Five Meals for Your Family Table......Week 10

Ugh....the Monday after springing forward.....I kinda feel like I lost more than just one hour.

But at least you won't have to take the time to meal plan....we have got that covered for you right here! And of course we have included a few Irish inspired meals for this St. Patrick's Day week!

one

This Roasted Vegetable Tortellini is quick and filling and a perfect meal for Meatless Monday. You can make it with just about any vegetables you want. My favorites are zucchini, red peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, and mushrooms. Chop up about 4 cups of veggies and put on a foil lined baking sheet. Drizzle with a little EVOO, season with salt & pepper, toss to coat and roast at 425 for about 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through. While the veggies roast, cook a package of tortellini according to package instructions. When the veggies are done, toss them with the tortellini and sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

two

Celebrating St. Patrick's Day all week with our first of two Irish inspired dinners. This Shepherd's Pie is full of flavor and made a little better for you with a cauliflower crust. You can grab the recipe here.

three

Roasted Chicken with Brussel Sprouts is such a comforting meal. And as a bonus, you will use some of this meal to make tomorrow's pizza. A few years ago, I had been intimidated by the thought of roasting a whole chicken. Seemed like some fancy meal that was way out of my everyday league. Turns out it's pretty simple to make. It needs to roast for about 1- 1 1/2 hours, so you need to plan on a day you will be home. I adapted this recipe from Ina Garten. I follow her recipe, omitting the bacon on the chicken. It still tastes delicious....so many layers of flavor from the lemon, garlic and thyme. She also makes a gravy with white wine. I simply remove the chicken to a platter and keep the roasting pan over a burner on low heat and add some chicken broth to make a sauce. You can add some cornstarch or flour if you need to thicken it. You can grab my recipe for the brussel sprouts here. Just make a few extra to use on the pizzas tomorrow.

four

Flatbread pizzas with Sprouts and Salad. I have shared before the idea of a flatbread pizza bar. This version with sprouts is another option. Spread a couple spoonfuls of ricotta on the flat bread and top with some of your brussel sprouts and chicken from last nights dinner. Sprinkle with some goat cheese (or whatever cheese you want) and bake at 425 for about 7 minutes. These flat breads are so good... and paired with a salad, a really simple dinner solution. If your kids are not into these flavors, just let them build their own flatbreads with some sauce and veggies!

five

You can't make it through St. Patrick's Day week without some Corned Beef & Cabbage! I look forward to this all year round! Even better... my mom makes it for us every year! This recipe is perfect if you have a busy week.... pop the ingredients in your slow cooker and let the meat simmer all day! You can grab the recipe here.