Weeknight Dinners
Here we go! Take a few minutes on Sunday to look at your week ahead and make a plan of easy weeknight dinners that work for you! Having this strategy in place makes shopping and cooking much more efficient. I hope you all have a good week ahead!
SUNDAY
I’m trying out a new recipe for chicken wings with a sweet and spicy sauce. Follow the recipe linked and use Frank’s Red Hot and honey. Or you can make my simplified buffalo wings recipe. I’m planning to cut a bunch of carrot and celery sticks to have with dinner and snack on during the week. I’m also teaching an afternoon National Charity League class on Zoom, with one-bowl banana muffins (need to get these posted for you guys soon!), homemade ranch dressing and ranchero black bean dip. Chicken stock will be simmering on the stove.
Ranchero Black Bean Dip
Serve with tortilla chips or bell pepper slices.
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/3 cup ranch dressing (homemade or good-quality store bought)
Kosher salt and pepper
Combine all ingredients in the bowl of your food processor and pulse until combined.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
MONDAY
White bean minestrone soup. I love this soup and have made it in endless variations. This week I plan to make it with zucchini, cabbage and baby kale from my garden. Top with freshly grated Parmesan if you’d like and a sprinkling of Maldon sea salt. The tomatoes and white beans make this always feel like a comforting Italian soup.
TUESDAY
What’s your easiest dinner? I asked this on my Smart in the Kitchen Facebook group last week, when I had a fit of exhaustion before cooking dinner Thursday afternoon. Let me know in the comments if you have any ideas you love for “stupid easy” dinners! I can share them in future meal plans. For taco Tuesday, it’s a take on chicken tacos. These one-pan ground chicken lettuce cups are fast, efficient and divine! Steam some broccoli or edamame on the side.
WEDNESDAY
I want a slow cooker dinner that can be a “set it and forget it” meal. Braised chicken with tomatoes and rosemary sounds delicious. To be honest, I’ve never made this recipe so I hope it’s a winner! I plan to use half chicken breasts and half thighs because I have one kiddo who announced he does not like chicken thighs. Who’s child is this?! Serve parmesan polenta or roasted potatoes on the side.
THURSDAY
Busy day around here, I’m filming my favorite Thanksgiving sides for my membership group. Be sure to join the waitlist to be notified when we open the doors again. For dinner, it’s a frittata and salad (plus all the yummy Thanksgiving leftovers! And let’s be honest, the sides and pie are what I’m there for!!). Some of you may have seen my formula for “any frittata,” but I’ll share it again. I have some beautiful butternut squash to use up from Farmhouse Delivery, so I’ll cube and add it to the frittata with gruyére and greens, most likely kale. I’ll toss a salad with a tart vinaigrette on the side.
How to Make Any Frittata
Aromatics (onion, leek, shallot or scallions)
Meat (optional; ham, bacon, pancetta, crumbled Italian sausage or sliced kielbasa)
8-12 eggs
1/2 cup milk (or feel free to leave it out!)
1/4 cup cheese or more to taste (crumbled goat cheese or feta, or grated Gruyere, cheddar, jack or leave out!)
Herbs or greens (add chopped chives, parsley, chervil or cilantro if you’d like. Spinach, arugula, chard or collards.)
Preheat your pan. Start by sautéing chopped onion (or use leek or shallot or scallions) in olive oil or butter until softened. I most often use my Lodge cast iron skillet, but you can also use an 8-9” sauté pan that’s oven safe. I use a DaTerra Cucina ceramic non-stick for eggs.
Add any meat after the aromatics softens. Sauté until cooked.
Add any other chopped vegetables (up to about a cup of chopped zucchini or squash, cherry tomatoes, cubed butternut squash, broccoli florets, mushroom slices, etc). Sauté over medium heat until softened.
Greens (about two big handfuls of spinach, Swiss chard, kale, collard greens or just herbs) that you let wilt and cook down slightly.
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and cheese. Add herbs if you’re using, along with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Pour the egg mixture into the pan and pat down any greens to make sure they are covered in the egg mixture.
Bake at 350 until egg filling is set and center is slightly puffy and brown around the edges, about 20 minutes.
FRIDAY
Come and get it. Show up and make a plate, and first come first serve. I’m hoping there’s some leftover soup to warm up in a pinch! If you need other ideas for dinner, check out this roundup of recipes.
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