Looking for a few ideas on what to cook for dinner on busy weeknights? Here are a few recipes for you to try. The codfish, pork kabobs and Parmesan chicken come together fast. For the pasta dish, roast the broccoli in the oven while the pasta is cooking. Just a few minutes more are needed to pull it all together with some delicious results. Use seasonal vegetables for the sides.

Lemon Breadcrumb Topped Codfish

Pacific cod is a sustainable fish. Serve with a pasta or rice side dish and a vegetable.

2 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil mayonnaise
Two 6 oz center cut Pacific cod fillets

Directions

Heat the oven to 400°F.

Make the lemon-zest breadcrumbs: In a medium bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, oil, salt and pepper to taste and the lemon zest.

Mix well. Set aside.

Place the cod fillets in a small baking dish coated with olive oil.

Spread the non skin side of each fillet with some of the mayonnaise and then press on a layer of breadcrumbs.

Put the pan in the oven and roast until the fish is cooked through, 18-20 minutes.

Grilled Pork Kabobs

Serve with potato salad or baked beans.

4 servings

Ingredients

3 (1/2 to 3/4-inch-thick) boneless pork loin chops (1 lb), trimmed of fat
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1-inch pieces
¼ of a red onion, cut into 1 inch pieces
Half a medium bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
½ cup Peach BBQ sauce

Directions

Heat an outdoor grill and oil the grill grates.

Sprinkle both sides of each pork chop with salt and pepper; cut each chop into 1 inch pieces.

Alternately thread pork pieces, zucchini, onion and bell pepper evenly onto metal skewers. .

When ready to grill, place the skewers on a gas grill over medium heat or on a charcoal grill 4 to 6 inches from medium coals.

Brush with the BBQ sauce. Cook 5 minutes. Turn kabobs; brush with more sauce.

Cook an additional 5 to 7 minutes or until the pork is cooked through.

Creamy Broccoli Pasta

Serve with an Italian mixed green salad or a tomato salad.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 lb dry rigatoni pasta
1 large bunch broccoli florets
1 clove garlic
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk
1 cup grated Parmigian0-Reggiano cheese
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
Salt, pepper and olive oil
6 slices of Prosciutto di Parma

Directions

Heat the oven to 425 degrees F.

In a large bowl mix the broccoli with enough of the olive oil to coat generously, add salt to taste, and a few grinds of pepper.

Turn the broccoli out onto the baking sheet and arrange the pieces so that they are evenly spaced.

Roast until the florets begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Stir the broccoli pieces and add the slices of prosciutto to the pan,

Continue to roast until the broccoli is tender and the prosciutto is crisp, about 10 more minutes.

Boil a large pot of water to cook the pasta. When it reaches a full boil, add salt and the pasta and cook according to package instructions for al dente.

When the pasta is finished cooking, reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water and then drain the pasta in a colander.

Mince the garlic and cook it over medium heat in the empty pasta pot with the butter until the garlic has softened slightly (3-5 minutes).

Add the flour, stir and cook for 2-3 minutes more. Whisk in the milk.

Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, whisking constantly, until the milk mixture comes to simmer.

As soon as it reaches a simmer, it will thicken and should be able to coat a wooden spoon.

Turn the heat off and whisk in the cheese. Add freshly cracked black pepper, nutmeg and salt to taste.

Return the drained pasta to the sauce in the pasta pot and add the reserved pasta water, tossing the pasta to loosen it up.Stir in the roasted broccoli.

Top the pasta with broken pieces of the crispy prosciutto and serve.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken Cutlets

Serve with a light pasta and a green vegetable.

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4 ounces each)
Table salt and ground black pepper
¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg, beaten
1 tablespoon olive oil
Half a lemon , cut into wedges

Directions

Place chicken between sheets of plastic wrap and pound to even 1/4-inch thickness.

Pat dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt and pepper.

Set up three shallow bowls: one with the flour, one with the egg and one with the cheese.

Using tongs and working with 1 cutlet at a time, coat chicken in flour, shaking off excess.

Transfer chicken to the egg; coat evenly and let excess run off.

Coat chicken with shredded Parmesan mixture, pressing gently so that cheese adheres.

Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place the cutlets in the skillet and reduce heat to medium.

Cook until cheese is pale golden brown, about 3 minutes.

Carefully turn the cutlets over and continue to cook until the cheese is pale golden brown on the second side, about 3 minutes.

Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Posted by Jovina Coughlin in bechamel, Cheese, Chicken, cod, Fish, Grilling, Healthy Italian Cooking, lemon, Pasta, Pork, Vegetables Tags: recipes for weeknight dinners