Summer is in full swing and quick and easy meals are on the menu! 30 minute meatball stroganoff, the BEST chicken salad ever, and more handpicked meal plan ideas to make your busy life easier!
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📅 Food Holidays
We celebrate a couple of fun food holidays this week. They're silly little holidays but it gives us an opportunity to make some memories and have some fun!
- June 26 Chocolate Pudding Day
- July 1 National Gingersnaps Day
🍹This week's cocktail
Durango
The Durango cocktail is similar to a Paloma with tequila and grapefruit juice but this has Amaretto to smooth it out. Unique and delish!
💭 Tips for success
- Get a big bag of chicken breast at Costco and cook it all at once. Use the cooked chicken for the chicken spaghetti, the chicken salad, and the chicken empanadas.
- When you make the easy baguettes make enough to go with the chicken spaghetti, the rigatoni ragu, and the shrimp po'boys. If you are going to buy baguettes be sure to get them all at once. They'll freeze if you are worried about them getting moldy.
- Get enough green beans for the salad and southern green beans. They are best fresh.
- I like to make a big batch of snickerdoodle dough and form it into balls and then flash freeze them right on the cookie sheet. When they're frozen put them in a freezer container with parchment between layers. Whenever you want cookies roll in cinnamon sugar and bake!
- If there are leftover snickerdoodles make ice cream sandwiches with them!!!
June 25
Chicken Spaghetti
Chicken spaghetti is an easy casserole - definitely a family favorite! Creamy, cheesy, and it's done in 30 minutes!
Quick Baguette
Make this 30 minute baguette right along with the chicken spaghetti! Serve it warm with butter or garlic butter.
Blackberry Cobbler
Blackberry cobbler is down home, country comfort food! It's at it's best when blackberries are in season and I'm seeing some gorgeous ones in the store right now!
June 26
Chicken Salad
Tearoom style chicken salad is made with chunks of chicken breast, red grapes, celery and all the good things! Spoon it into croissants or use it to stuff tomatoes.
Sweet Potato Fries
Sweet potato fries are easy to make in the oven and they come out crispy and tender all at the same time!
Chocolate Pudding
Since it's National Chocolate Pudding day why not celebrate with some old fashioned homemade chocolate pudding? I'll show you how to make it in less than 10 minutes with no lumps and no scorching - just rich and delicious pudding!
June 27
Rigatoni with Ragu Sauce
This easy ragu sauce simmers all day in the slow cooker and by the time you're ready to eat it is absolute perfection. We like it with rigatoni but shells are good, too! Serve with a baguette from earlier in the week.
Green Bean Salad
Fresh green beans, sweet cherry tomatoes, and buttery new potatoes marinate in a zesty Italian dressing. This marinated green bean salad will get you through summer! SO good.
Chocolate Chip Gooey Butter Bars
Gooey Butter Bars are SO easy to make and are extra special with chocolate chips.
June 28
Chicken Empanadas
These chicken empanadas are so easy when you start with biscuit dough from the refrigerated section of the store! Creamy and a little spicy on the inside. Use the extra chicken from earlier in the week or a rotisserie chicken to save time.
Summer Fruit Salad
Sweet fruit with a luscious honey lime dressing is almost a dessert. This summer fruit salad is light and delicous! If you have some time serve it in a watermelon basket.
No Bake Rolo Cookies
These no bake Rolo cookies are buttery, crispy, salty, sweet, and gooey! They go together in minutes.
June 29
Smoked Sausage Shepherd's Pie
Smoked sausage shepherd's pie is quick and easy to put together - especially if you use mashed potatoes from the deli section of your store.
Southern Green Beans
These southern green beans are tangy and smoky deliciousness on a plate! Best when made with fresh green beans.
Red White & Blue Poke Cake
Summer is all about the red, white, and blue! Make this easy Jello poke cake in minutes!
June 30
Easy Meatball Stroganoff
I don't know about you but I love a quick and easy meal in the summer! This meatball stroganoff takes just 30 minutes. I also added slow cooker and one pot instructions.
Drop Biscuits
Drop biscuits are super easy to make because there's no kneading! Make extra and serve them for breakfast with some fresh macerated strawberries.
Snickerdoodles
Who doesn't love snickerdoodles? These have crispy edges and chewy soft middles.
July 1
Shrimp Po' Boy
This easy shrimp po'boy sandwich starts with breaded shrimp from the freezer section of your store. The spicy avocado remoulade is simple to make and really kicks up the flavor!
Potato Salad
Old fashioned potato salad is rich and creamy with lots of flavor. This is how my mom made it with just a smidge of mustard.
Lemon Ice Box Pie
Since it's National Gingersnap Day make this easy lemon ice box pie but use a gingersnap crumb crust. The combination is one of my favorites!
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Who doesn't need more easy, weeknight dinner recipes? Check out these 30 family friendly, budget friendly family dinners that are freezable, make-ahead, and can be on the table in minutes.
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