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What are your go-to weeknight dinners?

What are your go-to weeknight dinners?

There are two reasons behind this post: I’m fascinated by what other people have for dinner, and I need ideas.

We don’t meal plan much these days, except for Friday pizza (which I love and adore because nobody complains, and because at least one night’s dinner is decided, forever and ever).

Instead, we keep the fridge and pantry stocked with the ingredients we need to make a variety of staple meals in loose rotation.

We always have chicken breasts and ground beef on hand. (Hot tip: if you have a Fresh Market in your area, see if they run Tuesday specials. My local store has weekly deals on ground beef and chicken, and the price and quality can’t be beat.) We stock salmon and flat iron steak and the occasional pork roast or pack of chicken thighs. We rely on chicken sausages for busy nights. We always have shredded and chunk cheese, lots of fresh and frozen vegetables, salad greens, canned tomatoes, jarred olives and peppers.

From these ingredients, we can make a good variety of dishes: meatballs, burgers, and a variety of chicken dishes: piccata, tikka masala, teriyaki. We do pulled pulled pork and grilled salmon. We pile shredded rotisserie chicken or ground beef in bowls with bell peppers, tomatoes, avocados, and fresh cilantro and dub it a “burrito bowl.” Will and I love dinner salads; the kids think dinner salads are instruments of torture.

Those meals are all fresh and fast, healthy and tasty.

What are your go-to weeknight dinners?

Here’s the problem: when spring started springing, we dropped half of our old reliables out of rotation: no more chili, pot roast, or coq au vin. No more soups or stews in the crock pot. It’s getting too warm out for that kind of comfort food, but we haven’t found good spring replacements yet.

I’m not the only one who struggles when the seasons change: I told a few friends I was looking for fresh ideas, and they said me too.

I’m wracking my brain, trying to remember what we ate at this time last year. (I do this every year. Sigh.) I got the Costco Slow Cooker Freezer Meals ebook in the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle, and I’m giving a few of those recipes a try. I could browse through my favorite cookbooks, but this is my busy season: I love to cook, but this just isn’t top priority right now. I could browse Pinterest, but hello information overload.

In the meantime, Sarah, our 10-year-old, is bringing some variety to our table: she’s assumed responsibility for Monday and Thursday night dinners around here. I don’t meal plan much these days, but she does—otherwise we’d never have the ingredients on hand for her lofty picks. I’m into fast and functional dinners right now, but Sarah is cooking for fun, and it shows in her menus: salmon en croute, rack of lamb, goat cheese mousse.

(Of course it’s awesome to have my kid cook for us. But before you get too jealous, I’ll relay a conversation from last week: when my mom asked if Sarah could start cooking three nights a week, Will replied: I don’t have time to wash that many dishes.)

I know we have the ingredients on hand to make lots of fabulous food, but I don’t know what that looks like. (I especially struggle with ground beef and chicken breast recipes. How do I make those interesting without dousing them in sugary sauces or piling them on top of rice or pasta?)

My question to you:

What are your go-to weeknight dinners for this time of year? What are your favorites that are fresh and fast, healthy and tasty? Thanks in advance for your great ideas!

168 comments

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  1. Ronnie Jean Langlois says:

    I love when the weather gets warmer it’s my favorite time to cook. I try to grill as much as I can and when I do I make extras. WhenI grill chicken I always double it I then can use it all through the week, for salads, lunches or freeze the extra. When I grill steak I make extra for salads, steak tacos or with a vegetable and fresh fruit. I hope this helps.

  2. Kayris says:

    I still do soup, but switch from stews and chili and cream based soups to broth based. Chicken tortilla, split pea, etc. extra point for the crockpot, which doesn’t heat up my kitchen.

    Sandwiches-chicken salad, chicken cheese steaks, roasted veggies with cheese. Served with fruit.

    Although it doesn’t feel like spring food around here…down in the 30’s last night!

  3. Kate says:

    We have Friday night pizza night, too and it is a relief at the end of the week. I’m still looking for a failsafe gluten-free crust (for me, everyone else gets the chewy crusty good stuff).

    Like you, we do chili, stews, and heavier slow cooker meals in cool weather. Not in the mood for those when there are cherry trees blooming outside…

    The other regular (all-weather) meals are tacos/nachos, stir fries, and simply prepared protein (fish, chicken, beef – grilled, baked, sauteed) with steamed veggies and a starchy something. I’ve recently added Indian food into my rotation and crossed my fingers – so far so good. We’ve had Turkey Biryani (Fine Cooking) and Chicken Tikka Masala (The Kitchn). Both were easy and well received, much to my surprise and delight.

    I’m looking forward to everyone’s ideas!

    • Julie R says:

      Check the freezer section at your grocery store. They may carry frozen, ready to use, gluten free pizza crusts. My husbands favorite is made by Kinnikinnick. The Udi’s pizza crust is pretty good too.

      • Kate says:

        I haven’t tried Kinnikinnick yet so I will look for that. Thank you!

        I wasn’t happy with Udi’s and I’ve tried several frozen pizzas, mixes, plus recipes using various flours and blends and my old stand-by wheat recipe (from Mark Bittman) with Better Batter and Cup 4 Cup blends. What can I say? I’m looking for perfection…so the search goes on.

        • Claire says:

          I think the King Arthur gluten free flour pizza mix is good. Makes enough for two pizzas so I usually freeze the other half and eat it the next week or so.

          • Julie R says:

            I haven’t tried the King Arthur gluten free pizza crust. But I have been very happy with their other gluten free mixes. The cookie mix is fab.

        • Valerie J. says:

          We picked up a schar crust this past week for the first time( I have been trying all sort of things) and it was pretty decent given the amount of work involved( just place toppings on and bake for 12 min). I might still attempt to make my own but taking a break for now. 🙂

        • Yvonne says:

          I am gluten free and dairy free as well and we have pizza every Friday night. One favorite pizza recipe is from Gluten Free Artisan Bread in 5 minutes a day and while sometimes I just skip the cheese, often I use the daiya mozzarella to keep everything together. I have found, though, that I need more toppings because I don’t use as much daiya and as I would milk cheese.

  4. I was just thinking the same thing the other day. I’m tired of winter comfort foods but those are my kids favourite meals. We’re not really doing salads for dinner at this point.

    I love Smitten Kitchen’s roast chicken in buttermilk. You can make it up ahead of time and either roast it in the oven or do it on the bbq. Clean up shouldn’t be too bad! http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2012/01/buttermilk-roast-chicken/

    My kids love these ground beef enchiladas and they are pretty quick to me compared to other enchiladas. http://www.homesicktexan.com/2011/04/beef-enchilada-recipe-chili-gravy.html

    And for nights like tonight we’re having sweet potato hash with an egg on top: http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-sweet-potato-hash-with-sausage-and-eggs-breakfast-recipes-from-the-kitchn-162997

  5. Heather says:

    I like to keep a big bowl of salad on hand even if it’s just the tub of greens from Sam’s Club. That way dinner can be salad with “whatever” on top- usually leftover meat or chili, or even a fried egg.

  6. Sara K. says:

    We eat a lot of chicken tacos (or taco salad), hamburgers, bbq chicken, chicken with different spices or seasonings. We eat pizza sometimes on Friday nights, but not every week. I’m trying to add in some quick and easy meals like BLTs or turkey sandwiches. I would be happy to eat breakfast for dinner, but my daughter thinks that’s weird 🙂

  7. Kelty Brittle says:

    Lately, we’ve had success with “Taco Tuesday” I’m not a big meal planner but just knowing that Tuesdays are Tacos in whatever form has for some reason really sorted out my meal week, like an anchor or something. I try to keep guacamole in the freezer and sour cream and tortillas in the fridge and then the meat + toppings can be whatever’s around (ground beef, ground turkey, crock pot carnitas, grilled or stewed chicken, etc.) I will caramelize and onion and then use whatever veggies are also around in the fridge or in a can. The fact that the combinations are endless has kept it from getting boring. Also, quiche! Love that we’re talking about this. Hope to get a few more ideas myself.

    • Ashley says:

      We also do taco Tuesday and pizza Friday. My mom just got me a subscription to cooks country. It’s awesome. There’s a whole section of 30 minute weeknight dinners. And the rest of the magazine is dedicated to digging into just a few other recipes, and ingredients. It’s not overwhelming and I love it.

      • Kelty says:

        Love the idea of pizza Friday + Taco Tuesday. The stress that just having one night of the week’s supper set and decided has been ridiculous simplifying. I can only imagine what 2 would do! I working toward that.

        • julie says:

          We do this, too (only it’s Mexican Monday and tacos, fajitas, burrito bowls, and fish tacos are one rotation); pasta on Tuesday, and pizza on Friday. I aim for a double batch of something in the crock pot that feeds us Wed & Thurs.

    • jen says:

      Yep we also do Taco Tuesday and Pizza Friday! Works great for us!
      Whenever I serve salad for dinner, I get out a few tortillas for the kids and they make theirs into salad wraps. This works like a charm!

    • Julie says:

      We do taco (or build your own burrito) Wednesdays here. Every two weeks I cook up a double batch of meat and beans, and toss into freezer. I take it out of the freezer and plop it into the crockpot before swim lessons, and supper is practically ready when we get home.

  8. Kendra says:

    “I’m wracking my brain, trying to remember what we ate at this time last year. (I do this every year. Sigh.)”
    I can so identify with the above statement. Every. Season.
    I’m so glad you wrote about this and I can’t wait to check out everybody’s recipes.
    Here’s my contribution. I love citrus when the weather starts warming up. You could always pile your favorite veggies on.
    Lemon Angelhair Pasta
    http://www.mastercook.com/app/Recipe/WebRecipeDetails?recipeId=70832
    Unfortunately, Spoonful is not showing the recipe but the ingredients should give you an idea.
    Great post!

  9. I tend to stick to simple meals on the same night of the week as well. We do pasta on Mondays (fettucine alfredo, chicken penne w/ vodka cream sauce, shrimp scampi w/ angel hair, etc.); Mexican on Tuesdays (tacos, quesadillas, pepper strip tostadas–recipe on my blog–etc.); meatless on Wednesday (soups, rice and beans); leftover Thursday; and breakfast for dinner Friday. Then, on the weekends we often grill a variety of hamburgers, kabobs, chicken, and more. These become lunches of leftover to have during the week.

  10. Breanne says:

    The seasonal shift struggle is real. And until I find my groove again, I don’t like the kitchen. We tend to do pizza once a week, love that. Tacos/burritos, baked fish and potatoes, sheet pan suppers (sausage/veges tossed with olive oil and seasonings, baked till tender). I like to try one new recipe a week to stretch me and keep the kitchen enticing.

    I’m very impressed with Sarah’s meals and you guys for giving her the chance to try.

  11. Karisa says:

    I’m definitely going to follow this comment thread. After working all day, the idea of cooking for an hour then cleaning up afterwards is not appealing, but our quick go to meals usually involve large amounts of pasta. I need ideas. And to fit into my clothes.

    When I do have the ingredients though, some of our favorites (of the lighter variety) are parmesean tilapia, chicken wraps, tacos, and most recently pad thai. When I was putting the pad thai together I wasn’t sure how it could possibly taste good, but it was amazing and didn’t leave me bloated like pasta.

  12. Jennifer H says:

    We do this in the winter, too, but probably at least once a week in the summer – indoor picnic (or if you have a yard and the weather is nice, you could go outside). The rules are that we eat on a blanket on the floor and we have something from every food group. It usually includes a loaf of bread that we break off with our hands, fruit like grapes or cut up apples, cubes of cheese (mozzarella, cheddar, Colby-jack are the favorites), carrot sticks and hummus, and some kind of nut or seed (usually pecans).

    I do have trouble introducing variety though. We usually have Mexican one night and pasta one night, sometimes breakfast for dinner. But with 2 vegetarians in the house (and the house being a second floor condo) we cannot take advantage of my favorite summer meals on the grill.

  13. Breanna says:

    I have declared this summer “the summer of the sandwich”. I have been keeping the pantry stocked with fun bread choices (crusty loaves, spinach wraps, whole wheat pita pockets, etc.), jars of olives and marinaded vegetables (roasted red peppers, artichokes, olive medleys), and interesting condiments. Each week I buy an assortment of deli meats, cheeses, and whatever fresh veg is on sale. I am finding the options to be endless….cold, toasted, baked, etc. Tuna, chicken, or egg salad variations are fun. Grilled meats leftover from previous meals can be piled on to create new sammys. Pair the sandwiches with some baked chips, simple salads, cold pasta salads, chips and salsa, etc. It seems there could be a whole menu of summer meal options that require little prep, are customizable, and don’t require having the oven on for hours heating up the house!!!

  14. MelissaJoy says:

    Stir fries and hashes are easy peasy and have high veggie and meat content. We also love turkey burgers and make a lot to freeze. Our favorites are the maralago burger and a feta, scallion, cinnamon recipe from long ago. The maralago has chutney in the recipe that you can either buy or make.

    One of my goals this year is to create a personal seasonal cookbook so I am not so caught off guard. I’m using Evernote to capture all of our family favorites.

  15. Jillian Kay says:

    GREAT TIP on Fresh Market! Thanks!

    We do Friday pizza too, when I remember to make dough. Maybe I should add it to my Trader Joe’s list too. For chicken we usually just grill or bake it. Boring.

    For dinner salads my kids used to hate them until I started turning them into salad bar night. I always have leftover bits of protein around so I pull that out with lettuce and toppings and everyone loves it.

    • Danae says:

      Pizza never worked regularly for our family until I bought the TJ dough. Turns out our biggest obstacle to pizza night was the extra time and dirty dishes involved with home-made dough – the other ingredients are things we already keep on hand (including using leftovers as toppings).

      Sometimes “easy” meal recipes still seem too complicated because the planning and prep work feel unfamiliar or don’t easily fit into our routines. It’s nice to find little store-bought hacks that make all the difference.

    • Libby says:

      I know I commented this same thing below but try out the Jiffy’s Pizza dough box mix! I love it, it requires no rising time, all you have to do is add water, olive oil, and herbs (well, I consider herbs a “have to”) and roll it out. It’s also far cheaper than the refrigerated dough, usually 50 or 75 cents a box near me, and doesn’t take up fridge or freezer room. You can grab a bunch of boxes at one time and keep them in your pantry for whenever too, instead of having to remember to pick up the dough.

      • julie says:

        We have multiple food isssues at our house so lately i’ve only been “making” the special pizza for the needy; the others get “trash” pizza from Little Casears (can’t beat $5!)

  16. Leah says:

    I love burrito bowls! Not only are they tasty and light, but they’re super quick and easy to make.

    When my boyfriend & I are feeling especially lazy, we tend to go for pasta. Not the best, I know, but it’s easy and I love my some spaghetti 🙂

    One I’ve been making a lot lately is this lentil kale potato soup. DELISH! It takes a little longer to make, so I’ll fire up an audiobook and settle in. It also makes a ton, so we have plenty for lunches and leftovers for the next few days.

  17. Well, you could always subscribe to the Fit & Healthy plan of She Plans Dinner-using your bonus deal. The 3 month subscription would get your wheels turning, with great recipes for the summer. Fit & Healthy is very low on sugar and carbs. Just sayin’…=)

  18. Katia says:

    We definitely eat seasonally. Like you, Anne, we ate soups and stews in the winter, but now that spring is (hopefully) at the door (I live in Ontario and we have had a cold spring so far), we move toward lighter fare. Our issue is that I usually don’t eat dairy and meat. So, I usually cook two meals for our family. The kids usually enjoy fish or chicken, rice, and spinach salad for dinner. For myself and my husband, I prepare stir-fry with tofu (the kids don’t enjoy Asian-style stir-fry), a chickpea salad, rice and vegetables, hummus, etc. I do eat a bit of meat or fish from time to time, so if I’m pressed for time and am not able to cook two different meals, I will eat a little bit of what my family is eating.

  19. LoriM says:

    Great question and I can’t wait to read thru all the ideas.

    We keep chicken breasts, frozen pesto, jarred marinara sauce, hamburger, Sloppy Joe sauce, frozen meat balls, etc. Salad fixings (harder cuz they go bad). I love making lots of meatloaf and freezing it.

    My IDEA is to focus on dinner salads in summer and soups and stews in winter but my hubby “needs” his meat and potatoes, apparently. Sigh. Not to mention dessert.

  20. Tina says:

    Like so many others, we grill everything on the weekend and enjoying it again during the week: hamburgers, hot dogs, pork, sausage. You mentioned pizza night, but wasn’t sure if you make it or order it. We enjoy making our own. I do still like to use the crock pot year-round as an alternative to using the oven. Maybe this was only in my family, but I grew up eating toast with mayo and huge sliced tomatoes. No bacon or lettuce, just tomatoes. I love them and they’re so quick and easy.

  21. Heather says:

    Salsa Chicken Quinoa, in crock pot or rice cooker
    Shredded chicken, 1–1 1/2 cups rinsed quinoa, can of black beans, 1 cup of salsa, and enough water or stock to make is stir-able. In our 4 quart crock, it takes about 4-5 hours on low. Season to taste, serve with cheese, gucamole, sour cream, onions…
    My husband feels the gucamole is required!

    Just can’t beat salmon and veges for a yummy, healthy feeling dinner! Sadly, it beats up my checkbook…
    Thanks for the ideas.

  22. Kimber-Leigh says:

    when it starts to warm up, we rely on our grill a lot.

    i also love to throw together a chopped chicken salad–you can use chicken you have on hand or pick up a rotisserie and shred for a quick meal. (favorite lettuce, chopped: bell pepper, tomatoes, avocado, green onion, black beans, white northern beans, diced water chestnuts, corn. mix together and top with crushed tortilla chips and feta cheese. we serve with Girards Light Champagne dressing. So good.)

    another fun idea is to make quesadillas on a griddle; you can have everyone choose their ingredients…also easy for young chefs to do on their own!

  23. Clare says:

    Chicken & veggie stirfry
    Shredded BBQ chicken in the crockpot
    Caesar chicken salad
    Chicken fajitas
    Burgers with either ground beef or ground chicken
    Spaghetti with crock pot sauce
    Homemade pizza
    Chicken or tuna alfredo

    Those are the go-tos. They’re the same all year round, though.

  24. liz n. says:

    For me, stir-frying is the easiest quick dinner. A ratio of one third meat and two-thirds veg, with your basic sauce, and you have a gazillion options. Salads as entrees, and lots of fish. I still make (and freeze) lots of soups, but they’re lighter than the heavy winter fare. My favorite thing about spring/summer is all the fresh produce available, so I tend to make more sauces for entrees: cilantro lime sauce, mango and radish chutney (right, technically not a sauce), raspberry chile vinaigrette, etc.

  25. Samantha says:

    My rule is that meals need to be quick, healthy, and relatively inexpensive (it shouldn’t cost $40 to make a meal for two people), not to mention tasty and hopefully create good left overs for lunches, etc. Here are some of our absolute favorites!
    Kenyan Braise Collard Greens – http://www.skinnytaste.com/2014/03/kenyan-braised-collard-greens-and.html (The spices are amazing in this and we use either extra lean ground beef or ground turkey.)
    Buffalo Chicken Strips – http://www.skinnytaste.com/2014/01/skinny-buffalo-chicken-strips.html (You can either buy chicken tenders or just slice up the chicken breasts you have on hand. Add some spices, cook, and toss in some Frank’s hot sauce for a great meal. We will eat these on their own, on top of salads, in wraps, and even with waffles for our homemade chicken and waffles!)
    Tomato Parmesan Chicken – http://www.livingwellspendingless.com/2014/09/03/tomato-parmesan-chicken/ (I cannot get over how easy this meal is and it is delicious, too! I use low sugar pasta sauce, organic items, etc. and it’s fairly healthy. I typically cook up some of whatever pasta I have left on hand and use up pantry items, too. When I made this for some guests they laughed when I told them how easy it was, they truly wouldn’t believe me.)
    Kielbasa, Pepper, Onion, and Potato Hash – http://www.thetwobiteclub.com/2014/05/kielbasa-pepper-onion-and-potato-hash.html (This is a great use for your chicken sausage! The hardest part is the chopping but with a good chopper, or an extra set of hands, this meal can be ready in no time.)
    One Pot Wonder Southwest Pasta – http://thewholesomedish.com/one-pot-wonder-southwest-pasta/ (Again, this uses up extra pasta you may have on hand plus it’s quick and delicious. My husband prefers meat in our dinners so I typically brown some ground turkey or ground beef on the side and toss it in when this is done. It’s love.)
    Oven Fajitas – http://www.budgetbytes.com/2013/02/oven-fajitas/ (These are delicious, quick, and easy. You can toss in a tortilla or on a bed of lettuce or rice. I typically use taco seasoning that I buy in bulk at the grocery store and it’s cheap and easy. Also a fun variation of something to bring to a family with a new baby, sickness, etc.)
    Chicken and Asparagus Stir Fry – http://www.skinnytaste.com/2014/03/chicken-and-asparagus-lemon-stir-fry.html (Great flavors, fresh ingredients, healthy, and always a huge hit.)

    I hope you enjoy! These staples keep my little family fed and happy – plus I usually get an extra bravo for the meals being not only delicious but fairly healthy.

  26. Niki says:

    I used to look at a blog site called Whit’s Amuse Bouche. She always had amazing looking recipes full of all sorts of badness! YUMM! But NOW, after some time away, she’s come back and is pulling together healthy, Whole 30 type meals! She’s only had one so far that I can see, but it was SO good. Mediterranean Chicken.
    http://whitsamusebouche.com/blog/2015/04/10/boss-babes-guide-episode-2
    I am looking forward to seeing what she puts out there, because she seems to require some serious tastiness to qualify as worth posting.

  27. Connie C. says:

    We grill lots of stuff, in lots of different marinades. Snacky dinners – crackers, cheese, pepperoni, pickles. Chicken sausage (so many flavored varieties now!) on the grill.

  28. Amy says:

    My kids will eat salad for a meal so we do that more in the spring and summer. We love honey ginger chicken and balsamic chicken. Both cooked on the stove in one pan. I serve that with veggie sides then the next day we have it sliced up over salad, Caesar or “regular”. Cooking a whole chicken is a good way to use your crock pot and have chicken for salads or pasta dishes. Also we love Thai beef stew from “Against All Grain” cookbook. Another for the crock pot and not a soupy stew, you serve it over rice. Also, “Deliciously Organic” has a great salad with steak and roasted red pepper dressing. I can’t remember the official name right now. I was surprised but all my kids love it!

    • Anne says:

      We found a couple of good recipes in Against All Grain but never tried the Thai beef stew. (I don’t know why not—that sounds delicious!) Thanks for sharing.

  29. AndreaA says:

    There is a great series of Cooking Light cookbooks- the Fresh Food Fast series (there is a Fresh Food Superfast, a 24/7 and a weeknight meals version) I recommend the original and the Superfast. Easy recipes, easily done in 30 minutes or less, very yummy, and fresh. They are pretty much the only cookbooks I use these days. Occasionally I make something off of Pinterest, but usually with the knowledge that it won’t be the healthiest.

  30. Alicia G says:

    One of my very easiest meals is to put a whole chicken in the crock pot. That night’s dinner is “roast” chicken and the next day’s dinner is chicken salad, chicken tacos, etc. Plus we can usually get a lunch out of this, but we are only a family of 3.

    Tacos

    Breakfast for dinner, especially eggs + some sauteed greens (frozen) + maybe paleo pancakes or Costco sausages.

    Chicken breasts in pan with coconut oil plus salt & pepper. Sometimes I bake this too.

    Costco has canadian bacon in packs that are quick to cook. Tastes like “regular” ham. Plus baked sweet potato & frozen veggies & it’s a quick meal.

  31. Bethann says:

    Ok…no go to recipes off the top of my head…but one way to stave off hunger while we’re grilling, I make a veggie spread. I try my best to use organic/non processed ingredients but always crave ranch dip for dipping the veggies. But so bad and I haven’t found any good recipes yet. So here’s my veggie tray right now:
    -organic carrots I peel & cut into sticks (baby carrots are a no)
    -organic celery I cut up
    -because I crave ranch dip, either Marie’s yogurt ranch dip (found in the refrigerated section) or Bolthouse Farms Classic Ranch yogurt dressing (also found in the refrigerated section).
    -Blue Diamond Nut-Thins–sea salt
    I wish I lived close enough to a Trader Joe’s but that’s what I do!
    Bethann

  32. Maxine says:

    Like others have said grill up all kinds of stuff to use during the week. If it’s chicken, we vary the marinades and include a “Caribbean jerk” style, too. That being said, some of our standards in current rotation:
    -Grilled chicken Caesar salads with homemade Caesar dressing (even a fav of the 17 yr old!)
    -Chicken fried rice
    -Chicken Soup texmex style made from leftover rotisserie chicken topped with avocado, cilantro, fresh jalapenos and scallions (great anytime of year!)
    Fish (usually tilapia or salmon) sauteed & topped with a ginger maple glaze, & served with rice and fresh broccoli
    -Roasted or grilled pork tenderloin with roasted veggies (can use leftovers for pork fried rice or stir fry)
    -Taco salads will enter the rotation now that it’s warmer (yay!)
    -Burgers on Friday or Saturday if we don’t have pizza and I try to make a meatloaf at the same time for later use
    We usually try some non standard gourmet-ish meal at least once a week to cook together and wind down. We don’t really utilize our crock pot so much in the summer. I need to look into that!

  33. Laura Squicciarini says:

    Fish tacos! I just season some tilapia, throw it on the skillet, cut it up in a bowl, and provide a variety of sides: Spanish rice (super easy to make), refrained beans or seasoned black beans, cheddar cheese, guacamole, mango/tomato/avocado/cilantro salsa… the possibilities are endless! My husband loves Taco Night almost as much as he loves Pizza Night!

  34. Jamie says:

    Haven’t read all through the above, but I will. Ideas I hope aren’t all repeats:

    This was inspired from a Pin, but whatever mixture you’ve used, use romaine lettuce leaves to wrap it in…instead of a bun or noodles or rice. Ideas: Sloppy Joe’s (with fresher ingredients in the sauce), thai peanut butter chicken, BBQ beef, Philly Cheese Steak, Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo (with greek yogurt and skim milk for the alfredo), stir fry, fish tacos, regular taco mixture

    Hummus with a variety of veggies to dip
    Chinese style Eggs and Tomatoes
    Grill, grill, grill!
    Omelets in muffin tin or individual baked oatmeal for Breakfast for Dinner
    Healthy nachos (more black beans and tomatoes and stuff than meat or cheese)
    Smoothies for dinner (our boys still think these are like milkshakes)
    Full, hearty taco salads
    Baked Omelet Squares – whisk eggs with milk, pick any “toppings,” mix together, bake 30 min at 400 degree in 9×13. Cut to serve.

    Yes to Fresh Market! It’s been a great find. I will have to click on your meal rotation link. Thanks for sharing!

  35. Ali says:

    Thanks for the ideas!

    During the past few grilling seasons we’ve marinated boneless, skinless chicken breasts in BBQ sauce (homemade, store bought, whatever works that day), grilled them and then put them in the kitchen aid stand mixer with the regular paddle beater and let it shred the meat. The end result is tasty and has a texture that is great for sandwiches. The kids actually just love to pick it up with their fingers and eat it too.

    It’s a nice time for asparagus wrapped in prosciutto and grilled, maybe alongside a baked potato. Speaking of which, we’ve had a few dress your own baked potato nights lately that were a hit. With toppings like roasted broccoli, bacon, cheese and sour cream it becomes the main entree.

    We also like pasta salads in the warmer seasons, mixing together whatever pasta, veggies, and sauces we have on hand.

  36. Leia says:

    We just got on the theme night bandwagon! It started with Taco Tuesdays because baked tacos is one of my kids’ favorites. I sometimes do quesadillas for me and my husband. On Mondays, I make Trident’s panko breaded tilapia filets that I get at Costco and sweet potato fries, my 2 year old son’s favorite meal. On Wednesdays, we either have leftovers or breakfast. On Thursdays, I use my slow cooker. I like to make pulled pork about every other week to use for sandwiches, quesadillas, pasta, etc. We also do pizza on Fridays. Saturday dinners are a wildcard: sandwiches, leftovers, hot dogs, snacks, etc. I like to do a big Sunday dinner: rotisserie chicken, pork cubed steak, meatloaf, baked chicken (This is so good and so easy: http://rachelschultz.com/2012/07/11/worlds-best-chicken/. I love to use whole grain mustard), etc with lots of side dishes. I also offer some sort of bread and starch with every meal along with apple slices, applesauce or peaches. My kids are eating so much better now!

  37. Shauna says:

    Marinate some chicken breasts in an Italian marinade (I make my own marinade). Dump a can of diced tomatoes and about half a container of feta cheese over it, and bake for 30 minutes at 350. Delish!

  38. Erin says:

    Like others have commented, I “anchor” my week with Brinner (breakfast for dinner) on Tuesdays. Frequently that means pancakes, but I also like to make Mexican Breakfast Nachos (nacho fixins’ on a bed of scrambled eggs and hash browns), and have recently discovered the kids will eat egg toasts (toast with cream cheese topped with smoked salmon and a runny egg). We’ve been in a season of early evening meetings, so I have been going the “easy meal I would fix for my lunch” route or relying on crockpot and quiche. We also usually make pizza once a week. A friend recently tipped me off to making them on naan bread, which is tastier than store-bought crusts and a lot faster than making dough for those days when you forget to start it in time. I’m finding Smitten Kitchen recipes resonate a lot lately.

    • Maxine says:

      Ditto on the naan! I grab several packages of it and freeze it. It is terrific for pizzas and you can fashion them with numerous toppings to make everyone happy!

      Quiche can be another one of those “clean out the frig” dishes. It’s a fav for Sunday brunch.

    • Libby says:

      I personally love the Jiffy crust mix! Way better than the store bought refrigerator dough but doesn’t require any rising time, you literally dump the mix into the bowl with some water and EVOO, roll it and bake it. It’s like 50 cents a box too, so it’s both better and cheaper than the fridge dough. It’s also nicely customizable if you want to add any herbs in or coat the bottom in cornmeal for a crunchy texture.

  39. My husband and boys can’t eat a lot of foods due to their autoimmune diseases, so we don’t have a ton of variety. As the weather gets warmer, we bbq a lot- steak, chicken, burgers, and grilled veggies on the side. Ground beef taco salad with fruit salad.

    • Anne says:

      I understand the food restrictions. We’re able to be a lot more relaxed now but last year we had two kids who couldn’t eat ANYTHING. Or at least that’s what it felt like. Thanks for sharing your go-tos!

  40. Anna says:

    My hands down favorite cookbook is Dinner: A Love Story. We have a few of their recipes in our spring rotation. The four we’re eating regularly right now are Black Bean Burritos (or we make it into Nachos), fried fish with black bean salad, Porcupine Meatballs and salad, Salmon Salad. We also have chicken, rice, and seasonal veggies every Monday and Pizza every Friday. And pasta once every week or two.

  41. Lauren B says:

    Shrimp tacos with avocado/tomatillo salsa (not as involved as it sounds – and so fresh) from the Food Network, sirracha cauliflower and rice stir fry from the Pioneer Woman, meatball subs, fresh pesto basil (my favorite summer staple- perfect for chicken, pasta, sandwiches, pizza, anything), and breakfast for dinner- breakfast is always a good idea.

  42. Denise says:

    Two meals that are constantly requested by my kids are:

    Turkey Burgers from Williams Sonoma Kids (http://www.bigoven.com/recipe/turkey-burgers-williams-sonoma-kids/362224), served with either Trader Joe’s Whole Grain Couscous with feta cheese and tomatoes, or Skinnytaste’s Garlic Parmesan Fries (http://www.skinnytaste.com/2014/09/skinny-garlic-parmesan-fries.html).

    Skinnytaste’s Salsa Chicken, made in the crock-pot and served as a quesadilla, burrito, or taco, or even sometimes a salad. (http://www.skinnytaste.com/2013/04/easiest-crock-pot-salsa-verde-chicken.html).

    For a less-mess dessert the kids can make themselves, check out Mollie Katzen’s Made in the pan chocolate cake. (http://www.molliekatzen.com/recipes/recipe.php?recipe=chocolate_cake).

    Now I need to read everyone else’s ideas!

  43. Bonnie-Jean says:

    Very simple & quick meal with chicken breast:
    Cube the chicken breast, cover with a spice mix of your choice – we use Moroccan. With the Moroccan theme I then serve it with cous cous and a simple salad of carrot & orange. So quick to throw together!
    My kids don’t love the Moroccan seasoning so I use it more sparingly than my husband & I prefer. I also figure that I’ll persist as my husband & I love this light meal which was the same as when I introduced Chicken Tortilla Soup to my family 2 years ago. After it becoming a staple that we ate at least once a fortnight it is now my kids favourite meal.

  44. Whitney says:

    Lentil soup. There are a TON of different varieties and they are goooood. We don’t eat a lot of meat, so if you are looking for a vegetarian or vegan recipe.
    Bean burittos.
    Bean, corn, avocado tostados.
    Anything you can put an egg on!
    Panini’s – we just use our george foreman and lunch meat and cheese with either pesto or olive oil and herbs or a good brown mustard.
    Good luck!

  45. Libby says:

    One of my favorite fast dinners is chipotle fajitas. All it uses is chicken breast, chipotles in adobe, onion, and peppers (although I sometimes sub/add zucchini also). The chipotles in adobe add all the seasoning you need, and they’re rich and smoky and spicy so it feels like a decadent meal. Slice everything up, cook the chicken first till it’s done through, then throw in the veggies, cook a few minutes till soft, then mix in one chopped chipotle pepper and about two spoonfuls sauce and coat everything with it. It’s extra fast because fajitas are assembled at the table, so you only dirty one skillet, throw that on a plate, put tortillas and lettuce and cheese on the side and everyone makes their own. The leftover chipotle in adobo freezes very well too, so you get about 3 meals out of one little can.

    • Libby says:

      Oh shoot, I shouldn’t have posted so fast, thought of another idea! On the cooking healthy front, one way I’ve found to lighten up cream sauce recipes is to about 2/3 the amount of cream called for, and sub the rest with fat free low sodium chicken stock. The chicken stock adds richness that subbing milk for cream won’t. I also usually then bump up the seasonings in the sauce by about 1.5, and add a cornstarch slurry in chicken stock if it needs extra thickening at the end. Cream sauces on pasta are typically fast and lend themselves well to throwing in a bunch of peas and zucchini for an easy spring meal.

    • Anne says:

      Will and I LOVE chipotles and we’re impatiently awaiting the day when our kids grow into spicy food. (They’re going to grow into it, right? Please say yes!) Right now I end up doing two batches—spicy and non—which is kind of a pain when I’m in a hurry.

  46. Jeannie says:

    My go-to week night dinners:
    – pizza once a week, usually Saturday
    – noodles with chicken and pesto
    – baked fish with simple topping (1/4 c. mayo and 1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese, and diced peppers sprinkled on top – soooo good)
    – wraps with chicken, cheese, peppers, and tzatziki
    I also make 3-bean salad regularly because my son LOVES it and it’s a great way to get veggies into him in warm weather.

  47. Sassy Apple says:

    We do scramblers in all different combinations. Here’s a list of possible ingredients:
    Eggs ( obviously, but added last most of the time), turkey sausage, onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, spinach, asparagus, tomatoes, potatoes and whatever cheese you have on hand. Add to this list, take out what you don’t like and presto! One skillet meals.

    Note: really rushed for time? Buy already chopped onions in the frozen veggie section and your mushrooms pre-sliced. On the weekends, cook up the sausage and bake a few potatoes.

  48. Sassy Apple says:

    Oh! One more quick & easy meal, BBQ chicken quesadillas. Shred rotisserie or grilled chicken, mix with favorite BBQ sauce, top with cheese and green onions, another tortilla and bake until crispy. Cut with a pizza wheel.

  49. Michelle says:

    Try this, our favoritest easiest ground beef dinner: Brown 1 pound beef with Worcestershire/s/p. Add 1 can cream of mushroom, 1 can nacho cheese soup, 1 chopped bell pepper. Take a French loaf OR 6 hoagie buns – split in half, remove a bit of the inside soft bread and add to beef mixture. Cook for a minute. Place bread on cookie sheet. Spoon meat mixture into bottom of loaf, top with grated cheddar, lay top of bread upside down on pan next to the bottom. Bake at 375 until cheese is bubbly and top is toasted. Voila! Fiesta Sandwiches, serve with chips and salsa. Can freeze the meat mixture and can freeze chopped bell pepper just for this recipe – we always keep these ingredients on hand!

  50. Faith says:

    I’ve also been trying to figure out new meals, so I signed up for GatheredTable. It’s a website that gives you recipes for your week based on your preferences. You can also search their recipe library based on season. I’m currently hooked on a simple but tasty black bean soup. New customers get three months free!

  51. Ashley B. says:

    We rent so no grills allowed and have a super cheap poorly insulated oven, so avoid using it at all costs once the weather begins to warm up. Our favorite summer meals are stir fries (very little cook time) and slow cooker meals like Poole, chili Verde, mussels (think Williams Sonoma large slow cooker cookbook.). Another good one is cooking salmon in parchment paper (again a super fast cook time). All of these meals are fast or have little prep work and super flavorful.

  52. Andrea G says:

    My summer gotos are chicken pitas either greek or Caesar style stuffed with spinach or romaine, feta or some Asiago, cucumbers, cherry tomato and either leftover grilled chicken or rotisserie. I also like to use pulled pork Asian style or rotisserie chicken to do spring rolls with cabbage carrots cucumber etc.

  53. Sassy says:

    Our go to dinners:
    Bone in, skin on chicken thighs roasted on top of broccoli using various seasonings. My favorite is Penzys Fox Point. Works with almost any veggie and our sons loved it.

    Ground beef, canned tomatoes, black olives and various leftover veggies or frozen veggies (we use more when the boys are not around). Served like a soup or stew or atop quinoa, pureed cauliflower, or pureed broccoli.

    Anything salad with tortillas for the boys. Around here, if you have enough guacomole, it will be eaten.

    Crockpot kalua pork (basic; pork shoulder with salt put in crock pot the night before or very early the next morning with no liquid) with salad fixings or tortillas depending on who is filling their plate.

    Frittata using eggs and whatever veggies are around.

    When the boys were young and it was really hot: ice cream with fresh fruit. It seemed to work.

    Breakfast for dinner.

    Cut up pork chops sauteed with curry sauce or salsa or canned fruit; served over pureed cauliflower, quinoa or broccoli.

    We repeat the basic meal but have a spice and sauce cupboard that is more than a little extreme.

  54. Erin says:

    We have a weekly rotation that goes like this:

    Monday = ethnic (my husband’s family is from Eastern Europe)
    Tuesday = stir fry
    Wednesday = pasta (daughter has gymnastics, so we come in late)
    Thursday = soup & bread
    Friday = fish

    On Saturdays, we eat leftovers or throw odds and ends from the fridge onto a pizza crust or into an omelette. We do grocery shopping on Sunday afternoon, so we pick up produce/deli stuff and make a big salad for dinner. Over the weekend I try to prepare enough sandwich fixings for the week (tuna salad, etc.) and maybe a loaf of bread or two.

    As it warms up, I think we’ll be able to keep Thursday soup for a while before we get tired of gazpacho. I won’t need to make a hot breakfast either. I think I’ll switch soup for a crock pot day, I remember as a kid when it was really hot my mom would make a roast during the day while we were all outside and then we’d have dip tray for dinner.

  55. I really love the Against All Grain cookbooks. The curry beef ribs (you can make with a roast, although maybe that is too wintery) in the first cookbook is really good, and the Hawaiian Chicken Burgers in Meals Made Simple are amazing (plus you can cook extra meat mix like ground beef and use it for tacos or nachos).

    This is my pinboard for the simple recipes we go for during the summer:
    https://www.pinterest.com/vanderbiltwife/simple-summer-meals/

  56. Claire says:

    So many wonderful ideas! I usually roast a chicken at least once a week, and I use that chicken for chicken fried rice, casseroles, chicken salad and spring rolls. The spring rolls are a great go-to on a busy night…don’t be afraid of the rice paper wrappers…they’re a little tricky and young kids will definitely need help, but they make a great meal with chicken, cabbage or other veggies and spring roll sauce (soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and garlic). They are a hit with my kids. Another go-to for me is chicken and spinach pasta, http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/pasta-with-sausage-kale#mr-livefyre-ratings. It warms over well, plus it packs well in a thermos for lunch at school.

  57. Alyssa says:

    I don’t have a specific recipe to share, but I do have two tips. 1) keep a “diary” of what some of your family favorite dinners are. I always think I’m going to remember what we like, but as the seasons change, I totally get in a rut and completely go blank about what to make! I wrote a post about my dinner diary here: http://www.goodinthesimple.com/simplify-your-dinner-planning-for-1-50/

    2) On Pinterest, create dinner idea boards for different seasons. I used to just pin general dinner recipes & ideas, but now I’ve separated them into fall/winter & spring/summer. We crave totally different foods depending on the season, so it helps to categorize them.

    Thanks for this post…I love learning what other people have for dinner too!

  58. s says:

    Quesadillas, wraps (salads for adults, wraps for kids but same or similar ingredients), veggie fried rice with potstickers, fajitas, pasta with spring veggies, stromboli, quiche to name a few. Love Mel’s Kitchen cafe for great recipes.

  59. Julie says:

    Unstuffed peppers – sauté peppers and onions, bow ground beef with some seasoning, add in a bit of tomato sauce. Serve with a salad.

    Roast cabbage (or asparagus, broccoli, etc) for 10 min; add salmon. Continue until done cooking. Pour over a dressing of EVOO, lemon juice, mustard and dill

    Turkey burgers with tomato, red onion and avocado

    Grill chicken and asparagus. Top with a balsamic dressing

    Grill pork tenderloin. Finish with a hoisin sauce glaze.

    Ground beef, seasoned with s, p, onion and garlic powder. Grill. Sauté onions and mushrooms. Serve burger on a romaine leaf topped with veggies, grated Monterey Jack cheese and a side of oven roasted sweet potato fries.

  60. Julie says:

    black bean burritos from Dinner a love story are delicious!

    chili lime shrimp- sauté shrimp in lime juice, chili powder and garlic powder. Serve with veggies!

    Breakfast casserole with spinach, bell peppers, sausage, egg, almond milk.

  61. Loved reading this post and all the wonderful ideas for go-to weeknight dinners for this time of year.

    As a lifetime Weight Watchers member, I’ve learned the hard way that the only chance I have of staying at goal is to have food ready and waiting. Like you, I keep a well-stocked pantry, fridge and freezer, so I can always put together a salad, pasta, or stir-fry.

    I’m a big fan of the slow cooker. I continue to use mine all summer to avoid heating up the kitchen. I prefer it and my toaster oven to the grill. I live in Phoenix and when the temperatures soar past 100, standing outside over an open flame is the last thing I want to do.

    I usually spend some time on Sundays getting some food prepped ahead: hard boiling eggs, roasting chicken, pork or beef, and making a couple of sides/salads with good staying power. A few of my current favorites: http://simple-nourished-living.com/2015/04/weight-watchers-orange-cucumber-salad-recipe/, http://simple-nourished-living.com/2015/04/weight-watchers-orzo-salad-with-vegetables/, http://simple-nourished-living.com/2014/11/kale-salad-apples-dates/

  62. Charlene says:

    I like to do meatless meals, both for the sake of our own health and the health of our planet. One of our favorites is what we call a burrito bowl: Black beans over rice and topped with lettuce, tomatoes, green onions, Fritos, avocados, etc, I make a salad dressing that we like to eat with it using veganaise and sriracha sauce.Such an easy meal, and I can have it on the table in a few minutes.
    (I do big batches of black beans in my crockpot and rice, usually brown, in my rice cooker and keep them in my freezer.)

  63. Teresa says:

    I love that your daughter is cooking dinner. When I started working again, my 3 kids cooked 5 nights a week. I have a suggestion for kids who don’t want salads: Do the Chipotle thing and tell them they can have a “wrap” or a “bowl”. Let them assemble them at the table (and the spinach and tomato wraps are really fun).

  64. 'Becca says:

    Flexican Cornbread Pizza
    Lemon Creamy Salmon with Tangy Greens (uses canned salmon–easy to keep in stock!)
    High-Protein Pasta Salad
    Nutshroom Burgers or Cheesy Walnut Burgers with toppings, plus a salad or frozen vegetables
    Masoor Dal with Carrots over rice, with sides of cucumber slices and yogurt
    Fried Rice with whatever veggies, tofu, pre-cooked meat are handy
    Sweet Potato Burritos
    Red & Green Pockets
    Hummus toasted on flatbreads, with sauteed or raw veggies or Cucumber Salad
    Green Ribbon Lentils
    Gallo Pinto

  65. Ellen says:

    Wednesday is Lettuce Wraps night at our house. There are lots of options for the flavors of fillings. We’ve done cashew chicken, buffalo chicken, teriyaki, thai curry. I make a big batch of filing, usually double to freeze. It’s fast, healthy, and the crunch of the lettuce makes it light and springy.

  66. Morgann says:

    When my husband and I got married, we came up with a weekly meal plan that worked for us and is still surprisingly working 🙂 It’s easy to substitute new/seasonally-appropriate recipes that fall under each “category” and it cut our meal planning time in half.
    Some recipes I am doing that nicely transition us into spring are shredded chicken tacos, corn and zucchini soup, grilled chicken over a salad and crusty bread, chicken burgers with sweet potato fries, parchment packets filled with whatever I have in the fridge and pork wontons with veggies (from Dinner: A Love Story).

    Here’s our weekly meal plan:
    Sunday: Homemade Pizza
    Monday: Italian
    Tuesday: New recipe or an old favorite recipe
    Wednesday: On your own night; this could involve leftovers, breakfast dinner, or soup, but you choose
    Thursday: An easy chicken + carb + veggie dish
    Friday: Healthy Asian
    Sat: Date night

  67. Ashley says:

    I’ve enjoyed reading what others do for meals. I don’t meal plan per say, but Fridays are always meatless. Right now we’re enjoying the frozen Alaskan salmon from Sam’s Club (it comes seasoned – great buy for Alaskan salmon) which we usually pair with rice and whatever veggie is in season. My husband isn’t a big fish fan, so I usually try to make a nice salad.

  68. Sara Furlong says:

    We are OBSESSED with making Banh Mi lately. Broiled pork or chicken seasoned and sliced on a baguette with Magi sauce, sriracha, mayo, tons of cilantro, cucumber, and here’s the kicker: carrots and daikon radish matchsticked and pickled in sugar and rice vinegar. (Do that ahead of time and make a big jar for the fridge for several meals – takes 2 seconds.) The flavors will blow your mind. And my pickier kids (2 and 5) can eat all the components separately for a plain Jane meal.

  69. Molly says:

    I hate to admit this, but we always keep Hamburger Helper and Tuna Helper in the cupboards for nights when we need a quick meal. I also have a couple of chicken casserole recipes that are go-to meals made quicker by picking up a pre-cooked rotiserie chicken at the grocery store. During the summer we grill a fair bit. Kabobs are a favorite with very little prep aside from cutting everything up.

  70. Jaime K. says:

    I’ll give the disclaimer that I enjoy cooking and I generally enjoy looking through recipes and thinking about new ones I’d like to try. I’ve found doing weekly meal planning to be extremely helpful and not as time consuming as you might think. I like that it keeps my grocery list focused and I’m not wracking my brain at 5:00 to think of what to make for dinner. It has also helped me try new recipes I’ve clipped from magazines or flagged in cookbooks. I usually pick out a few quick and easy meals, maybe 1-2 slightly harder/more prep kind of dishes and 1-2 nights are some type of vegetarian fare to keep costs down a little and do a little less meat. We live on a military base in Japan so our grocery store is very close to home and our church. They also tend to run out of things quickly, especially if you try to shop on afternoons and evenings. I work full-time during the day, so I found that shopping on Sunday mornings right after going to our 8:00 church works fantastic to avoid crowds and mill around a fully stocked store. I know every Saturday I sit down for about 20-30 minutes in the evening and prep a weekly meal list and grocery list. I’m finding I’m trying many new recipes and feel organized/prepped for my week. Also, if there’s any prep I might need to do for one of the dishes, Sundays I’m usually around more and have time to do it. I did the Whole 30 challenge over Lent and got hooked on both the “Well Fed” and “Well Fed II” cookbooks. Lots of really fun, tasty recipes that are healthy, Whole 30 compliant. Some are more work than others but well worth it.

  71. LadyWoman says:

    Two favorites that you can have on the table in 30-45 minutes max and are of the “put in as much or as little as you feel like” variety:

    (1) Chop up a few garlic cloves, cook briefly with a bit of oil, add a cup or so of white wine and the juice of a lemon, bring to a boil & reduce a smidge. Turn heat to low and add a pat of butter and a few good spoons of creamy cheese (I like Boursin garlic herb). Add a big handful of finely chopped parsley and serve over pasta. I also like to add shrimp & tomato but you can add chicken or other veggies.
    (2) I call this Sister Soup since my sis introduced it. Cook 1-2 chicken breasts in a soup pot, shred & set aside. Chop up an onion and a ton of garlic, add to the pot with some oil & cook until translucent, then pour in a can of black beans and some chicken stock. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and add the chicken, some frozen corn, and a finely chopped jalapeno (I like to roast mine first for some extra smokey flavor) simmer until corn is cooked through. Just before serving, add a fistful of finely chopped cilantro. Serve with corn tortillas, and lime wedges & avocado for garnish.

  72. LadyWoman says:

    I lied, here’s a third, and it’s a crock pot recipe! The night before (or morning of) put a boneless pork shoulder in a crockpot, cover with water & add a quartered onion, some garlic cloves, a 1/2 tbs salt and some oregano. Cook on low for 8ish hours. Remove & shred the pork. Skim fat if you want, remove and dice the onions. Put it all back in, add a big can of hominy, a jar of salsa verde, a can of diced green chiles, a chopped bunch of cilantro and a heaping table spoon of cumin. Here you can either just serve or you can leave for another little while if you’ve got stuff to do. I serve with diced granny smith apple, radish, fresh cilantro, lime wedges & corn tortillas or tortilla strips. So good and a crowd pleaser – I make it for dinner parties.

  73. Sarah says:

    Black Bean soup from Desperation Dinners by Mills & Ross. I think it’s the only recipe I’ve ever made from that book my copy opens right to it but I’ve made it at least twice a month for three years. It reheats well and requires only fresh onion everything else is from the pantry so it makes a great emergency dinner or lunch.

  74. CarolK says:

    For next year…
    Sausage, peppers (any color), potatoes (red, yellow, or both), onions, if you like them, seasoned with spices and olive oil, wrapped in foil and roasted on the grill. Spray the foil with oil so nothing sticks.

    Love to cook on the grill and eat outside. See you next year.

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