Quick Dinners: Last Minute Dinner Ideas

Sometimes the most convenient meals are really, well, convenience meals. Even if you are heating up a frozen meal, the recteq is the best way to give delicious flavors and outstanding texture to everything your family loves the most. That’s why we’ve decided to devote an entire post to simple recipes AND convenience meals so that your family has a back-up plan to the back-up plan and an easy way to put dinner on the table on even the busiest nights of the year.

Remember, with recteq’s PID technology, you’ve got ultimate temperature control to cook anything from a frozen TV dinner to a from-scratch holiday meal. For frozen foods, just set the temperature and follow the directions or go low and slow to really maximize the smoky flavors. Those dishes will taste just like they always have, only better.

General Guidelines: As usual, your cook times can be tweaked, but we generally recommend raising the temperature about 25° higher than the package instructions recommend or adding about 10% cook time. Keep in mind that darker pans or casserole dishes will cause the dish to brown faster than they will in lighter colored dishes.

 

Mac ‘n Cheese

It’s the favorite of all the favorites: classic Macaroni & Cheese. We’ve got several delicious recipes for you to try including Southern Style Mac & Cheese or Grandma’s Mac ‘N Cheese. Both of these are quick to mix up and will cook for about 45-60 minutes. Want an easier option? Grab a Frozen Mac ‘n Cheese from the grocery store and heat it as directed. For either version, you’ll be ready to sit down at the table and enjoy in only a little over an hour.

 

Pizza

There are so many ways to do pizza, how could any be wrong? Of course, there really isn’t anything more delicious than homemade pizza on the recteq, but frozen pizza is definitely a close second. The crispy crust and smoky flavor really take the taste up a notch! Either way, crank up the grill and get going. You’ll only need a few minutes to preheat and then about 20 minutes to cook a frozen pizza, so either way this is going to be a fast meal. Our Bullseye Pizza Bundle will equip you for amazing Pizza, whether it's homemade or from frozen. 

 

Burritos

There is no shame in the frozen game, especially when it comes to something as delicious as frozen burritos. Of course, you can make them from scratch but sometimes you just don’t have the time or energy. Frozen burritos will taste amazing from your recteq, just cook at 300° F for about 30 minutes or until they are hot throughout and slightly golden. Got a little more time on your hands? Try our famous Crunchwrap; it’s sure to be a hit.

 

Hamburgers

If you don’t have time to cook our Juicy Lucy Burgers from scratch (our advice: take the time and you won’t regret it), you can always cook frozen hamburger patties on your recteq. With the smoky flavor, these will taste almost as good as fresh-made patties. We recommend using our Mesh Cooking Mat and cooking these at 400°F for 10 minutes per side until they reach 165°F. Don’t forget to pile up the condiments and pair up with Grilled Potato Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette.

 

Wings

If you like wings, you have got to try our Smoked Nashville Hot Chicken Wings. With a buttermilk and hot sauce marinate, these are worth the wait. For last minute wing-emergencies, it’s totally acceptable to throw some frozen wings on the grill. Either way, our Mesh Cooking Mat makes it easy and convenient. It’s also dishwasher safe, so even clean-up is easy.

 

Pasta

If you have a little more prep time, we are sure you will enjoy our from scratch options like Tuna Noodle Casserole, Grilled Vegetable Lasagna, or Rolled Lasagna with Smoked Pork Sausage. But we totally get that not every night is a cooking-from-scratch night. If time is of the essence, pick up a frozen lasagna or a pan of frozen ziti and cook it on the recteq. Don’t miss the best side opportunity for pasta, recteq’s Smoked Garlic Bread.

 

Garlic Bread

If you have time to roast garlic from scratch, you have time for the phenomenal Smoked Garlic Bread. With slow roasted, smoky garlic, creamy butter, and Colden’s Freakin’ Greek Rub, this bread will steal the show. Sometimes, it’s faster to grab a frozen loaf from the store and heat it up, but it will still taste great.

 

Meatballs

We have two delicious recipes for meatballs that the whole family will enjoy. Try our savory and delicious Swedish Meatballs or, if you have a little more time, BBQ Smoked Meatballs. Frozen meatballs also make a great appetizer or entrée, just use our Mesh Cooking Mat to smoke them up.

What’s your favorite convenience meal and have you tried in on the recteq? Tag us on social and let us know!

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