Episode 9: In search of Weeknight Heroes! Cacio e Pepe Macaroni and Cheese, Salmon Teriyaki Bowls and Sweet Potato Tacos:

If your weeknight staples need a shake up, you’re bound to find some recipes this week. The Dinner Sisters try a new Macaroni and Cheese along with some salmon bowls and a new version of tacos. Quick pickles round out the week in our Smorgasbord. This week we cooked... Cacio e Pepe Macaroni and Cheese: A Cozy Kitchen Cacio e Pepe is uber trendy right now, which is understandable. Cheesy noodles and a pop of black pepper makes for delicious dinner. This recipe riffs on that concept with a stovetop macaroni and cheese. Tips: Toasting the black pepper might be overkill - we skipped this step and we couldn’t tell the difference. Keep adding the pasta water until the pasta goes from stringy- cheesy to kinda gloppy to nice and smooth. Amount will vary but save about a cup from the water before you drain the noodles.   Teriyaki Salmon Bowls: Williams Sonoma Taste Shake up your weekly salmon with a teriyaki salmon bowl with pineapple, cucumber salad and grilled zucchini. Served over short grain rice, this is a choose your own adventure of a weeknight meal. Tips: Making all the components is a little bit of prep but this might be a great recipe if you have little helpers to chop and slice. Or look for pre sliced veggies and pineapple at the store. Use your vegetable peeler to make the cucumber ribbons. The teriyaki sauce was good but feel free to substitute a good store brand. The fun in this dish is all the components.   Sweet Potato Tacos: Smitten Kitchen Who doesn’t like a taco? Smitten Kitchen works her magic again with a sweet potato taco that includes refried black beans and a host of toppings. Make her pickled onions if you want a special treat. Tips: Reheat your tortillas in a skillet for extra flavor. Smitten Kitchen’s Pickled Onions are almost a necessity.   From the Smorgasbord: We talked about pickles! Here are some sources for the pickles we talked about: Pickled Onions: Smitten Kitchen Pickled Grapes: Serious Eats Pickled Prunes: Food52  How to Quick Pickle Anything: The Kitchn Shopping List Here Follow us on Instagram @dinnersisterspodcast or on Pinterest at Dinner Sisters Podcast. Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Stitcher , Google Play, and SoundCloudSupport the show