This Week's Meals

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We are entertaining (twice!) this week, which I'm looking forward to, but am also finding a bit daunting as time on weeknights is super limited.

Here's what we are thinking:

• Warm French Lentils (Ina Garten, How Easy is That?) with a green salad, a baguette and cheese 
• Mustard-Marinated Flank Steak (Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa Foolproof: Recipes You Can Trust) with this recipe for Couscous Salad (Hither & Thither)
• Pasta with Yoghurt and Caramelized Onion (Food52 via Cup of Jo)

Wish us luck!

This Week's Meals

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This week's recipes are a mix of standbys and newbies. Here's what's on our menu:

• Roasted Chicken and Carrots with Olives and Lemons (Real Simple): This is a hit in our household. My husband prefers a traditional chicken, but I think it's a nice twist, and our toddler can't get enough of the carrots.
• Potato and Spinach Saag (How to Cook Everything Fast)
• Update on this: this was tasty, but the cream made it really filling. I think next time I make it I might cut the cream in half, or use light cream instead. 
• Weeknight Bolognese (barefoot contessa, how easy is that?): This is a perennial favorite. Tip: cut the salt in half. 
• Chicken Pot Pie

Soup: Fire Roasted Chipotle Tomato Soup with Cilantro Lime Crema & Black Beans (Kale & Caramel)
Note: this soup was delicious, but very spicy! I enjoyed it, but don't think young kids would, unless they have a high tolerance for heat.

Monday: Easy Meals

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This weekend was fun, but tiring. On Friday night, we cleaned out the fridge and my niece slept over. We woke up early Saturday morning to drive to my parent's house in Connecticut. Saturday was my dad's 70th birthday, and today is my older brother's bday. 

We were in charge of the cake. As I mentioned Friday, we tried this recipe. I hightly recommend it! 

CT was full of sledding, eating, and catching up on The Walking Dead. We drove back to the city this afternoon, and swung by the grocery store to stock up. 

Here's the menu for the week (we are embracing the slow-cooker): 

• Slow-Cooker Tuscan Pot Roast (Real Simple) 
• Stir-Fried Chicken and Broccoli with Black Bean Sauce (How to Cook Everything Fast)
• Slow-Cooked Pork Shoulder with Apple Relish and Egg Noodles (Real Simple)

Soup: Easy Tomato Soup (Barefoot Contessa: Foolproof)

Here's to a good week!

Easy Weeknight Meals

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I am always on the hunt for fast and easy meal recommendations, especially during the week. Our latest strategy has been to plan out our weeknight meals over the weekend, head to a local supermarket (we love Fairway), and do most of the heavy cooking on Saturday or Sunday afternoon.

Our staple sources tend to be Real Simple and any one of Ina Garten's cookbooks. I have to admit, I'm partial to How Easy Is That? Also, my sister-in-law and brother-in-law gave us a subscription to Bon Appetit for Christmas last year, which was such a great gift, and often inspires us to switch things up a bit.  We're trying 2 new recipes from Bon Appetit this week.

Here's what's on our menu this week:

Skirt Steak with Shallot Pan Sauce (Bon Appetit)
Turkey and Roasted Red Pepper Meatloaf (Real Simple): We've had this countless times. It's always a hit.
Cacio e Pepe (Bon Appetit): We're trying this for the first time this week.
Sauteed Chicken and Peppers with Black Beans and Coconut Rice (Real Simple): Again, we've had this so many times. Plus, it only takes about 20 minutes to cook.
Lentil Vegetable Soup (Ina Garten): Great for lunches, and easy to swap out chicken stock for vegetable stock if you want a tasty vegetarian recipe.


If anyone has any favorite easy recipes, I'd love to know!