This Week’s Dinner Recipes

Hi friends. I’m not sure about you, but I’ve hit a bit of a wall with my weekly dinner menu. On the chance you’re in the same boat, I’m sharing the recipes I’m making for dinner this week. And if you feel like helping a girl out and letting me know what you’re cooking up in your kitchen, I would sure love to know!

Balsamic Pork and Vegetables

What You Need

• 1 pork tenderloin
• 1 pound Brussel sprout, rinsed and halved
• 1/2 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced (I purchase the pre-cubed squash that you can find in the produce section at your grocery store)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 cup fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Parmesan cheese for garnish
• Fresh parsley for garnish

What You Do

• Preheat your oven to 450. Season pork tenderloin with salt and pepper.
• Whisk or blend the following in a food processor to make the sauce: olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, rosemary leaves, Italian seasoning, honey, and pepper.
• In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the pork tenderloin and cook, turning frequently until brown on all sides, about 10-12 minutes.
• In the meantime, line a sheet pan with tin foil. Spread Brussel sprouts and diced butternut squash, season with salt and pepper and toss with a tablespoon of olive oil. Push veggies to the side to make room for the pork tenderloin.
• Once browned, transfer the pork tenderloin to the sheet pan. Baste the tenderloin with half the balsamic sauce and drizzle on the Brussel sprouts with the sauce as well. Roast in oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the pork is done and Brussel sprouts are nicely browned.
• Cut the pork tenderloin into thick 1/2-inch slices and serve with the other half of the balsamic sauce on top. Sprinkle the roasted Brussel sprouts with Parmesan. Garnish the whole dish with chopped parsley. I serve this dish with a side of brown rice to fill up my big eaters.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortellini Bowls

This recipe is from the amazing Courtney Holsworth at A Life From Scratch.

What You Need

• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• Lots of carrots, chopped
• Lots of celery, chopped
• 1 diced onion
• Few cloves grated garlic
• One bay leaf, for good luck
• Salt & pepper
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 6-7 cups chicken stock
• Package of fresh tortellini, whatever kind your family likes
• Bunch of torn spinach

What You Do

1. Combine ingredients up until the tortellini in the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours.
2. Shred up the chicken and return to the slow cooker along with the fresh tortellini. Cook another 10 or so.
3. Stir in the fresh spinach and cook another minute or two.
4. Serve in big bowls with a sprinkle of parmesan and crusty bread.

Easy Chicken Stir Fry

Adapted from SkinnyTaste.com, this dinner is quick to make, healthy to eat, and a hit with everyone at my table.

What You Need

• 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• 2 tablespoons mirin
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon canola oil divided
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 1 pound chicken breast (sliced very thinly)
• 2 cups zucchini (cut 1/4 inch thick half moons)
• Sesame seeds and scallions for garnish

What You Do

• In a large bowl, add the soy sauce, chicken broth, corn starch, mirin, sugar, and sesame oil and whisk until everything is completely dissolved.
• In a large skillet, add one teaspoon canola oil on medium high heat and cook half the chicken until just cooked through, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Set aside on a plate.
• Repeat with the second half of the chicken and an additional teaspoon of oil. Remove the chicken to the plate.
• Add in the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil, garlic, and ginger and cook for 30-45 seconds until very fragrant but not browned.
• Stir in the garlic and ginger and add in the sauce, whisking well. Cook the sauce 1 minute, then add in the zucchini and cook for 2 minutes more, until thickened and the zucchini is tender crisp. Remove from heat, add in the chicken, and stir well to coat. Garnish with sesame seeds and scallions if desired.

TikTok’s Baked Feta & Cherry Tomato Pasta

This recipe lives up to its Tik Tok hype! It easily serves 4-6 as is. I made a few little changes to the original recipe posted below that I’ll tell you about upfront:

• I didn’t mix the pasta into the feta and tomato sauce. Instead, I kept it as a separate sauce.
• I added a few stalks of asparagus to the cheese and tomatoes to add some greens.
• Since I’m watching my carbs, I made some zucchini spirals for me. They were delish with the sauce!
• To add some protein, I marinated some chicken in Garlic Expressions dressing and baked it in the same oven with the cheese, tomatoes, and asparagus. (I can find this dressing everywhere: Jewel, Sunset, and Heinen’s.)

What You Need

• 1 box of your favorite pasta
• 8-ounce block of feta cheese
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3-4 basil leaves, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• lemon zest

What You Do

1. Preheat oven to 400. Add cherry tomatoes to a baking dish and add 1/4 cup olive oil, chopped garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix together. Add the block of feta cheese to the center of the baking dish. Top with 1 tablespoon olive oil and oregano. Add lemon zest. Bake for 25-30 minutes until tomatoes are roasted and feta is soft-melted.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook pasta according to boxed instructions. Strain pasta and set aside.
3. Remove tomatoes and feta from oven and using a spoon, add fresh basil. Mix together the tomatoes and cheese to create a sauce (you’ll need to smoosh the tomatoes). Add in your cooked pasta and mix together until all noodles are evenly coated. Serve and enjoy!

I hope these recipes jazz up your weekly dinner rotation! Have a great week!

xo,

Photo of me by Jenn Marie Photography