Weeknight Meals: December 2023

Hi friends!! This month’s edition of “Week of Weeknight Meals” is a little different. I snapped pictures periodically this month but, admittedly, kept forgetting to take pictures of a full week in a row sooo this is more or less a snapshot of some out-of-order weeknight meals we’ve enjoyed this December so far.

As always, the majority of the meals are super simple and come together quickly which is the name of the game for our family, especially on a weeknight. You’ll find some seafood dishes, a sheet-pan meal, tried-and-true recipe favorites, an Instant Pot recipe and more. I hope something below pops out at you the next time you’re on the lookout for dinner inspiration!

Weeknight Meals (December 2023)

• Paleo Fish Chowder (Leftovers)

Something about flipping through a new cookbook serves as a great way to increase my motivation to try new recipes in the kitchen. I recently added Paleo Perfected, a new-to-me cookbook from a local used bookstore, to my collection and I love the way the previous owner starred and dog-eared favorite recipes. One recipe they flagged was a recipe for a paleo fish chowder and as a seafood lover, I knew it was one I wanted to try. Considering the recipe looked rather involved, I made it on Sunday when I had more time on my hands but the leftovers were perfect reheated on a Monday night for dinner. I added a bunch of wild caught canned clams to the chowder so our version was more of a fish and clam chowder but it was wonderfully flavorful.

• Air Fryer Baked Salmon with Sweet Potatoes and Homemade Sourdough Bread

Ryan had a work dinner the night I made this meal so I was riding solo with the boys. I wanted something fairly hands-off and ended up baking salmon in the air fryer after seasoning it with garlic salt and dill. On the side I had a baked sweet potato and sourdough toast, both topped with butter. Bless my sister for leaving a full loaf of her homemade sourdough bread in our freezer after her Thanksgiving visit! It’s the gift that keeps giving.

• Creamy Cashew Carrot Ginger Soup with Sour Cream and Air Fryer Baked Chicken

Wednesday nights are basketball nights for the big kids in our house so dinners happen early and they are usually the ultimate in quick and simple. Exhibit A: Soup and chicken! I heated up a box of Pacific Foods’ Organic Cashew Carrot Ginger Soup and stirred sour cream and whole milk Greek yogurt into the soup for a little tart flavor and some extra creaminess. I also baked some chicken breasts in the air fryer and sliced them up to serve on the side for a little protein staying power.

• Whole Wheat Pasta Shells with Paleo Chicken Meatballs, Marinara and Parmesan Cheese

Pasta night is the ultimate easy dinner solution in our house! This meal looked like whole wheat shells served with Amylu Paleo chicken meatballs (from Costco), marinara sauce (from Thrive Market) and freshly-grated parmesan cheese. Simple and delicious!

• Sheet Pan Chicken and Vegetables

This meal was so good and so easy as long as you don’t count the prep time from chopping a bunch of veggies. Thankfully I did that part ahead of time (hooray for food prep) and tossed the veggies (a mix of brussels sprouts, celery, onion, carrots, and delicata squash) in olive oil, thyme, garlic salt and lemon pepper and let them sit in the fridge for a day or two. When I was ready to make this meal, I poured them onto a baking sheet, topped them with chicken thighs and another sprinkle of lemon pepper and roasted everything at 400 degrees until the chicken was cooked through and the vegetables were tender. A bonus? This meal made our whole house smell amazing!

• Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Chicken with Mixed Grains and Butternut Squash

The BBQ pulled chicken recipe from Ambitious Kitchen never lets me down and I made it to serve with a simple reheat-and-eat side of lemon quinoa and butternut squash Daily Harvest grains mix. I made the pulled chicken in the Instant Pot rather than the slow cooker which worked well for a quick but easy meal for our family.

Question of the Day

Have you made any new recipes that were big hits in your house lately? Please share!