This menu of easy dinner recipes features Chicken Spaghetti Casserole, BLTA Sandwiches, The Best Franks and Beans, and lots more!
Guess what I did. I joined a gym! Me. The girl who hates getting sweaty. I’ve been going to physical therapy for my foot for a few months, and the PT office happens to be in the back of a Planet Fitness. After walking through the gym so many times and seeing the signs for their low-priced memberships, I decided to give it a try. I went on Tuesday and walked on the treadmill for 45 minutes, and today I’m going to meet a trainer to get an actual workout program. I’m so nervous. I can’t imagine any respectable trainer being very impressed when they see me. I’ll be like, “I’m approaching 40 and don’t want to give up wine or dessert, but I’d like to be a little less fat. What do you suggest?” It’s going to go great.
Speaking of getting motivated, I’ve gotta say, I’m feeling a little unmotivated to write this menu. That’s why it’s a little late. Weekly dinner menus were my entire purpose when I started The Weary Chef, but after 125 weeks, I’m starting to lose momentum. Does anyone really read these things? Do you use them as a source for dinner ideas or meal planning? I don’t want to give you a guilt trip or anything, but since I don’t get many comments on my menus, I wonder if anyone actually uses them. If you do enjoy my weekly dinner menus, can you let me know in a comment? It would help me out a lot if I didn’t feel like I was talking to myself every Friday! If you’re bored with them, I’d love to hear any ideas you have to make my menus more awesome.
For now, I’m going to tell myself that you are still way into these weekly dinner menus, so let’s get right to the easy recipes!
- (NEW) Chicken Spaghetti Casserole – This one is brand spanking new, and we LOVED it (even though it was quite different than what I planned to make initially.
- Double Cheese Shrimp Avocado Quesadillas – You are sure to enjoy these (if you love shrimp and avocado like I do).
- Lightened up Chinese Chicken Salad – You don’t need fried noodles or loads of oil to make a dinner salad you’ll love.
- Ultimate Beans and Franks – Did you know that sweet potatoes and BBQ sauce taste really good together? This recipe is way better than plain ol’ baked beans, and it’s a whole meal in one bowl.
- (NEW) Pork and Apple Kebabs – Have you tried grilling apples lately? They pair perfectly with this tender pork, and their texture is nice and chewy. (Perfect for Father’s Day!)
- Chicken Coleslaw Stir Fry – This is a fun and EASY dinner I think you’ll really enjoy.
- BLTA Sandwiches with Spicy Mayo – Did I already mention that I love avocado? I also love bacon. I hope you do too so you can try these crazy easy sandwiches!
In case you missed the news, I’m contributing for Community Table now, which is the recipe site for Parade magazine. I’m pretty excited about it, and I’d love for you to check in to see the roundups I’ve put together so far! xo
28 comments
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your website!!!!!! I found one of your receipies on pintrest in January of this year and have used nothing but your weekly meal planner since. I love just being able to come to your site every few weeks look through the weekly meals and plan my menu. Please hang in there!!!!!!
Oh my gosh, Jenny. You just made my day! Thank you so much!! xoxo
Your dinner menus are great! I love the ease of preparing and all the originality.
Thanks, mom! xoxo
Hi Andi, I just had to write & let you know I love reading your blog. I get lots of ideas from your recipes. I’m going to try your chicken spaghetti casserole and since I have all the ingredients, the shrimp & avocado quesadilla. Keep us posted on how your workout plan goes!
Thanks so much for all the ideas!
Andi
Thanks, Andi! My workout isn’t going so great so far. I need to drag myself in this week! I hope you like the recipes you try. Thanks for your sweet comment :)
totally look forward to your weekly menus! gives me great ideas to change up our boring old routine! :)
I’m so glad to hear it, Andrea. Thank you!
Your time and efforts are greatly appreciated! Your recipes give me inspiration to try new things that don’t take a lot of time and effort after a busy day. And it’s always fun to hear how things are going in your life!!
Thanks so much, Elaine! Your comment brightened my day, and I’m glad my menus are useful for you. xo
Dear Weary ?. Just wanted to let you know that I really enjoy your weekly menu updates! You mentioned starting a new workout routine. Doing something for yourself is always a great thing! How about posting new menus you are working on that you’ve lightened up? I could use to lose a few myself! Thank you so much! I appreciate you! ?
Thank you, Christina! I ended up buying a home workout machine to use instead of going to the gym, and I’ll keep up with walking too. I try to make most of my recipes generally healthy. If I come up with some good tips to lighten them up more, I’ll definitely share that with you! xo
Hi Andi !
I LOVE your weekly menu! I look forward to it AND I use them often. I about fell off my chair laughing about what Matt said about your chicken spaghetti casserole! I could just hear my husband say something like that to me! I look in your recipes often, but sometimes when you put something on the weekly menu – it might catch my eye, where I didn’t notice it so much before. I know, I’m weird! But PLEASE never think your efforts go unnoticed! I love your blog!
Thank you so much, Becky! This really gave me a boost of encouragement just when I needed it. Hope you have a good weekend!
I love your posts and recipes! As a teacher for 34 years, quick dinner recipes are welcome, otherwise I would eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches all the time! Please don’t stop posting!
Thank you so much, Julie! I’m not going anywhere :) xo
Hi Andi,
I would like to encourage to keep posting your menu ideas. I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about my meal plans as a single person. Your menu ideas provide me with ideas and jazz up the old standard meals. It definitely keeps me away from fast food but, its flavorful too.
Thank you, Kristen! I’m glad I can inspire you to cook and try new things. Your comment really cheered me up, and I appreciate it so much. Have a good weekend!
i am so sorry that you feel few people read what you write. I love getting your recipes. When I see one I like I print it out and use later. I look for recipes that are quick and easy as I take care of our baby granddaughter and make dinner for when her mom and dad get home from a long day at work. Simple and easy is all the time I have. Please do not stop. I read you everyday when the baby takes her short naps.
You are such a good mom and grandma, Carol! I’m so glad my menus make your life a little easier. Thank you!
Hi,
I love looking at your weekly recipes and getting ideas to change our meal times which get dull with same meals over and over. Frank and beans looks like a must try to me from this weeks selection!! X
Thank you, Rachael! I hope you liked the franks and beans if you got a chance to make them. Enjoy your weekend!
I really enjoy your weekly menu post. Thanks
I appreciate that so much, Sandy!
As a recipe hoarder (LOL), I love looking at your recipes! I don’t ever leave comments, because I honestly hadn’t thought to do so. I love easy to make recipes that call for things that the ordinary person has in the pantry. I live in a rural area in which many of the stores do not carry the ingredients called for in some of recipes other bloggers require. The more common the ingredients, the more likely I can find them. Thank you for your efforts and your time!
Thank you so much, Jennifer! I do live in a place were I could get fancy ingredients, but I’m not a fancy person ;) I’m so glad you enjoy my menu and recipes. I’ll keep them coming! xoxo
I’m here, and I love the weekly menus! I have an extremely picky husband though, so I use your weekly menu as a jumping-off point: some weeks I can only use one or two of the recipes from that week, some weeks I can use pretty much all of them. I appreciate the time and work you put into these weekly menus!
Thanks so much, Amy! I’m lucky that my husband will pretty much eat anything I put in front of him except broccoli. I have a lot of friends with picky husbands, and that would make my life a lot harder. I already have two picky kids to deal with ;)