Menu Plan: 5 Nights of Recipes From Cooking Light Magazine-Mustard-Glazed Chicken with Roasted Vegetables, Pasta with Bacon, Shredded Brussels Sprouts, and Lemon Zest, White Cheddar and Chive Potato Soup, Bucatini with Meyer Lemon Cream and Chives and Seared Flank Steak with Blue Cheese Polenta.

In the March issue of Cooking Light Magazine I found page after page of recipes that not only looked tantalizing, but also looked like meals my family would eat. Even better than eat- they would enjoy. The recipes I am sharing on this particular menu plan are pretty easy to prepare and easy to midify is you need to (I did).

From my very first posts on this site years ago I have been shouting from the rooftops that in order to maximize your dollar and minimize your cooking time you have to start reading a few food publications. Even in this digital age of ‘everything at the touch of a button’ my go-to resources are food pubs like America’s Test Kitchen, Cooks Country, Saveur, Food+Wine and Cooking Light. I go to these magazines to learn and with every issue I do.

I don’t normally meal plan. Not good, I know. But with so much of what I make having another purpose besides just feeding us (photos, articles, etc) I tend to let my job dictate what I make on at least 3 nights a week. I also seem to have my same stand-by recipes that are so ingrained in my mind that I can make them with my eyes closed. You know the ones, we all have them.

Recently, I found myself somewhere that had no cell signal, no wifi (gasp) and I was without my family. So what did I do? I read real books and magazines that are printed on paper ???? It was delightful!

As I flipped through the March issue of Cooking Light I began to dog ear several of the pages and before I realized it I had enough for a weeks worth of meals, with recipes to spare. So today I am sharing what we ate last week in the form of one tasty menu plan. With each photo and linked recipe title I will share my notes on the dish to help you along. I hope this is helpful and please let me know if you make any of these!

Mustard-Glazed Chicken with Roasted Vegetables

My oh MY did we like this one. It took the simple flavors of root veggies and chicken and kicked it up a notch by roasting the veggies and making the chicken on the stove top. Both cook at the same time to ensure dinner is on the table and quick. I cheated a bit and bought pre-chopped sweet potatoes and I added butternut squash. I also roasted the veggies with 3 strips of bacon (cut up) to add flavor. That was just me being sassy and this recipes stands alone nicely sans bacon. One item I would do differently next time- my people like sauce. This sauce (made perfect with Best Boy & Co deli-mustard) could easily be doubled. Lastly, I had enough veggies leftover to make a simple soup. Add the veggies to a blender or food processor. Add to that a bit of chicken stock and puree. Genius.

Pasta with Bacon, Shredded Brussels Sprouts and Lemon Zest

So, I could eat this every day. I have made the brussels sprout/bacon/pasta combo several times but I have never thought to add lemon zest. I love this dish more than I can tell you. Next time I am adding more brussels sprouts and bacon and less pasta. Why? Because I clearly have issues with self control where this recipe is concerned.

White Cheddar and Chive Potato Soup

Who doesn’t love a good soup? This one is high on flavor and low in fat and calories. Using  tender skinned Yukon Gold potatoes, all you have to do when the potatoes are soft is mash with a masher. This was simple AND delicious.

Bucatini with Meyer Lemon Cream and Chives

What is bucatini? Thicker spaghetti that is hollow inside. Why hollow? TO HOLD ALL OF THAT DELICIOUS SAUCE!!! Oh, sorry for shouting that at you. I am just very enthusiastic about this dish. And the Meyer lemon cream sauce. Can’t find Meyer lemons? Use a mixture of lemon and orange juice. The recipe tells you how. I found Meyer lemons at 3 different stores near my house. So hurry and grab some and make this dish. The pasta was by Barilla.

Seared Flank Steak with Blue Cheese Polenta.

This was by far the easiest recipe. Seared flank steak and polenta you make in the same pan? This was on the table in 30 minutes and we ate.every.bit.

*I was not compensated by Cooking Light for this post. Like all things I share on my site- all opinions are my own. But feel free to share this post with Cooking Light ( cough @Cooking_Light cough) I would LOVE to work with them!