Easy Weekly Dinner Menu #13 – The Short One Is Growing.

This was a big week: The Short One started preschool! I didn’t know how that would go since he is just barely two, and I have never really left him with anyone except The Pants. He tries to sneak into The Tall One’s first grade class on an almost daily basis though, so I suspected that he was ready for some sort of school of his own. Boy, was I right. He didn’t let out so much as a whimper when I said goodbye on his first day, and he was delighted to go back on the next school day.

It is strange to be away from him because he has been my almost constant companion for the past two years. I think it’s good for us both to have time away to miss each other though, and it is priceless to have him excitedly run to me when I pick him up. He is starting out with only two days each week at school, so we still have plenty of time to run around town together.

On to the food! This week’s easy dinner menu is a mix of favorites from menus past, some new Weary Chef creations, and one fabulous recipe from another blogger.

Don’t forget, you can easily build a free grocery list by clicking the “List” button in the right sidebar when viewing any of my recipes thanks to Feastie.

1. In-a-Hurry Mexican Chicken Soup – Boy howdy, this soup is good and EASY! I made it the night before we were having a little party, and I had too much to do to spend much time on dinner. The Pants, who is a man of few words, said several times how much he liked it, and we both had seconds. It has great flavor for being so simple!
   
2. Simple Shrimp Boil – I didn’t include this on the menu the week of The Short One’s birthday, even though it is the traditional birthday meal in this family. Better late than never! Nothing says “Happy Belated Birthday” like eating shrimp.
   
3. 6-Ingredient Meatballs and Gravy over Rice with Broiled Squash- This may have been my favorite dish this week. It’s really hard to say for sure, but it was darn easy and delicious. I got the idea to use sausage for the meatballs from the Cooking Chook’s Spaghetti and Cheapballs. Give her recipe a try too!For the easy side dish, just cut yellow squash and zucchini into bite-sized pieces, toss with olive oil and seasoned salt, and broil for about 8 minutes.
   
4. One-Pot Thai Curry – Want to make this recipe with shrimp instead of chicken? Just stir in peeled, uncooked shrimp when rice is tender, and cook for about five minutes longer. Yum!
   
5. Salmon Nachos – I already professed my love for salmon nachos once this week, so I will not say more about this meal except TRY IT.
   
6. White Kale and Chicken Pasta Casserole – This was a recipe that looked interesting, but when it came time to make it, I thought it was going to be a little boring. Once I smelled it cooking and tasted this rich, creamy dish, I realized it was something special!
   
7. Loaded Baked Potato Gnocchi with Salad – I was excited just by reading the title of this gnocchi dish I found on Cassie Craves, and it didn’t disappoint. When planning the meal, I thought of it as an entree to be served with a side salad. After eating it and realizing how rich it is, I would say it’s more of a side to be eaten with a BIG green salad. (You can add Cassie’s recipe to your grocery list too! Just click the “List” button in the top Feastie bar.)