Weeknight Dinner Planner: 5 Simple 30-Minute Dinner Ideas
Monday: Grilled Pizza Margherita
Pizza is especially easy to make at home in the summertime. Just heat up the grill, lay out your toppings and you're in business.
Recipe: Try Rachael Ray's Grilled Pizza Margherita
Tuesday: Sliced Steak with Early Summer Corn & Spring Onion Maque Choux
The steak is soaked in garlic-butter and thyme, giving it flavor and juiciness, which goes great with a spicy New Orlean side dish called maque choux.
Recipe: Try Rach's Sliced Steak with Early Summer Corn & Spring Onion Maque Choux
Wednesday: Sicilian-Style Saffron Cod with Burst Tomatoes
Be sure to toast a few slices of your favorite bread to sop up the delish citrus-y, tomato-y, garlicky leftover liquid in your bowl. You wouldn't want all that flavor to go to waste!
Recipe: Try Rach's Sicilian-Style Saffron Cod with Burst Tomatoes
Thursday: Shrimp, Mexican Chorizo & Pineapple Tacos with Tequila & Lime
These tacos are jam-packed with lots of tasty textures from the shrimp, pineapple, cabbage and sausage. Use corn or flour tortillas, depending on your preference. Don't forget to squeeze lime all over!
Recipe: Try Rach's Shrimp, Mexican Chorizo & Pineapple Tacos with Tequila & Lime
Friday: Charred Scallion Pesto Pasta
There's not much better than fresh pesto on pasta with extra cheese on top. Bonus: it's easy to make a big batch for a large party.
Recipe: Try Rachael's Charred Scallion Pesto Pasta
Shopping List
For the Grilled Pizza Margherita
- Flour
- 1 lb. pizza dough, store-bought or homemade
- 1 can (14 to 14.5 oz.) plum or diced tomatoes
- EVOO
- 1 large clove garlic
- Aged balsamic vinegar
- Fennel pollen or ground fennel seeds
- Salt
- Natural olive oil cooking spray
- 3/4 lb. fresh mozzarella
- 12 fresh basil leaves
For the Sliced Steak with Early Summer Corn & Spring Onion Maque Choux
- 2 lbs. flatiron steak, flank steak or trimmed 1 in.-thick boneless ribeye
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Olive or canola oil
- Butter
- 4 cloves garlic
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 3 ears corn
- 1 bunch spring onions or scallions
- 1 rib celery with leafy tops
- 1 Fresno or red finger chile
- 1 jalapeño
- Heavy cream
- 1 lime
- Fresh thyme
- Hot sauce, preferably Tabasco
For the Sicilian-Style Saffron Cod with Burst Tomatoes
- Saffron threads
- Chicken stock
- EVOO
- 1 small onion
- 2 large cloves garlic
- 1 fresh bay leaf
- Salt and pepper
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
- Dry or citrusy crisp white wine
- 4 6-oz. pieces cod or black bass, preferably sustainable, skin removed
- Flat-leaf parsley
- 1 lemon
- 1 orange
- 1-2 anchovies (optionsal)
- Crusty bread
For the Shrimp, Mexican Chorizo & Pineapple Tacos with Tequila & Lime
- Olive oil
- 3/4 lb. fresh (Mexican) chorizo
- 3/4 lb. medium shrimp (deveined)
- Salt and pepper
- 1/4 fresh pineapple
- 1 bunch spring onions or scallions
- 2 jalapeños
- Cilantro or parsley
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 3 oz. shots silver tequila
- 2 limes
- 12-16 6-in. corn tortillas
- Shredded white or red cabbage
- Hot sauce, preferable Green Tabasco or Frank's RedHot
For the Charred Scallion Pesto Pasta
- Salt
- 3 bunches scallions
- Canola oil
- Sea salt and pepper
- 1 lb. spaghetti or egg tagliatelle
- 2 large cloves garlic
- Fresh basil
- Flat-leaf parsley
- Fresh mint
- Grated parmigiano-reggiano
- 1 lemon
- EVOO
- Grated ricotta salata (optional)