cover image via : pinch of yum

And we’re back… after getting hit with the flu, and then going out of town Wednesday through Saturday, it took me all of last week to get back into the swing of life and things… Have a few posts I’m excited to share here, but first, here’s the menu for last week :

MONDAY //

Garlic Butter Pasta w/ Herb Pork Bolognese
notes: this is a favorite. such a good combination of flavors. I omit the cream in the sauce, but other than that make it as-is. Definitely make the kale for on the side!

French Bread

TUESDAY //

Easy Oven Baked Chicken Tacos
notes: this has become one of our favorite recipes for taco tuesday. i found taco seasoning to be too spicy for the little guys, so instead I used 2 tsp chili powder and 2 tsp cumin and omit the green chiles.

Chips + Salsa

WEDNESDAY //

date night / meatball stroganoff over egg noodles + peas for kids

THURSDAY //

Crispy Parmesan Garlic Chicken w/ Zucchini
notes:  this was a super easy supper to whip up that the kids all loved. I typically stay away from recipes that call for pan cooking chicken because I can never tell when it’s cooked through. A friend shared this tip with me : pan fry the chicken until just golden and then throw it in the oven to bake through completely. I doubled up the meat on this recipe, put all the chicken in a 9×13 pan after browning and baked for 10-15 minutes at 375. Didn’t add it back to the pan with the zucchini at the end, but loved cooking the zucchini in the chicken pan where it picked up all the golden crunchy bits of breading.

Baked Potatoes w/ all the fixings

FRIDAY //

Pizza for the kids

Winter Spa Salad for the adults
notes: this was one of, if not the favorite recipe of the week. I’m always craving fresh fruits and vegetables in the winter, and this was the perfect fix. I used romaine instead of the baby spinach, and fresh parsley for the herb. The dressing is so good. The combination of flavors is amazing. This will be on heavy rotation…

SATURDAY //

Brunch:

Coconut Chia Oatmeal w/ Caramelized Bananas
notes: made this as-is… topped with drizzled honey and toasted coconut strips. Delicious!

Eggs + Chicken Breakfast Sausage

Dinner:

Cranberry Balsamic Roast Chicken
notes: so I totally failed to read this recipe closely beforehand, and ended up having to just blend the marinade, dump it on the boneless, skinless chicken breasts and throw it in the oven without having it sit which probably would have made it even more delicious, if that were possible. The flavors were so yummy on this. I used frozen cranberries I had in the freezer from thanksgiving, and followed the recipe as written. So good!

Creamy Spinach Bake
notes: I am always on the lookout for a good creamed spinach recipe. It’s kinda my favorite. I used 16 oz frozen spinach (instead of the recommended 30 oz. and a bag of fresh spinach. Left all the other ingredients as they were. So yummy and so easy. Winner!

Glazed Carrots

Glazed Carrots

adapted from The Joy of Cooking

Ingredients

1 lb. carrots, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and cut into even sticks
(alternatively, you can use 16 oz. baby carrots, halved)
1/2 c. water
2/3 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt

Instructions

Add all ingredients to a saute pan with a lid.
Arrange carrots in a single layer.
Cook until a syrupy glaze forms.
Uncover and continue to cook, rolling carrots around in the pan until they are well coated.

SUNDAY //

Crockpot Beef Chili
notes: I didn’t have my act together before church to get this in the crockpot, so I just cooked everything in my dutch oven when we got home. I’ve made a lot of chili in my life, and I have to say this is probably my favorite. ever. I omitted the poblano peppers and cayenne for the kids. I also added 2 cans of kidney beans. Seriously, make this. 

5 Ingredient Beer Bread
notes: a favorite! Can’t beat a recipe that involves throwing 5 ingredients in a bowl and baking it. The dough is always more dry than I think it should be, but it bakes up just fine (no need to add more liquid)

Have a wonderful week, friends!