Cozy Family Meal Ideas

If you’re a fellow Texan, your weekend plans probably involve bundling up, staying cozy, and avoiding the cold as much as possible. Hopefully you’re finding pockets of time to rest, whether that means catching up on your favorite show, curling up with a good book, or working on a puzzle at the kitchen table. With colder temperatures keeping us at home, it’s the perfect time to lean into comforting meals that feel satisfying and bring the whole family together.

Planning meals each week that everyone will enjoy can feel overwhelming, and you are certainly not alone in that experience. It’s easy to fall into a routine of the same familiar options, only to open Instagram or Pinterest and feel instantly overwhelmed by endless recipes, trends, and “must-try” meals. To take some of the pressure off, I’m sharing three cozy, family-friendly recipes that are on repeat in our home right now. They are simple, comforting, and designed to make meal time feel a little easier and a bit more enjoyable.

Cheesy Crockpot Chicken and Noodles

Ingredients

• 2lbs boneless skinless chicken breast

• Seasonings: salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder

• 28oz red enchilada sauce

• 1 7oz. can diced green chilies

• 1 box of pasta

• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt

• 1 cup shredded cheese

Directions

1. Place chicken in crockpot and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder (enough to cover chicken).

2. Add enchilada sauce and green chilies.

3. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours.

4. Boil one box of pasta about 30 minutes before chicken is done.

5. Take the chicken out to shred then return to crockpot.

6. Add Greek yogurt and stir until mixed in. Add the pasta and stir to combine. Top with cheese and let melt.

Sheet Pan Chicken Sausage Dinner

Ingredients

• 1 packaged fully cooked chicken sausage links (sliced into 1-inch pieces)

• 1 red bell pepper (cut into 1-inch chunks)

• 1 small red onion (cut into ½ inch slices)

• 1 head broccoli (cut into florets)

• 1-2 sweet potatoes (peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes) 

• 3 Tbsp olive oil 

• Seasonings: 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano 

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

2. Add the chicken sausage and vegetables to a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and seasonings. Toss making sure all the ingredients are evenly coated.

3. Spread the chicken sausage and vegetables onto a parchment lined baking sheet in an even single layer.

4. Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast for 15 minutes, then give the ingredients on the sheet pan a good stir. Place the baking sheet back in the oven and roast for another 15 minutes or until sausage and veggies are browned on the edges.

Ground Turkey Stir Fry

Ingredients

For the Sauce

• ¼ cup soy sauce 

• ¼ cup water

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar 

• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar 

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

• ½ teaspoon ground ginger

• 2 teaspoons sriracha

For the Stir Fry

• 3 teaspoons cooking oil

• 1lb ground turkey

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 zucchini (quartered and sliced)

• 1 large carrot (peeled and grated)

• 1 red bell pepper (diced)

• 3 stalks green onion (sliced, separating white and light green part) 

• 2 teaspoons cornstarch, whisked with 2 teaspoons water 

Instructions

1. Sauce: In a medium bowl, add all sauce ingredients. Whisk until well combined.

2. Turkey: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 teaspoons of oil, then the ground turkey. Season with garlic powder. Sauté the turkey, breaking it up into smaller pieces, until it’s fully cooked and no longer pink. Transfer the cooked turkey to a clean plate.

3. Veggies: Return the skillet to heat and add a teaspoon of oil. Add zucchini, carrot, bell pepper and green onion. Sauté until tender crisp, about 3-5 minutes. While the veggies are cooking, whisk together the cornstarch and water in a small bowl to make a slurry.

4. Combine: Once veggies are done, turn heat down to medium, add back the cooked turkey and mix until well combined. Pour in the sauce and mix until the stir fry is well coated, then whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Continue to mix until the thickened sauce creates an even coating on the turkey and vegetables.

5. Serve with rice and sliced green onion garnish.

We hope everyone is staying safe and enjoying a restful weekend! If food feels stressful, whether that’s navigating anxiety around food and body image or figuring out how to best nourish your family, you don’t have to do it alone. We are here to support you with compassionate, evidence-based care. Visit the link below to schedule a session or contact us to learn more about our approach and see if it is a good fit.