There was a time when it was required to sit down at the dinner table and eat with the family.  Mom, dad, auntie, your spouse, or grandmom would call you in when dinner was ready, so that you could eat dinner together; at least that is when most guardians cooked in earlier times.  Now that most women have gone back to the working world, it has become difficult for some to juggle responsibilities.  So, eating fast food has become the norm for some families, if they can afford it.  While eating fast food, can be easier and quick, often times, it is not as healthy as preparing your own meal at home.  Even if you are not a chef or not great at cooking, there are quick and delicious meals that you can prepare at home, even if you have to pry your children or spouse hands off of the remote or video game and share in the responsibilities.  Cooking with the family can be a fun way to engage, get to know how each others day went, check-in to see what's going on in each others lives, and spend time together.  It is okay to dine out every now and then, but there is nothing like preparing a home cooked meal for or with your loved ones and eating it together.

Don't have time to cook?  Below are some quick 30-minute recipes that you can try at home, provided on the The Food Network website.

Butternut Squash Alfredo Pasta

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1. Add the cream, butter, squash and 3/4 cup water to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and continue cooking until the squash is tender when poked with a fork, about 15 minutes. Puree using an immersion blender until super creamy and smooth, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with the nutmeg and 1 teaspoon salt.
    

2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup starchy pasta water and drain the pasta. Stir the pasta and Parmesan into the squash sauce and toss until well coated. Add the reserved pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time if needed to loosen the sauce. Serve with more Parmesan and grated nutmeg, if desired. 

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Roasted Vegetable Chili with Cornbread

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1. Preheat the broiler. Toss the cauliflower, poblano and scallions with the vegetable oil, chili powder, cumin and 1/2 teaspoon salt on a rimmed baking sheet; spread in a single layer. Broil until the vegetables are browned around the edges, 7 to 10 minutes.
    

2. Meanwhile, make the biscuits: Whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, brown sugar and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Work the butter into the cornmeal mixture with your fingers until crumbly. Stir in the buttermilk and 1/3 cup cheese with a fork until combined.
    

3. Remove the baking sheet from the broiler and preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Add the beans and their liquid, the tomato sauce, corn, vegetable broth and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the roasted vegetables and gently stir. Spoon the biscuit dough on top in 12 mounds, about 1 1/2 inches apart. Sprinkle the biscuits with the remaining 1/3 cup cheese.
    

4. Bake until the chili starts bubbling and the biscuits are golden and cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. Sprinkle with scallions.

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For more recipes like these, visit the FoodNetwork.com.

Source: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/photos/30-minute-dinner-recipes 

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