Menu
Side DishesI bake polenta rounds ahead of time as part of meal planning and serve them hot with browned and crispy Parmesan and other toppings. Slicing polenta from a tube can make it easier to serve. Baking polenta rounds in a heavy baking pan makes a gritty, crunchy center (tip for serving tube polenta).
DessertsThis vegan tiramisu cheesecake is a layered baked dessert that you chill before serving. Layers in this recipe include crust and filling layers, topped with a whipped layer and a chocolate layer. The final dessert includes clearly defined layers, including a coffee-flavored biscuit crust and filling. I insert an espresso bean into the center of the cheesecake just before serving.
Snacks & AppetizersTrimming and draining diced cucumber helps reduce excess liquid in the tzatziki to prevent it from thinning the Greek yogurt. This 10-minute recipe yields a chilled, thick tzatziki dip garnished with lemon juice, minced garlic and dill, and small pieces of cucumber.
DinnerThese zucchini boats make a four-serving quick meal. Lower-fat ricotta cheese and other filling ingredients for the zucchini boats include spinach, mushrooms, and garlic. Bake the zucchini boats in a 350-degree oven or air fryer for 6 to 8 minutes for soft, tender zucchini boats with cooked mushrooms and tasty fillings.
DinnerTo serve four servings of this meal, prep the chicken, garlic, feta cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and basil. Make and serve the pasta at serving time. Creamy chicken and feta pasta with a tomato and cream cheese sauce, with feta folded in and short pasta shapes covered on all sides with sauce, are options.
DinnerBuy smoked or kielbasa sausage with no added sugar and slice it into quarter-inch pieces to make this keto skillet sausage and cabbage dish. Sausage provides a savory taste. A whole cabbage can be cooked in the same skillet, but it will remain somewhat crunchy.
LunchThis cottage cheese and tuna recipe makes four patties that can be eaten for lunch or dinner. I fry all four patties at once and make lemon sauce to serve on the side. Tuna bits can be seen in the patties, and the panko crust is crunchy. Hot patties are topped with pepper and lemon sauce.
DinnerChoose firm, white-meat fish fillets such as cod and halibut for poaching in this Brazilian fish stew, moqueca baiana, to prevent the fish from disintegrating. Other ingredients in moqueca baiana, including coconut milk, tomatoes, peppers, and lime zest, make the broth creamy and bright and the fish gently tender.
DinnerChicken sausage and broccoli orzo is a dish I cook at home to eat for dinner and leftovers for lunch the next day. I can quickly separate leftovers of cooked orzo, chicken sausage, and broccoli after dinner for lunch. The sauce for orzo is creamy, like risotto. I like firm broccoli in this dish.
DinnerMake this sauce ahead of time to serve with pasta. Stir in basil just before serving. Some of the characteristics of this sauce are helpful for meal planning. Sun-dried tomatoes provide a tangy flavor contrast to the cream and Parmesan cheeses in the sauce (I like small bits of tomato in the sauce). This recipe yields enough sauce for 1 pound of cooked pasta.
LunchStuffed sweet potatoes are a good option when meal prepping. The sweet potato and black bean mixture can be prepared ahead of time and kept separate from the sweet potatoes until serving to make it easier to pack. Sweet potatoes and black beans make a great lunch or dinner. Serving size for this recipe is four people.
DinnerPrep the salmon, shallot, garlic, and greens ahead of time. Make the pasta and sauce just before serving. This dish serves six and includes creamy pasta with seared salmon, dry white wine, cream, and a mix of greens.
BreakfastMake chia and lemon puddings ahead of time and layer them in parfait or yogurt cups for serving. The Lemon Vanilla Chia Pudding recipe, which serves two, includes chia pudding with lemon pudding and a hint of vanilla for a refreshing breakfast or dessert option.
Snacks & AppetizersMake a small batch of refrigerator jam to serve with holiday foods and desserts. Store the jam in a jar until serving. This cranberry and strawberry jam contains chunks of fruit.
BreakfastPrepare four dishes as single servings of breakfast or one large dish with smaller servings. The vegetable and feta mixture can be prepared in advance for the large dish and added to the eggs at serving time. Baked feta eggs include tomatoes, spinach, and cooked eggs in a feta mixture with firm egg whites.
LunchFor two servings, cook shrimp and jasmine rice together at similar times and serve them in separate portions. Top shrimp and rice with avocado, cilantro, lime, and sauce at the table. Teriyaki Shrimp Rice Bowls feature large, fast-cooking shrimp topped with teriyaki and garlic sauce.
Side DishesUse this brown gravy as a side dish with other foods at mealtimes if you want to serve gravy with mashed potatoes, roasted meat, or other vegetables. This brown gravy recipe does not use meat drippings. It uses a roux made from browned butter and flour. Other liquids and ingredients are added and cooked for 15 minutes to make a dark brown gravy.
Snacks & AppetizersTo make an easy dessert dip, prepare most of the cream cheese mixture and refrigerate it; mix in caramel and other ingredients just before serving. This caramel apple dip recipe serves 24 people and incorporates a light, cool texture from Cool Whip and topping ingredients such as roasted peanuts, cinnamon, and mini chocolate chips.
DinnerPrecook the beef and black bean filling the day before. Make tortillas right before cooking. The recipe makes four quesadillas filled with shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheeses and beef and jalapeño, served in crispy flour tortillas.
DinnerDinner will be ready in about 20 minutes. We offer crispy panko chicken and tagliatelle noodles topped with a Parmesan Alfredo sauce. Minced garlic cooked in olive oil is stirred into the sauce. Pasta cooking water is added to the sauce to make it easier to coat the noodles without other preparation.
DinnerEnjoy this warm soup with bread on cold days. Slow cooker chicken gnocchi soup includes seasoned chicken and vegetables with tender potato gnocchi in a creamy nutmeg soup and added fresh spinach in each serving, like Olive Garden's soup.
DinnerDinner takes 1 hour 20 minutes to prepare, with 10 minutes of hands-on work time, and a pressure cooker like an Instant Pot can reduce cooking time. Shredded beef tacos include simmered chuck or brisket and a spicy, chunky chipotle sauce as taco meat.
DinnerChoose a trimmed pork tenderloin of good quality. The tenderloin is a thinner cut that adds moisture and flavor to the final dish when topped. Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin is a baked main course featuring a glaze of honey, soy sauce, orange juice, garlic, thyme, and rosemary served over broiled pork tenderloin.
LunchFor a seafood dish that can be partially prepared ahead of time, shell and cut shrimp, squid, and scallops, and measure other sauces and ingredients the night before you intend to serve the seafood dish. Prepare the dish the night you serve it. Mariscos al ajillo is a mixed seafood dish cooked in a garlic and white-wine cream sauce and garnished with chopped fresh parsley. This is a good dish to prepare on a weeknight.