Weeknight Meal Planner: Week of January 12th

This week, it's all about comfort food! For Meatless Monday, enjoy hearty bowls of rice and black-eyed peas with a side of greens for good measure. Hoppin' John is a Southern favorite that's said to bring good luck in the new year.

For a quick take on the classic chicken and dumplings, try this recipe. Pillowy dumplings flecked with fragrant fresh herbs cook drop-style in the stock mixture, soaking up amazing flavor as they cook.

You can never, ever go wrong with tacos. Here, lamb makes for an interesting flavor break from beef. If you prefer less spice, just reduce the amount of chipotle powder.

The editors at Cooking Light magazine created this version of a comfort food classic with far less (and healthier) fat than traditional recipes.

After a long week, the last thing you want to do is cook dinner. Spend 20 minutes in the morning prepping this gorgeous, hearty sauce. Once the sauce simmers in the slow cooker, all that's left to do is cook a pound of pasta, and serve.

What's more comforting than a giant cookie eaten right out of the skillet? Nothing, absolutely nothing.