7 Savory Ideas for Dinner Tonight

These seven savory ideas for dinner will help you answer the constant question: What’s for dinner? That’s right. Dinner tonight is solved.

Everyone in my house is happiest when dinners are easy and planned ahead. For my kids, it adds an element of predictability that they appreciate. And for me, it means that dinner is as simple as following whatever plan I wrote down.

Moreover, when I plan ahead, we have less waste and also spend less on eating out.

So, as I am writing this it’s Sunday, the day I plan meals (when I do — I fully admit that I am not always great at doing so) and if you’re like me, you’re thinking up some interesting but easy meals that could hit your table this week. I’m here to help with seven savory recipes perfect for dinners this week.

And I can absolutely vouch for all of these recipes because I created ’em all. They’ve been published in other places — like my newspaper column, magazine column and occasionally other websites — so you might not have seen them before. But, I hope you check them out now.

Happy meal planning!

Roasted Broccoli Grain Bowl with Shallot Vinaigrette

Inspired by my cookbook, Grains as Mains, mild, nutty roasted broccoli is combined with sweet roasted onions and carrots and hearty barley for a delightful grain bowl. But the thing that makes this recipe really shine is the tangy, rich shallot vinaigrette. Mmm … This one is from my newspaper column, Maine Course, for The Bangor Daily News.

Get the Roasted Broccoli Grain Bowl with Shallot Vinaigrette recipe here.

Alphabet Chicken Soup

This one is pure comfort food for your family and loved ones. Talk about made with love! A fun take on chicken noodle soup, this hearty bowl is made with tiny alphabet-shaped pasta — along with carrots, onions and celery too. This one is from my newspaper column, Maine Course, for The Bangor Daily News.

Get the Alphabet Chicken Soup recipe here. 

One Skillet Cheesy Chicken with Broccoli

Wait. You want more comfort food? I don’t blame you. But I can, for sure, help with that. This One Skillet Cheesy Chicken with Broccoli isn’t just comforting though; it’s also crazy easy. And all your cheese-loving family will adore it. This I created for Momtastic, which I recently started writing about food for.

Get the One Skillet Cheesy Chicken with Broccoli recipe here. 

Roasted Root Vegetable Pasta with Tomatoes

I’m going to let you in on a little secret: I am addicted to roasting vegetables. From onions and Brussels sprouts to cabbage and broccoli, I adore them all. And this pasta celebrates roasted veggies by using them as the sauce. Carrots, parsnips, shallots and tomatoes combine with white beans for a hearty pasta toss. This one is from my newspaper column, Maine Course, for The Bangor Daily News.

Get the Roasted Root Vegetable Pasta with Tomatoes recipe here.

Fried Rice Style Roasted Vegetable Quinoa

Healthy quinoa stands in for rice in this tasty fried rice-style recipe. And yes, it has roasted vegetables. Again. Tis the season for roasting, I tell you. This one is from my newspaper column, Maine Course, for The Bangor Daily News.

Get the Fried Rice Style Roasted Vegetable Quinoa recipe here.

Creamy Garlic Fettuccine with Bacon and Roasted Red Peppers

Rich and satisfying are the best words to describe this creamy pasta dish filled with roasted red peppers, garlic, bacon and more. This is a dish for a special celebration or … just because. And I have to tell you, this is quite possible my favorite recipe that I’ve created this year. The combination of garlicky flavor with salty bacon and sweet roasted red peppers is divine.This one is from my newspaper column, Maine Course, for The Bangor Daily News.

Get the Creamy Garlic Fettuccine with Bacon and Roasted Red Peppers recipe here. 

Spinach, Ham and Swiss Quiche

Spinach joins ham and Swiss cheese in this easy quiche, perfect for brunch, lunch or dinner. Easy to make (you simply layer the ingredients in a pie shell and then bake), it’s a light but hearty spring dish. This one is from my monthly column In Season Now for Bangor Metro Magazine.

Get the Spinach, Ham and Swiss Quiche recipe here.