Recipes for the week
New recipe + reader faves 🌞
Happy Sunday. Today, I have a new recipe, reader faves, and a few more from the archive to inspire your first-week-of-the-new-year meals.
Weekend Update
Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a wonderful time ringing in 2026. I made an amazing “Cherry Garcia” upside-down cake, but as you can see from the photo, my frosting needs some work! It tasted SO good, so I can’t wait to remake it and share the recipe.
My first week of 2026 has been really great, and I feel like I’m starting the new year with a very full cup and heart. On Friday, I had dinner with a wonderful friend visiting from Spain, and yesterday, I went to DC with my friends to try an espresso in a cookie cup. We had a great lunch at La Bonne Vache and shopped in Georgetown for a bit.
Today, I’m making a roasted chicken with my favorite mac and cheese (recipe linked below).
For now, let’s get into some recipes to inspire your meal plans for the week.
NEW RECIPE
Ricotta Beef Meatballs with Orzo
When I first developed this recipe, I wanted to call them Party Balls, but that felt a bit crass. I must say, though, that these really are perfect meatballs for a party; they make enough to serve a crowd, and they deliver big flavor and just the right amount of richness.
READER FAVES
Shirley Temple Upside-Down Cake
This message came from Instagram, and I’m so thrilled it was a hit for your NYE party! This reader had to use dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar, and it still worked well. Yum!
Hazelnut Chicken Meatballs with Orzo
How fortuitous that this comment came in right as I was developing a beef meatball recipe with orzo! I’m so happy you and your wife love this recipe so much, Brian!
Easy Miso-Sesame Chickpeas
Thank you, Tyra! I’m so happy you and your partner both love this recipe. And it’s especially a perfect recipe for the new year when you feel like you need a break from cookies and rich food. So light and flavorful!
First Week of 2026 Recipes
Harissa Mac and Cheese
The spicy, smoky flavor of harissa paste works so perfectly with a decadent mornay sauce in this harissa mac and cheese recipe.
Spicy Ginger and Sweet Potato Chicken Soup
This spicy ginger and sweet potato chicken soup is easy to make with a fragrant, spicy homemade broth and tender sweet potatoes.
Lemon Pepper Shrimp and Broccoli
This lemon-pepper shrimp and broccoli recipe is the easy, flavorful shrimp dinner you need in your regular rotation. It delivers the perfect balance of acidic, spicy, and sweet for a perfect dinner.
Chicken and Yellow Lentil Soup
By far one of the most comforting lentil dinner recipes I’ve ever made, this chicken and yellow lentil soup will warm you up and soothe your soul.
Arugula Pesto Pasta
Homemade arugula pesto transforms this simple pesto pasta recipe into a rich, peppery, and delicious dish.
Chicken with Arugula Pasta Salad
Roasted chicken leg quarters with a spicy, sweet, nutty arugula pasta salad is the dinner of my dreams right now.
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
And if none of these recipes caught your eye, use the link below to view all my recipes.
Looking to incorporate more vegan dishes into your meal plan? View all the plant-based recipes I post on Exploring Vegan!