As we sail into another meal plan, I want to take a moment to acknowledge how the best laid plans are often nudged—or dramatically shoved—aside.
Here is my very own case in point (and believe me, this is a very real-life moment in the Mom 100 household). We had agreed (at the last minute: another family bailed—and you’ll see why they are smarter than me shortly) to have a large group of teenagers over to our place for a cast party after the final performance of the school play. We made the usual “no drugs or alcohol in our home, please” noises. I made a ton of food. We parents said hello and disappeared (as requested) when the kids arrived.
Then we reappeared earlier than anticipated, and when I tell you those teenagers started scurrying when they heard us coming . . . I haven’t seen people move that fast since . . . well, since I was in high school and parents came home early. (But in all seriousness, the shenanigans were all very minor, and I saw my kid trying hard to do the right thing and keep everything under control.)
Due to the (cough) rapid departure of our guests, there were a lot of leftovers. All of this is to say we have been eating a lot of chicken tenders and macaroni and cheese and chocolate chip cookies in recent days. So, suffice it to conclude that meal plans need to be flexible.
Enough with our lives! On to your meal plan.
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Start the week off right with Moroccan Lamb and Butternut Squash Stew.
A classic one-pot meal, with the vegetables cooked right in there. Reheats like a dream (so make it on Sunday if you can!).
Click here for the recipe.
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A little lighter for the middle of the week with Poached Salmon with Cilantro Sauce. If you think poaching fish is hard, nah, it is not. And this pretty Spring sauce (a little early, but with the start of Daylight Savings Time— one of my favorite days of the year— I’m totally in the zone) is also a total cinch, and there are a whole slew of other easy sauce choices if cilantro isn’t your jam.
Click here for the recipe.
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I love a good pasta salad for dinner, and this is a great one, translating all of our favorite Greek salad ingredients and flavors into a satisfying room-temp pasta dish. Never make "just enough" pasta salad—it’s one of the best types of leftovers on the planet.
Click here for the recipe.
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Hello, read-all-the-way-through-until-Friday people! This one’s just for you. Quickly seared chops are finished in a rich, creamy leek pan sauce made in the same skillet you used to brown the chops. The seared chops finish cooking in the sauce, leaving you with a one-dish meal that you might like to have in a restaurant. Serve this with mashed potatoes, rice, or a grain salad, and a fluffy salad.
Click here for the recipe.
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BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE . . .
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Do you have meal-planning gripes, questions, or things you want to suggest? Let me know on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter!
No, you hang up first,
 
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