Easy Weekly Dinner Menu #116: Unwelcome Surprises

This easy weekly dinner menu features BBQ chicken burgers, chicken fried rice, slow cooker red beans and rice, and lots more!

Thursday I went to pick up my little one from preschool, only to be told that there would be no school on Friday for teacher development. (I’m not sure why this development couldn’t have happened last week during spring break…) This is not great timing (like it’s ever convenient to get the no-school surprise) because I was supposed to go somewhere Friday morning: a Pilates class. Yes, me, the person who usually considers a couple hours of shopping at Target a good workout. I even invited a friend to go with me, which is good for moral support but also meant I couldn’t flake. If it weren’t for her, this school closure would have been the perfect excuse not to go!

Lucky for me, my friend had to cancel, so I got to flake after all! Since exercising was off, my son and I met a friend and her two little girls at a pond to feed ducks. (The pond happens to be in front of a cemetery, which has nothing to do with this story but is weird and funny, so I had to share that bit of info.) When were almost ready to leave, my child FELL IN THE POND. I was having a perfectly nice conversation with my friend, and then my kid was suddenly armpit-deep in filthy duck water calling for me to save him.

Save him I did, and then we had to figure out what to do (as soon as we could stop laughing). Fortunately, we weren’t far from a store, so I took his wet clothes off, buckled him into the car seat naked, and my friend followed me to Kohl’s. She sat in the parking lot with all three kids while I went in to find him new clothes and shoes. (This is extremely reminiscent of the strawberry picking incident.) After dressing him, of course we had to treat ourselves to lunch.

Doesn’t it always come back to the food? That is my very favorite thing, even more than exercising. While I was eating lunch, I was thinking about what we’d have for dinner because that’s how I operate. If you’re thinking about what to make for dinner too, check out these seven easy recipes for the coming week!

1. NEW! Chicken Fried Rice [Click here for recipe] – This tasty rice dish is loaded with protein and low in fat. You can enjoy your Chinese takeout favorite without the guilt!
2. Loaded Mexican Pizza [Click here for recipe] – You need to try this.
3. Kale and Quinoa Salad with Salmon or Chicken [Click here for recipe] – You can’t beat citrus and salmon for a fresh-tasting meal! Substitute chicken if you aren’t a seafood fan.
4. NEW! Baked Fish Foil Packets [Click here for recipe] – Speaking of healthy dinners, you’ll love these easy fish packets.
5. NEW! BBQ Chicken Burgers [Click here for recipe] – If you love the flavor of BBQ sauce, you won’t want to miss this recipe.
6. Lemon Chicken Pasta [Click here for recipe] – This is one of the first recipes I shared here and still a favorite!
7. Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice [Click here for recipe] – You don’t even have to soak the beans in this easy, authentic-tasting meal!