We really enjoyed putting together our 2010 Quick and Easy Holiday Menu and we've been hearing from other busy families that complete menus are, not surprisingly, more helpful than single recipes when planning out your week of meals. In 2011, our posts will combine old and new recipes to build a nice collection of menus for any occasion. We hope you find this new approach useful, so let us know what you think!
We're kicking things off with this comforting Italian-inspired menu:
Spaghetti and Meatballs
Fennel, Orange and Parmesan Salad
Ricotta with Walnuts and Honey
The spaghetti and meatball recipe is best made on a weekend when you have a bit more time. If you make it as directed it yields a large amount (in fact, we're making it this weekend for a potluck) and the sauce and meatball combination freezes well, so depending on the size of your family you can get two or three dinners out of it.
The fennel salad is a light and crunchy foil for the rich and hearty pasta entree and you can make it while the spaghetti is boiling and the sauce and meatballs are warming.
The ricotta dessert was also big hit in our house: sweet enough for the kids but also unprocessed and healthy enough for the mothers. Like the salad, the ricotta can be assembled quickly and easily on a weeknight.
Buon Appetito!
