Home Cookin’ Dad

Home Cookin’ Dad Helping dads (and mom’s!) cook simple, family-approved meals without stress. Weeknight dinners, date-night ideas, and real-life kitchen wins.

This week’s meal plan includes a regular in the rotation (Korean Ground Beef) and a couple new recipes to try. We’ll be ...
01/18/2026

This week’s meal plan includes a regular in the rotation (Korean Ground Beef) and a couple new recipes to try. We’ll be sharing how the Tuscan White Bean Soup turned out later this week.

Sometimes, your week is busy doing other things. If you only have room to make a sit down at the dinner table meal one o...
01/11/2026

Sometimes, your week is busy doing other things. If you only have room to make a sit down at the dinner table meal one or two nights, that’s ok!

For us this week, making some quick pretzel bites to snack on, and a cozy soup on the weekend, and a staple go to meal on Monday is about all we’ll have time for.

Even if it’s only one or two big dinners, we make sure they taste great and are a memorable part of our week.

Meal Planning should be all about saving time and steps. No extra trips to the grocery store to get ingredients. No worr...
01/05/2026

Meal Planning should be all about saving time and steps.

No extra trips to the grocery store to get ingredients. No worrying about making sure frozen meat is thawed in time.

When you make your meal plan, get out the meat for the week to thaw. If you don’t have room, make a reminder a couple days ahead to get out what you need.

Don’t be afraid to use ready made ingredients to help your prep. Our ravioli with Alfredo sauce used pre made ravioli with scratch made Alfredo. It comes together quick and tastes delicious.

Chicken Banh Mi Bowls with Rice 🍚All the flavors of a banh mi, just built into an easy, customizable bowl.Sweet, savory,...
01/01/2026

Chicken Banh Mi Bowls with Rice 🍚

All the flavors of a banh mi, just built into an easy, customizable bowl.
Sweet, savory, tangy, and perfect for weeknights with different tastes at the table.

⸻

🛒 Ingredients

Chicken & Marinade
• Boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• Soy sauce
• Mayonnaise (Kewpie if you have it)
• Bachan’s Japanese BBQ sauce

Pickled Onions & Cucumbers
• Onion, thinly sliced
• Cucumber, thinly sliced
• Rice wine vinegar
• Sugar
• Grenadine (just a small splash, mainly for color)

Bowls & Toppings
• Cooked rice
• Matchstick carrots
• Fresh cilantro
• Green onions

Sauces (to finish)
• Kewpie mayonnaise
• Hoisin sauce and/or Japanese BBQ sauce

⸻

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. Marinate the Chicken
Mix soy sauce, Kewpie mayo, and Japanese BBQ sauce in a bowl.
Add chicken thighs and toss to coat.
Marinate for at least 30 minutes (longer if you can).

2. Pickle the Veggies
Add sliced onions and cucumbers to a bowl or jar.
Pour in rice wine vinegar, sprinkle in sugar, and add a small splash of grenadine.
Toss and let sit while everything else cooks.

3. Cook the Chicken
Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium-high heat.
Cook the chicken until caramelized and cooked through, flipping once until 165 degree internal temperature
Remove and slice into bite-sized pieces.

4. Build the Bowls
Start with rice, then add:
• Chicken
• Pickled onions and cucumbers
• Matchstick carrots
• Cilantro and green onion

Finish with Kewpie mayo and hoisin or Japanese BBQ sauce.

⸻

📝 Dad Notes

Lots of choices make this one easy to customize for picky eaters.
Rice and chicken only for one kid, extra cucumbers for another.

Make extra rice and chicken—use the leftovers for chicken fried rice a day or two later.

⸻

🧒 Kids Say

Cohen (10): “I wish I could say orange juice. I do like the chicken though.”
Cannon (8): “The cucumbers and the onions, they were delicious.”
McCoy (5): “Me, me! I like the rice!”

⸻

❤️ Mom Says

“The pickled onions and the chicken. All of it—there are so many different flavors.”

This week’s meal plan is all about using what we already have.Those Hawaiian sliders?They’re built with leftover ham fro...
12/27/2025

This week’s meal plan is all about using what we already have.

Those Hawaiian sliders?
They’re built with leftover ham from Christmas dinner.

One cook, one plan, fewer extra trips to the store.

And stay tuned — Banh Mi Bowls are on the plan for Sunday, and the recipe will be coming soon.

Teamwork makes the dream work… even in the kitchen. 👨‍🍳🛒I cook, she shops—but with our shared AnyList, we’re always in s...
12/26/2025

Teamwork makes the dream work… even in the kitchen. 👨‍🍳🛒

I cook, she shops—but with our shared AnyList, we’re always in sync. She can add items on the go. I can add while prepping dinner. Even the kids sneak in their favorites (looking at you, Cheese-Its).

No more “Did we get that?” moments—just smooth teamwork and full bellies. 😎

Who’s on team cook and who’s on team shopper in your house? Whether it’s one person doing it all or a full team, we want to hear how you make it work! Bonus points if the kids are sneaking snacks onto the list.

🍋 Avgolemono Soup (Greek Chicken & Lemon Soup)Warm, cozy, and just bright enough to feel special. This is one of those s...
12/24/2025

🍋 Avgolemono Soup (Greek Chicken & Lemon Soup)

Warm, cozy, and just bright enough to feel special. This is one of those soups that tastes like it took all day… but absolutely didn’t.

⸻

🛒 Ingredients
• 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 onion, diced
• 2–3 carrots, diced
• 1 leek, sliced (white and light green parts)
• 1–2 Tbsp garlic, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 2–3 boneless chicken thighs (or breasts)
• 48 oz chicken stock
• ¾–1 cup small pasta (we used little tubes)
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 egg yolks
• Fresh dill, chopped (optional)
• Salt & pepper, to taste

⸻

👨‍🍳 Directions
1. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
Add onion, carrots, and leek. Cook 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft.
2. While the vegetables cook, heat the remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.
Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook 4–5 minutes per side, until nicely browned.
Remove chicken and set aside.
3. Add ½ cup chicken stock to the same skillet to deglaze, scraping up the browned bits. Set aside.
4. Add garlic to the vegetables and cook 30–60 seconds, until fragrant.
Pour in the deglazing liquid, remaining chicken stock, chicken, and bay leaves.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.
6. Remove chicken and bay leaves. Add pasta to the pot.
Shred chicken with two forks and return it to the soup. Cook about 10 minutes, until pasta is tender.
7. While the pasta cooks, whisk egg yolks and lemon juice in a small bowl.
Slowly whisk in 1–2 ladles of hot soup to temper the eggs, then gently stir the mixture back into the pot.
8. Cook 5 more minutes (do not boil).
Add dill if using, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

🧔 Dad Notes
• Be a good neighbor — because you might forget to check if you actually have two eggs for your soup and end up dashing across the road.
Thanks, Julie.
• Temper the eggs slowly. Low heat and patience = creamy soup, not scrambled eggs.

⸻

🧒 Kids Say
Cohen (10): “I like the broth. And the sourdough bread.”
Cannon (8): “Good. I like the chicken.”
McCoy (5): “I like the chicken.”

⸻

💛 Mom Says
“Yum. I love it.”

One of the biggest reasons we keep a weekly meal plan on the fridge?It cuts way down on the constant “What’s for dinner?...
12/21/2025

One of the biggest reasons we keep a weekly meal plan on the fridge?

It cuts way down on the constant “What’s for dinner?” questions — especially when I can just point to the sign.

The kids can see what’s coming, and if plans change during the week, it’s easy to shuffle meals around without stress.

A plan doesn’t lock you in — it actually gives you more flexibility.

🏡 Home Cookin’ DadWeekend Comfort — Ham & Bean Soup 🥣This recipe uses canned beans, so you can make it as quick as you n...
12/21/2025

🏡 Home Cookin’ Dad

Weekend Comfort — Ham & Bean Soup 🥣

This recipe uses canned beans, so you can make it as quick as you need, or let it simmer all day and really let the flavors come together. Your house will smell delightful either way!

It’s the perfect cold weather meal.

⸻

🥣 Ham & Bean Soup

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 leek, sliced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
(or 1 tbsp minced garlic)
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• Optional: 1 tsp favorite all-purpose seasoning
• 2 cups chopped ham
• Optional: ham bone or ham hock
• 32–40 oz chicken stock (adjust as needed)
• 2–3 cans white beans, drained
(I used 2 cans navy + 1 can black-eyed peas)
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt & pepper, to taste

⸻

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
2. Add leek, carrots, and onion. Cook 5–7 minutes until softened.
3. Stir in garlic, smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, and optional seasoning. Cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
4. Add chopped ham (and ham bone or hock if using).
5. Pour in chicken stock and add bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer.
6. Add beans, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 45–90 minutes.
7. Remove ham bone or hock, pull off any remaining meat, chop if needed, and stir it back into the soup. Discard bone. Add salt and pepper to taste.
8. Optional: Using a potato masher or immersion blender, mash some of the beans for a creamier consistency.

⸻

Dad Notes

• Taste as you go — it matters.
• Mash a little, not all.
• Even better the next day.
• Freezes well.
• Cornbread or crusty bread = non-negotiable.

_____

Kids Say

Cohen (10) - I love it with sourdough bread.
Cannon (8) - My favorite part is the beans.
McCoy (5) - Don’t ask me, it’s the ham!

🍽️ This Week’s Meal PlanHere’s what we’re cooking at our house this week.Feel free to cook along, swap meals, or steal i...
12/20/2025

🍽️ This Week’s Meal Plan

Here’s what we’re cooking at our house this week.
Feel free to cook along, swap meals, or steal ideas.

Saturday: Ham & Bean Soup *Recipe Posted!*
Sunday: Kielbasa & Potatoes
Monday: Date Night ❤️
Tuesday: Avgolemono Soup *Recipe Posted!*
Wednesday: Christmas Eve — Church Service
Thursday: Christmas
Friday: On Your Own

Nothing complicated — just a plan so weeknights don’t get away from us.

Address

2863 Lincoln Creek Road
Rochester, WA
98579

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Home Cookin’ Dad posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category