On The Menu 5th Week Of January
Find dinner inspiration with this easy weekly menu plan featuring 44 comforting recipes, from simple weeknight meals to cozy soups, sides, and sweet treats everyone will love.
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Doable, comforting dinners are the heart of this week’s menu plan. These meals lean on pantry, fridge, and freezer staples, the kind of recipes you can pull together without a special grocery run. They’re simple, satisfying, and full of the kind of flavor that makes dinner feel like a gift at the end of the day. Eat well this week
This is one of those dinners I keep coming back to. Pasta carbonara feels a little special, but it’s made with just a handful of simple ingredients I usually have on hand. Paired with a classic Caesar salad, it’s an easy, comforting way to start the week.
Pasta Carbonara
Caesar Salad With Homemade Dressing
Salmon cakes are pure nostalgia for me. I grew up eating them, and they’re still one of my favorite easy dinners. Whether you use fresh or canned salmon, this meal is practical, flavorful, and perfect with crispy potatoes and simple green beans on the side. This recipe is a family favorite.

Healthy Salmon Cakes With Homemade Tartar Sauce
Muffin Tin Potatoes
Frozen Green Beans (How to make them taste better)
Chili night is all about flexibility. This is a use-what-you-have dinner, where substitutions are welcome and encouraged. Served with savory rice and sweet cornbread, it’s the kind of meal that warms everyone up and stretches beautifully. Leftovers are extra delicious. Chili always tastes better the second day.
Our Family’s Favorite Chili Recipe
Nani’s Sauteed Rice (use beef stock instead of chicken)
Sweet Cream Corn Cornbread Using A Box Mix
This menu is a little nod to the way I grew up eating. Easy casseroles, simple ingredients, and dinners that fed a family without fuss. This grown-up tuna noodle casserole feels cozy and familiar, especially paired with a fresh, bright salad.
Grown-Up Tuna Noodle Casserole
Mandarin Orange Salad With Orange Salad Dressing
This soup has quickly become a favorite in our house. Making it a day ahead lets the flavors come together, which makes dinner the next night so easy. Add a slice of homemade beer bread, and you have a comforting, hearty meal that feels extra special without much effort.

Sausage, White Bean, and Swiss Chard Soup With Puff Pastry Lids
Homemade Beer Bread
This is one of those no meat but no one misses it dinners. Black bean quesadillas are quick, flavorful, and always a hit. Served with classic Mexican rice, it’s an easy weekend meal that comes together fast and tastes great.
Black Bean And Cheese Quesadillas
Mexican Rice
Breakfast for dinner is always a good idea, especially when it’s one of my husband’s favorite meals. Fluffy pancakes, a fun homemade syrup, savory sausage bites, and a fresh citrus salad make this a relaxed, happy way to end the week.
Fluffy Pancakes
Raspberry Maple Syrup
Crispy Hashbrown Sausage Bites
Citrus Salad With Pomegranates And Mint
These cookies are absolutely irresistible. Crisp on the outside, soft and gooey on the inside, they’re the kind of treat that disappears fast. If you make just one dessert this week, let it be these.
The Best Chewy Chocolate Brownie Cookies
Hearty and comforting, Beef Barley Soup is a cozy bowl filled with tender beef, vegetables, and satisfying barley.
Creamy and savory, Cream Cheese and Olive Spread is an easy appetizer that’s perfect with crackers or sliced bread.
Rich, creamy, and irresistibly indulgent, these Copycat Ruth’s Chris Potatoes Au Gratin are a classic comfort side that always steals the show.
Crisp, flaky, and full of flavor, Spinach and Feta Puff Pastry Twists make an easy appetizer that feels a little special.
Grandma’s Lace Cookies are thin, crisp, buttery cookies with a light caramel flavor that feels special and timeless.
Garlic Butter White Wine Shrimp Linguine is a simple yet elegant dinner with tender shrimp and pasta coated in a rich, garlicky white wine sauce that feels special without being fussy.
This Fresh Fruit Custard Tart is a simple, pretty dessert with creamy custard and fresh fruit that feels light and just sweet enough.
Creamy, cheesy, and comforting, Chicken Ranch Pasta Bake is an easy dinner that’s always a crowd pleaser.
Maple Glazed Banana Bread Scones are tender, lightly sweet, and finished with a simple maple glaze that makes them feel extra special.
Bright and fresh, this Blueberry Lemon Layer Cake pairs juicy berries with a light lemon flavor for a dessert that feels cheerful and classic.
Baked until tender and flavorful, Baked Boursin Salmon is a simple dinner with a creamy, rich finish that feels effortless and special.
Crispy on the outside and full of cheesy flavor, Crispy Cheddar Cauliflower is a simple side dish that everyone loves.
Creamy and comforting, Trisha Yearwood’s Spinach Casserole Made Easy is a classic side dish that comes together with very little effort.
Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, Corn and Cheddar Mashed Potato Fritters are a fun, comforting side that makes great use of leftovers.
Light, bright, and softly sweet, Delicious Lemon Cake is a simple dessert with fresh citrus flavor that never feels heavy.
Rich and comforting, Gordon Ramsay’s Beef Stroganoff features tender beef in a creamy, flavorful sauce that feels like classic comfort food done right.
Cozy and hearty, Cheeseburger Soup has all the familiar flavors of a classic cheeseburger in a warm, comforting bowl.
Baked until cozy and satisfying, Cottage Cheese and Veggies Bake is a simple, nourishing dish that works for any meal of the day.
Rich and comforting, Creamy Italian Meatball Soup is filled with tender meatballs and a cozy, flavorful broth.
Tender ravioli tossed with artichokes and a light, flavorful sauce makes Ravioli with Artichokes an easy dish that feels a little elegant without much effort.
Finished with a rich, creamy sauce, Oven Baked Pork Tenderloin with Dijon Cream Sauce is an easy dinner that feels comforting and special.
Creamy, cheesy, and full of flavor, Ultimate Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta is a cozy, satisfying dinner that’s always a hit.
Light and fresh, Baked Cod with Lemon and Herbs is an easy, flavorful dinner that feels simple and wholesome.
Warm and comforting, Creamy Potato Broccoli Cheese Soup is a cozy bowl of tender vegetables in a rich, cheesy broth.
Creamy, rich, and deeply chocolatey, French Silk Pie Bars are an indulgent dessert that feels classic and comforting.
Have a safe and scrumptious week!
















I so appreciate that you cook simply and seasonally, and keep favorites in the rotation.
My family has enjoyed many of your recipes – thank you!
Wow, I want to use everyone of these recipes! Thank you!! Just wish there was an easy way to download all the menus/recipes at once.
Love your blog.
These recipes are not all mine and my dear blogging friends are so kind to let me share them on my blog. Head to their blogs and get the recipes there. Or better yet, save them on Pinterest.
Thank you for so much inspiration—cooking, decorating, and more!
Quick question—Is the floral napkin pictured at the top of this week’s On the Menu a recent purchase? If so, would you mind sharing the source? It’s a lovely spring look!
Sorry, Sandra! It’s so old.
So many yummy recipes. I appreciate the side dish recipes – I sometimes feel like I turn to the same ones each week! Looking forward to adding these to my menu this week!
I know what you mean. It’s nice to have a simple main dish, like Italian sausage and make a fancier side dish.
Hi! Yvonne! You have given us so many yummy recipes! Thanks, so much! I am going to make the salmon cakes tomorrow. Will be making some of your other recipes next week. You put in so much time in bringing us such wonderful recipes — and I thank you for always making our life a little easier when it comes to making meals! We just love your Beer Bread recipe and make it all the time! Last time I made it for company, they went home with your recipe! Your Beer Bread is absolutely “the best ever”!
Oh, Mary Ann, how lovely of you to say. And thanks for sharing the recipe.