I’ve been putting together these Dinner Plans for a few weeks and I’ve gotten some pretty good feedback, thus far. In making This Week’s Dinner Plans, I have also noticed a few patterns that I hadn’t noticed before. While everyone is away of the classic taco Tuesday, I’ve noticed that I tend to put the same “kinds” of meals each week. I make sure to have some sort of burger, at least two pastas, a soup and usually a pizza or sandwich. I also try to rotate the main proteins, so that we aren’t eating chicken three days in a row. But more recently, I am trying to think ahead on the use of produces and such to cut down on food waste. For example, if I’m using leaf lettuce on a burger one day then I will try to use the rest of it up (maybe in a green salad on the side, or as shredded lettuce in a taco) within a day or two. My next goal is to start doing this with proteins as well. So if I need chicken breast cooked whole one day and diced in something else another – make it all at once the first day and save it for later.
I also like to check in with the family to see if they have anything they have been specifically craving or wanting to try something new. Sometimes this is a fruitful ask and sometimes I get bupkitz. But I still try to ask because I also get the ‘don’t forget I’m going to dinner with a friend this night’ or ‘just please no more rice/pasta/whatever’. This is all valuable info for making a dinner menu plan for the week ahead. I also like to use a menu planner with a grocery list – like this one – to make things that much easier.
Tools You May Need
To have success with the recipes this week – here are few items that I think you may consider adding to your kitchen if you do not already have them.
A Good Sharp Chef’s Knife – this week’s menu has a few recipes that really need good knife cuts
An Extra Large Saute Pan – also called an “Everyday Pan”, these are perfect one pan meals.
A set of Food Portion Scoops – these are amazing for making meatballs, to make sure that you are getting even portions so that they can cook evenly.
A Grill Pan – I use this to give those beautiful grill lines to sandwiches, meats, and tortillas. It’s just that something extra.
Here is my plan for the week ahead. I have included the links to the original posts (you can find more info about substitutions, and processes in the full posts), as well as the full menu right here so that you don’t have to go anywhere if you don’t want to.
MONDAY
Cheesy Sausage & Tortellini – Some nights are just plain busier than others and you just need something quick and easy. And in my opinion that’s when Homemade on a Weeknight cooking has to take a detour and go #SemiHomemade. There is nothing wrong with incorporating a store bought ingredients to your homemade sauces. Some times you just don’t have the time to do both. That’s when you need a recipes like this one for Cheesy Sausage & Tortellini.
Cheesy Sausage & Tortellini
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Oil
- ½ Yellow Onion fine diced
- 1 tsp Minced Garlic
- 2 lbs Smoked Sausage or kielbasa, cut into ½-inch coins
- 1 15oz can Petite Diced Tomatoes
- 1 quart Chicken Broth
- 2 20oz pkg Cheese Tortellini
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Oregano
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 2 cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese shredded
- Dried Parsley for garnish, if desired
Instructions
- In a large saute pan over medium high heat, add oil, onions and garlic. Let saute for 4 minutes then add sausage and cook until edges are browned.
- Add broth, tomatoes, and seasonings. Bring just to a bubble and reduce heat to medium.
- Add tortellini to the pot and press down so they are submerged. (add a little water if needed). Cover with lid and cook for 15 minutes.
- Remove lid and stir in heavy cream. Once fully combined, add shredded cheese. Stir to combine and replace lid for 5 minutes more.
- Sprinkle with parsley, if desired.
TUESDAY
Beef Enchilada Soup – Soup is a must for homemade on a weeknight cooking. Soup can bring so much flavor in a short amount of time. I love to play with all sorts of classic dishes and flavors and turn them into flavor packed soup. And that’s exactly what I did with this Beef Enchilada Soup. A silky soup loaded with corn, tomato, jalapeno, black beans and delicious cheesy meatballs.
Beef Enchilada Soup
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp Oil
- ½ White Onion fine diced
- 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
- 2 tbsp Cornstarch
- 1½ qt Beef Broth
- 2 tbsp Taco Seasoning see recipe below
- 1 15oz can Black Beans drained
- 1 15oz can Corn drained
- 1 15oz can Diced Tomato
- 1 4oz can Diced Jalapeño
- 3 stalks Green Onion chopped
For the Cheesy Meatballs
- 1½ lb Ground Beef
- 2 tbsp Taco Seasoning see recipe below
- ½ cup Plain Breadcrumbs
- 1 cup Cheddar Cheese shredded
Instructions
- In a large stock pot over medium high heat, add onion. Once hot add onion and garlic. Saute for 5 minutes then add corn starch and cook another 3 minutes. Slowly stir in beef broth, stirring constantly. Once all broth is added, stir in seasoning mix. Reduce heat to medium.
- Preheat oven to 400degF.
- In a mixing bowl, add meatball ingredients, and thoroughly combine. For into 1-inch balls and line out on a baking rack over a parchment paper covered baking sheet. Bake for 15minutes.
- Add corn, black beans, tomatoes, and jalapenos to the stock pot. Stir to combine and reduce heat to medium low to simmer until meatballs are done.
- Serve 6-8 meatballs to each bowl. Ladle soup over top. Garnish with green onions.
Notes
WEDNESDAY
Chicken & Creamy Garlic Shells – Chicken and pasta is a great combo for a #weeknightdinner. It’s simple to put together and will definitely not put a dent in the family food budget. This recipe for Chicken & Creamy Garlic Shells is really easy to make and can be on the table in 30 minutes (if you remember to marinate the chicken the night before or in the morning before heading out for the day).
Chicken & Creamy Garlic Shells
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb Small Shells
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 2 tbsp Oil
- 3 tsp Garlic Powder divided
- 4 tbsp Flour
- 1 tsp Salt
- 2 cup Broth chicken or vegetable
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 2 tbsp Parsley Flakes
For the Chicken
- 6 Chicken Breasts
- 2 cups Chicken Broth
- 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tbsp Onion Powder
- 1 tbsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Pepper
- ¼ cup Avocado Oil
Instructions
- Add ingredients for the chicken to a gallon sized zipper bag. Let marinate at least 30 minutes (up to overnight)
- Start water boiling for the pasta.
- In a stove top grill pan (or frying pan), over medium high heat, add marinated chicken breasts. Cook for 5 minutes on each side. Reduce heat to medium and cover pan. Let cook another 10 minutes (or until thickest part of chicken reaches 165degF internally).
- In a sauce pan over medium heat, add oil, butter and two teaspoons of garlic powder. Once melted whisk in flour. Let cook for 3 minutes then whisk in broth, and salt. Cook another 3 minutes and whisk in heavy cream. Let cook another 3 minutes.
- Add pasta to boiling water and cook as directed on the package. Drain in colander and rinse with cool water. Return to pot away from heat.
- Remove sauce from heat and stir in remaining garlic powder, and parsley. Pour over cooked pasta and stir to evenly coat.
- Serve portion of pasta with grilled chicken.
THURSDAY
Bacon Cheeseburger Chimichangas – Not every Burger Night needs to be a traditional burger. You can take the classic flavors of a good burger – cheese, bacon, fry sauce – and put them into a different “vessel” to change things up. Burgers are one of those meals that most everyone loves but they can get a bit repetitive if you make them the same every time. That’s where the idea for Bacon Cheeseburger Chimichangas came from. We wanted burgers but not.
Bacon Cheeseburger Chimichangas
Ingredients
- 6 Extra Large Flour Tortillas
- 1½ lb Ground Beef
- ½ lb Bacon
- 1½ lb Cheddar Cheese Block cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 tbsp Dried Minced Onion
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1½ cup Fry Sauce see recipe below
- Oil for frying
Instructions
- In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, fry bacon to desired level of crispy. Remove to paper towel covered plate. Reserve one tablespoon of grease in the pan.
- Add ground beef to pan along with minced onion, garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper and worcestershire sauce. Cook and crumble until no longer pink.
- Lay tortilla on a flat surface. Pour fry sauce in the center. Top with portion of beef. Add 4-5 cubes of cheese, and 1-2 pieces of bacon. Fold in sides and roll up from the bottom. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
- In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, add enough oil to cover bottom ½ inch deep. Place rolled up tortilla seam side down in hot oil. Fry for about 15 second (until golden brown). Then rotate to each of the other sides (about 15 on each side). If your pan in big enough, you should be able to do two at a time. Remove to a wire rack (over paper towels). Serve with extra fry sauce, if desired.
FRIDAY
Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese – My family loves my homemade Mac and cheese, so sometimes I try to make a while meal out of it. This time, I added in some roasted chicken and Buffalo hot sauce to kick things up a notch. What’s best about this recipe is how easy it is to put together on a weeknight. Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese needs to be on your next week’s menu plan.
Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese
Ingredients
- 1½ lb Elbow Pasta
- 6 Chicken Thighs bone-in, skin-off
- 2 tbsp Ranch Seasoning see recipe below
- 1 tbsp Oil
- 3 stalks Green Onion chopped
For the Cheese Sauce
- 4 tbsp Butter
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 4 tbsp Flour
- 2 cups Milk
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Ground Mustard
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 3 cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese shredded
- 1 tbsp Ranch Seasoning
- ½ cup Buffalo Hot Sauce plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400degF.
- Add chicken thighs to a bowl and drizzle with oil. Toss to coat then sprinkle with ranch seasoning. Toss again. Line out on a baking rack over a parchment paper covered baking sheet. Add to oven and roast for 40 minutes.
- Start water boiling for the pasta.
- Add pasta to boiling water and cook as directed on the package. Drain in a colander and return to pot away from heat.
- In a sauce pan over medium high heat, add butter, onion powder and garlic powder. Once melted whisk in flour. Let cook for two minutes then whisk in milk and let cook for two minutes then whisk in remaining seasonings and cook another two minutes. Add in hot sauce then whisk in heavy cream and cook another two minutes. Then add in cheese, a handful at a time, whisking until it's melted in.
- Remove chicken from oven. Remove meat from bones and then chop chicken.
- Add cheese sauce to pasta and stir to thoroughly combine. Then add chopped chicken and stir again.
- Add portion of mac & cheese to serving bowl. Drizzle with hot sauce (if desired). Top with green onions.
Notes
SATURDAY
Easy Chicken Shawarma – A traditional Chicken shawarma is made by stacking marinated chicken on a vertical spit or rotisserie and slow cooking it while turns near a heat source. Not many home cooks and kitchens have the means to make it the traditional way, but that doesn’t mean that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the same flavors of this classic Mediterranean street food. This home cook version of Easy Chicken Shawarma is going to be a burst of flavor that will make a a fantastic weeknight meal.
Easy Chicken Shawarma
Ingredients
- 12 Pita Breads
- 2 Roma Tomatoes diced
- 1 cup Tzatziki Sauce see recipe below
- ½ cup Feta Cheese Crumbles
- 1 English Cucumber seeded and diced
- ½ Red Onion diced
- 2 Romaine Hearts chopped
For the Chicken
- 2 lb Chicken Tenders
- 3 tbsp Oil
- 1½ tsp Ground Coriander
- 1 tsp Turmeric
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Pepper
- ½ tsp Cayenne Pepper
Instructions
- In a gallon zippered bag, add chicken and oil. Combine seasonings for chicken and then add to bag. Zip up bag and smoosh around chicken until all evenly coated with seasoning.
- If making tzatziki fresh from recipe below, put that together and then place in refrigerator until ready to build.
- Preheat oven to 400degF.
- In large saute pan over medium high heat, add seasoned chicken. Saute and flip for around 20 minutes, to ensure all pieces are cooked through.
- Line pitas out on a baking sheet and place in oven for 5-7 minutes, until warmed
- To build a pita, start with warmed pita and layer on lettuce, tomato, onion and cucumber. Add on 4-5 strips of chicken then top with tzatziki and sprinkle with feta cheese.
SUNDAY
Mediterranean Pork & Chickpeas – If chickpeas are not on regular rotation at your home, you have been missing out. They have such a great nutty flavor but also they are mild enough to mesh will with other bold flavors. This one pot meal is packed with chickpeas, marinated artichokes, spinach, fennel seed, basil and pork. Mediterranean Pork & Chickpeas is a quick meal that has an amazing depth of flavor – perfect for a Homemade on a Weeknight meal!
Mediterranean Pork & Chickpeas
Equipment
- 1 12in Saute Pan with Lid oven safe
Ingredients
- 6 Thick-Cut Pork Chops boneless
- 1 tsp Celery Salt
- 1 tsp Pepper
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 2 tbsp OIl
- ½ Small White Onion minced
- 3 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 tsp Dried Basil
- 2 tsp Fennel Seed
- 4 16oz cans Chickpeas or garbanzo beans
- 1 15oz can Marinated Artichoke Hearts drained, roughly chopped
- 3 cups Fresh Spinach roughly chopped
- 1 tsp Salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350degF.
- Combine celery salt, pepper, and paprika. Evenly sprinkle on both sides of pork chops. Add oil to large saute pan over medium high heat. Once hot, cook pork chops on each side for 3 minutes (not trying to cook through, just brown). Remove from pan.
- In same pan (do not drain), add onion, garlic, basil and fennel. Let saute for 2 minutes, then add chickpeas and artichokes. Stir to combine and bring just to a bubble. Remove from heat.
- Stir in spinach and place pork chops on top of mixture in a single layer. Cover with lid and place in oven for 20 minutes.
- Carefully remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before removing lid. Sprinkle with remaining salt. Serve with a portion of chickpea mixture and pork chop on top.
Do you have any tips for making a dinner menu plan each week? Which one of these recipes do you plan to add to your dinner menu plan this week?
Now Let’s Get Cookin’!
I love to link up my posts to lots of blogs around the internet – check out this Ultimate Handy Linky Party List to find some of the places I share to!
Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:
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