If you’re anything like me, the first week of school always feels a little like organized chaos.
The excitement of the first day quickly gives way to reality. Lunchboxes need to be packed again before you know it, permission slips somehow appear overnight, uniforms or school clothes are already headed for the laundry, and after-school activities begin filling every empty spot on the calendar. Somewhere between pickup lines, homework and evening practices, dinner still has to make its way to the table.
That’s why this week’s menu is all about buying yourself a little extra time.
One thing I love about this time of year is seeing all of the little ways families learn to work smarter, not harder. A rotisserie chicken becomes the start of a comforting casserole. Refrigerated tortellini saves precious minutes. A salad kit gets dressed up with homemade garlic bread, and bakery cookies become an easy dessert that feels like a special treat. A few smart shortcuts can turn what could have been a stressful evening into one where everyone actually has time to sit down together.
There’s no prize for making everything from scratch on a Wednesday night.
This week’s Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Tortellini Bake tastes like something you’d order at your favorite Italian restaurant, but thanks to a handful of grocery-store shortcuts, it’s ready for the oven in just a few minutes. Add a crisp Caesar salad and warm homemade garlic bread alongside it, then finish with bakery cookie ice cream sandwiches that everyone can help assemble before dinner.
But here’s the thing I hope you’ll remember most from this series: the recipe isn’t really the point.
Years from now, no one is likely to remember whether dinner started with a rotisserie chicken or a jar of Alfredo sauce. They’ll remember laughing over something funny that happened at school, hearing about a great play during practice, celebrating a good grade on a quiz or simply enjoying 20 uninterrupted minutes together around the table. Those moments are worth protecting, especially during the busiest seasons of the year.
If conversation needs a little jump-start this week, here are a few questions to ask around the dinner table:
What was the best part of your day?
What made you laugh today?
Did someone do something kind for you today?
What’s one thing you’re looking forward to tomorrow?
If you could relive one moment from today, what would it be?
Sometimes those simple questions turn into the conversations everyone remembers.
Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Tortellini Bake
Serves: 6
Ingredients
• 2 packages (9 ounces each) refrigerated cheese tortellini
• 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
• 1 jar (15 ounces) Alfredo sauce
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Chopped fresh parsley, optional
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cook the tortellini according to the package directions, draining about one minute before fully cooked.
3. In a large bowl, stir together the Alfredo sauce, milk, Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Fold in the shredded chicken and cooked tortellini until evenly coated.
4. Transfer the mixture to a lightly greased 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly and lightly golden. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.
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Caesar Salad with Homemade Garlic Bread
Serves: 6
Ingredients
• 1 Caesar salad kit
• 1 loaf French bread
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• Chopped parsley, optional
Directions
1. Prepare the Caesar salad according to the package directions.
2. Slice the French bread in half lengthwise.
3. Mix together the melted butter, garlic powder, Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese. Brush generously over both halves of the bread.
4. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes, then broil for 1 to 2 minutes until lightly golden. Sprinkle with parsley before slicing.
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Bakery Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches
Serves: 6
Ingredients
• 12 large bakery chocolate chip cookies
• 1 carton vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
• Mini chocolate chips or sprinkles, optional
Directions
1. Turn six cookies upside down.
2. Scoop about 1/3 cup of softened ice cream onto each cookie and gently press a second cookie on top.
3. Roll the edges in mini chocolate chips or sprinkles, if desired.
4. Place the sandwiches on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for at least one hour before serving.
As another busy week unfolds, I hope this menu gives you one less thing to think about. More importantly, I hope it gives you one more reason to gather around the table—even if it’s only for a little while.
Because in the middle of homework, practices, emails, laundry and everything else competing for our attention, sharing a meal together is still one of life’s simplest and most meaningful traditions.
Join me next week for the final installment of Around the Table, where we’ll wrap up the series with one more family-friendly menu that’s perfect for settling into the new rhythm of the school year.
Have a recipe worth sharing? The Cook’s Corner welcomes submissions from home cooks, local residents, chefs, and restaurants throughout our community. Selected contributors may be contacted for a brief interview so we can share the story behind the dish. To submit a recipe or inquire about a collaboration, email thekitchencorrespondent87@gmail.com.
