Menu of the Moment: 'Success is Just Sitting Down Together' – Amanda Frederickson on the Art of Real-Life Family Dinners

On any given Wednesday at her home in Nashville, cookbook author (Simple Beautiful Food) and restaurant owner, Amanda Frederickson is standing in front of her open refrigerator, phone in hand, chatting to her Instagram followers (@amandafrederickson) about what she can throw together from what’s inside. This is Fridge Foraging – the series she started as a playful challenge and which has since become a cult favorite among home cooks who love her mix of humor, practicality, and unfussy good taste

In each episode, she turns a few overlooked ingredients from an organized refrigerator – half a bunch of kale, leftover rice, maybe an egg or two – into something satisfying and smart, reminding her followers (all 100k+ of them) that dinner doesn’t need to be perfect to be good.

It’s that same easy-going, real-world approach that guides her life off-camera. Frederickson is the owner of Radish, a bright, health-focused restaurant in Nashville serving fresh salads and grain bowls, and its sister concept Little Rad Market, known for its freezer meals made from scratch. Between running two restaurants, writing cookbooks, and raising two young kids, she’s living the same busy, modern juggle as her audience.

Weeknight Wins

'Weeknight cooking is not easy,' she says. 'I always joke that the next great reality TV cooking show should be moms cooking when they have tired and hangry kids waiting for their meals.' Her family eats early – around six – so she preps as much as possible in the morning. 'Not in the traditional meal prep way,' she clarifies, 'but I look at the recipe and ask: what can I do now that will make five o’clock easier?' And on the nights she can’t manage it, she turns to Radish or Little Rad, where the freezer is organized with ready-made meals like veggie-packed bolognese. 'Even last night, that’s what we had for dinner,' she admits. 'Lots of vegetables – don’t tell my kids.'

For Frederickson, success at dinnertime isn’t about the menu – it’s about the moment. 'If the four of us are sitting down together, that’s a win,' she says. 'I used to worry about what my kids were eating, but I’ve noticed if we all sit together and no one leaves the table until we’re done, they eat more. It’s valuable just to be together.'

Don't Underestimate Eggs

Her approach to cooking mirrors her personality: practical, optimistic, and always a little playful. She believes convenience and quality can coexist. 'There are easy ways to make meals that are convenient and still filled with good ingredients,' she says. Her go-tos? Rotisserie chicken ('use the leftovers for stock') and eggs, which she calls 'the most underrated dinner ingredient.' She’s quick to list ideas: 'Breakfast tacos, frittatas – just whisk eggs with cream, toss in quick-cooking veggies like spinach or tomatoes, a little cheese. Eggs are fast, easy, and nutritious. When in doubt,' she says, 'make some eggs.'

Edit Your Grocery List

The secret to cooking well on busy nights, Amanda believes, begins before you even turn on the stove. 'Great meals start at the grocery store. You need to go in with a plan,' she explains. 'Even though I cook professionally, I still spend Sunday morning making a quick list of what I’ll cook each week and what days we’ll actually be home. It saves money and stress – you buy what you need, not what you think you need.'

Her fridge staples reflect the same ethos: ground chicken, pasta, cherry tomatoes, eggs, Parmesan, and a rotating cast of condiments. 'People underestimate their condiments,' she says. 'They last forever and can totally transform your food.'

Make the Most of Mornings

And when it comes to saving her sanity in the kitchen, she swears by one simple rule: prep in the morning. 'If I can make a dressing or marinate a protein before work, the five-to-six o’clock hour is so much easier,' she says. Even something as simple as laying out ingredients – her home version of 'mise en place' – can make a world of difference. 'That way, when you get home, you’re just assembling, not starting from scratch.'

For Frederickson, the busy season doesn’t mean giving up on cooking – it just means rethinking it. With the right staples, a bit of planning, and a flexible mindset, dinner becomes what it should be: 'A chance to sit down, connect, and eat something you’re proud of, even if it came out of the freezer or from what’s left in your fridge.'

Amanda Frederickson's Easy Family Recipes

From a one-pot chicken dish made with orzo to sheet pan shrimp tacos and a hearty pork tenderloin, these Fridge Forager recipes are easy mid-week wins that the whole gang will enjoy.

One-Pot Chicken with Orzo and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

'Swap out the orzo for rice to change things up,' says Amanda. 'Either way, this dish is destined to become a weeknight staple'.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup dried orzo
• ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 2 cups chicken stock
• ½ lemon, thinly sliced

Method

• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Pat the chicken thighs dry and sprinkle generously with salt. In a large cast-iron skillet or sauté pan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken, skin side down, and brown until golden, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Work in batches if needed. Remove the chicken and set aside.
• Add the onion to the same pan and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, or until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and a pinch of black pepper; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Add the orzo and chopped sun-dried tomatoes, stirring to coat them in the oil and pan drippings. Cook for another 30 seconds.
• Pour in the wine, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until reduced by half.
• Stir in the chicken stock and layer the lemon slices on top.
• Nestle the browned chicken thighs back into the pan, skin side up. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the orzo has absorbed most of the liquid.
• Let the chicken sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Mustardy Pork Tenderloin

'Use a meat thermometer to make sure not to overcook pork which will cause it try dry out and lose flavor,' says Amanda. 'If you can’t find celery root, use potatoes instead, and mash the potatoes with a hand masher or ricer since a food processor will leave a gummy texture from the starch. And add a dollop of butter before serving.'

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon whole caraway seeds
• 5 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pork tenderloin (about 1 ½ lbs)
• 1 minced shallot
• ¼ cup chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons of butter

Method

• In a large bowl, combine the Dijon mustard, maple syrup, caraway seeds, 2 tablespoons of the apple cider vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Pour marinade over pork tenderloin for at least an hour, or up to 12 hours in the refrigerator.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Place 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large cast iron pan, (large enough to fit the entire pork tenderloin). Sear the pork on medium-high heat until evenly browned on all sides then put in the oven for 12 to 14 minutes or until a meat thermometer reaches 135°F.
• Remove pork from pan and let it rest on a large plate for 10 minutes, covered with foil. Return the skillet to the stovetop and, over medium heat, add the minced shallot. Saute for 30 seconds then deglaze the pan with 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar and the chicken stock.
• Cook mixture for about 1 to 2 minutes, or until reduced by half. Add 2 tablespoons butter and continue cooking until melted.
• Slice the tenderloin, drizzle with pan sauces, and serve warm.

Shrimp Tacos with Roast Tomatillo Salsa

'Save the seasoning mixture in an airtight container at room temperature for the next time you make these tacos,' suggests Amanda.

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

• For the seasoning mix
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• For the rest
• 1 lb halved tomatillos
• ½ roughly chopped onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• Juice of ½ lime
• large pinch of salt and pepper
• 1 ½ lbs of peeled and deveined medium-sized shrimp
• 6 warm tortillas
• Sliced avocado, fresh cilantro, pickled red onion, and hot sauce, to serve

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper.
• In a small bowl combine the paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, dried thyme, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Mix well and set aside.
• Place the tomatillos, chopped onion, and garlic cloves on the prepared sheet tray. Toss the mixture with 2 tablespoons olive oil and a large pinch of salt and pepper. Roast for 13 to 15 minutes, or until tomatillos are soft and the onions have begun to char.
• Carefully place the tomatillo mixture into the bowl of one of the best blenders and blend on medium until slightly chunky. Add the juice of half a lime and taste for salt.
• Toss the shrimp with 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the seasoning mixture. Spread in an even layer on the same sheet tray and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the shrimp are firm and opaque.
• Serve with warm tortillas, slices of avocado, fresh cilantro, pickled red onions, and your favorite hot sauce.