Weeknight Rescue//Fall 2022//Pesto Pasta w/Chicken/Cajun Fish/Sweet Potato Enchiladas/Minestrone Soup/Steak w/Salsa Verde

Welcome to the weekend, friends. I’ve got a tasty line-up and have included some ideas for making the most of the meal plan. For example, you can use the pesto you make for the pasta recipe to top the minestrone. And the polenta fries make a terrific side for the skirt steak. Plus, the pasta, enchiladas, and minestrone are great as leftovers for lunch, so consider making more than you need.

Basil and Pistachio Pesto Pasta with Chicken

The dish serves four, but the portion is on the smaller side, so if you have hearty appetites, you might want to scale up. Another tip? Double the pesto recipe and either freeze the extra for next time or add a spoonful to each bowl of the minestrone below. And no judgement if you buy pesto at the market to save time. Vegetarians can add one 15-ounce can of white beans and a squeeze of lemon juice in place of the chicken.

Cajun Fish with Lemon Caper Sauce

The best way I know to dress up a mild white fish, such as sole or tilapia, is with a favorite spice blend, lemon, with a creamy sauce on the side. This recipe has all three. It cooks up in a matter of minutes and is perfect paired with a butter lettuce salad (maybe with sliced tangerines or orange tossed in) and this dressing. Lightly buttered whole grains, such as brown rice or farro, or little roasted potatoes would round out the meal.

4-Ingredient Sweet Potato Enchiladas

You can’t get much more simple than this recipe (with the exception of my 3-ingredient black bean soup). With just four ingredients, it’s a snap to make and even your veggie-phobic family members might give it a thumbs up. Serve it with this salad on the side if you want some crunch!

Kitchen Sink Minestrone

This recipe has built-in flexibility and is intended to use whatever you have on hand. I find it incredibly satisfying to clean out the fridge AND make a nourishing pot of soup in one fell swoop. Maybe you do, too!

Skirt Steak with Salsa Verde

I’m eating beef less and less these days, so when I do, I want it to be delicious. This does the job. If the weather where you live permits, go ahead and cook it on the grill. If not, a cast iron or other heavy pan over medium-high heat will do the job nicely. Skirt steak is a thin cut that cooks quickly and brightens up with a briny Italian-style salsa verde. Add the Polenta Fries below (and perhaps this Roasted Broccoli) and you’ve got a winner of a dinner.

Parmesan Polenta Fries

These are a tasty alternative to traditional fries made with polenta rather than potatoes. You begin by making a batch of cheesy polenta, cut it into “fingers”, and bake it in the oven until golden and crispy. So good, you could make them for a pre-dinner party nibble. Need I say more? 

Ginger Walnut Date Chocolate Truffles

If you’re starting to roll into holiday baking mode, start with these not-so-ordinary truffles. They’re terrific for an after-dinner sweet, on a dessert buffet, or to wrap up and give to friends. Plus, only a few ingredients and pretty darn easy to make.