Do you hate coming up with a dinner menu as much as I do?!? It’s one of those jobs that I need to do but I always put it off until the LAST minute because I never know what to make. When Mike and I got married I started making a weekly menu for our dinners. This helps me spend less at the grocery store because I only pick up the items I need for those specific dinners and then whatever else we need. Menu planning makes it so much easier to make a grocery list and you spend less time at the grocery store because you know exactly what you need to be picking up. Can I just stop and say “Hallelujah” to spending LESS time at the grocery store! But before the grocery store, comes making that dinner menu and that can be a grueling task. I know as a newlywed I didn’t have a box of tried and true recipes that I knew we loved, so it was much harder to make a menu for the week when I was constantly trying new meals. I feel like I’m only starting to get a nice amount of tried and true recipes that we love and we’ve been married for over 4 years! Over the past 4 years I have searched Pinterest and asked friends and family for their favorite meals. It’s always nice to know that someone else really liked it before you make it. Well friends, today I am starting a new series for you. I want to start sharing with you the meals that we love! Hopefully I can help soon to be married couples, just married couples and even those that have been married for years and are stuck in the dinner rut. Mike and I love food, so starting this series is exciting for me :) I can’t wait to share with you all the fun recipes we’ve found over the years! First up…

Basil Spaghetti With Cheesy Broiled Tomatoes

I found this recipe in one of my Real Simple Magazines not too long after Mike and I got married. I think it’s a great meal for the Summer. It’s light and refreshing and it’s one of our favorites! Ingredients

• 16 ounces spaghetti (I have been using Brown rice pasta in place of regular pasta lately, and I think it tastes about the same)
• 3-4 large beefsteak tomatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), each cut into 4 thick slices
• 5 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the baking sheet 
• salt and black pepper
• 8 ounces mozzarella, shredded
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan (1 ounce),(I typically don’t even measure this out. I just use as much as I think looks good… which is usually a lot since we like cheese in this house)
• 3-4 cloves garlic, chopped (We love garlic so I always do 4 cloves, if not more) (The smaller you chop the garlic the stronger it’s taste will be, just a little tip)
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 3/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves, plus more for serving

Ingredients

1. Heat broiler. Cook the pasta according to the package directions; drain and return it to the pot.
2. Meanwhile, arrange the tomato slices in a single layer on a lightly oiled rimmed baking sheet (I put tin foil down first so I don’t have to wash the cookie sheet after). Season with ¼ teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Dividing evenly, sprinkle the slices with the mozzarella and then the Parmesan. Broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. In a small saucepan, warm the oil with the garlic and red pepper over medium heat until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Add the garlic oil, basil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper to the pasta and toss to combine. Serve topped with the tomatoes, additional basil, and shaved Parmesan.

I hope you all love this meal as much as we do!! If you try it, let me know what you think! Happy Friday!