Choice 3 Recipe

Make meatball mixture

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). In a large bowl, soak the bread crumbs with milk for 2 minutes. Add ground beef, Italian sausage, grated Parmesan, egg, minced garlic, chopped parsley, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix gently with your hands or a spoon until just combined — avoid overmixing.

Form and brown meatballs

Form the mixture into 1 1/4-inch (about 2 tbsp) meatballs, yielding ~18 meatballs. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs in batches, 2–3 minutes per side, until golden (they will finish cooking in the oven). Transfer browned meatballs to a baking dish.

Bake with marinara

Pour 3 cups marinara sauce over and around the meatballs in the baking dish, covering the bottoms and sides. Cover the dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 18–22 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C). Remove foil for the last 5 minutes if you want the tops slightly browned.

Prepare chicken (two options)

Pat the chicken dry and place in a shallow dish or tray. For Herb-Lemon baked: whisk 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1/2 tsp dried rosemary, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper; pour over chicken and let sit 10–15 minutes. For BBQ: brush the chicken with 1 tbsp olive oil, season with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper and 2 minced garlic cloves; reserve BBQ sauce for glazing.

Cook chicken

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) if not already hot from meatballs. Place chicken on a parchment-lined baking sheet or in a baking dish. Bake herb-lemon chicken 18–22 minutes (depending on thickness) until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). For BBQ option: bake 15 minutes, brush with 3/4 cup BBQ sauce, then bake an additional 5–7 minutes until sauce is tacky and internal temperature is 165°F (74°C). Remove and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.

Cook pasta

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Add 12 oz pasta and cook according to package directions for al dente (typically 8–12 minutes). Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta.

Finish pasta

Return drained pasta to the pot off heat, stir in 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter (optional) to keep it glossy. If serving with meatballs, toss pasta with 1–2 cups of warmed marinara or serve pasta plain and plate meatballs and sauce on top. Add reserved pasta water as needed to loosen sauce. Serve with 1/4 cup grated Parmesan.

Make dressing

In a small bowl or jar combine 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Whisk or shake until emulsified.

Assemble salad

In a large bowl combine 4 cups mixed greens, 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes, 1/2 cup sliced cucumber and 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion. Toss with dressing just before serving to avoid wilting.

Prepare garlic butter

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Slice the baguette in half lengthwise or into 1-inch slices (if you prefer individual pieces). In a small bowl, mix 4 tablespoons softened butter with 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan (optional) and 1/4 teaspoon salt until spreadable.

Bake garlic bread

Spread garlic butter evenly on cut sides or on each slice. Place on a baking sheet and bake 8–10 minutes until butter is melted and edges are golden. For extra crispness, broil 1–2 minutes while watching closely. Cut and serve hot.

Portion pasta onto plates (or a family-style platter). Spoon meatballs and marinara over pasta. Slice rested chicken and place alongside pasta or on a separate plate; for BBQ chicken, spoon any remaining sauce over the sliced pieces. Serve garlic bread warm and salad chilled. Garnish with additional Parmesan and chopped parsley if desired.