I’m done trying to be a Martha Stewart or Ina Garten in the kitchen on weekdays. Don’t get me wrong, I really like to cook (preferably for dinner parties) and LOVE watching Ina Garten, but I need super simple recipes for weeknights. I’ll continue to follow these ladies, but sometimes I just need to get dinner or breakfast on the table in 15 minutes or less. Preferably it’s warm (or hot -that would be nice), and it has to be delicious!
So, in the spirit of Friday’s post and the idea of debunking perfectionism in various areas of my life, like weeknight meals, I’d like to share some ideas on really good weeknight meals that are simple (so simple, it’s a little embarrassing to share, and it’s probably why no one writes about it.). And I hope that you share your simple weeknight meals with me because I NEED YOUR IDEAS! I’ve only got two of these recipes (besides tacos), so I need more!
Beware! These are not pretty food pictures! I’m not a food blogger. I’m just a mom trying to get practical, healthy (most items are organic) and yummy food on the table. No fancy, perfect meals (or pictures) over here.
Yup, it’s that simple and with just three ingredients. Boil the pasta, warm the chicken in the skillet with olive oil (don’t overheat it or the chicken will get tough) and I squeeze a little lemon on top. Then, combine the noodles, chicken and pesto, and viola! SO GOOD! These are the brands I recommend, but I shared this one with my sister and she couldn’t find the exact brands at her store, and it didn’t matter- her family gobbled it up! (If you don’t like already cooked chicken strips, you could use meat from a rotisserie chicken).
I ran into my friend at Whole Foods one day, and she was only there to pick up one item. Guess what it was?!? These Rancher meatballs! Yup, they’re that good! Heat them up in Rao’s Marinara sauce on the stove, put 3 or 4 in a hoagie roll, add a slice or shredded mozzarella cheese on top, and boom! Meatball subs for the win! Or just add these meatballs to your spaghetti and marinara to change things up!
I mean, how simple are these recipes?!? When I was telling my friend about this post she told me one of her simple weeknight meal tricks was store bought tomato basil soup (I like the one from Tres Market) and grilled cheese sandwiches. YESSSS! This is what I’m talking about ladies. Share your ideas with me! Pretty please! If you don’t want to comment, email me (carly@shopcstyle.com)!
Sure, I’d love to have a Martha Stewart/Ina Garten worthy meal on the table every night, but for now, I’m counting on you guys to help me out!
