What to cook for dinner this week:
- Roast Chicken with Sautéed Vegetables
- Easy, Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas Verdes
- Chicken Tartines with tarragon, capers, roasted red peppers, radishes and cucumbers
- Chicken Chopped Salad
- Potato Corn Chowder with Bacon and Roasted Poblano Peppers
On this page, you’ll find a meal plan for the week. Each meal is designed to build on the previous night’s efforts by using leftover ingredients. A little = a lot. You’ll also find a preparation schedule and grocery list.
If you’re not familiar with this blog, here’s the basic idea:
Using some of the same ingredients in multiple dishes throughout the week is the key to getting delicious, wholesome, good for you, home cooked meals on the table several nights of the week. The recipes in each 5-day meal plan include some prep-work for another meal later in the week.
Each meal is designed to build on the previous night’s efforts. A little = a lot.
*This meal plan is based on a family of 4, with a couple of meals making more than 4 servings so that you have some leftovers for lunches, etc.
(A shopping list for this week’s meal plan is at the bottom of this page)
Meal prep for tonight and for the rest of the week: Optional meal prep for the rest of the week: Two genius methods, from two of the most acclaimed chefs, for how to make the most tender, juicy, richly flavorful Roast Chicken. Both methods require minimal prep time (5-10 minutes) and only 3 ingredients, including the chicken. The trick to perfectly sautéed vegetables is to slice them uniformly & cook them quickly in a hot pan with a tiny bit of oil. Here’s how to get it right every time. These buttery, cherry and crumb covered shortbread bars are little slices of heaven, that’s what they are. The shortbread base is everything shortbread should be – tender, rich, not too sweet, and melt-in-your-mouth buttery. The shortbread is spread with cherry preserves spiked with a touch of orange zest and orange liquor, then covered with crispy, crunchy, sweet butter crumbs. Every bite is buttery, fruity, and crispy. A little like cherry crumb pie in cookie form. And making them couldn’t be simpler. Use 2 cups of leftover Roast Chicken for these super easy chicken enchiladas. These super cheesy chicken enchiladas verdes require one bowl and one pan, and about 15 minutes of your time. They are the kind of simple, basic, casual comfort food that takes so little time and energy, they are within reach any time you crave them. Which, if you're anything like me, is about every other day. If you want to make tonight's Enchiladas extra delicious, start with homemade tortillas. Homemade tortillas, soft and warm, are one of the best things in the whole wide world. Combine that with how easy they are to make and flour tortillas from scratch becomes one of the few life decisions for which there can be no regrets. These grapefruit margaritas are a refreshing balance of fresh, tart, sweet, and salty, with a mild jalapeño kick that goes down easy. Use 3 cups of the leftover roast chicken to make the chicken salad, and several slices of the leftover bread for the sandwiches. This is a quick, simple meal, especially if you chopped the cucumbers and radishes on day 1. These open face chicken salad sandwiches (also known as tartines) are bursting with the flavors of chives, tarragon, capers, and lemon juice, and will come together in about 15 minutes, thanks to using pre-roasted chicken. The Manhattan is well known for a reason. It’s delicious in its simplicity, requiring just three ingredients plus a some brandied cherries if you like. This pie is the ultimate in rich, creamy, coconut deliciousness. If you chopped the veggies, boiled the eggs, sautéed the bacon, and made the croutons for this salad earlier in the week, tonight's dinner is simply a matter of defrosting the chicken you put in the freezer earlier this week, and assembling the salad. This chicken chopped salad begins with a bed of leafy greens studded with chopped cucumbers, radishes, and red bell peppers that’s topped with stripes of hard boiled eggs, sliced avocado, roasted chicken, crispy bacon, and sweet cherry tomatoes. Add a warming fall twist on the classic Moscow mule with a space of sparkling (or non-sparkling) apple cider. Cherry turnovers with a sweet dark cherry & cream cheese filling that’s wrapped in flaky puff pastry and topped with roasted almonds and almond vanilla glaze. Use If you made Chicken Broth earlier in the week, now's the time to use it. Smoked Gouda and Bacon Biscuits are an optional but highly recomended accompaniment. This creamy potato corn chowder is packed with vegetables and spices, and bacon. Rich and tender cream biscuits stuffed with smoked gouda, bacon, and jalapeños, are slightly crisp on the outside, pillow-soft on the inside, and bursting with spicy, cheesy flavor. Start to finish, they’ll be on your table in under 30 minutes.Day #1: Roast Chicken with Sautéed Vegetables and Crusty Bread
2 Fool Proof Methods for Perfect Roast Chicken
Perfect Sautéed Vegetables
Dessert Pairing: Cherry Shortbread Crumble Bars
Day #2: Easy, Cheesy Enchiladas Verdes
Easy, Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas Verdes
Soft Homemade Flour Tortillas {Butter Recipe}
Cocktail Suggestion: Grapefruit Margaritas {with jalapeños and lime}
Day #3: Chicken Tartines with tarragon, capers, roasted red peppers, radishes and cucumbers.
Open Face Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Cocktail Suggestion: The Perfect Manhattan
Dessert Suggestion: Extra Creamy Coconut Cream Pie
Day #4: Chopped Chicken Salad
Chicken Chopped Salad
Apple Cider Moscow Mule
Cherry Turnovers with Cream Cheese and Almonds
Day #5: Potato Corn Chowder
Potato Corn Chowder
Smoked Gouda and Bacon Jalapeño Biscuits
*Does not include ingredients for suggested baked goods or cocktails.
Take a look at these two simple methods for Roasting Chicken and decide which one you’d like to follow.
- If using Method #1, you’ll need: Three 4 pound chickens, salt and pepper.
- If using Method #2, you’ll need: Three 4 pound chickens, salt and 4 cups of buttermilk
Crusty bread: You’ll need bread to serve along side Roast Chicken on day #1 plus enough for Chicken Salad Sandwiches on day #3. Optional: enough bread to make homemade croutons for Chicken Chopped Salad on Day #4. OR, pick up a package of croutons.
A total of 22 ounces salsa verde. This can be bottled, or homemade. Here’s the recipe for homemade salsa verde (ingredients are not included in the shopping list below).
You'll need at least 5 Flour Tortillas. Making homemade tortillas for Enchiladas Verdes on Day #2 is optional, but highly recommended. Here's the recipe. (ingredients are not included in the shopping list below)
You'll need 5 cups of chicken broth for Potato Corn Chowder. You can use the roast chicken bones to make it yourself - How to Make Simple Chicken Broth - or pick up a couple of jars or cartons.
- 1 cucumber (I like to use English cucumbers, but any kind will do)
- 12 radishes
- 6 cloves
- 3 poblano peppers
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 2 cups Yukon gold potatoes
- ½ cup fresh parsley
- ¼ cup minced fresh chives
- ¼ cup minced fresh tarragon
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 large lemon
- 8–10 cups Romain lettuce
- 9 red bell peppers (or any color bell pepper)
- Any other veggies you’d like to sauté with bell peppers on Day #1
- 8–12 radishes
- 2 avocados
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- Optional toppings for Enchiladas Verdes: ½ cup chopped green onions, 1 cup diced tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 2 lb. (32 oz) thick cut bacon
- 3 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- A few dashes of hot sauce (Optional, for Potato Corn Chowder. My Favorite is Merf’s Electric Lime Sauce.)
- 4 oz capers
- 12 oz jar roasted red peppers
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoon red or white wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoon honey
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 6 large eggs
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 3 ½ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 ½ lbs (24 oz) frozen corn
[/checklist-box]
Comments
No Comments