Easy Weekly Dinner Menu #8 - No thank you, Daylight Savings Time.

How is the time change working out for you? I feel like I have been shorted an hour in the day, and I’m none too pleased. We’re supposed to be gaining daylight, but I see it as losing nighttime, which is precious. The kids still wake up plenty early, like 6ish, but I’ve been running late with bedtime all week. I’m usually in the kitchen cooking round two of dinner by 7:30, but this week it has been more like 8, so The Pants and I are not eating until at least 8:30. Of course I don’t want to be cut short on my evening time, so I end up staying up until 11:30 or so. Did I mention that my kids get up at six? I’m definitely feeling weary, but I’m sure we will all adjust soon.

Edited to add: This morning my boys let me sleep until 7:00! I feel like a well-rested queen.

I wasn’t too tired to try out some fabulous new dishes this week (I’m never too weary to eat!), and I am excited to bring you this menu of easy dinners!

1. Salmoniches with Yogurt Dill Sauce– These were included in a prior menu, but I didn’t have a photo so it hardly counts. Top with lettuce and tomato and serve with fries or frozen tater tots.
   
2. Gnocchi Sausage and Spinach Soup – Reeni at Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice shared this delicious soup recipe that you should try. I love gnocchi, but I don’t make it often because it’s so dense. Using it in soup instead of eating it on its own is a brilliant idea. I made this almost as written, only substituting raw red bell pepper for roasted and sauteing the pepper, onion, garlic, and sausage all together. I used turkey sausage, and it didn’t need to be drained. For once I’m not recommending serving bread with soup because this is truly a one-bowl meal.
3. Homemade Pizza with Yogurt Crust – The last time I included pizza on my menu, I used a thin crust recipe. This time, I wanted to try out a 2-ingredient pizza dough I found on Pinterest. After reading many comments about the original recipe, I ended up modifying it a bit with a good result. I haven’t been happy with any of the jarred pizza sauce I’ve tried lately because it’s all too sweet, so I included my own recipe for sauce as well. Get creative with toppings. This time I used ham, onions, and jalapenos.
4. Cheeseburger Pasta – I went back and forth on whether or not to recommend this dish. It definitely didn’t taste bad, but I didn’t want seconds or leftovers. It tasted exactly like you would expect a cheeseburger turned pasta would, so if you are looking for something different and love cheeseburgers in any form, give it a try!If you are feeling less adventurous, try never fail Fettuccine with Sausage and Mushrooms instead for a quick and easy pasta dish.

   

5. Taco Salad with Chicken – To change up my taco salad recipe, I used diced boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead of ground turkey. Serve with margaritas of course!
6. Asian Chicken Noodle Soup – The Pants had a pretty bad sore throat at the start of the week, so I wanted to make something to help soothe it. I didn’t want to make plain old chicken noodle soup, so I looked for something more like pho or udon. I found this recipe, and we both loved it.
7. Sausage and Vegetable Stir Fry over Rice – I love this 30-minute dinner because it is quick and tasty, and the ingredients are easy to have on hand. Change it up with your favorite sausage and vegetables if you like. It’s very easy to customize.

I hope to introduce you to a fantastic recipe saving and grocery list building tool next week. Stay tuned!