For next week, I am planning some of my family’s favorite fall-inspired dinners that are easy to make, prep and clean up. Because Fall seems to be full of all kinds of busy even though we are doing all of the things from home. And honestly, fall cooking is my favorite. I just love all of the squash-y spice infused comfort foods that are in season.
(Yes, I know squash-y is not really a word but let’s make it one.)
I am still in love with my AnyList app for planning out a shopping list; it really helps keep me on track and my grocery bill lower even when I am doing all of my shopping from home, but whatever list-planning app you like works too.
So let’s make a meal plan for next week, right now. Because having one thing you can control is pretty awesome right now.
Top: Chipotle-Roasted Butternut Squash Tacos via Dishing Out Health
Sheet pan cooking is soooo fantastic if you have not yet discovered all its many joys. Our own Meatless Mondays just got bumped up a notch with this Roasted Tofu Acorn Squash and Broccoli Rabe with Calabrian Chili Paste I found on TheFeedFeed. I really appreciate recipes that integrate tofu in unique, flavorful ways, and this one requires just 10 minutes of prep and only 35 minutes to cook. Then, clean-up is a snap.
Related: 7 easy sheet pan dinners: Less time, less clean-up.
I’m going with a more squash-y recipe for this week’s Taco Tuesday — as you might have guessed — because I kept salivating over this recipe for Chipotle-Roasted Butternut Squash Tacos from Dishing Out Health ever since I found it last week. I find that chipotle pepper is a great spice when cooking for kids, because it is a bit sweet and not throat-burning spicy like other peppers. Don’t skip the avocado sauce in this recipe — it is ah-mazing.
Growing up, one of my most favorite things my dad cooked was “crispy fish.” It is now one of my kids’ favorites too. The best thing about “crispy fish” is that it’s about the easiest dish you can prepare on a weeknight. If you need a place to start, try this fantastic recipe for Crispy Panko Fish Sticks by Nick Evans at Simply Recipes, which gives you the complete play-by-play. (Not that you’ll need a lot because it’s so simple.) You can use any mild white fish your family likes, and I suggest cod or tilapia, which are both easy on the pocketbook. I serve ours with a side of rice and green veggies — but fries and coleslaw work too.
Lindsay at Pinch of Yum shared this recipe for Arroz Con Pollo last week and it was a drop-everything-and-make-this-dish-immediately moment for me. Luckily, I had everything I needed right in my kitchen, and it came out so dang good! Like, lick the plates clean kind of good. In fact, I am making it again this week.
I’m throwing down our absolute favorite sloppy joe recipe this next Friday because my family loves it and I show my love back to them through cooking. The Bacon Cheeseburger Sloppy Joes by Sabrina at Dinner Then Dessert is one of those recipes you will come back to over and over. It’s probably not the most calorie-conscious recipe (ahem), but sometimes your really just need that kind of belly-filling comfort food. Balance it out with a huge green salad or some fresh produce in season right now and it all evens out right?
Related: Easy comfort food dinners to usher us into a very weird fall
So, let’s not skip dessert his week. I’m sharing my very number one new indulgence with you all: The Pioneer Woman’s Pumpkin Sheet Cake Recipe. It’s been around since 2014 but if you haven’t tried it yet, I swear, everyone needs to make this at least once this fall. I have baked about three of them myself in the past two weeks. Because, sheetcaking. Besides, I can’t get enough of all the pumpkin recipes for fall.
Follow our Weekly Meal Plan Ideas for Families board on Pinterest @CoolMomEats for even more ideas!
I put these weekly meals plans together based on recipes I am actually cooking for my family, and with you in mind. If you have suggestions, tips or recommendations for recipes or other food bloggers I should check out please comment here, or shoot me a message in our Recipe Rescue group on Facebook. – Lisa
