Hey, folks! It’s been a minute since we’ve caught up about dinner, but I’m back! There was a brief interlude due to a health thing, but I am fine and here to talk about food! Yum!

This Recap covers two weeks’ worth of meals so there is plenty to choose from if you’re amidst meal planning or in need of inspiration. And I’ve noted the restaurants we went to on the weekends at the end if you’re about to go out.

Let’s get to it!

Chicken with Schmaltzy Rice and Kale

Source: Bon Appétit online. Find it, here.

Tip: This is a naturally gluten free meal!

Review: A hearty dish that’s indulgent and well-balanced (to me), this dinner delivers a distinct flavor profile of joy that packs a punch of yum in every bite.

Crispy chicken skin is one of life’s greatest gifts so savor those bites, but leave room for that schmaltzy rice because it’s just plain incredible! Healthy? Eh. Amazing? Extremely.

There is plenty of kale to keep your greens in check, the rice is heavenly (especially the crispy pieces left in the pan), and the scallions on top add the perfect final crunch. This dish is well-rounded and scrumptious; a terrific weeknight option or even a fun plate to serve a small crowd. A versatile chicken dinner, indeed!

Kale, Chorizo, and Lentil Salad

Source: Food52. Recipe by Emma Laperruque. Find it, here.

Tip: This is a naturally gluten free dish. Make sure the chorizo is properly labeled GF.

Review: I’ve become a quick fan of mixing grains into salads and this one is no exception. And this lucky dish included chorizo so it was a double-win!

The more salads we make, the more we learn about which ingredients pair together best, which flavors work extra-nicely together, and when is the right time to call in a “flavor fix.”

Flavor Fix is a phrase I’m going to use when referring to an ingredient that serves as that extra boost to make a meal even more noteworthy. A special sauce, an extra protein, the roasting of an extra element, all of these I’m declaring to be forms of the Flavor Fix.

In this salad, I’ve determined that the chorizo turned out to be the Flavor Fix. While the salad would be perfectly fine on its own without the chorizo, I can see why the recipe’s author decided to include it.

Chorizo is spicy and salty which made the entire bowl brighter and much more delicious. Nothing against kale, carrots, and celery, but including that chorizo seemed to be quite crucial.

There was also a light vinaigrette dressing which was yummy, but my favorite was the chorizo. It really did bring the entire salad together which is why I’m calling it this meal’s Flavor Fix.

In other news, salads with grains are big! Make this one for dinner and have plenty of leftovers for lunch. :)

One-Skillet Steak and Spring Veg with Spicy Mustard

Source: Basically for Bon Appétit. Grab the recipe, here.

Tip: This meal was naturally gluten free!

Review: A one-skillet showstopper for your average weeknight! How amazing is that?! I’m reserving a seat at your house if this is on the menu. Delicious and so appropriate for the season, this meal combined so many great elements that really brightened my day!

Let me say, serving steak on a bed of spring veggies may be my new go-to presentation method. It’s all together in one “bowl!” And it was really, really good.

The asparagus and peas cooked together very nicely and when mixed with a little of the mustard sauce... wow. Too good! That steak didn’t hurt, either. ;)

Some folks may say steak should be saved for the weekend and well, I kindly disagree! Why not have the steak on a Tuesday? Who is there to stop you? Making weeknights more fun, and more delicious, is part of my whole plan here so if we decide it’s a steak night, then it’s a steak night! And we will happily enjoy it. :)

For the record, the spicy mustard is absurdly delicious and should go on everything.

Warm Chicken Salad

Source: Food52. Get the recipe, here.

Tip: Another naturally gluten free meal!

Review: When you’re in the mood to be healthy and greens-y, then turn to salad. But if you’re in the mood to be healthy-ish, then I’d say turn to this meal that’s full of the good stuff (chicken, greens, light dressing) and the delicious-ness that is fingerling potatoes.

Is it potato salad? Is it chicken salad with potatoes? Or potatoes and chicken with greens? I think it’s all of the above. And it’s excellent.

These days I like my salads big and the textures bigger. I loved the mix of cool greens with warm shredded chicken and soft potato slices, but it’s wonderful to know that this same meal could be equally satisfying served cold. Therefore, I think this salad would be a great option for a summer bbq (picnics, please!) or a warm weeknight evening.

A salad filled with chicken and potatoes. Hearty, filling, healthy, and a little extra. Now that’s my kind of dinner.

And since none of the ingredients are precious, then I’m sure this one would travel well, too. :)

Shrimp Scampi

Source: Bon Appétit. Find the recipe, here.

Tip: Make sure to serve this with gluten free pasta or GF bread - you pick! We served ours with classic GF capellini.

Review: Some nights we just get cravings for the most classic of meals and this time around that led us to shrimp scampi. A divine dinner! A supremely satisfying, ultra-delicious dinner.

This recipe required marinating the shrimp for a little while prior to cooking. And let it be known that we will be doing that from now on whenever we make scampi again. Man, it made those shrimp incredible!

Sure, it took a little longer to make dinner, but it was worth the wait. This was one of the most excellent shrimp scampi meals we’ve had!

Serving these succulent, buttery, and garlicky shrimp over gluten free capellini pasta transported me to a far away place (Italy? A new restaurant down the block?) and made we swoon. It was just so delicious.

I know. I’m a broken record. But please, just make this dinner. You’ll love it.

Panko-Breaded Chicken and Sweet Potato Slices

Source: A GFMD Original recipe. We simply dipped pieces of chicken in an egg wash, then coated them in GF panko, and baked at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes.

The sweet potato slices were seasoned with salt and pepper, drizzled with olive oil, then baked at 400 degrees for around 25 minutes before the temp was turned down, and the chicken was added to the oven. Questions? Let me know!

Tip: Use Aleia’s Gluten Free Panko for coating the chicken. It’s the best!

Review: After my brief hospital stay, I was on a fairly “boring” diet for a couple days as my body got back to normal.

For me, that diet consists of major basics like this panko-breaded chicken and sweet potatoes. Not exciting, but also quite enjoyable after days of not feeling great and feeling grateful to be home and healthy again. Sometimes the most unexciting foods taste the best after feeling the worst.

Not to say that basic is bad! These foods have been favorites for a long time and will continue to be treasured items on my meal plans into the future. I just think it’s funny as to how far we’ve come in the making-dinner-world.

This plate used to be the most exciting meal we’d ever made, and now it’s a plate of “feel better food” made rarely and used most often after being sick or when we just can’t bother thinking of something more exciting.

But come to think of it, that’s a pretty important role for this “basic” plate of chicken and potatoes. For now, I’ll still keep it in the exciting category, if only for nostalgia’s sake. ;)

Better-Than-Takeout Stir-Fried Udon Noodles

Source: Bon Appétit online. Grab the recipe, here.

Tip: Make sure to use GF rice noodles instead of traditional Udon. And gluten free soy sauce, aka Tamari.

Review: There are the meals you make when you’re still in recovery, and then there are the meals you make when you’re finally back in action and feeling great, craving every flavor you’ve been missing. That is this meal.

Before we even finished cooking, I was staring at the wok full of crispy pork, cabbage, and noodles (omg it smelled amazing), and just knew that this meal would now be my unofficial “feeling better” dinner.

Growing up, I often got to order Chinese takeout when I finally felt better after being sick, so it seems only natural that my grown-up version of that meal would be something similar. But I have a feeling this dish is far more delicious. ;)

I wholeheartedly agree that this stir fry is better than takeout. And what made it even more glorious was that it was simple to prepare! The result was an ultra-scrumptious bowl of noodles, crispy pork, cabbage, onion, and a basic sauce which left me feeling deliriously happy. I was so happy to feel better and even happier to be eating something so awesome.

Next time you’re not feeling great, save this recipe for the moment you’re feeling better. It’s worth the wait!

Eats of the Weekend

Find my full dining guides over in Bar Bites, but here’s the scoop on where we went this weekend!

Leaning into all of the comfort food (like, all of it), and loving every bite, it’s back to our gym routines this week. Most definitely.

Burton’s Grill and Bar: A dreamy gluten free menu that includes crab cakes and onion strings. And a plethora of other cozy options.

Oath Craft Pizza: GF pizza crusts and awesome topping combinations. My favorites include the Walley and the David.

The Bancroft: We scored comfy bar seats early, watched the Kentucky Derby, sipped on Juleps, and then enjoyed a delightful dinner (the GF menu is excellent). Order the polenta fries. ;)

Legal C Bar: A great spot for dinner or a late-afternoon snack, we had a quick bite amidst errands! Always make time for a Bloody Mary and delicious fried clams.

We hope you had a great week and an equally delicious weekend!

Eat, well.

Mollie and Seth

Variety Hour Dinner(s)