5-Ingredient Dinners

With school back in session, coming up with a dinner idea while carpooling, packing lunches, and helping with homework is harder than ever! These 5-ingredient meals will help you get dinner on the table in the midst of the confusion. And the best part? You probably already have most of the ingredients on hand. 

Grilled Steaks Balsamico

Photo: Tina Cornett

Ingredients
2/3 cup balsamic vinaigrette
1/4 cup fig preserves
4 (6- to 8-oz.) boneless chuck-eye steaks
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 (6.5-oz.) container buttery garlic-and-herb spreadable cheese

Preparation
Process vinaigrette and preserves in a blender until smooth. Place steaks and vinaigrette mixture in a shallow fish or a large zip-top plastic freezer bag. Cover or seal, and chill at least 2 hours. Remove steaks from marinade, discarding marinade.

Grill, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350° to 400°) 5 to 7 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove to a serving platter, and sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper; keep warm.

Heat cheese in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring often, 2 to 4 minutes or until melted. Serve cheese sauce with steaks.

Related: Fire Up the Grill! The Ultimate Grilling Guide

Chicken Parmesan Pizza

Ingredients
1 (10-oz.) package frozen garlic loaf
1/2 cup canned pizza sauce
6 deli-fried chicken strips
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Italian three-cheese blend
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil

Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°. Arrange garlic bread, buttered sides up, on a baking sheet.

Bake at 400° for 8 to 9 minutes or until bread is lightly browned. Spread pizza sauce over garlic bread. Cut chicken strips into 1/2-inch pieces, and arrange over pizza sauce. Sprinkle with cheese and basil.

Bake at 400° for 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese melts. Serve immediately.

Related: Don't Call Delivery—20 Homemade Pizza Recipes

Turkey Scaloppine

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Ingredients
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp. Cajun seasoning, divided
1 1/2 lbs. turkey cutlets
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup dry white wine

Preparation
Combine flour and 1 tsp. Cajun seasoning in a shallow dish; dredge turkey cutlets in flour mixture, shaking off excess.

Cook turkey in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until done. Transfer turkey to a serving platter, and keep warm.

Add wine and remaining 1/4 tsp. Cajun seasoning to skillet; cook 1 to 2 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet. Drizzle sauce over turkey. Serve immediately.

Related: Cooking with Cutlets—8 Speedy Recipes

Pork Chops with Herb-Mustard Butter 

Ingredients
4 (1/2-inch-thick) bone-in pork loin chops
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp. honey mustard
1 tsp. chopped fresh sage

Preparation
Sprinkle chops evenly with salt and pepper, and place on a wire rack in an aluminum-foil-lined broiler pan.

Stir together butter and next 3 ingredients in a small bowl until blended. Top each chop with 1 rounded Tbsp. butter mixture.

Broil 5 inches from heat 8 to 10 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 155°.

Related: 10 Budget-Friendly Pork Chop Recipes

Barbecue Shrimp

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs. unpeeled jumbo raw shrimp (2 1/25 count)
1 large lemon, cut into wedges
1 (0.7-oz.) envelope Italian dressing mix
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation
Preheat oven to 425°. Place shrimp and lemon in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Stir together dressing mix and butter. Pour butter mixture over shrimp, stirring to coat.

Bake, covered, at 425° for 25 to 30 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink, stirring once.
Remove shrimp mixture from oven, and sprinkle with parsley.