Baked Ziti Casserole & Crispy Ranch Chicken Tenders share side dishes to make this week’s meal ideas easy. Plus, I’m planning a make ahead pancake casserole for breakfast, easy cookies for dessert and a fun snack to complete the week!
This Week’s Secret To Success
- I chose the recipes for this week’s meal ideas based on “balance” and “versatility.” These are 2 strategies I rely on a lot when I’m deciding and planning what to make for dinner.
- Balance- simply means combining “big asks” (or tasks) with small ones, balancing out the workload so that your time in the kitchen isn’t a big commitment every day.
- This week, that means pairing up a really easy meal like baked ziti casserole and salad with the larger task of frying chicken tenders later on in the week.
- Secondly, I incorporated some mix and match items (versatility). I know I might have big plans, but as the week wears on my motivation to cook might shrink as other commitments crowd in. So the vegetables this week have the ability to go with both meals, allowing me to pull out leftovers to round out a meal if I need to.
A successful meal isn’t just about tasty or convenient recipes. It’s about what happens around the table too!
So, don’t forget to make a plan for you table this week!
Here are some of the things I keep on hand to set the table. I use many of them week after week. They make meal time special and inviting others over for dinner fun and easy.
This week, I am LOVING filling the scalloped wooden bowl with little knit pumpkins for an easy, perfect touch of fall centerpiece! SO cute!
This will be a table I set again and again this season.
- scalloped disposable plates- navy with gold rim
- wooden scalloped serving bowl
- wooden charger plates
- wooden candle sticks
- cozy knit pumpkins
- retro handle silverware
- fandango camel/gold dinner napkins by Hen House Linens (my go-to neutrals for the season)
- gold/ amber stem glasses
- gorgeous quality navy tablecloth
Menu 1- Easy Baked Ziti Casserole
Tomato Alfredo Baked Ziti is an easy family pasta dish that combines the bright, tomato-ey goodness of marinara with rich, cheesy alfredo sauce to create the creamiest, most delectable saucy pasta around! Keep this meal super simple with a green salad & quick homemade vinaigrette. It's a winner of meal no one can turn down!
Menu 2- Crispy Ranch Chicken Tenders
If seriously tasty chicken strips are your thing, then Crispy Ranch Chicken Tenders are for you! Loaded with all the flavor of buttermilk and Ranch seasoning, these chicken tenders are bound to become your favorite easy fried chicken recipe. Serve them with roasted cabbage steaks and pimento cheese hash brown casserole for a full meal that satisfies!
Dessert This Week
Classic Fudgy Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are part rich, fudgy brownie and part delicious cookie! A true chocolate lover’s dream, this easy recipe makes the best soft chocolate cookies using both baking chocolate and dark cocoa powder.
Came out looking exactly like your photos!
Love all your tips and extra hints to make these cookies award winning.
Wonderful recipe ! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ~Wendy
Breakfast Made Easy
Now you can enjoy a warm stack of pancakes just by turning on the oven! This Chocolate Chip Pancake Casserole is a true short cut recipe using frozen buttermilk pancakes soaked in a rich egg custard with vanilla, cinnamon, pecans and an indulgent sprinkle of chocolate chips. Pancakes have never been so easy!
Snack of the Week
With a cream cheese filling that’s loaded with fresh herbs and real bacon, these cherry tomato appetizers are literal BLT flavor bombs you and your guests will love! Serve Bacon Cream Cheese Stuffed Tomatoes at cookouts, parties, for holidays, showers, even brunch. We’ll be loving them as our game day (or after school) snack of the week!
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