Weeknight Meal Planner: Week of May 26th

Updated: October 11, 2014
We've served up 5 quick and delicious weeknight meals, complete with side suggestions and a special weekly bonus recipe.
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Grilled Vegetable Salad

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Jan Gautro
Salads are always a hit in summer; they’re easy to make, full of fresh flavor, and don’t heat up the kitchen. Top your mixed salad greens with smoky grilled vegetables to add depth of flavor and a texture contrast for your palate. Top with a pistachio vinaigrette and crumbled goat cheese for extra richness.
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Skillet-Toasted Penne with Bacon and Spinach

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Cindy Barr 
Here's a saucy, creamy pasta dish without a lick of cream or milk and only a wee bit of cheese. The trick is to cook the pasta like risotto, which releases starch into the liquid that becomes the sauce. The toasting step adds nutty, rich character and is a step we don't advise skipping.
Serve with:
A side salad

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Taco Pizza

Photo: Kate Sears; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps 
This taco pizza is so tasty and easy, it will be a new stable in your dinner rotation. Kids will love this fun spin on pizza, and parents will love it because it's prepped and ready in just 30 minutes.
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Cowboy Hot Dogs

Photo: Erin Kunkel
With several toppings, including caramelized onions, bacon, and barbecue sauce, these can be customized for a range of diners, from those who like their dogs plain to those who want them fully loaded and hearty enough to fuel a day out on the range. They're ready in 30 minutes and not only great for dinner, but summer cookouts and tailgates as well!
Serve with:
Garlic-Parsley Steak "Fries"

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Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches with Creamy Slaw

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
Leftover shredded chicken serves as the base for Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches with Creamy Slaw. Toss the chicken in homemade or bottled barbecue sauce, and serve on Texas toast with this easy slaw.
Serve with:

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Instant Watermelon Pops

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lindsey Ellis Beatty
For Instant Watermelon Pops, simply cut a 1-inch slit into the rind of a just-cut watermelon wedge, and insert a wooden stick. Serve these treats a variety of ways: Sprinkle with flavored salts and freshly ground pepper, drizzle with local honey and fresh lime juice, dust with red pepper, or add a splash of schnapps.

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