45 Make-Ahead Winter Weeknight Dinners

From the Recipe Creator: This is my favorite soup recipe. It's quick to fix on a busy night and full of healthy, tasty ingredients. It originally called for spicy sausage links, but I've found that turkey sausage, or even ground turkey breast, is just as good. —Tracy Fasnacht, Irwin, Pennsylvania

From the Recipe Creator: I created this recipe to use up the ingredients I had stocked in my cupboards. You can mix up the herbs and spices to fit any taste. Add rosemary or cayenne to give it a little more kick. —Jenn Tidwell, Fair Oaks, California

From the Recipe Creator: What happens when you combine two favorites into one easy dish? Clean plates, that’s what! My family loves Chinese food, but takeout can be expensive and not always the healthiest. This colorful stovetop sloppy joe recipe will please everyone at dinnertime, including the kids. My husband prefers to skip the bun and eat it over brown rice or rolled in lettuce wrap. —Julie Peterson, Crofton, Maryland

From the Recipe Creator: I work at a local hospital and another job part time, so I'm always on the lookout for good, quick recipes to fix for my family. Some of my co-workers and I exchange recipes. This zippy casserole is one that was brought to a picnic at my house. People raved over it. —Dianne Esposite, New Middletown, Ohio

From the Recipe Creator: This is an excellent dish to take to someone for dinner. It's also easy to change up the recipe with your favorite meats or cheeses. —Tricia Bibb, Hartselle, AL

From the Recipe Creator: I like to sprinkle chicken stew with toasted almonds or cashews and serve with hot couscous. Flavored with cinnamon and a touch of sweetness from the apricots, this pretty dish will stand apart from the rest at potlucks, too! —Angela Buchanan, Longmont, Colorado

From the Recipe Creator: I love cooking, but I'm not into fancy gourmet foods. I think it's more challenging to make delicious, down-home foods like this beefy casserole with ingredients easily found in the refrigerator and on my pantry shelves. —Marjorie Carey, Alamosa, Colorado

From the Recipe Creator: For potlucks and tailgates, we slow-cook pork with cider, onions and spices. These tangy sliders make a winning barbecue plate with sweet potato fries. —Rachel Lewis, Danville, Virginia

From the Recipe Creator: I love to cook but just don't have much time. This casserole is both comforting and fast, which makes it my favorite kind of recipe. I serve it with a green salad. —Jena Coffey, Sunset Hills, Missouri

From the Recipe Creator: This chunky meal in a bowl makes terrific use of nutrient-packed vegetables. It has a deliciously sweet and tangy taste. —Frances Conklin, Cottonwood, Idaho

From the Recipe Creator: When I was in the Navy, a co-worker's wife shared this recipe with me. I’ve tweaked it over the years, but it still brings back memories of my family away from home. —Yvonne Cook, Haskins, Ohio

From the Recipe Creator: I've relied on this recipe for years, and my cabbage rolls never fail to impress. As the host of a number of holiday parties, my guests have come to expect this main entree. —Nancy Foust, Stoneboro, Missouri

From the Recipe Creator: This creamy, cheesy casserole is so hearty that second helpings are a must! —Lynne German, Buford, Georgia

From the Recipe Creator: This robust soup is a family favorite, and it's a big hit with my canasta group as well. I top each bowl with a slice of toasted bread and cheese, but you can have fun incorporating other pizza toppings such as cooked sausage. —Jackie Brossard Kitchener, Ontario

From the Recipe Creator: Chicken bog is a South Carolina tradition with lots of variations (think herbs, spices and fresh veggies), but the standard ingredients remain: sausage, chicken and rice. This slow-cooked rendition is a simple take on the classic. — Anna Hanson, Spanish Fork, Utah

From the Recipe Creator: This mushroom meat loaf is comfort food at its best. Mushrooms, beef stock, tomato paste, Worcestershire and soy sauce help boost the meaty flavor of this classic diner staple. —Matthew Hass, Ellison Bay, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: This dish is hearty and perfect for warming up on a chilly winter evening. The aroma is almost as delightful as the dish itself. —Frank Grady, Fort Kent, Maine

From the Recipe Creator: It was such a joy to come home and find my mom making spaghetti and meatballs for dinner. This recipe has always been dear to my heart. —Debbie Heggie, Laramie, Wyoming

From the Recipe Creator: One Christmas, I gave these tasty meat pies to our neighbors as gifts instead of sweets—they loved them! The handheld pies make a handy take-along lunch. I freeze the leftovers and reheat them later in the microwave when I need a quick meal. —Vicky Henry Aurora, Colorado

From the Recipe Creator: This hearty beef barley soup is a favorite menu item in our house throughout the year. Everyone savors the flavor. —Elizabeth Kendall, Carolina Beach, North Carolina

From the Recipe Creator: These zippy barbecue sandwiches make for fun late-summer dinners and are perfect for potluck gatherings, too. The coleslaw topping adds the perfect tangy crunch. —Gilda Lester, Millsboro, Delaware

From the Recipe Creator: I've spent years trying to come up with the perfect pizza crust and sauce, and they're paired up in this recipe. I fix this crispy, savory pizza for my family often, and it really satisfies my husband and sons. —Susan Lindahl, Alford, Florida

From the Recipe Creator: This fork-tender Swiss steak with rich gravy was an often-requested main dish around our house when I was growing up. Mom took pride in preparing scrumptious, hearty meals like this for our family and guests. —Linda McGinty, Parma, Ohio

From the Recipe Creator: This is an old standby when time's limited and guests are expected for dinner. It's a combination of several easy lasagna recipes I have tried over the years. —Mary Grimm, Williamsburg, Iowa

From the Recipe Creator: This is by far the simplest way to make roast beef and gravy. On busy days, I can put this main dish in the slow cooker and forget about it. My family likes it with mashed potatoes and fruit salad. —Abby Metzger, Larchwood, Iowa

From the Recipe Creator: This heartwarming dish is something I threw together years ago for my oldest daughter. When she's having a rough day, I put on the slow cooker and prepare this special recipe. —Mary Morgan, Dallas, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: This slow-cooked beef stew just screams comfort to me. It's also family-friendly—my toddlers gobble it right up! —Courtney Percy, Brooksville, Florida

From the Recipe Creator: Whether canned or homemade, cranberry sauce delivers a healthy dose of vitamins to this dish. A little bit sweet, a little bit smoky, these enchiladas are a delightful way to use leftover chicken or turkey. —Julie Peterson, Crofton, Maryland

From the Recipe Creator: Golden biscuits cover this homespun dish laden with chicken, broccoli and cheese. It's then topped with a celery seed mixture. My family requests this all-in-one dinner once a month. —Karen Weirick, Bourbon, Indiana

From the Recipe Creator: During chilly times of the year, I fix this jambalaya at least once a month. It’s so easy—just chop the vegetables, dump everything in the slow cooker and forget it! Even my sons, who are picky about spicy things, like this dish. —Cindi Coss, Coppell, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: Bread dough makes it a breeze to assemble these savory turnovers. If you have a favorite pizza dough, use it instead. These freeze well and once they are frozen, they can be heated in half an hour. —Lee Ann Lowe, Gray, Maine

From the Recipe Creator: The name of this Italian-inspired dish means "baked pasta with beans." But my busy family translates it as "super satisfying dinner." —Cindy Preller, Grayslake, Illinois

From the Recipe Creator: This is one of our favorite main dishes. Because we raise our own pork and beef, the meat we use is always freshly ground. For variety, these meatballs can be cooked with a sweet cream gravy or steamed with tomatoes. But we prefer them with homemade sauerkraut. —Iona Redemer, Calumet, Oklahoma

From the Recipe Creator: I make these sandwiches in my spare time and freeze them so they’re ready when needed, such as for tailgating parties when we attend Kansas State football games. —Donna Roberts, Manhattan, Kansas

From the Recipe Creator: Meet the Cook: One of the nice things about this thick soup is you can make it in an afternoon without too much fuss. I've found that it's good for soccer-practice evenings - with our sons 18, 17 and 9, we have gotten accustomed to many of those! -Mary Dice, Chemainus, British Columbia

From the Recipe Creator: To make this twist on traditional baked pasta, we start with creamy goat cheese and build from there with mozzarella, ricotta and Parmesan cheese. —Teresa Ralston, New Albany, Ohio

From the Recipe Creator: Just thinking about this dish sparks my appetite. The ham and cheese rolled inside are a tasty surprise. Leftovers reheat well and make a perfect lunch with a green salad. —Jean Sherwood, Kenneth City, Florida

From the Recipe Creator: This chicken club casserole freezer meal is a warm, welcoming casserole that tastes as fresh and creamy after it's frozen as it does right out of the oven! — Janine Smith, Columbia, South Carolina

From the Recipe Creator: This fresh take on a beloved Asian-style dish is sure to cause a stir at the dinner table. —Gert Snyder, West Montrose, Ontario

From the Recipe Creator: This is the best chicken potpie recipe! Chock-full of chicken, potatoes, peas and corn, this recipe makes two golden pies, so you can serve one at supper and save the other for a busy night. —Karen Johnson, Bakersfield, California

From the Recipe Creator: For a standout holiday dinner, start with this change-of-pace entree. Begin by simmering the chops in apple juice, then drizzle with sweet maple syrup and top with crunchy pecans. —Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: This thick and hearty stew with great northern beans is sure to chase the winter chills away. —Mildred Sherrer, Fort Worth, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: For variety, you can use another kind of cream soup (cream of mushroom, for instance). But try this meat and potato casserole this way first.—Marna Heitz, Farley, Iowa

From the Recipe Creator: Tender cubes of beef are braised in a wine sauce with savory vegetables. I made this slow-cooker beef burgundy often when I worked full time. It’s good over noodles or mashed potatoes. —Sherri Mott, New Carlisle, Indiana