ThePrep: Speedy 20-Minute Comfort-Food Dinners

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It's officially hat-and-glove season here in Vermont! Meaning you need both—or at least, I'm way more comfortable with both—when out and about. These first few weeks of colder weather always feel really cold, but as we get deeper into winter, I know I'll get more used to it. Until that time, I'm digging into comfort foods to keep me warm! This week of 20-minute dinners provides that coziness I crave, with the convenience of quick meals.

Your Meal Plan

Sunday's cozy Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta kicks off this week of 20-minute dinners. Pasta is always the first thing I think of when I'm craving something comforting and this recipe also happens to pack in the veggies, which is a plus. Tuesday's Easy Butternut Squash Soup is next on the menu. Using peeled and cubed butternut squash, which can be found in the produce section or the freezer aisle, means I'll save on prep time and can get this creamy soup on the table in a quick 20 minutes.

There's one more 20-minute soup on for the week—the Easy Italian Wedding Soup—then a few more delicious 20-minute meals to get you to Friday. The Roasted Red Pepper, Spinach & Feta Penne Pasta on Wednesday is another comfort-food favorite in my house. I absolutely love using feta in this recipe. The warm pasta melts the cheese ever so slightly to create a creamy, silky sauce that's just delicious. And last but not least, we close out the week with Friday's Salmon Tacos with Pineapple Salsa. In my opinion, you can never go wrong with tacos!

Sunday: Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta

Monday: Chicken Cutlets with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce over cooked orzo

Tuesday: Easy Butternut Squash Soup with toast topped with apple slices and Cheddar cheese

Wednesday: Roasted Red Pepper, Spinach & Feta Penne Pasta

Thursday: Easy Italian Wedding Soup (Go for frozen meatballs to keep this soup speedy.)

Friday: Salmon Tacos with Pineapple Salsa

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Big Batch Snack

These festive fall muffins combine pumpkin and chocolate to create a delicious bite-size snack I will enjoy all week long. I'm not the best baker, so I love how easy these are to make. Just stir all of the ingredients together in a bowl—no mixer required—then bake, and in no time you'll have yourself a yummy snack.

Get the Recipe: Mini Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Treat Yourself

I've been really into our Classic White Russian recipe lately. The creamy combination of milk (or cream or a dairy alternative) and just-sweet-enough coffee liqueur is just delicious. Plus, it requires just three ingredients to make, which is a plus!

Get the Recipe: Classic White Russian

Love this newsletter, have a meal-prep tip you're dying to share or a question you need answered? Email me at ThePrep@eatingwell.com