Weekly Menu {4/8–4/14}

It’s starting to feel so much like spring—warm weather, garden plans swirling around in my head, birds singing. I’m excited to bring some lighter meals into our menu as the weather keeps warming up.

IMAGE VIA MAISON FLANEUR

Here’s what’s on the menu.

Monday—Leftover Copycat Panera Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese. We love this tomato soup recipe! It is my middle daughter’s favorite, and she asked for it as the lunch for her birthday party last weekend. We have quite a bit left, so I’m going to heat it up and make some grilled cheese to go with it. It’s an easy weeknight meal that everyone loves. :)

Pro tip—make your grilled cheese in the oven. I discovered this from my mother-in-law, and it works so well! Butter the top and bottom of your sandwiches and lay them out on a sheet pan, add your cheese (I use a sharp cheddar and a white cheddar usually), and then bake at 350º for 7 minutes, flip and bake for 7 more. It may need a minute or two more, but play around and see what works for you. I think the bread comes out nice and crispy and the cheese evenly melted. Plus, they are all done at the same time. It’s a game changer.

Tuesday—We’re having dinner at a friend’s house. Use this night to clean out your fridge—heat up a bunch of leftovers or refashion some leftovers into something else, or if need be, go with the old fail-safe, Scrambled Egg Sandwiches. :) Serve with fruit or a salad for a quick meal.

Wednesday—Aztec Salsa served over Chicken Breasts with Easy Rice Cooker Turmeric Rice. (A rice maker is not a kitchen essential by any means, but I do love it, and it makes my life easier. Set it up, turn it on, perfect rice, every time! This recipe goes great with lots of different Mexican recipes, so it’s worth saving for later.)

Thursday—Homemade Sloppy Joes and a Simple Macaroni Salad. I am on the hunt for a good macaroni salad recipe to use throughout the summer. I figured I would try this one out, and go from there. Also, I know a hamburger bun is the traditional way to serve sloppy joes, but I prefer a ciabatta roll. I usually get them at Costco. I like that they are firmer and that they don’t have vegetable oils in them.

Friday—Date Dinner: Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo. (Always, always make a Homemade Alfredo Sauce. It is so much better than any jar.)

On Friday nights, we put the kids to bed a little early, and then my husband makes a nice dinner for just us. It’s our at-home date dinner, and it has become a really fun tradition. I highly recommend you try it sometime.

Saturday—Jesse Kelly Burgers with Oven Fries and Salad. My husband came across this recipe last summer and really wanted to try it. It’s more like a suggestion than a recipe, so we have been experimenting with the ratios. I’m hoping to share our ‘version’ sometime this summer as we try out a few more iterations (I think we decided around 1/3 of the bottle of Chipotle Tabasco per pound was a good ratio to be a bit spicy but not burn your face off.) I’ll keep you posted for sure. Anyway, my son requested these for his birthday dinner, which I was very surprised by. They are a very unique burger, and I personally like them served with just ketchup. The sweetness of the ketchup pairs nicely with the spiciness of the burger.

Sunday—Pasta with Sausage and Peppers. I may go with Cavatappi noodles instead of Fusilli because I like the texture better, but otherwise this looks like a simple and enjoyable Sunday night meal.

Have a great week!