Easy Weeknight Menu

I love cooking, but cooking while exhausted from the worday? That's when it seems like a chore. Finding meal plans that are healthy and not too involved are the key for a happy wife. Well, that, and cooking with a glass of wine in hand.

Last week we had a very simple meal that came together quickly. Nothing here is the type of dish that is going to make you want to hurl a frying pan at your front door.

(We've all been there.)

Our menu was Italian chicken, green beans and stewed white beans with thyme and parmesan cheese.

I've mentioned before how much we enjoy the Perdue Perfect Portions chicken, but this time I accidentally grabbed the Italian marinated chicken instead of the regular chicken. Crisis totally averted when I realized that this was actually a blessing in disguise -- saving me the step of marinating. I literally just put the chicken on a grill pan and put some marinated olives and a piece of pickled cauliflower next to it as a garnish.

You've probably noticed that we have white beans a lot. They are a great protein source, they are easy to fix, and they are so inexpensive. These were canned cannelinis and I just rinsed them, added them to a pot with some chicken broth, tossed in a few fresh thyme sprigs, and simmered them. Right before serving, I added in a small handful of grated parmesan cheese and let it all melt together. Season with a little salt and you are all set. 

We like the Italian cut green beans. The shape is what sets them apart. I just simmered these with some rosemary sprigs from my herb garden.

Simple. Easy. No fryer pan dings in the front door.