joyfullydwell

I’ve shared previous posts with quick meals for busy weeknights. Here are more options when you have a little extra time to spare but still don’t feel like spending all evening in the kitchen.

Rosemary Chicken Bowls

This is a favorite in our household. It’s also yummy as leftovers to take to work the next day. You could use pre-cooked chicken to quicken the prep time on this one, but here, I’m using what I already have on hand. Chicken, couscous, grilled onions and peppers, fresh garden rosemary cooked up and served with a dollop of bruschetta and some mozzarella pearls.

Seafood Penne

This one incorporates salmon + lobster bisque with penne pasta for a quick meal that seems like you’ve put much more effort into it than it takes. I cook the salmon in the air fryer at 375⁰ for 20 minutes (from frozen). While that cooks, I add 1 lb. of penne pasta (approximately 4 cups) and lobster bisque with 2 cups of water into a large pot and cover. Stir occasionally, the penne will absorb a good amount of the liquid while it cooks. Once the salmon is cooked, crumble it into the pasta mixture. Salt + pepper to taste, add some Parmesan if you like, and voila! Dinner is done.

Roasted Red Pepper + Tomato Soup with Chicken + Beans

This is a meal that was on demo 15+ years ago at Trader Joe’s that I’ve adapted to our taste buds and we’ve enjoyed it ever since. You can use pre-cooked chicken, leftover roasted chicken or cook some up. Dice and toss the onions + garlic in some olive oil in a pot until softened. Rinse + drain beans. Shred up chicken, dice tomatoes and pour in the soup base. Heat for 15-20 minutes and dinner is done!

Quick Chicken Parmigiana

For this one, you could use pre-made breaded tenders or breaded fillets. I just grabbed what Trader Joe’s had in stock. Put chicken in an oiled baking dish, pour over the jar of marinara sauce, top with mozzarella and bake at 400⁰ for 15-20 minutes. While that bakes, prepare the linguine according to package directions.

Japanese BBQ Meatballs with Peppers + Pineapple

I absolutely love these chicken meatballs I get from Imperfect. They are so versatile and come in handy to whip up a quick and tasty meal. For this dish, I toss them in a pan with some diced peppers, a can of pineapple (juice too), drizzle on the sauce and add some chile if we’re feeling spicy! Serve over steamed rice, and dinner is done in 20-30 minutes.

Another easy weeknight Trader Joes meal… One pot creamy tortellini + sausage. 1 lb sweet or spicy pork (I prefer sweet + add some red pepper flakes), 1 container refrigerated stuffed tortellini, 1 bag baby spinach, 1 jar spaghetti sauce, 1/2 block cream cheese, and garlic… Lots and lots of yummy garlic! Brown meat and add everything else, simple as that.

A new favorite in this house is Flatbread Cheeseburger Pizzas. Brown 1 lb. of ground beef in a pan and season with salt and pepper. While meat is cooking prep your preferred toppings. We like cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions and my homemade Thousand Island dressing which consists of avocado mayo, ketchup and a dollop of pickle relish (no measurements, just go with God and see what you like mixing it up). Once the meat is cooked layer on individual flatbread pieces starting with the cheese first – it acts as a binder keeping the meat from falling off.