4 Dinners Under 30 Minutes, Starting With Lemon Butter Pasta

Hey Reader,

The first week of school always wrecks my schedule. Everyone gets home late, everyone's starving, and I'm standing in the kitchen at 6:15 with no plan.

These four are what I make when I'm tired and in a hurry. All of them are on the table in 30 minutes, and none of them send you to the store for something you'll use once and then stare at for two years.

What I Make When I Didn't Plan Ahead

​Lemon Butter Pasta is five ingredients and no chopping, and it doesn't taste like I spent just a few minutes on it. My kids eat it without negotiating, and I don't feel like I just served them plain buttered noodles.

​Chicken Tortilla Soup is the one I make when I want leftovers, because it's better on day two than it is on day one. Set the toppings out and let everyone build their own bowl, which buys me about ten minutes of quiet.

​Asian Glazed Salmon takes fifteen minutes and looks like it took a lot longer. There's no marinating, so you can decide on it at 6:00 and still be eating at 6:30.

The balsamic reduction is the best reason to make this Caprese Panini instead of a plain grilled cheese. Use tomatoes that are almost too ripe, because those are the ones with real flavor left in them.

Pick one for tonight and stop thinking about it. Which one are you making first?