Wow! I don’t even know where to begin. Your response to the Seven Days, Seven Meals challenge (which begins this week!) was awesome. I hope you are all PUMPED for a week of delicious, rut-busting dinners. (Repeat to self when small person protests occur: It’s an adventure, it’s an adventure, it’s an adventure.) The hardest part is over: Committing. From here, follow these five steps.
Step 1: Look at your week. Are there some nights that are busier than others? Pick three weeknights and one weekend day that you think is realistic for both a) family dinner b) trying something new. I’m going to choose Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
Step 2: Got your nights picked out? What I’ve done below is organize recipe ideas (yours and mine and many other third parties) into the following four categories:
- Classic Weeknight – Exactly what it sounds like. Quick, simple, healthy, meals that require minimal effort when you are charged with getting dinner on the table fast after all the usual stresses of the day.
- Make-Ahead – Some of these would also fall under “Classic Weeknight,” but the beauty of them is that you can do a large chunk of the work on the weekend and store in the freezer.
- Keep the Spark Alive – These are a little more involved than regular weeknight dinners, but they are every bit as crucial to your psychological health because they take time and love and have the potential to get you excited about cooking again. Save them for Sunday Dinner (as in beginning of the week, Jan 6) or Saturday Dinner at the end of this week.
- Security Blankets – These are not recipes, per se, but suggestions for finger-foody things (peanut butter, hummus, baby carrots) that don’t need to be cooked. You might need to fall back on them when your son spies the pomegranate seeds on or near his chicken.
Please choose TWO from “Classic Weeknight” ONE from “Make-Ahead” ONE from “Keep the Spark Alive and as many as you need from “Security Blankets.” If you don’t like what you see here, think about your own list of recipes you’ve been meaning to make and think about what categories they belong in. If you don’t think you can do three nights of new meals, make it two (one from the freezer and one Classic Weeknight). I’m going to make Lamb Meatballs for the freezer (to eat on Thursday); Orrechiette with Peas and Ham on Tuesday; Spicy Black Bean Burgers on Friday; and Stromboli on Saturday. Remember: If you chose fish, write it down for early in the week.
Step 3: Click on each link, print out the recipes, write your shopping list (including staples and any other meals you plan to make), go shopping.
Step 4: When you return from your shop, carve out 30 minutes to an hour to prepare your Make-Ahead dinner.
Step 5: Read through the rest of your new recipes and see if there’s anything you can do in advance. Chop ingredients, make a vinaigrette, blanch some vegetables. No such thing as too small a task when it comes to preparing in advance.
You are now ready for Week 1. (You’ll do it all again next week.) Keep me posted with your progress either here or on facebook. I promise we will all be extremely generous with our thumbs up-ing. And remember: Not all the things you make will be home runs with the kids or with you. There are all kinds of ways to measure success here. If you come away with two out of seven new meals that you like, that is huge. If you come away with zero meals for the rotation, but the challenge has re-ignited some sort of excitement about dinner, that is even huger.
OK, GOOD LUCK and THANK YOU to everyone who took the time to suggest recipes. I highly encourage you to return to the original post with the un-edited list of go-to weeknight meals.
RECIPES
Classic Weeknight [CHOOSE 1 OR 2]
- Broiled Salmon with Herb Mustard Glaze – Suggested by Sarah
- Spicy Black Bean Burgers (pictured top right) – Suggested by Sarah
- Quick and Spicy Tomato Soup – Suggested by Ada-Marie
- Sticky Salmon with Rice — – Suggested by Elle
- David Leibowitz’s Olympic Seoul Chicken I might cut the garlic by 9 cloves though –Suggested by Scheherazade
- Thai Coconut Curry I actually worked on that page a few months ago and earmarked it, too! — Suggested by Stephanie -
- Poached Eggs in Tomato Sauce – Sarah
- Roasted Chicken Legs with Potatoes and Kale – Suggested by Natasha (Note: Takes 1 hour)
- Orrechiette with Peas, Country Ham (regular ham will be fine), Parm, and Mint — from my brain; can’t remember how it got there
- Crispy Black Bean Tacos with Cabbage Slaw — Suggested by Kerry
- Orange Broccoli & Beef I’d prob skip the mushrooms — From Bon Appetit
- Brussels Sprouts, Sausage, & Cannelini Beans from Mark Bittman’s Food Matters Cookbook. Basically saute minced garlic in olive oil, add sausage removed from its casings and saute for a few minutes and then add shredded brussel sprouts (or just roughly chop). Add white wine, cook for a few minutes then add beans and cook until they warm through. I serve with cooked barley, or some kind of grain and top it with Parm. — Suggested by Sasha
- Pasta with Caramelized Cabbage, Anchovies, and Breadcrumbs — Suggested by Cay
- Deborah Madison’s Pasta with Chickpeas — Suggested by Rosie
- Roasted Cauliflower Capellini (pictured bottom left) – From The Sprouted Kitchen Cookbook
- DALS Recipe You’ve Perhaps Been Meaning to Make: Avgolemeno, Pan-Roasted Chicken Thighs with Mushrooms, Tacos with Chorizo, Avocado, Spinach; or from the Book: Chicken Mustardy Leeks, Salmon with Yogurt-Dill Mustard
- Anything you’ve been dying to make forEVer
Make-Ahead [CHOOSE 1]
- Banh Mi Turkey Burgers Make burger patties ahead and freeze uncooked; Switch from freezer to fridge on the morning you plan to make for dinner. –Suggested by Rachel
- Coconut Curry Butternut Squash Soup Make entire soup and freeze in flattened Ziploc bag. Remove on the morning you plan to make for dinner; If you forget, run under warm water as soon as you come home from work, then reheat in saucepan. –Suggested by Elle
- Coconut-Crusted Chicken Tenders – Make these through the dredging step, then freeze in Ziplocs. Switch from Freezer to Fridge on the morning you plan to make for dinner. Proceed with recipe. –Suggested by Blair
- Simple White Bean Soup – Make entire soup and freeze in flattened Ziploc bag. Remove on the morning you plan to make for dinner; If you forget, run under warm water as soon as you come home from work, then reheat in saucepan. –Suggested by Ingrid
- Luisa’s Meatballs for New Mothers Follow her instructions, but make from start to finish. — Suggested by Charlotte
- Lamb Meatballs - I’m going to mix a pound of ground lamb with pomegranate molasses, an egg, breadcrumbs, chopped fresh mint, minced garlic, chopped onion, cumin and bake at 350°F for 20 minutes. I’ll cool, then freeze in a Ziploc and reheat Thursday (when I know I’ll be home late) at 400°F for 15 minutes. I’d like to stuff them in pitas with yogurt, feta, lemon, pomegranate seeds, and more mint, but we’ll see. I might just end up dipping them in yogurt.
- DALS Recipe You’ve Perhaps Been Meaning to Make: Pulled BBQ Chicken, Lazy Bolognese, Chili, Pretzel Chicken; or from the Book: Chicken Orzo Soup, Beluga Lentil Soup
- Anything you’ve been dying to make forEVer
Keep the Spark Alive [CHOOSE 1]
- Scott Peacock’s Shrimp Grits –Suggested by Bodi Luse
- Georgian Chicken with Tamarind and Pomegranate — Suggested by Hannah
- Our friends’ Kendra & Mike’s Stromboli that Andy has been talking about nonstop since he heard they made it last weekend
- “Taco Pizza” with Chicken, Red Onion, Jack, Cheddar, Tomatoes (with homemade crust) I mentioned yesterday — inspired by Antonio’s
- Jamie Oliver “One-Tray Bake” (pictured bottom right) if only because the name is so appealing. — Suggested by Jenny C
- Creamy Herbed Polenta with Mushroom Ragu (pictured top left)– Suggested by Gretchen
- DALS Recipe You’ve Perhaps Been Meaning to Make: Braised Short Ribs, Maya Kaimal’s Crazy Delicious Chicken with Green Chilies and Tamarind, Bugialli’s Minestrone,; or from the Book: Homemade fettucini with bacon and jerusalem artichokes, any of the homemade pizzas
- Anything you’ve been dying to make forEVer
Security Blankets [CHOOSE AS MANY AS YOU WANT]
- Peanut Butter
- Whole Wheat Bread or Pita
- Turkey Slices
- Edamame
- Lowfat String Cheese
- Hummus
- Avocado
- Baby Carrots
And a loaf of crusty bread and a bag of barley or quinoa.
Photo Credits: Eat, Live, Run (Burger) Hugh Forte (Capellini); Jamie Oliver (One Tray Bake); Daisy’s World (Polenta)
29 responses so far ↓
1 jen // Jan 5, 2013 at 6:03 pm
So glad Jamie’s One Tray Bake made the list. I highly recommend – it’s the ultimate “put the ingredients in the pan & let the oven do the work” dish and tastes AMAZING.
2 Jessica @ Stay at Home-ista // Jan 5, 2013 at 7:00 pm
I was so excited by this idea I couldn’t even wait for today’s post! I just dog-eared recipes in your book I wanted to try (LOVE the book, btw) and went shopping. I’m planning on the porcupine meatballs, meatball soup, salmon, homemade pizza with sauce, and a mushroom and ginger soup.
3 Martha // Jan 5, 2013 at 7:41 pm
Stromboli! I have been looking for a good recipe – not too doughy, not sauce ladened and needs to be easy. But there is no link. Can you post. Thx. we wil be on board Tue, Wed (w guests), Fri and Sat (adult guests, we are doing Party in a Pot, again!)
4 Francie // Jan 5, 2013 at 7:54 pm
I did this wrong! I didn’t wait and started challenging myself and family already. I have made two things that we never eat. Roasted fennel and apple in a honey glaze was my first test recipe and then tonight I made sausages with rice and roasted broccoli and butternut squash.
5 Reynaul // Jan 5, 2013 at 8:09 pm
This looks great! Can’t wait for Monday!
6 Helena // Jan 5, 2013 at 8:36 pm
We’re in – though I’ve only picked 3 nights for this week – jambalaya for Sunday, for Monday the “ditch the red” meatballs someone recommended on the original post (preparing them on Sunday), and avgolemeno for Wed. Thanks for the kick-start!
7 Rosie // Jan 5, 2013 at 9:43 pm
FYI–the link I posted for the Deborah Madison recipe (http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2007/11/cook-the-book-pasta-and-chickpeas-recipe.html) is missing some important information! Step 2 is blank. Here is what is written in the cookbook:
2. Heat the oil in a wide skillet and add the onion and pepper flakes. Cook for a few minutes, then add the chickpeas. While they’re warming, chop the parsley, garlic, and sage together, then toss a third of it into the pan. Season well with salt and pepper, add a little water or chickpea broth to the pan, and cook slowly, adding more liquid as it cooks away.
8 Karen // Jan 6, 2013 at 12:01 am
Thank you for putting together this inspiring list — I love the chili recipe from your book, too
9 Shannon // Jan 6, 2013 at 1:45 am
The Jamie Oliver recipe you posted above reminded me of another recipe of his: http://www.dashrecipes.com/recipes/sunday-dinner/tray-baked-chicken-jaime-oliver.html There are problems with the timing – the sweet potatoes turn to mush long before the chicken is done – so I cook most of the components separately. However, the overall flavor of the dish is spectacular and perhaps someone with DALSian skills could find a way to combine these flavors in a less time-consuming way.
10 julie // Jan 6, 2013 at 3:36 am
This is brilliant. Thanks for the hand over hand help!
11 Kendra // Jan 6, 2013 at 12:28 pm
Martha! Mike and I have gone totally rogue on our stromboli. There IS no recipe! And as for the sauce question, we omitted putting sauce IN the stromboli and instead heat up a pot of sauce and plate each stromboli with individual prep-bowl portions.
12 gayle p. // Jan 6, 2013 at 1:04 pm
Thanks – I’m in! just taking a quiet moment to pick some recipes and make my list! Monday, tuesday, thurs and friday should work – enjoying reading all the suggestions.
13 kathy // Jan 6, 2013 at 1:13 pm
I was going to leave a comment, but it got way to long and I posted it here instead…
http://fiftyfinally.blogspot.ca/2013/01/dinner-love-story-ive-been-stalking-few.html
I’m lazy and I figured I’d kill two birds….kinda thing.
But I will take a look at all your suggestions for potential meals. But pre planning dinner. It will never work for me.
14 Sarah // Jan 7, 2013 at 2:18 am
Someone may already have said this, but Jamie Oliver has a similar sounding recipe to your orrechiette – “Farfalle with carbonara and spring peas” which includes Parmesan, mint and pancetta. It takes about 15 minutes and is one of the few family meals my super-fussy 3 year old will eat
http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/pasta-recipes/farfalle-with-carbonara-and-spring-peas
15 Lisa Smith // Jan 7, 2013 at 10:12 am
meals planned, shopping done. Soup and chx breasts for lunches made over the weekend. Bring it on!
16 Melissa // Jan 7, 2013 at 11:26 am
I just stole a whole bunch of these ideas and inserted them into my week’s menu. Thank you for doing all the thinking and narrowing down my choices! I’m excited about cooking this week!
http://myhomebaked.com/2013/01/07/monday-menu-35/
17 Barbie // Little Skyline // Jan 7, 2013 at 1:33 pm
This is exactly what I need! Thanks so much for sharing. I’m going to make my plan tonight!
18 Anthea // Jan 7, 2013 at 11:06 pm
Day 1 here! I made crispy polenta pieces with (my abbreviated version of) Martha Rose Shulman’s mushroom ragout. We haven’t had polenta in ages and have never made the ragout, very tasty. Thank you Jenny for the inspiration — and for putting together the fab list of ideas. Roast cauliflower cappelini is next up here. For a super vegetarian entree, try Smitten’s mushroom bourguignon w pappardelle, it’s divine (in the opinion of this lifelong vegetarian!)
19 Susan H // Jan 7, 2013 at 11:08 pm
Dove right in on Saturday with a new recipe…Cajun Chicken and Rice from a recipe I’d been holding onto…disaster. 0-1
Forged ahead Sunday night with attempt #2, White Chicken Chili, and not only did my husband like it, 2 out of 3 kids declared it a winner–and have requested leftovers for school lunch tomorrow. 1-1
On tap tomorrow…pork chops with apples and onions, in the crockpot. We’ll see how the score looks after tomorrow night!
20 Stacey // Jan 9, 2013 at 9:51 am
I make Giada’s spicy tomato soup a lot. If you have a child who hates to see beans on the menu (or carrots, like my 5-year old), you can puree the soup before adding the pastina. Add broth or water to thin if it is too thick. The pureed beans make the soup thicker and richer tasting too.
21 bergamot // Jan 9, 2013 at 9:54 pm
Made your meatloaf recipe from the book yesterday and made an extra to freeze (yay!) and the polenta with roasted vegetables tonight. This is such a fun, blah-busting way to start the new year in the kitchen. Thanks for the ideas! One easy weeknight recipe that is based on one from your site and vegetarian to boot: make Andy’s super simple curried carrots recipe and roll up in storebought whole wheat naan along with raisins, a dollop of plain yogourt (stir in a squeeze of lemon and some s&p if you have time), and toasted almonds. Very fast, very tasty and so healthy it absolves any sins from the rest of the week… food-related ones, anyways.
22 Courtney // Jan 10, 2013 at 4:34 pm
I just found the key to my sunday grocery list planning for this week. I will follow your ‘rules’ to a tee. Can’t wait to try out some new recipes!
P.S. Made your korean short ribs (dutch oven version) for new years day. They were TO DIE for, thank you!
23 Robin // Jan 11, 2013 at 1:14 pm
Every now and then, a couple of my friends and I gather our herd for a casual weeknight dinner if we’re flying solo in our parenting adventures. This week, my husband was away for work while another husband is training for an ironman(!) and another is writing his dissertation(!). Usually, we order a pizza but because of this challenge, I decided to try the pretzel chicken. What a success! The non-chicken eater told me it was a 9.5 out of 10. Both friends asked for the recipe so both of them received emails in their inbox titled, “pretzel chicken.” Thanks again for jump starting 2013 in a fab direction!
24 Courtney // Jan 15, 2013 at 9:54 am
Ok the one tray bake is OUT of this world! My husband just declared it ‘top 5′ last night and I had to run some over to my mom’s house to try. We love it – thanks!!
25 Sherri // Jan 31, 2013 at 3:32 pm
I am a newsletter subscriber. Do I win the Lodge cast iron skillet (to go along with my Lodge cast iron dutch oven!!)
26 Deb Oden // Jan 31, 2013 at 6:16 pm
I was really excited when I first saw your blog…but now I am really excited and can’t wait to get started with a week of meals! I have fallen from grace a bit lately, and this could just be the thing to keep my kid out of pasta purgatory!
PS “I am a newsletter subscriber. Do I win the Lodge cast iron skillet?”
27 Mary Nolan // Jan 31, 2013 at 10:58 pm
I am a newsletter subscriber. Do I win the Lodge cast iron skillet?
28 Connie Janke // Feb 2, 2013 at 10:41 pm
I am a newsletter subscriber. Do I win the Lodge cast iron skillet?
29 Emily // Mar 12, 2013 at 1:12 pm
New to the blog, I am happy to start the challenge this month. What a fun and inspiring guide to rejuvenating my menu planning — so hungry
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