5 Quick Weeknight Dinners With Easy Variations From Allrecipes Home Cooks

Quick Dinner: Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Honey-Glaze

Get the recipe for Grilled Pork Tenderloin With Balsamic-Honey Glaze

Variation 1

"Instead of using regular dark balsamic vinegar, I used white balsamic vinegar for a lighter flavor. Before brushing the glaze on the meat, I brushed some of it on nonstarchy veggies like zucchini and yellow squash and grilled them, too," says Paula.

Variation 2

"I changed up the glaze by sautéing chunks of onion and apple in a skillet, then adding ½ cup Riesling wine. I also stirred together 1 cup apple jelly with 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and spread it on with the glaze," says Hyakurin.

Variation 3

"I whisked up a marinade of ½ cup olive oil; ½ cup balsamic vinegar; a little minced garlic; and 2 teaspoon each of honey, Italian seasoning, and Dijon mustard. I used half of this to marinate (about 30 minutes) and half to glaze the pork after grilling," says Perry.

Quick Dinner: Pesto Pasta Caprese

Get the recipe for Pesto Pasta Caprese Salad

Variation 1

"I made the pesto with basil from my garden and used Formaggio's marinated mozzarella cheese balls (cut in half) from Sam's Club. I also added a teaspoon of Aleppo pepper for a little kick. For the pasta, I used pipette, which has openings large enough for the pesto to get inside. I served this with poached salmon topped with scallion-ginger sauce, a green salad, and naan. So good," says Spyce.

Variation 2

"I added 2 tablespoons of balsamic, 1 cup thawed frozen green peas, and a small can of drained and sliced black olives. I didn't have any fresh mozzarella on hand, but it was still good without it," says Ferryal Lackey.

Variation 3

"I added halved black olives, extra black pepper, a hard-boiled egg, the juice of half a lemon, and my homemade spinach pesto. Delicious," says nosugarnoflour.

Quick Dinner: Grandma's Famous Salmon Cakes

Get the recipe for Grandma's Famous Salmon Cakes

Variation 1

"I added a little flour to give it substance, cornmeal for crunch, and a dash of cayenne pepper for a little kick. For some Southern charm, I served it as a breakfast dish for dinner with cheese grits and scrambled eggs and cheese," says Shericka N. Leary.

Variation 2

"A few of my riffs on this wonderful recipe:
- For flavor twists, replace the black pepper with lemon pepper and a splash of lemon juice, or add a little fresh dill or some chopped bell (or jalapeño) pepper.
-Replace a little of the oil with a spoonful of Greek yogurt to add a bit of creaminess.
-Use smoked fresh salmon (yum!) instead of canned. If you do use canned but want smoky flavor, add a dash of liquid smoke," says Angie Fuller.

Variation 3

"I used five Hawaiian rolls, shredded, to thicken and sweeten the cakes. I sautéed onions and sweet corn with olive oil while cooking the patties, and I added ¼ teaspoon sweet curry and Old Bay seasoning," says Kelly D Easterling.

Quick Dinner: Grilled Chicken, Plum, and Arugula Salad

Grilled Chicken, Peach, and Arugula Salad

Variation 1

"I topped the salad with some goat cheese and crushed pecans. This is the perfect weekday summer dinner," says Susan Heckman.

Variation 2

"Grilled strawberries (use a grill pan) are my latest obsession and are wonderful in place of the peaches; they pair so well with balsamic vinegar. Another option is to use grilled pineapple and shrimp instead of the plum-chicken combo. If you prefer a meat-free alternative, grill up some Halloumi cheese slices; the salty cheese is delicious with the sweet plums," says France C.

Variation 3

"I doubled the dressing, then chopped up peaches and put them in the dressing. I poured the dressing over chicken tenders on a 9x13-inch pan and baked at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) about 30 minutes. I served it with rice and broccoli. It was a quick, easy, yummy dinner," says visum4us.

Quick Dinner: Easy Bacon and Cheese Quiche

Get the recipe for Easy Bacon and Cheese Quiche

Variation 1

"This is a great base recipe that allows your creativity to shine. Over the years, I've added broccoli, chopped tomatoes, and mushrooms; substituted ham for the bacon; and gone Tex-Mex with pepper Jack cheese, jalapeños, and salsa," says Susan Logsdon.

Variation 2

"I added a can of well-drained crab meat and fresh spinach, and cooked it for 10 minutes longer. I love this recipe. It's quick and easy and tastes so good," says Dee.

Variation 3

"Instead of onion, I used ⅓ cup of butternut squash, and substituted ½ cup each of whipping cream and almond milk for the half-and-half. I also used ⅓ cup of three different cheeses. This was the first quiche I made all by myself, and I loved it," says Lily.

This article originally appeared in the August/September 2021 issue of Allrecipes Magazine.

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