Meal Plan Mondays #14: Easy Recipes for Weeknight Meals

It might only be the beginning of May but the weather is heating up and I'm thinking about summer! This week Meal Plan Monday is getting you ready for warmer weather, cookouts, and outdoor gatherings.

Let's talk about grilling out. In the summer months we grill out several times a week and it's really easy to do. Choose the type of meat you want to cook on the grill and either put it in a marinade in the morning or make sure it's thawed.

If you are serving cold salads along with your meat it's best to either make them early in the morning or the night before. This gives the flavors time to meld together and the salads to chill.

When it's time to cook I find that it's easiest for one person to man the grill and one to cook the other things indoors. If it's just you cooking then either grilling the sides or having cold side dishes that are already made is the easiest way to go.

Then heat up the grill and get cooking! Put the sides out on a table along with condiments and then put the grilled meal on a cutting board on the table so that it can be cut and put onto the plates as soon as it's cooked.

I like to serve my cold salads in glass containers with lids. That way I can store them in the serving dishes and have less dishes to do at the end of the night.

So now that I have you ready for warmer weather and grilling lets talk about this weeks menu. For main dishes I'm sharing burgers, stuffed zucchini, pizza, and more.

For side dishes I have a fresh corn and tomato salad, an out of this world pasta salad you won't want to miss, and Air Fryer fries that won't heat up your kitchen. Desserts include an icebox cake, fun lemonade cupcakes, and tropical cheesecake bars.

I'm finishing off the week with three fun bonus recipes. I've got an overnight French Toast recipe that's great for a weekend breakfast or a holiday brunch. There's also an awesome cold dip and a fun cocktail recipe.

So who is ready to plan this weeks menu? Don't wait, try some of these recipes this week!