Sticky Honey BBQ Chicken Bowls, Everything Ranch Cucumber Salad & Gooey Butter Cake Bars
If your calendar is anything like mine, the slower pace of summer is about to disappear.
Over the next couple of weeks, students across Spartanburg County will head back to school, and it won’t be long before afternoons are filled with football practice, volleyball matches, dance lessons, marching band rehearsals and all the other activities that make this season such a whirlwind. Whether your family has young children, teenagers or you’re simply settling back into a busier work routine, this is the time of year when everyone starts asking the same question around 5 p.m.: “What’s for dinner?”
As I started planning this new series, I reached out to several local teachers, parents and coaches to ask a simple question: What meals actually work on busy school and work nights? Their answers all had one thing in common. No one was looking for elaborate recipes or a sink full of dirty dishes. They wanted meals that come together quickly, use ingredients you can easily find at the grocery store and are delicious enough that everyone will happily gather around the table.
Several people admitted their favorite weeknight “secret ingredient” is something already prepared—a rotisserie chicken, a favorite bottled sauce or even a boxed cake mix. And honestly, I couldn’t agree more. Life gets busy this time of year, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with letting a few quality shortcuts do some of the work.
That’s exactly what inspired Around the Table, a new three-part Cook’s Corner series featuring complete menus with a main course, side dish and dessert that fit into real life while still feeling homemade. The goal isn’t to spend hours in the kitchen. It’s to help make dinner one less thing to worry about during one of the busiest seasons of the year.
This week’s menu is one I could see becoming part of your regular rotation.
Sticky Honey BBQ Chicken Bowls are packed with flavor but come together in about 20 minutes thanks to a few smart shortcuts.
Tender chicken is tossed in a sweet and smoky barbecue glaze, then served over fluffy jasmine rice with fresh vegetables and topped with crispy fried onions for the perfect crunch. Pair it with a cool Everything Ranch Cucumber Salad that comes together in just a few minutes, then finish the meal with Gooey Butter Cake Bars—a rich, buttery dessert that starts with a simple cake mix but tastes like you spent all afternoon baking.
Because let’s be honest—sometimes the best family recipes aren’t the ones that take the longest. They’re the ones everyone asks you to make again next week.
Sticky Honey BBQ Chicken Bowls
Serves: 4
Ingredients
• 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded (or about 4 cups cooked chicken)
• 1 cup Honey BBQ sauce (Kinder’s or Sweet Baby Ray’s both work well)
• 2 packages microwave jasmine rice
• 1 bag steam-in-bag broccoli florets
• 1 cup shredded matchstick carrots
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 3 green onions, sliced
• Crispy fried onions
• Sesame seeds, optional
Directions
Prepare the jasmine rice and broccoli according to the package directions.
Warm the shredded chicken in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the Honey BBQ sauce until the chicken is heated through and evenly coated.
Divide the rice among four bowls. Top with the broccoli, carrots, avocado and barbecue chicken.
Finish with sliced green onions, a sprinkle of crispy fried onions and sesame seeds, if desired. Serve immediately.
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Everything Ranch Cucumber Salad
Serves: 4
Ingredients
• 2 English cucumbers, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon dry ranch seasoning
• 1 teaspoon Everything Bagel seasoning
• Fresh dill, chopped (optional)
Directions
Combine the sour cream and ranch seasoning in a medium bowl.
Fold in the cucumber slices until evenly coated.
Sprinkle with Everything Bagel seasoning and fresh dill, if using. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before serving.
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Gooey Butter Cake Bars
Makes: 16 bars
Ingredients
Bottom Layer
• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 egg
Top Layer
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups powdered sugar
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
Mix together the cake mix, melted butter and one egg until a thick dough forms. Press evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
In another bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla, then gradually mix in the powdered sugar until creamy.
Pour the cream cheese mixture over the cake layer and spread evenly.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the center is just slightly set. Avoid overbaking—the middle should still have a slight jiggle.
Allow the bars to cool completely before cutting into squares. A light dusting of powdered sugar on top makes them even prettier for serving.
Next week, Around the Table continues with another complete menu featuring a weeknight favorite that’s comforting, full of flavor and built around a few more smart shortcuts that make busy evenings just a little easier.
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Have a recipe worth sharing? The Cook’s Corner welcomes submissions from home cooks, local residents, chefs, and restaurants throughout our community. Selected contributors may be contacted for a brief interview so we can share the story behind the dish. To submit a recipe or inquire about a collaboration, email thekitchencorrespondent87@gmail.com.
