I've become somewhat of a meal planning expert the past few years, much improved since 2019 when I wrote this blog post after ordering pizza three nights in a row. It's most likely due to having more time on my hands and working from home. I've had a lot more job flexibility post-2020. The ability to prep earlier in the day definitely lifts the burden of getting dinner on the table quickly, but cooking healthy(ish) meals and eating together as a family is a priority for me, so I try to put in the effort even on the busiest days.
Usually I take time on Fridays to examine the week ahead (activities, weather, outings), look at groceries we already have, and check my calendar to see what we ate recently to avoid repeats. I like to grocery shop on the weekends with Brooke because I've found that it's a good way to keep toddlers busy with something to do, and public outings can help teach/transfer life skills with little work on my end!
I wanted to share some recipes that are much-loved by my family (eaten by both of my kids!) and make a regular appearance in our rotation:
Foolproof Pan Pizza with a side salad
This pizza recipe is somewhat of an internet sensation for good reason. So yummy!! It does require a couple of ingredients I wouldn't normally have on hand (bread flour and instant bread machine yeast) but they are easy to find in any grocery store, and buying it once will last a long time. Also, the first step is in the morning, followed by one more step two hours before baking the pizza, so unless you work from home, it's probably a recipe to make on a weekend. I tend to make the dough around 8 or 9am, do step 2 around 4pm, and bake the pizza around 6pm, but I think the times are very flexible based on my experience of making this numerous times.
Also, please note that the recipe says the dough is for 2 pizzas in a 10-inch skillet. My cast-iron skillet is 12-inches and I just use the entire amount of dough for one pizza. The first time I tried this, I was worried it would screw up the recipe, but it came out perfect, so maybe it truly is foolproof!
This is Cam's favorite meal that I make. Of all the meals on this list, this takes the longest to get on the table due to the 1 hour baking time, so I definitely take this into account when choosing when to make it. Also, I reduce the sugar in the sauce A LOT (maybe like 1/8 cup) and have found it makes no difference.
These are tacos with an Asian flare and my family eats these really well. Also, I've taken them twice to my Articles Club and they've gotten rave reviews. I typically cook the chicken in the crockpot with chicken broth during the day, then shred it and add the ingredients listed in the recipe. While the recipe looks VERY ingredient heavy, with the exception of a few things, I mostly have everything on-hand. I've also found it's really easy to substitute/modify/eliminate ingredients based on what I have. Don't be intimidated by the long list. For instance, for the slaw, I just use a bag of coleslaw, throw in some cilantro, lime juice, salt, pepper.
This comes together quick and makes for an easy dinner that everyone eats. Brian's not a huge pasta lover, so I try to make pasta only once every couple of weeks. I'll usually swap having this dish or spaghetti. Note that it says to use "smooth penne." I have only ever found smooth penne once, so I just buy the regular penne rigate with the ridges.
This dish is one of my favorites on the list. I'm always needing chicken recipes since that's the meat I keep on hand most often in the freezer. Sally's Baking Addiction recipes are always a hit. I trust her website when it comes to desserts or main dishes - they always turn out wonderful.
Whenever I make this recipe, I buy Kaiser rolls from the bakery section at the grocery store. The rolls hold up well and don't get mushy like normal hamburger buns would.
I've only made this twice, but I have to add this to the list because Cam has declared this his second-favorite meal (right after the Sweet and Sour Chicken). These meatballs taste like meatloaf versus an Italian meatball that would be on top of spaghetti. It would probably pair better with a potato versus pasta, but my family doesn't eat mashed potatoes, so I made egg noodles as the side dish. Cam says he can eat 10 meatballs, so thankfully this recipe makes a lot!
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