Hello! Are you noticing the end of summer in the air? I keep waiting to see Halloween decorations appear in stores, but nothing yet. I’m ready for cooler weather and the holiday season to begin. What’s your favorite holiday?
This week I tried, a couple of times, to serve the whole family the same dinner instead of preparing separate plates for the kids. (If you want the full backstory about our family meals, you can read about it on my About page.) I cooked Mexican Chicken Soup and a Magic Ranch Chicken Casserole for the crew. The casserole was a partial success: The Short One immediately said “I like it!” and ate well. The Tall One started off enthusiastic but then found reasons to complain—peas, sauce, and whatever else he could point to. He did eat the chicken though, which felt like a small victory.
On soup night, the Short One wasn’t in the mood to eat at all, and the Tall One used chopsticks to fish out the soup-soaked tortilla chips. He eventually declared the soup had “too many flavors.” I’ll keep trying, and hopefully soon they’ll be open to more than diced and separated fruit, vegetables, meat, and grains.
Oh—and I almost forgot the third meal that was an outright hit: Chicken and Bean Quesadillas. The whole family genuinely enjoyed those, so I’m crowning the quesadillas the Kid Pleaser winner for the week.
Now, on with the week’s menu. Here’s your easy weekly dinner menu. I’m pleased with this lineup and hope you find it helpful for planning your dinners.
- Magic Ranch Chicken Casserole – This week I published my first guest post on Recipe Chatter, sharing a ranch popover casserole I developed. I loved it and may have eaten more than my fair share.
- Slow Cooker Chicken Stroganoff – I’d been meaning to make this again, and with a new slow cooker on hand I finally did. This version is rich, creamy, full of flavor, and makes excellent leftovers.
- Saffron Rice with Sausage and Kale – This one was the grown-up favorite of the week. It’s an easy, flavorful one-dish meal that feels both satisfying and wholesome.
- In-a-Hurry Mexican Chicken Soup – This recipe is perfect for busy evenings. If you already have cooked chicken, it can come together in about 10 minutes. It’s warm, comforting, and quick.
- Steak with Roasted Carrots and Cauliflower – This week I used my stovetop seared steak technique for flavorful, well-browned steaks. For the vegetables, toss carrots and cauliflower with olive oil, salt, garlic powder, and chili powder, then roast at 400°F for 30–40 minutes until tender. Serve with rice pilaf or couscous if you like.
- Chicken and Bean Quesadillas – These quesadillas are filled with beans, chicken, cheese, and salsa. They’re easy enough for picky eaters and satisfying for adults—this one won the week’s kid-pleaser contest.
- Philly Cheese Steak Pizza – Have you tried this pizza twist on a classic cheesesteak? If you enjoy cheesesteak sandwiches, you’ll love this. Use store-bought pizza crust for a faster prep.
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