Planning out the week’s meals is something I do every Sunday for my family. I do this for a few different reasons – one it helps me get into the mindset of a new week ahead. Two it gives me the opportunity to look through the freezer, fridge and pantry to see what might need to be used up, what do I already have on hand, and what do I need to get from the store. I also try to think ahead of how can a double prep something one night to use another night, or say when a recipe calls for half an onion – I make sure to make something that needs the other half within a few days.
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 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
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.
TUESDAY
Chicken Tinga Tostadas – If you don’t use ground chicken often, this is a great recipe to start with. So many people think that ground chicken doesn’t do well with bold flavors but that couldn’t be further from the truth. When you develop the flavors in layers, you can build them up and have an amazing dish in the end. Chicken Tinga Tostadas are going to be a real win and a great change of pace for your next taco night.
Chicken Tinga Tostadas
Ingredients
- 16 Corn Tostadas
- 4 tbsp Oil divided
- 1 Large White Onion half minced
- 2 lb Ground Chicken
- 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
- 2 tsp Oregano
- 2 tsp Cumin
- 3 Roma Tomatoes halved
- 3 Tomatillos halved
- 1 7oz can Chipotle Pepper in Adobo
- 1 15oz can Refried Beans
- 1 tbsp Taco Seasoning see recipe below
- 1 cup Queso Fresco crumbled
- 1 cup Sour Cream
- ½ cup Cilantro rough chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400degF.
- In a large saute pan over medium high heat, add half of the oil and minced onion. Let cook for 3 minutes then add ground chicken, minced garlic, oregano and cumin. Cook and crumble until no longer pink.
- On a parchment paper covered baking sheet add a baking rack and spray with cooking oil. Place halved tomatoes and tomatillos as well as remaining half of the white onion. Drizzle with remaining oil. Place in oven to roast for 20 minutes.
- In small sauce pan over medium-low heat, add refried beans and taco seasoning. Stir to combine. Continue to cook and stir occasionally until ready to build tostadas.
- Remove vegetables from oven and add to bowl with entire can of chipotle in adobo. Blend until smooth with immersion blender. (You can also use a blender). Add mixture to chicken. Toss to coat and reduce heat to medium low. Let simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add tostadas to baking sheet in a single layer. Place in oven for 5 minutes, then remove.
- To build a tostada, smear with portion of refried beans. Add a large spoonful of chicken tinga then add a dollop of sour cream. Sprinkle with queso fresca and cilantro. Repeat with remaining tostadas.
Notes
WEDNESDAY
Classic Smashburgers – As you know, we eat a lot of burgers! Usually at least once a week – and while some weeks I get really creative and make things like a Bahn MI Burger or Muenster Burgers, lots of times it’s a more simple version – like this Classic Smashburger. You have the guilty pleasures of super melty American cheese with the simple addition of lettuce, onion and pickle. I have included my recipe for Homemade Fry sauce below the smashburger recipe. If you have an alternative sauce you prefer, by all means.
Classic Smashburger
Ingredients
- 2 lb Ground Beef
- 2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 12 slices American Cheese
- 6 Sesame Seed Buns
- ½ White Onion halved and thin sliced
- 2 cups Iceberg Lettuce shredded
- 1 cup Hamburger Pickle Chips
- 1 cup Homemade Fry Sauce see recipe below
Instructions
- In a bowl, thoroughly combine ground beef with salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder. Use a 2 inch food scoop to form into 12 balls.
- In a wide flat pan or on a flat top griddle, over medium high heat, add 4 meatballs and press each down flat with a wide flat spatula (you want to press as thin as you can without ripping it, it will shrink up). Let cook for about 3 minutes then flip and smash down again. Cook another 3 minutes and then place a slice of cheese on each patty. Let melt for a minute then stack two patties together and remove from pan. Repeat with remaining burgers.
- Once all burgers are cooked, in the same pan/surface, lightly toast each bun.
- Build the burger – add shredded lettuce, onions and pickles to the bottom bun. Place double smashburger. Smear top bun with fry sauce and place on top, pressing down slightly.
THURSDAY
Black Beans & Rice #onepotdinner – Y’all know how much I love a good #onepotdinner recipe and this recipes is moving right up to top of the list. We have been trying to add more beans to our diet, as they are chockful of nutrients that are vital for heart health. So I put on my thinking cap and tried to put a new spin on a classic dish. My recipe for Black Beans & Rice is really going to please everyone’s tummy. Not to mention be super easy to make and light on the wallet to boot!
Black Beans & Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp Oil
- ½ Large White Onion fine diced
- 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
- 2 cups Long Grain Rice
- 1 15oz can Petite Diced Tomatoes
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1 tsp Tumeric
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Pepper
- ½ tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 2 cans Black Beans drained
- 2 lbs Andouille Sausage diced
- 1 quart Chicken Broth
- 2 cups water (less if necessary)
Instructions
- In a large saute pan over medium high heat, add oil. Add onions and garlic and sauté 3 minutes. Then add rice and toast until golden.
- Add seasoning, black beans, sausage and chicken broth to pan. Add just enough water for everything to be completely covered (may be less than 2 cups or but shouldn't' be more). Stir to combine and let come just to a bubble. Reduce heat to medium and cover with lid. Let cook for 25 minutes. Remove lid and check that all liquid has been absorbed. If it is hasn't then return lid and let cook another 5 minutes.
- Serve in a shallow bowl and a sprinkle of parsley, if desired.
FRIDAY
Thai Meatball Soup – Every cuisine around the world has many versions of soup in their repertoire. Many are delightful fusion style recipes using techniques from a multitude of cuisines to make something amazingly comforting in a bowl. Which is the ultimate goal of any entree sized bowl of soup. This recipe for Thai Meatball Soup is no exception.
Thai Meatball Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil
- 1 White Onion minced
- 2 qt Chicken Broth
- 28 oz Coconut Milk unsweetened
- ½ cup Teriyaki Sauce
- ¼ cup Sriracha
- ¼ cup Soy Sauce
- 2 cups Carrotsq shredded
- 3 cups Kale chopped
- 2 lb Vermicelli
- 1 cup Fresh Cilantro chopped
- 1 Jalapeno sliced
For the Meatballs
- 2 lbs Ground Turkey
- 2 cups Panko Breadcrumbs
- ½ cup Teriyaki Sauce
- 1 cup Cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400degF. Start water boiling.
- In a bowl, thoroughly combine meatball ingredients. Use food scoop to form into 1½ inch balls (roll between palms to even them out). Place on a baking rack over a parchment paper covered baking sheet. Place in oven to bake for 20 minutes.
- In a large stock pot over medium-high heat, add oil. Once hot, add minced onion. Saute until translucent. Then add chicken broth, coconut milk, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, sriracha and carrots. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low.
- Add vermicelli to boiling water. Cook as directed on the package. Strain in colander.
- Add kale to broth pot and remove from heat.
- Add a portion of vermicelli to a shallow bowl. Ladle broth over top. Then add 5 or 6 meatballs. Garnish with cilantro and jalapeno.
SATURDAY
Smoked Sausage & Mozzarella Pasta – Need a simple but flavor packed weeknight meal? Then you came to the right post. You can think of this like an adult version of hot dogs with mac and cheese. By replacing the hot dogs with smoked sausage and the cheddar with mozzarella. Then add in a little kick from some red pepper flakes. This recipe for Smoked Sausage & Mozzarella Pasta is going to make your average weeknight a little bit extra special.
Smoked Sausage & Mozzarella Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 tbsps Oil
- 2 lbs Smoked Sausage cut in ½ inch slices
- 2 lb Rigatoni Pasta
- 1 tbsp Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 tbsp Parsley Flakes
For the Mozzarella 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
- 2 cups Mozzarella Cheese shredded
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
Instructions
- Start water boiling for pasta. (salt if desired)
- In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, add oil. Once hot, add sliced sausage pieces. Fry them until slightly browned then remove from heat.
- Add pasta to boiling water and cook as directed on the package. Drain in colander and return to pot, away from heat.
- In a sauce pan over medium-high heat, add butter, garlic powder, and onion powder. Once melted add flour and cook for 3 minutes. Whisk in milk and let cook for 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add salt and paprika. Then whisk in cheese one handful at a time until fully incorporated. Lastly add heavy cream and stir to combine. Let bubble another two minutes.
- Add cooked sausage and cheese sauce to pot with cooked pasta. Stir until fully coated.
- Serve with sprinkle of red pepper flakes and parsley.
SUNDAY
Pork Bahn Mi – A bahn mi is a popular Vietnamese style sandwich made a crusty baguette and loaded up with meat, vegetables and a mayonnaise based sauce. It is also usually spicy, but not always. This recipe is for a flavorful Pork Bahn Mi that has deliciously marinated lemongrass roasted pork, a crunchy citrus daikon slaw and a spicy mayo on a grilled baguette
Pork Bahn Mi
Ingredients
- 6 6 inch French Baguette
- 1 Jalapeno sliced
- 1 English Cucumber cut in half and then thinly slice lengthwise
- ¾ cup Mayonnasie
- ½ cup Sriracha
- Cooking Spray
For the Pork
- 3 lb Pork Roast
- 2 tbsp Lemongrass minced
- 2 tbsp Oil
- 2 tbsp Rice Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Grated Ginger
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp White Pepper
For the Daikon Slaw
- 1 cup Shredded Carrots
- 1 cup Shredded Cabbage
- 1 Lemon juice and zest
- 1 cup Shredded Daikon Radish
- ½ Red Onion thinly sliced
- ½ cup Fresh Cilantro chopped
- ¼ cup Oil
- ¼ cup Rice Vinegar
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Pepper
- 1 tsp Ground Ginger
Instructions
- Add all ingredients for the pork marinade to a gallon zipper bag and combine. Add pork roast and seal bag. Place in refrigerator to marinate for 4 hours (up to 24hours).
- Preheat over to 400degF.
- Place marinated pork on a baking rack on a parchment paper covered baking sheet. Bake in oven for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for at least 10 minutes before thinly (a meat slicer works great for this).
- In a bowl, combine ingredients for the daikon slaw. Thoroughly mix together then cover and place in refrigerator until ready to build the sandwiches.
- In another smaller bowl, add mayonnaise and sriracha and mix thoroughly. If you have a squeeze bottle, add spicy mayo to bottle and place in refrigerator until ready to make sandwiches.
- Over medium high heat, heat up grill pan or frying pan. Cut each baguette in half and spray each side with cooking spray. Grill each piece of bread and set aside.
- Add 5-6 slices of pork to bottom bread, add 4-5 slices of cucumber, then a portion of slaw, drizzle with spicy mayo, a few jalapenos slices and place top bread on. Use two long toothpicks then slice in half.
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:
AVAILABLE IN PRINT OR KINDLE eBOOK VERSIONS
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