On The Menu 4th Week In March

Need some mealtime inspiration? This On The Menu for the fourth week of March is packed with 45 easy and delicious recipes your family will love.

Happy Spring, friends! I’ve planned a delicious week full of fresh flavors and satisfying textures. Since we eat with our eyes first, I always keep presentation in mind, too! With the first day of spring on Thursday, March 20th, it’s the perfect time to start making early spring recipes.

Here’s what’s On The Menu for the third week of March…

Need an easy spring dinner idea? This creamy Tuscan chicken pasta with a crisp Italian chopped salad is a fresh and flavorful meal to make this week.

This creamy Tuscan chicken pasta is one of those recipes that tastes much richer than you would expect. The sauce is creamy, tangy, and full of flavor, and the whole wheat pasta gives it such nice texture. It sounds like a lighter recipe, but it certainly does not taste like one.

I always love a pasta dinner paired with a big salad, and this Italian chopped salad sounds like the perfect match. It is fresh and colorful, adding just the right crisp bite to the creamy pasta.

Weight Watchers Tuscan Chicken Pasta

Mom’s Classic Italian Chopped Salad

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I know spring has officially arrived, but this is still the perfect time to make Nani’s Sauteed Chicken. It is one of those old family recipes that never goes out of style.

This chicken has been made in my family for generations. My mother made it and her mother before her, and so on. It is simple, humble, and so very good. I’ve changed the recipe just a little over the years. I follow the recipe on the stove until everything is simmering nicely, then I put the pan in a 350-degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes. The skin stays crisp, and the chicken turns so tender it nearly falls off the bone.

I’m serving it with mashed potatoes because the pan juices spooned over the top are just too good to miss. Roasted carrots are on the side, too, and they add a little sweetness and such good flavor to the meal.

And one more thing, this chicken makes the whole house smell wonderful as it cooks. For me, it smells like home.

Nani’s Sauteed Chicken

Ina Garten’s Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes

Scrumptious Roasted Organic Carrots

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These garlic Marry Me pork chops are one of those dinners that feel a little special but are so easy to make. It’s the kind of meal that works just as well for a busy weeknight as it does when company is coming.

The sauce is really what makes this recipe. It’s rich and full of flavor with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, Parmesan, and fresh basil. Everything comes together in such a simple way, but the end result tastes like you spent much more time in the kitchen.

I’m pairing this with leftover make-ahead mashed potatoes (I could eat them with every meal), which always make dinner feel a little easier. And a side of spinach with garlic, along with warm garlic bread, is perfect for soaking up every bit of that delicious sauce.

It’s a cozy, comforting meal with just a little bit of spring mixed in.

Garlic Marry Me Pork Chops

Ina Garten’s Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes

Sauteed Spinach With Garlic

Easy Homemade Garlic Bread

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This salmon recipe is one I reach for when I want something easy, fresh, and full of flavor. It comes together quickly.

Bobby and I try to eat salmon at least once a week, and this version with a lemony mustard sauce is such a good one. The lemon adds brightness and balances the richness of the salmon in the best way. It’s simple, but it makes such a difference.

I’m serving it with a lemony couscous salad. I especially like Israeli couscous because it has a little more substance and a nice texture. It makes the whole meal feel satisfying without being heavy.

This is one of those dinners that feels like early spring. Light, fresh, and so good.

Easy Baked Lemon Duon Salmon

Israeli Couscous Salad

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Friday nights call for something easy, and this French bread pizza is always a good idea. It’s simple, satisfying, and everyone loves it, especially me.

I like to keep it classic, but it’s also a great recipe to add a few extras. I’m planning to add caramelized onions and mushrooms to mine, which will give it a little extra flavor and make it feel just a bit more special.

This is the kind of meal I make on a busy day when I’ve been styling and taking photos and don’t want to spend much time in the kitchen. It’s such a fun dinner.

If you like artichokes, the side dish is one you don’t want to miss. It’s full of flavor and pairs so well with the pizza.

It’s a relaxed, end-of-the-week kind of dinner, and sometimes that’s exactly what’s needed.

French Bread Pizza

Artichoke Provencal

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This is the kind of dinner that feels a little extra special, and it’s perfect for a weekend or when company is coming.

A beef tenderloin is such a wonderful cut of meat. It tastes like filet mignon but is so easy to make at home. I always use a meat thermometer to get it just right. When it reaches about 135 degrees, I take it out and let it rest. That little step makes all the difference and keeps the meat tender and juicy.

I’m serving it with mushrooms sautéed in Marsala wine, and they are so good with the roast. The flavor is rich and pairs beautifully with the beef. I also love adding baked mashed potato cakes to the plate. They look a little special but are very simple to make.

To balance everything, there’s a fresh arugula salad with a lemony dressing. It adds a nice light bite alongside the richer parts of the meal.

And for dessert, a vanilla custard cake that makes its own layers as it bakes. It’s one of those desserts that always gets a little attention at the table.

This is such a lovely meal to slow down and enjoy.

Roast Beef Tenderloin

Baby Bella Mushrooms in Marsala Wine

Baked Mashed Potato Cakes

Arugula Salad with Shaved Parmesan, Pinenuts in a Lemon Vinaigrette

Magic Custard Cake

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This is such a pretty and easy meal for a relaxed Sunday, especially this time of year when asparagus is starting to show up everywhere.

This asparagus cheese tart is made with puff pastry, so it comes together without much fuss but looks like you spent much more time on it. It’s light, flavorful, and perfect for a simple lunch or early dinner.

I’m planning to serve it when the family comes over after church. I’m not sure the grandchildren will choose it first, but I know they will be happy to see my potato salad on the table. It’s one of those recipes that gets requested again and again, and it always disappears quickly.

And for something sweet, fresh strawberries with vanilla ice cream. It doesn’t get much easier, and it tastes like spring in the best way.

This is a simple, fresh way to end the week and enjoy a little extra time together.

Green Asparagus Cheese Tart

The Best Potato Salad

Fresh Strawberries and Vanilla Ice Cream

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This is a beautiful orange cake. It’s very moist and can be made with pantry ingredients. I’ll top it off with an orange glaze and zest for a bit of sweetness and intense orange flavor. This is the kind of cake that can work for something after lunch or dinner, or with a cup of coffee mid-moring or afternoon.

Best Orange Cake

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These scones are tender, buttery, and so hard to resist.

This snack cake is simple, sweet, and perfect with a cup of coffee.

These Air Fryer Salmon Cakes are crisp, flavorful, and easy to make.

This creamy lemon asparagus pasta tastes fresh and just right for spring.

This lemon glazed zucchini bread is bright, moist, and so pretty sliced.

These loaded tater tots are cheesy, crispy, and such a fun appetizer.

This herbed butter is a delicious way to use leftover herbs.

This brown butter sausage risotto is rich, creamy, and company worthy.

These strawberry lemon blondies are soft, sweet, and full of sunny flavor.

This chicken taco soup is hearty, easy, and always a favorite.

This baked pork tenderloin is juicy, flavorful, and so satisfying.

These orange oatmeal muffins are soft, lightly sweet, and perfect for breakfast.

These carrot cake bars are moist, creamy, and such a treat.

These egg bites are an easy make ahead breakfast for busy mornings.

This crustless corn and zucchini quiche is savory, simple, and full of flavor.

This chopped salad is crisp, fresh, and so delicious.

This lemon chicken is light, bright, and easy enough for any night of the week.

This baked cod is tender, flaky, and full of good flavor.

This potato and celery root gratin is creamy, savory, and comforting.

These spinach and feta puff pastry appetizers are flaky and so good.

These barely baked cookies are gooey, chocolatey, and always a favorite.

These rotisserie chicken tacos are quick, easy, and full of flavor.

This fish pie is cozy, old fashioned, and so satisfying.

Shopping

Things to make your meals easier…

Happy cooking, friends.