What to Cook this Week: October 12, 2025
That 5 pm panic when you realize you have no idea what’s for dinner? Consider it solved. Every week, I’m sharing five family-friendly dinner recipes that actually work for busy weeknights, plus bonus breakfast and lunch ideas to keep the whole week running smoothly. Real food, simple ingredients, zero stress.
Buffalo Chicken Sliders
With layers of sweet rolls, tender chicken, melty white American, and a ranch butter sauce these buffalo chicken sliders are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Perfect for busy weeknights, potlucks, or game-day spreads, they come together quickly with minimal prep and you can even make the chicken in the slow cooker!
Get the Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Sliders.
Our Favorite Easy Chili
There are few things better than a bowl of cozy chili on a cold night. I’ve been making this easy recipe for years, and it delivers maximum flavor with minimal effort and time (my kind of recipe!). The secret is a balanced blend of spices and the deep flavor that comes from using marinara sauce (yes, marinara!).
Get the Recipe: Our Favorite Easy Chili.
Chili-Spiced Chicken Tostadas
There is a lot to love about these chicken tostadas! It’s a quick and easy meal, made with simple ingredients, and served up DIY-style, which is helpful if you’re serving this meal to kids. Just put out all of the toppings and let everyone build their own perfect tostada.
Get the Recipe: Easy Chili-Spiced Chicken Tostadas.
Turkey Pesto Panini
Love the Starbucks turkey pesto panini and wondering if you can make it even BETTER? Yes, you most definitely can. This turkey panini has major layers of flavor: melty provolone cheese, flavorful pesto, deli turkey, and roasted red peppers for a little punch.
Get the Recipe: Turkey Pesto Panini.
Slow Cooker Brats
If you have ten minutes and a slow cooker, you can make this Wisconsin-style brat recipe. You will appreciate this recipe as the temperatures dip below freezing, and you can get the flavor you crave without freezing over the grill!
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Brats.
Mini Blueberry Muffins
These mini blueberry muffins are proof that good things come in a tiny package! Lightly sweetened and packed with juicy blueberries, they’re the perfect bite-sized treat for breakfasts, lunchboxes, or snacktime.
Get the Recipe: Mini Blueberry Muffins.
Mediterranean Orzo Salad
You’ll love this Greek orzo pasta salad with bright, fresh flavors and satisfying, salty bites! It’s made with classic Greek ingredients like crunchy and crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, briny olives, salty feta, and fresh dill. Everything is tossed with tender pasta and a red wine vinaigrette for a salad that’s utterly delicious.
Get the Recipe: Greek Orzo Salad.