Recipes for the week
Mini recipe + reader faves 🌞
Happy Sunday. Today, I have a mini recipe + reader faves to keep you cooking the rest of the week.
Weekend Update
I got back from the beach on Friday (with just a minor sunburn, despite my best efforts). I had so much great food on our trip, and I enjoyed my day lounging at The People’s Beach at Jacob Riis Park. I actually baked my gloop into muffins (lovingly called “gluffins” now), and they were a perfect snack for the beach! I made the gluffins with about 3 cups of my date-cacao gloop, and it made a great chocolatey coffee muffin. I also had to end the trip with a lox bagel, and although delicious, I did miss the capers and tomato.
When I returned home, I made another reverse-seared sirloin steak taco salad. I really need to get my recipe put together for that one. I season the steak liberally with chipotle powder, ancho chili powder, cayenne powder, salt, and pepper. I bake it for about 40 minutes (depending on the thickness) and then quickly sear it. The salad is just whatever I have at the moment—chopped romaine lettuce, radishes, cucumber, or maybe chopped sweet peppers or roasted corn—and finished with crispy tortilla strips and cheese. I make a simple dressing with Greek yogurt, agave, chipotle powder, and lemon juice. It’s perfect!
MINI RECIPE
I can’t get this chicken out of my head. It’s sort of an “express” chicken cacciatore, but I loved it all the same. Simply pat four bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs dry and season with salt and pepper. Brown them, skin-side down, in an oven-proof wide pot until the skin is golden and crisp. Flip and cook for 1 minute more. Add sliced red and green bell peppers, sliced onion, and a few minced garlic cloves around the chicken and turn off the heat. Season the peppers and onions with a bit of salt and pepper. Transfer to a 425ºF oven for about 30 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165ºF. Meanwhile, boil 12 ounces of linguine until al dente and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.
Remove the pot from the oven and transfer the chicken to a platter. Return the pot of peppers and onions to the stove over medium heat, and add a heaping tablespoon of tomato paste (maybe even closer to 2 for an extra savory flavor). Mash the paste into the peppers for about 1 minute until it sizzles and browns. Be sure to season liberally with salt, pepper, and a bit of crushed red pepper. Add the pasta cooking water and a sprinkle of sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for a few minutes until it thickens and reduces. Add the cooked linguine and toss to coat. Arrange the chicken on top and sprinkle the tops of the chicken with shredded mozzarella (next time, I may try with rounds of mozzarella) and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Broil until the cheese melts and browns. Serve immediately.
It’s not an ideal hot weather meal, but it sure is comforting and easy to make!
Now let’s get into some recipes to inspire your meal plans for the rest of the week.
READER FAVES
Pineapple Ritz Cracker Upside-Down Cake
Thank you so much for the comment, Jannette! So happy to hear everyone loved this! It’s such a wonderful summer cake!
Miso-Maple Tahini Noodle Salad
Thank you so much for the comment, Rae! So happy you enjoyed this with sugar snap peas. Delish!
Tomato-Basil Shrimp and Zucchini
Thank you, Mary! No leftovers always feels like the biggest achievement! So happy everyone enjoyed this summery dinner!
Pasta with Vermouth Cream Sauce
Thank you, Angela! Extra butter is always the right move. So happy to hear you enjoyed it.
MORE IDEAS
Balsamic Farro Salad with Figs
This balsamic farro salad with figs is sweet, savory, and filling thanks to roasted figs, cherry tomatoes, and an easy balsamic vinaigrette.
Pasta with Sausage and White Beans
This pasta with sausage and white beans is a perfect midweek recipe. It’s an easy-to-prepare pasta recipe, and you can throw just about anything in it.
Lemon-Ricotta Nectarine Tart
This lemon-ricotta nectarine tart is the best of summer, baked into a flaky puff pastry with the perfect amount of decadence from the lemon-ricotta base.
Charred Broccoli and Chicken Orzo
This cheesy charred broccoli and chicken orzo is an easy, cacio-e-pepe-adjacent pasta recipe you’ll love on a weeknight. It’s peppery and cheesy and has a touch of brininess from capers.
Seared Swordfish with Orzo
Easy, herby, bright, and filling. The perfect midweek dinner.
That’s all for this week! I hope everyone has a great week filled with lots of tasty food. If you make one of my recipes, please drop a comment on the post to let me know how it turns out; I’d love to hear from you! You can also respond directly to this email! Byeeeeeeee! 💖💖
-kylie
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Looking to incorporate more vegan dishes into your meal plan? View all the plant-based recipes I post on Exploring Vegan!