy like a Ragu, this Lemon Penne is going to become your go-to. It is bursting with fresh lemon flavor and lightly caramelized oven roasted broccoli. Perfect pasta dinner for summer!
This recipe is a highly requested dinner at my house. My husband and I have been eating it for years. It started as a recipe from Ina Garten called Bow Ties & Broccoli. However, thru the years, I have morphed the recipe by removing this.. adding that… changing this… and it has now turned into this Lemon Penne with Oven Roasted Broccoli.
If you love broccoli you will love this recipe… on repeat!
For this recipe I prefer to oven roast my broccoli at 400 degrees for about 12 minutes. This leaves the broccoli nice and al dente so it still has a little bite. I think that texture holds up nicely next to the pasta.
Now if you like your roasted broccoli just a little more caramelized then you can either bump up the temp. to 425 and stick with the 12 minutes, or keep it at 400 and roast it a little longer, between 15-18 minutes. Just keep an eye on it to make sure your broccoli doesn’t burn!
However long you choose to cook your broccoli, just make sure to toss the pine nuts on the baking sheet for the last minute or two to give them a nice toasting. It really brings out the buttery almost bacon-y flavor of the pine nuts! YUM
How good does that sound, Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce! My mouth waters just from typing it.
This sauce is where the flavor is at in this recipe. It is a buttery sauce with a burst of fresh lemon and a kick of garlic. Those flavors compliment the roasted broccoli perfectly!
It is a super simple sauce to make. You only need 4 ingredients:
In a sauce pan you melt the butter and olive oil together. Add the lemon zest and garlic and let it lightly simmer for a few minutes. Off the heat you add the fresh lemon juice and a little salt. That is it.
I have perfected this recipe thru the years to suit my families taste buds. You may want to try some different variations depending on your families palate. Here are some ideas to get you started:
To be totally honest, when we have this for dinner during the week I usually do not make an additional side dish.
To bulk up the dinner you can add a little Buttermilk Grilled Chicken or Marinated Grilled Chicken, and some garlic bread. Or if you are feeding kids, make these baked chicken meatballs for kids or toss some chicken nuggets in the oven with the broccoli!
โญโญโญโญโญ
The new gameshow, 100 Cooks, premieres on Food Network June 7th, 2026 at 9est/8cst. I hope you will tune in!
This no-bake Lemonade Icebox Pie is a wonderful frozen dessert that is tart, sweet, and super delicious. This Icebox Pie is like a frozen ice cream pie with flavors of tart lemon and served topped with sweet raspberries. The crust is the perfect amount of salty sweetness that you want with the sweet creamy pie filling. We love that this is kind of a fool-proof dessert. You don’t need to be a expert baker to make this dessert recipe.
This Lemonade Icebox Pie is a great summer time dessert because it requires no baking time. Just a minute in the microwave to melt some butter.
Would also be a great dessert for a large group summer vacation because it will feed a lot of people.
The name Icebox Pie comes from the word “Icebox”, which is what they called early refrigerators. These Frozen Pies or Cakes were made and kept fresh/cool in the Icebox. You could also call an Icebox Pie a Frozen Pie, Freezer Pie, or Ice Cream Pie.
A traditional Icebox Pie is a mixture of fruit or fruit juices, eggs, and condensed milk. It is poured into a crust and then put in the freezer.
This recipe is SUPER easy. The only consideration when making this recipe is to be sure you have time for the pie to set up in the freezer.
Start by crushing the graham crackers or you can purchase graham cracker crumbs. I prefer to do this by pulsing them in a food processor. You could also crush them in a plastic baggie by rolling them or beating them with a rolling pin. Just make sure they are processed to the texture of sand.
Melt a stick of butter (YUM) and mix it in with the ground graham crumbs. You can do this by adding it thru the feed tube of the food processor and pulsing the mixture until it is combined. Or you can stir the mixture together by hand.
Lightly press the mixture evenly across the bottom of a 9 or 10 inch spring form pan. Using the bottom of a 1 cup measuring up is a great tool for this.
Place the crust in the fridge or freezer for 15 minutes to set up.
In a stand mixer with a whip attachment whip the heavy cream and vanilla until you reach stiff peaks (you will know you have stiff peaks when you lift up the blender and the peak that forms in the cream retains it’s shape).
While the mixer is running slowly add the sweetened condensed milk and thawed lemonade concentrate.
Now turn off the blender and sprinkle the lemon zest over the filling and fold it in by hand.
Pour the Lemonade filling over the prepared crust.
Cover the pan and pop it into the freezer and let it set for 12+ hours.
When you are ready to serve the pie, pull it out of the freezer about 10-15 minutes ahead of time. After it has sat at room temp, remove the spring form ring. Cut the pie into wedges and serve with a fresh raspberry garnish.
If you enjoyed this recipe for Lemonade Icebox Pie check out some of these other delicious and easy lemon dessert recipes from Mom’s Dinner:
Some additional dessert recipes we love!
Enchilada Zucchini Boats are a super flavorful and fun twist on traditional enchiladas. It is a great way to have enchiladas but keep it low carb and little healthier. In this recipe you will use a zucchini instead of a tortilla!
If you love this recipe you will also love the Supreme Pizza Zucchini Boats!
But if you are like… “hold up, I want traditional enchiladas!!”. Then pop over to one of these recipes to get your enchilada fix: Chicken Enchiladas, Enchilada Skillet, or Beef Enchilada Casserole.
Here are the items that you need to make Zucchini Enchiladas, plus some tips on a few ingredints.
Beef– An 85/15 ground beef works great here because it has enough fat to be flavorful but not too much fat to be greasy.
But, use whatever beef you have or your family likes!
Enchilada Sauce– You can use store-bought or homemade red enchilada sauce in these zucchini enchiladas.
Cheese- Use whatever shredded cheese your family likes, or whatever you have on hand. I used a mild cheddar in these photos, but Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, or Pepper Jack will all work perfectly!
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prep a 9×13 casserole dish by pouring half of one can of enchilada sauce over the bottom. Set aside.
In a large skillet sautรฉ the onions, peppers and garlic in oil until they are fragrant and softened, about 4-5 minutes.
Next, add the ground beef and crumble it while it cooks thru. Drain excess grease before moving on.
Off the heat mix in the seasonings/spices, chopped cilantro, and half a can of enchilada sauce (5 oz.).
While the beef cooks, prepare the zucchini boats.
Start by trimming the stem end, then slice the zucchini in half, lengthwise. Using a spoon, core out the center of each zucchini half.
Pro Tip: Be careful not to dig all the thru, this is the “boat” part that holds the enchilada filling.
Lay the cored zucchini boats in the sauce, divide the beef mixture evenly between the zucchini boats.
Top the filled zucchini boats with the remaining can of enchilada sauce and sprinkle with the shredded cheese.
Cover the pan with foil and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Pro Tip: If your zucchini are extra large or extra thick you may want to add 10 minutes to the covered cooking time.
Serve the Enchilada Zucchini Boats topped with Greek yogurt or sour cream, fresh cilantro, sliced avocado or guacamole.
They are great served with Mexican Rice or Cilantro Cauliflower Rice, chips with salsa or Pico, and refried beans or cilantro pineapple side dish.
These are an EXCELLENT make ahead dinner for busy weeks. Simply prep completely and pop in the fridge for 1-2 days.
When you are ready to bake, pop in a 350 degree oven, cook for 30 minutes covered, then remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes.
If you love having Mexican food for dinner check out these other Mexican inspired recipes from Mom’s Dinner.
โญโญโญโญโญ
The new gameshow, 100 Cooks, premieres on Food Network June 7th, 2026 at 9est/8cst. I hope you will tune in!
