Dinner Ideas for This Week | Organizing for Weeknight Meals

Family Dinner Season is back.  You know this is my favorite part of Back to School... besides getting back to work again : )   I'm embracing the back to routine enthusiasm that comes this time of year - easy meal plans, grocery lists, and simple weeknight table settings to create that evening magic of sitting down together.  

We actually do sit at this table for dinner most nights.  We don't really sit at the island for dinner, though it seems like an easy option, it is actually easier to talk when we're at the table.  So we are usually here, with real cloth napkins, and something pretty in the middle of the table.  I know, it seems like a big ta-do to put on every night, but when it is your routine, it really isn't.  I always have a pitcher of flowers, or a bowl of apples, or something simple sitting on the table that doesn't take a lot of maintenance.  And, well, I own a table linen company (wink), so we have enough cloth napkins to last us a month (or a year!) without laundering them too often.  Emma sets the table, I make the dinner and Mike gets home at about 6:30 and we all get to enjoy each others company for at least 30 minutes each day.  Though it might seem fancy, it really isn't.  It is casual and comfortable because we're so used to our routine.

We play little games to keep the conversation going, like Rose & Thorn, where we share about our day.  It was something I learned in college, but we called it Highs & Lows.  We go around the table and tell the best (The Roses) and worst (The Thorns) parts of our day.  I love it the most because we usually laugh so hard about the "Thorns," though they are what frustrated us most when it was happening.  They become a shared "look at what that crazy world threw at me today" moment that seems silly in the comfort of our little dining table.  

My original love for Family Dinner Inspiration Post here >

For recipes, I try to plan variety, leftovers for lunch the next day, a nutritious mix (not all Mac and Cheese and Pasta, though that's what I love), and things that can be made in around 30 minutes.  I've included my personal favorites below along with some essentials I keep in my kitchen to make it all easier.

I would love to know your weeknight meal strategies and family favorites.  We're all in this together and I always appreciate fresh inspiration : )

Chicken Pot Pie  |  Lemon Chicken with Angel Hair

*I'll be making individual Chicken Pot Pies tonight, per Emma's Request. I'll share a photo of them later this week.  It is how I usually make them.

The Barefoot Contessa's Skillet Roasted Lemon Chicken

Sheet Pan Goat Cheese Stuff Chicken & Vegetables  |  Chicken Fricassee

"Traditional Salad" with Buttermilk Dressing

Bacon, Eggs, Tomato, Carrots and homemade "Ranch"

Our Favorite Spaghetti Sauce & Meatballs  |  Leftover (or Freezer) Meatballs + Peas + Cream Rigatoni

I make a big batch of meatballs once a month and use them for so many quick meals during the week.  Here is my meatball recipe, though it is also included in the links above.

Shrimp, Spinach, Mushroom & Angel Hair Pasta  |  Baked Mac & Cheese

Homemade (easy) Chicken Noodle Soup 

This is an old post I wrote and might give you some insight to how we got in the habit of daily family dinners.  Not that it is too late for you to start now : )

Braised Beef & Vegetable Soup

All time favorite.  I just the soup gun on this one and will add this to our rotation early in September.  

Homemade Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese  |  Rainbow Vegetable Soup

We make big batches of tomato soup to keep in the freezer, but there are so many good ones in jars now - gourmet tomato bisque that is just as good.  Nothing better than a grilled cheese and soup.  I serve it with Rainbow Soup, too, to add some indulgence to an otherwise very (too?) healthy meal.  

Organizing for Weekday Dinners

Staying organized is essential for being able to easily execute dinner every night.  I haven't tried grocery delivery services yet, but might start when our busy fall and holiday work schedule picks up.  For now, I really like going to the grocery store a couple of times a week.

Grocery Lists & Tote Bags

I make my list on my Grocery Tablets (photo below) that I keep running throughout the week.  If I am really organized, I remember to bring my Tote Bags - and always feel very put together when I do : )

Market Tablets >

Market Tote Bags >

Weekly Planning Tablet

I use this tablet to get an idea what the week looks like.  I plan for dinners, after school activities and my work day.  It helps me to find breathing room in our schedule and helps me plan for what nights to eat at home and what nights we'll eat out.

Baking Sheet Pans & Parchment Paper Sheets

Almost ever one of my recipes uses sheet pans and parchment paper.  It makes a world of difference in cleanup and it is naturally non-stick.  Everyone that has tried them says they're a game changer for them.  Even my brother is obsessed!

If I am eve stumped on a vegetable side dish - I throw whatever we have in the fridge (broccoli, carrots, potatoes...) on a sheet pan and drizzle it with olive oil and salt.  Seems to always turn out great.  

Plastic Kitchen Containers

Do you know what the best part of these is?  They all use the same lid!  And they aren't too precious (18 for $8).  I use them for organizing my pantry (chocolate chips, nuts, sprinkles...), for leftovers, and for freezing everything.

 

Pretty To-go Containers

We love these at restaurants, why not at home?  I like to box up lunch for Mike in the boxes, or sometimes we'll take a picnic dinner.  The Soup To-Gos are great for individual servings of soup or chili.  I've even scooped ice cream in them, then put them back in the freezer to get out for parties (isn't it so annoying to scoop ice cream in the middle of a party?!).  I put out toppings and everyone makes their own sundaes in their own prepackaged cup. 

Again, I would love to hear your favorite family recipes and your strategies for make it all happen.  I hope you are all having a great start to this new season : )

 Shop my Kitchen Essentials >

Family Dinner Goals : This Week's Menu & Forcing Spring Bulbs Inside

Happy Monday : )  It feels like a Monday - in the best way.  It is slightly warmer than usual outside (but getting colder by the minute), grey and misting.  The warm, wet weather over the weekend made it feel like Spring should be just around the corner, but I know it isn't.  In the meantime, I am bringing some spring inside.  I finally got all of my paper whites cleaned out over the weekend - they were definitely on their last leg.  I replaced them with some spring bulbs.  I so enjoy growing something inside during the holidays months (paper whites and amaryllis), that I like to keep it going until spring.

These, on our dining table, are muscari.  On our baking counter I have a large urn planter filled with daffodils and a small terra-cotta planter with tulips.   I have a couple of more terra-cotta pots on my office bench with more tulips.

Emma and I also cleaned out my dead boxwoods in the windowboxes (DIY link) over the weekend (insert eyeroll).  I did it again.  I did not water properly through the fall and did not plant them in the ground before winter and now they are dead.  Again!  Two years in a row.  Twelve small boxwoods, gone.  Ugh!  I'm going to install a watering system to the boxes as soon as it thaws this spring.

Instead of boxwoods this year, we filled our window box planters with tulip and daffodil bulbs.  All of these bulbs, that we're forcing inside and in the windowboxes, have been chilling in our garage for the last two months.  As in, I bought them to plant in the yard this fall, never got around to it, so they've been in the garage - cold and dark.  Bulbs require 6 weeks of dark, cold space before they'll be ready to bloom.  

And on a fun note, and completely uncharacteristic of me, Emma and I picked a crazy assortment of every different type of tulip and daffodil bulbs.  So, we'll be surprised when they bloom - she's excited to see what they are!  We should have lots of different colors, shapes and varieties.   Normally, I would have picked a mass of the same, but I got a wild hair this year, I guess.   I'll transplant them into the ground after they bloom this spring, so I'm sure I'll sort them out when they go in their permanent places.

So, our family dinners will be around these bulbs for the next month or so.  I think they'll be a fun centerpiece and conversation piece each night as we watch them grow... and I think they'll be easy to keep moist, since we'll be staring at them at least once a day.  I'm going to guess that they will be watered by Emma's leftover water each night at dinner.

I like having seasonal, low-maintanance centerpieces on our dinner table.  It makes our family dinners feel like more of an occasion, without them feeling fancy or stuffy.  I love a casual, comfy table.  Here are some other easy centerpiece ideas :

Potted Herbs

Potted Violet (super low-maintanance)

Bowl of Oranges, Lemons or Cuties

Taper Candles (these are 6")

Forcing Bulbs Tips :

Chilled Bulbs : Buy chilled bulbs, or chill them yourself in a paper bag in a cold, dark spot.

Pea Gravel : I put a plastic container in the base of the pot (you want it to be able to hold water), then fill it with pea gravel.  Place the bottoms (where the roots are) of the bulbs in the gravel, then cover with moss.

Water : Add enough water to be just below the bottoms of the bulbs.  You don't want them to sit in water or they will rot.  You want to keep the water accessible for the roots to grow down and reach it.  The moist moss helps wake up the bulbs.

Sun : Place them in a sunny window and keep the water level just until the base of the bowl.  Really watering once a week or so it usually fine.

Alleluia, Mike is home all week!  For the last two months, he's been traveling a lot for work, usually 2-3 nights a week.  It feels like such a treat for him to be here for the entire week... which means I need to step up my dinner menu.  

Tonight, we're having pasta.  At least one night a week, I need a big bowl of pasta.  It is a rainy day, so today is the day.  This Penne All Vodka (plus shrimp) is a house favorite.  Lick your plate good and quick and easy.

I don't know why, but every January this comes into rotation.  It makes a ton, it reheats for easy lunches and dinners and is the perfect thing to make early in the week for busy nights.

Beef Drip Sandwiches

I can't get enough citrus lately.  I'm going to make this tomorrow during the day and have it ready to go after Emma's busy after school activities tomorrow night.  Yum, those roasted lemons....

Tessa's Lemon Orzo Chicken Soup

This is one of those comforting dinners that has a lighter, more springy feel.  The rosemary broth is out of this world.   More of a Sunday night supper recipe... on our docket for the weekend.

Rosemary Braised Pork

Family Dinner Goals | A New Series

Family Dinner Goals
No matter what time of year (beginning or otherwise), I am always looking for a way to make our family dinners easier, more interesting, healthier and more frequent.  Aren't we all?  
I'm going to start a new Family Dinner series on the blog.  Wish me luck sticking to it - ha!  Seriously, though, I'm so passionate about our family sitting down together 3-4 nights a week.  The ritual of sitting down to a family dinner is my favorite part of the day.  I know that lots of kids and busy schedules can get in the way, but we are in charge of our homes and our families.  The time we spend across the table from one another, talking about our days is so key for keeping a strong family connection.  So, I'm going to come up with some great ideas for making Family Dinners easier, give ideas on fun  kid friendly table settings and recipes.  
Last Fall, I wrote a lengthy post about our commitment to Family Dinners, here>

For family dinners to actually happen at our house, having lots of easy dinner ideas is key.  Sometimes our meals are labor intensive (if I'm in the mood to spend time in the kitchen), and sometimes they are out of the freezer (maybe soup or meatloaf).  There are so many ideas on my Dinner Planning Tablet that are easy to prepare in 30 minutes or less - Beef Stroganoff, Shrimp Scampi, Chicken Parmesan, Grilled Lemon Chicken, Vegetable Soup, etc.

All of my recipes are included on my Dinner Tablet.  I sit down at the beginning of the week and schedule all of our meals from this list.  it helps remind me of things we haven't had for a while and helps me plan for some balance throughout the week (meat, fish, chicken, pasta, etc.). 

If cooking isn't your thing but you still want your family to experience family-style dinners, focus on the table instead.  The food really isn't all that important, anyway.  Set a pretty table with a simple glass of fresh flowers or lit candles, with folded napkins and placemats.  It is the sitting around a table all together for conversion that is what is important - with a frozen pizza in the middle.  Totally fine!!  A pretty setting always helps put everyone in the mood to relax and enjoy.

Here are some of the essentials that I depend on for Family Dinners in our home.

Check Napkins & Placemats >

Classic Hemstitch Cotton Linens >

Is there anything easier than lighting some candles?  Instant ambiance and instead "relax" setting.  We get out a new set of seasonally colored tapers every couple of weeks.  

Shop all of my Table Setting Essentials, here >

Family Dinners at Our House | Steaks with Easy Red Wine Sauce + This Week's Menu

Family Dinner At Our House


I will not pretend that this is the scene every single night at our house... but we try for at least a couple nights a week.  These photos were from last night's Sunday dinner table.  It is always easier to pull off a nice Sunday dinner than during the week, right?  At first glance, this setup may seem fancy for a family dinner, but all of these elements are really common.  I know that some are thinking, why all the trouble?  And the truth is that it isn't really much trouble at all, really very little effort or expense involved, though the impact is big.

I feel so strongly that sitting down at a table that is set, brings a sense of purpose to a typical family dinner.  It brings us all together for a moment of grace and it says no matter what your day was like, I want to sit, share and talk with you.

A lot of time when we sit down at this table it doesn't have flowers and the candles aren't lit, and it feels completely different.   So, at least 3 times a week, I am going to make it my goal to actually light the candles : )  It feels somewhat related to "stopping to smell the roses."  It is there for the taking, you just have to stop and actually make the effort.  I mean, what does it take 4 seconds to light candles?

And like most families, we have our fair share of casual dinners at the island, too, don't worry.  Though, if you've never thought about the difference between sitting at the counter versus sitting at a table, the difference is this : conversation.  When you are sitting and not facing each other, conversation is hard.  Eye contact is even harder.  I imagine as kids get older and they have more independence, eye contact with parents while talking about their day can be so revealing.  It is always my goal to make our dinner table a safe zone, a comfortable place that is a place that everyone wants to be and feels loved and cared for.

I mentioned that the setting was not much effort.  I always try to create a "maintenance free" table setting once a week - this is a perfect example.  The flowers are dried hydrangea from our yard that have turned the prettiest shade of green (that actually seem a little more vibrant in the photos than in real life).  They don't have any water and would look just like this if I left them there all year long.  Though dry, they still bring life and some seasonal color to the table.  Other "maintenance free" tables we like are a bowl of apples or gourds (fall!), or potted herbs.

Anytime you add taper candles to a dinner table...and actually light them ; ) you add instant atmosphere.  These are 12" Privot Berry Blue tapers that go great with the green flowers (blue + green is my current favorite combo, as you all know).   The candles come in an 18" too for an even bigger effect.  Super elegant.  The "copper" salt and peppers were a steal from Target.  Be fore warned, they are plastic with a copper coating... something I didn't realize (but should have since they were $18).  Love the warmth that they bring to the table, though.

Emma always helps with setting the table.  This time, she made place cards for each of us, while I took care of the rest of the setting.  When she sets the entire table there is a lot of mix-matching linens and flatware, which is just fine by me.   I'll be sure to share one of those tables someday, too.

As you can see, above, she drew a pumpkin and maple leaf for me... she knows how much I'm itching for fall!

Mike got a "branch" : )

The place cards were her idea.  Sometimes she makes placemats from printer paper or tries her hand at interesting napkin folds.  I just like that she's enthusiastic to help and looks forward to making it special.  Hoping I pass on this love for making family dinners special to her.  At least I'll know that whatever life circumstance she finds herself in, she'll be able to create a special dinner for her family.  What is it they say about teaching a man to fish?  So many parables in this post... ; )

A cherry leaf and cherries for her.  After the fact, she also decided they could be headphones, which she thought was better.

Dinner was seared steaks with a very simple Red Wine Sauce.  I'll share the recipe for the wine sauce later today.   It is all of 3-4 ingredients and transforms dinner.  In fact, this entire dinner looks impressive but it is the easiest dinner to make.  Besides putting the baked potatoes in the oven 1 1/2 before, the rest of the dinner took about 20 minutes of hands-on time.

I'd like to pretend that this was Mike's giant loaded plate, but we all know that he doesn't like mushrooms...  busted : )

Table Setting Resources :

Block Print Napkins, 4 for $32

Privot Berry Blue Taper Candles, $10.50

Brown & White Ceramic Container (available in Squares or Round), $12.00-28.50

Heathered Indigo Throw (over back of chair), $80

Dusty Green Block Print Pillow, 20" Square, $32

See the rest of the Blue & Green Classic Home Collection, here >

This Week's Menu :

Seared Steaks with Easy Red Wine Sauce  (recipe coming later today)

Baked Potatoes

Sautéed Mushrooms

Sliced Tomatoes

Chicken & Vegetable Corn Chowder 


This is a great dinner to make in advance.  I'll put individual servings in the freezer for Emma and I to reheat for lunches, too.

Beef Stroganoff

This photo and recipe link are of this "fancy" version of Beef Stroganoff.  Our favorite weeknight version is made with ground beef and egg noodles.  I'll share this version very soon - an almost weekly staple around here.































Panko Salmon

So much flavor in this Barefoot Contessa recipe.  That Nine Color Salad is still one of my favorites.

I'll share the Easy Red Wine Sauce recipe later today.  I'm off to pick up Emma from preschool... oh boy do these mornings go by quickly.