It’s Meal Planning Monday. Five simple recipes, one little lunch (or side dish!) and a sweet treat for your week. It’s summer and I don’t know about you, but I do not want to be stuck in the grocery store forever or behind my stove. These little dinner recipes will get you in and out of the market in no time flat PLUS they’ll be on your table in minutes. Enjoy!
My Meatballs & Tortellini Bake happened one night by accident and it ended up being a dinner blessing. Load everything in your skillet and bake. Simple and delish!
Mmmmm…I bake up these little taquitos and serve them with guacamole. Chicken, Bean & Rice Taquitos are made for busy weeknights (or lazy weeknights…either one!).
My kids are obsessed with anything shrimp, so my Shrimp Risotto is always a big hit for supper. If you’ve never made risotto before, DO NOT PANIC! It’s so simple! I think risotto gets a bad wrap for being difficult…but friends, it’s a snap to make!
My Honey Pecan Chicken Thighs recipe is one of the most beloved recipes. It’s so simple to make, crunchy, a little sweet, tender and full of flavor. Bonus, if you’re not a chicken thigh family, you can make this recipe with chicken breasts too (or do a combo!). Either way, your family will swoon over this scrumptious supper!
And it wouldn’t be a summer Friday night without a burger. My Sweet Corn Topped Burgers cannot be missed. Friends, make these. This week. Seriously. I promise you will LOVE this burger recipe!
Now this little recipe can be used a few ways. You can whip up my BBQ Ranch Pasta Salad and serve it as a side (like with my Honey Pecan Chicken Thighs!) or make a batch and have it for a light lunch or vegetarian supper. I can’t get enough pasta salad recipes this time of year and this one right here…totally makes my little heart happy. (PS: to see even more pasta salad recipes, like my favorite five, click here!)
And last but not least…a festive little dessert recipe for your week…
…my Red, White & Blueberry Coconut Parfaits are just what you need leading up to July 4th.
Have a wonderful Monday friends!
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog says
Loving the recipes featured this week! The chicken thighs sound really good! 🙂
–
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
Narci Dreffs says
Oh yum!! Those tacquitos look so good!! Great menu!
Sarah says
Hey Shay! What type of beef do you use?
Brooke Richardson says
SO many yummy recipes this week!!! That bbq ranch pasta salad and burger is calling my name.
Leanne Gilchrist says
Shay, these are great ideas! I LOVE to cook, and my dream is to have a cooking show, and a little tiny local bakery……I wonder, can I give you one of my favorite recipes?? It’s for a pasta salad! If you like taco salad, you’ll love this, and it’s kind of similar to your BBQ ranch pasta! And, you can use no meat, chicken or ground beef!
1 lb ground beef or shredded chicken (you can use your awesome crock pot chicken!)
1 bag or box of rotini pasta (the tricolored ones are fun!)
1 small tomato, chopped
1 1/2 C shredded cheddar
1/4 C chopped red onion
6 or 8 strips crumbled bacon
I can corn, drained
1/2 each of red and green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 to 1 can chopped black olives, according to how much or little you like!
Dressing:
1/2 C mayo
1/2 C sour cream (you can also use plain yogurt, it’s really good)
The juice of half a small lemon
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
8 shakes hot sauce, like Frank’s or Tabasco (you can use less if you like)
Salt and pepper, to your own taste.
If you use ground beef, cook it and season it up with you favorite taco seasoning. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain it and rinse it and set it aside in a big bowl. I like to combine my dressing ingredients first, so that they can be sitting in that little mixing bowl and getting really happy and blended. Okay, now pour your pasta and your meat (or no meat) into that big mixing bowl. If you choose not to use meat, you can use a can of drained and rinsed black beans! Add all of your veggies, your cheese and your olives and bacon. Toss it gently together, then add that happy dressing and toss some more. And you’re done! This is great for a potluck or BBQ, because you can make a huge batch or half the batch, and you can make it the night before. I hope you try it. Let me know how you like it! 🙂
Mix and Match Mama says
This sounds delicious!! I cannot have enough pasta salad recipes in my house. Thank you so much, Leanne!!!
Leanne Gilchrist says
You bet, Shay! It’s always been my dream to have cookbooks, and my own cooking show…and also, a tiny little GF bakery! Lol!
Tina says
Hi Shay! Probably a silly question but…For some reason, I always get confused about what “grated” Parmesan means in recipes and have found that it makes a huge difference in taste. For the Tortellini bake, is it the powdery kind like you sprinkle on pizza or the shredded kind? Thank you!☺️
Mix and Match Mama says
I never use the powdery kind. I always buy a block of Parm and grate it (I use different graters depending on the size I want it to be). Hope this helps!
Tina says
It does! I’ve found that the powdery kind gives more flavor…which is sometimes good but sometimes not. Thanks so much!