Weeknight Rescue//Week 20//Spring 2023

With Memorial Day fast approaching, I figured it was time to pull out a few cookout recipes and dishes that hint of summer. Make them this week or set them aside for your holiday gatherings next weekend.

Lighter New England-Style Shrimp Rolls

This recipe was the inspo for a lobster/shrimp roll combo that I did for my daughter’s graduation party on Friday night. The rolls were a hit! That said, the recipe is easy enough for a weeknight supper. Add corn on the cob and sliced watermelon and you might just feel like you’re at the beach.

Grilled Skirt Steak with Salsa Verde

Throwing something on the grill is an easy fix for dinner, especially if you have friends joining you. In this case, it’s skirt steak (or flank steak) along with an Italian-style salsa verde. Grill or roast some little potatoes or other vegetables and toss together a salad with this vinaigrette. 

Pasta with Simple Tomato Sauce

Sometimes a basic plate of pasta with red sauce hits the spot. This sauce is delicious tossed with any shape of pasta you like. Add freshly shaved Parmesan and a crisp salad (I’ve been leaning heaving on this dressing I developed for Simply Recipes). For a second veggie, try roasting asparagus using this method..

Loaded Chicken Quesadillas with Avocado Salsa

These quesadillas are a good way to use up leftover chicken or repurpose a rotisserie chicken from the store. Pair quesadilla wedges with a plate of crunchy veggies and a simple guacamole (1 avocado smashed with a few teaspoons lime juice, a tablespoon of minced onion, and a pinch of salt).

Instant Pot Black Beans

A simple pot of beans like this can be transformed into dinner in no time. Make them the center of a DIY taco bar, do up burrito bowls like these, or whirl them into a quick soup like this.

Soft Cooked Eggs with Butterered Toast “Soldiers”

My kids always talk about how often I made these tender eggs when they were little. They did (and still do) love dunking toast fingers into the yolk. If you’ve never used this method, give it a try!

Coconut Granola Bark

I consider this bark to be a cross between an oatmeal cookie and granola. It’s darn tasty. It’s made by pressing a mix of oats, nuts, brown sugar, and maple syrup onto a cookie sheet, baking it, and then breaking it into shards. It’s a good one to make on the weekend and pack into lunches, enjoy for snacks, or crumble over plain yogurt for breakfast.