We find ourselves in limbo between two major feasting holidays. Maybe there are even some dishes still soaking in the sink after the Thanksgiving day feast. We aren’t here to pass judgement on the state of your kitchen. In fact, we’re here to give you a reprieve from all of your hard work. Nourishing meals don’t always require multiple dishes and these sheet pan dinners make dinner clean up a cinch. Try these three sheet pan dinners to help you avoid dishes this week.

Pesto Baked Salmon & Roasted Root Vegetables

What’s so great about this recipe, besides the easy clean up, is that it is versatile and uses produce that keeps well in the fridge, so you are likely to have these vegetables on hand. Substitute steelhead for salmon, use parsnips instead of carrots, or wedges of cabbage instead of brussel sprouts. Don’t feel like making pesto? Grab fresh pesto, when you stop in our market for fresh salmon. Find your favorite combos and use what you have on hand. Check out our guide to nutritious, seasonal eating for inspiration.

Ingredients:

12 baby potatoes, or potato of choice chopped in 1 in. chunks

1 medium sweet potato, diced

2 carrots, chopped into half inch sections

4 small beets, halved

12 brussel sprouts halved

2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 portions of fresh Sockeye Salmon fillets 

1/4 cup Asiago or Manchego cheese

Fresh lemon juice

Pesto:

1 cup basil or sage

1 cup kale, stalks removed

1/3 cup pistachios or walnuts

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Crushed red pepper flakes

Sea salt

Preheat oven to 425°F

 

On a parchment lined, rimmed baking sheet, drizzle and toss the potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots beets and brussel sprouts with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast for about 20 minutes or until all veggies are fork tender.

 

Make the pesto, while the vegetables roast. In a food processor, pulse the first three pesto ingredients until finely chopped. Add the parmesan cheese and pulse again. Drizzle the olive oil into the mix with the motor running. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes (depending on your desired level of heat).

 

When veggies are just fork tender, pull them from the oven and push them to one side of the pan to make room for the salmon. Place salmon on the the baking sheet and rub pesto on each fillet.

 

Place the sheet pan back in the oven and roast for another 10 to 20 minutes, or until the salmon is flakey and to your desired doneness and the vegetables are soft. Remove pan from the oven and grate fresh Asiago or Parmesan over each fillet. Serve with any remaining pesto on the side.

Parmesan Chicken with
Roast Asparagus & Potatoes

This is another versatile recipe. You can substitute root vegetables for either the asparagus or the potatoes. For a larger group, double the recipe and use two sheet pans. You’ll still be left with very minimal cleanup.

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts

2 eggs

1/4 cup milk

2 cups bread crumbs, preferably panko

2 cups shredded parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon Tacoma Boys Italian Seasoning

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 pound yukon gold potatoes, quartered

1 bunch of asparagus, fibrous ends removed, cut into 3in sections

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 425°F

 

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or coat with olive oil.

 

In a medium bowl, whisk together egg and milk. In a separate, medium bowl, mix together panko, parmesan cheese, italian seasoning, and garlic powder.

Salt and pepper both sides of chicken breasts and dredge them in egg mixture then coat them in the panko mixture and place on your sheet pan.

 

Place potatoes next to chicken on the pan and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

 

Bake for 15 minutes, flip chicken over. Add trimmed asparagus to the sheet pan, drizzling with olive oil and seasoning with salt and pepper. Return to the oven and continue baking for 15 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165°F.

Fresh Gnocchi & Roasted Vegetables

Roasting the fresh gnocchi in this recipe will give it a slightly different texture than the boiled variety, but we think you’ll enjoy the change. After you try it this way, you may never boil gnocchi again. The slight crunch of the exterior and tender interior is reminiscent of roasted potatoes. Roasted tomatoes and a drizzle of olive oil create a simple, but flavorful sauce for plump gnocchi. 

Ingredients

1 pound gnocchi, shelf stable or frozen

2 medium bell peppers, cut into 1” pieces

1 pint cherry tomatoes

1 red onion, cut into 1” pieces

4 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed

1 teaspoon chopped rosemary leaves

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Freshly ground pepper to taste

2 tablespoons roughly chopped basil leaves

Grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 450°F

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or coat with olive oil.

 

Place garlic, onion, tomatoes, bell peppers, gnocchi, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to evenly coat with oil. Spread the gnocchi mixture evenly on the parchment covered baking sheet.

 

Roast for 18-20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Vegetables should be tender and the gnocchi should be plump. 

 

Spoon pasta mixture into individual bowls and top with fresh basil and grated parmesan.

Create Your Own Sheet Pan Dinners

We hope these recipes nourish you and inspire you to mix up some of your own sheet pan dinners. Ask your Tacoma Boys butchers for good meats to roast with seasonal veggies. Peruse our extensive selection of Tacoma Boys seasonings, sprinkle your favorite spice mix over seasonal vegetables, roast and serve over rice. Meals made with fresh, local ingredients don’t need to be complicated to be delicious.

With the time you save in clean up, you’ll have plenty of time to add some holiday decorations around the house or decorate the tree. SHOP EARLY THIS SEASON – TREES ARE SELLING FAST!

Looking to answer the age old question, “What’s for dinner?” Look no further. Tacoma Boys and H&L Produce has everything you need from the first bite to the last drop and everything in between! Let us help you plan dinner and the perfect pairs of dessert and drinks to go with it. 

You would think the hardest part of getting dinner on the table would be slaving over a hot stove for hours, but alas, no. Ask anyone who’s in charge of the menu, and they’ll tell you. It’s choosing. It’s picking something easy, something fast, and something you haven’t already had twice in the last week (frozen buffalo wings, anyone?) And having options should make it easier, but the choice paralysis is real. The good news is, you can stroll into your nearest Tacoma Boys or H&L Produce any day and let the shelves speak to you. With so many options that will be ready in thirty minutes or less, you can have dinner on the table in no time! 

If you’re less a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants shopper and prefer to have a plan, we don’t blame you! We’ve taken the guesswork out of it and done the planning for you. Here are some options for dinners and their perfect pairs of drinks and desserts you can come in and grab today!

Tacoma Boys’ Perfect Pairs to Try for Dinner Tonight

Dinner: Take & Bake Chicken Pesto Pizza

You seriously can’t go wrong with this amazing pesto pizza. Measuring in at 15 inches, this bad boy feeds the whole family. The pesto sauce keeps this pizza light, while grilled chicken makes it hearty enough to satisfy. If you’re on the lookout for something as easy as pie, this pizza pie’s the thing for you. 

Drink: Silver City Kwik Stout (Mocha Milk Stout)

Why is it the perfect pair for pizza? Well, besides the fact that beer and pizza just go together, Silver City’s Mocha Milk Stout is a grown up drink with strong chocolate milk vibes. With notes of cacao, coffee, and vanilla, this milk stout goes down silky smooth. Bonus: Silver City Brewery lives in Washington! Grab a can from our beer aisle and get a taste of local craftsmanship. 

Dessert: Eat PastryⓉ Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Clearly we’re doing a throwback, laid back kind of night in, which calls for eating cookie dough right out of the tub. Eat Pastry’s dough is made without eggs (it’s completely vegan, actually), so you can break all the rules about not eating raw cookie dough. Be sure to save some of your milk stout to go with dessert for a cookies and milk combo. 

Dinner: Chipotle & Lime Crusted Tilapia 

Swing by our butcher for these pre-crusted fish fillets ready to cook! We do all of the seasoning for you. Just trust us on this one…you’ll love it. Simply fry lightly in oil and you’ve got yourself a delicious start. As a side, try our incredible sweet corn! It’s locally grown and deliciously juicy. Check out our weekly specials for a great deal on a half dozen this week! 

Drink: Airfield Estates Sauvignon Blanc

You know fish pairs well with white wine, and Airfield Estates Sauvignon Blanc won’t disappoint! Dry with notes of lemon lime, this wine echoes the flavors of the fish perfectly. Plus, it scored 90 points from the Tasting Panel Magazine! Airfield Estates was founded by Washington natives and is located right here in Yakima Valley, so you’ll be supporting local business while enjoying a glass of excellent white wine. 

Dessert: Ruby Jewel Lemon and Honey Lavender Ice Cream Sandwich

If you haven’t tried Ruby Jewel’s ice cream sandwiches, today’s the day! You will not regret it. Their Lemon and Honey Lavender is a surprising and refreshing combination. They’re perfect pairs with the bright flavors of dinner. From a Portland based small business, this sandwich boasts local honey and organic lavender. You can find Ruby Jewel Sandwiches in our frozen section. They’re enough to share…but we think you’ll want your own. 

Dinner: Tacoma Boys Spicy Sicilian Spaghetti

Did you know we have our own pasta sauce? It’s true! For a quick and easy–but deceptively delicious–dinner, grab a jar of Tacoma Boys Spicy Sicilian pasta sauce. We have a multitude of pastas to choose from, but if you’re feeling wild, try Marella Farfalline Zebra pasta from our shelves. These fun bowties hail from Italy, and their black and white zebra stripes bring levity to an otherwise straightforward dish. If you’re craving a little extra protein, swing by our frozen section and grab a package of meatballs. Viola! Dinner in no time.

Drink: “The Vincent Red Board Track Racer 2017”

This red blend is a perfect complement to pasta. 60% cabernet, 25% merlot, and 15% malbec, it’s a well balanced wine with notes of cherry and raspberry. It hails from Mark Ryan Winery in Washington State, which has been acclaimed by local wine drinkers along with other experienced winemakers from the region. 

Dessert: Chuckanut Bay New York Cheesecake

The folks at Chackunat Bay make their cheesecakes with real, all natural ingredients, and have produced a portion size perfect for one. Locally owned and family operated, Chuckanut bay operates out of Baine, Washington. Follow up your spaghetti with an individual cheesecake or share one big one, curl up with your glass of red wine and enjoy a relaxing evening in!

Let Tacoma Boys Work for You

Here at Tacoma Boys and H&L Produce, we always have something on hand for dinner tonight. From the simplest of meals (I mean…it doesn’t get simpler than take and bake pizza) to something a bit more sophisticated, we have just the thing. And we have the things hat go with the thing! Stop by one of our locations today. Our friendly associates are always ready and willing with a suggestion. We’re confident you’ll walk out our doors knowing exactly what’s for dinner tonight.

In a world that usually hurtles through color-coded family calendars at breakneck speeds, we find ourselves with the sudden unexpected sweet and salty gift of a hard halt. No club volleyball. Virtual business meetings. No coffee dates. Just you at home with the people you care most about with nowhere to go and nothing to do. This time comes with the challenge of navigating complicated emotions—from the grief of things lost to the relief of social pressures taken away and everything in between. It also comes with a bright side–an opportunity to form habits for which we’re usually too busy. If you’re one of the many people who wants more time around the table with your kids, we’ve compiled a list to help you have great family dinners together!

Like it or not, extra time at home is the reality for most of us, and the good news is we get to choose what to do with it. Many days will likely be filled with tablets and Netflix and boredom, and that’s ok. Other days will be filled with board games and science experiments and newly invented family activities, and that’s ok too! On every day, you and your family will need to eat. And if you’re like most parents (roughly 62%) with children under 18, you probably wish your family ate more meals together. The benefits of family meals together are numerous and well documented—including lower obesity rates in children and decreased high risk behaviors in teens. 

What Happened to Family Dinners?

With all of these positive results, why aren’t we eating family dinners? Simple. We’re busy. The majority of parents who say they’d like to have more family dinners cite conflicting schedules within the family as the main reason they don’t. Maybe that reason resonates all too well with you. If so, the saying holds true—there’s no time like the present! Here at Tacoma Boys and H&L Produce, we value your family’s health and well being, and we have everything you need to make family dinners a success! Here are some tips to help you establish and keep a family dinner routine.

5 Tips for Successful Family Dinners 

1. Keep It Simple

The most important thing about family dinners is the time spent together! So don’t get bogged down by the pressure of creating a masterpiece every night. Some days dinner might be chicken piccata and other days it will be chicken nuggets. At the end of the day, if your family is together and fed, put it in the win column. Don’t forget sandwiches count! Come by our deli for deliciously fresh sliced roast beef or honey baked ham to give your homemade sandwiches a gourmet flare. To make things a bit easier, try keeping a few pre-made sides in the freezer. Swing by one of our locations and grab a bag of frozen cauliflower rice or sweet potato fries in our frozen food section. That way, all you have to worry about is the main course, and family dinner still feels complete!

2. Plan Ahead

Nothing will torpedo your efforts quicker than failure to plan. One of the best ways to set yourself up for a successful family dinner routine is to set aside an hour one day to think about what’s for dinner the rest of the week. You don’t have to have all the details ironed out, but a general idea and a shopping list will keep you from panicking and ordering pizza by Wednesday. Try to reward yourself by planning one or two extra easy meals for yourself, like cordon-bleu chicken bakes from our deli. Minimum work for you, but a meal your whole family will rave about.

3. Find Your Rhythm 

Finding your rhythm goes together with planning ahead. It can be daunting to answer the question “what’s for dinner?” week after week, and it can seem like you’re reinventing the wheel. With all the options and recipes out there, it’s easy to feel like you have to try something new and different every night. You don’t! Chances are, you have 10-14 meals your family loves and you’ve mastered. It’s ok to put them on a rotation. Or write a simple schedule out as a template for your weekly dinner rhythm. It might look something like this: 

Monday—Salad

Tuesday—Crockpot meal

Wednesday—Italian/pasta

Thursday—Mexican

Friday—Seafood 

Saturday—Leftovers

Sunday—Frozen Pizza

Having a list like this in the back of your mind gives you inspiration for meal ideas your family will love. It also gives you the flexibility to change it up within categories and peruse weekly specials for great deals. Consider putting our fresh steelhead fillets from Norway on this week’s rotation…you won’t regret it!

4. Loosen Up

This tip may seem contrary to the previous two, but they actually go hand in hand. Think of your meal plan and rhythm as guidelines—inspiration to make your dinner decisions easier. But pressure to stick to the plan perfectly adds an unnecessary level of difficulty to family dinners that can make them feel like more trouble than they’re worth. Your dinners should work for your life. And flexibility can make sure they do. If you were saving tacos for Tuesday, but everybody is craving them Monday, make Taco Monday a thing! If frozen pizza was for Sunday, but you’re short on time tonight, tonight’s the perfect night for pizza.

Try leaving one day of the week open for whatever suits your mood. This works especially well on grocery shopping days when you can buy whatever looks good at the store. Keeping it loose will ensure dinner is a stress free experience for everyone, especially you.

5. Don’t Forget Your Veggies

One of the great benefits to family dinner—besides time together—is health. Family dinners at home are the best way to model healthy eating habits for your kids. It’s easy to incorporate a vegetable into dinner, and including at least one can help determine a side every night. You don’t have to force vegetables, but including them in your daily routine helps your family understand that they’re part of a healthy lifestyle. At Tacoma Boys and H&L Produce, you’ll always find the most quality local produce and knowledgeable employees to point you in the right direction. 

Where to Shop for Great Family Dinners?

In order to set yourself up for a successful family dinner habit, you need to arm yourself with excellent ingredients. When you choose Tacoma Boys and H&L Produce, you can rest assured your family dinners will be full of quality main courses and produce you can feel great about. Whether you have a shopping list and a plan or need some inspiration, we’re here for you. Stop by one of our locations and get what you need for your family dinners today!