CLICK HERE TO PRINT THIS WEEK'S MEAL PLAN + SHOPPING LIST
Shopping List
✔ | QUANTITY NEEDED | INGREDIENTS |
☐ | ½ cup | Asiago or Parmesan cheese, shredded |
☐ | 12 | baby potatoes |
☐ | 4 cups | beef broth, low sodium |
☐ | 1 cup | bottled Thai chili wing sauce |
☐ | 1 | carrot |
☐ | 1 stalk | celery |
☐ | 4 | chicken breasts, boneless, skinless |
☐ | ½ pint | cherry tomatoes |
☐ | ¼ cup | chili sauce, ketchup type, bottled (can use ketchup also) |
☐ | 5 pounds | chuck roast, trimmed |
☐ | 1 cup | crushed pineapple in juice |
☐ | 56 ounces | crushed tomatoes |
☐ | 28 ounces | diced tomatoes |
☐ | 2 tablespoons | dry Italian dressing mix |
☐ | 1 cup | dry red wine (Pinot Noir, Merlot, etc.) |
☐ | 15 cloves | garlic |
☐ | 2 | green bell peppers |
☐ | 8 | green onions |
☐ | 2 tablespoons | Hoisin sauce |
☐ | ½ cup | honey |
☐ | 2 pounds | lean ground beef |
☐ | 1 | lime |
☐ | ¾ cup | long grain rice, uncooked |
☐ | 24 | meatballs, I like Carando brand or make your own |
☐ | 12 | mild pickled pepperocini peppers |
☐ | 6 | onions |
☐ | ½ cup | pickled pepper juice from the pepperocinis |
☐ | 2 pounds | pork tenderloin |
☐ | 1 cup | queso cheese sauce or shredded Monterey jack cheese |
☐ | 2 | red bell peppers |
☐ | ¼ cup | sliced jalapenos, fresh or pickled |
☐ | 1 ½ pounds | steak (skirt steak, flank steak, etc.) |
☐ | 2 cups | sweet mini peppers (or sweet bell peppers) |
☐ | 1 large bag | white corn tortilla chips |
☐ | 8 ounces | whole milk mozzarella, good quality |
☐ | 1 | yellow bell pepper |
✔ | STAPLE INGREDIENTS |
☐ | apple cider vinegar |
☐ | black pepper |
☐ | butter |
☐ | chili powder |
☐ | cornstarch |
☐ | crushed red pepper flakes |
☐ | cumin |
☐ | dried oregano |
☐ | dried parsley |
☐ | flour |
☐ | garlic powder |
☐ | ground ginger powder |
☐ | Italian seasoning |
☐ | olive oil |
☐ | salt |
☐ | soy sauce |
☐ | vegetable oil |
☐ | Worcestershire sauce |
Monday
📖 Recipe
Marinara Meatball Skillet
A savory and cheesy recipe with tender Italian style meatballs slow simmered in homemade vegetable marinara sauce. Great as an appetizer for parties or as a main course for family meals.
Ingredients
- 24 Carando Meatballs 2 packages
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
- 2 cups sweet peppers sliced or chopped
- 1 carrot peeled and finely chopped
- 1 stalk celery with leaves finely chopped
- ½ small onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 14.5 ounces petite diced tomatoes undrained
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes more to taste
- ½ teaspoon sea salt plus a pinch
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper plus a pinch
- 8 ounces whole milk mozzarella good quality
- ½ cup Parmesan or Asiago cheese shredded
Instructions
- In a medium sauce pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium low heat. Stir in the peppers, carrot, celery, onion, and garlic. Add a pinch of salt and a pinch of black pepper. Cook and stir until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, butter, crushed pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Bring the sauce to a low boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Add the remaining oil to a large oven proof skillet. Brown the meatballs in batches in the oil over medium heat, rotating to brown all sides. Turn stove top off.
- When all the meatballs are browned, arrange them all in the bottom of the skillet. Pour the prepared marinara sauce over the top.
- Tear the mozzarella into chunks and arrange on top of the sauce-covered meatballs. Sprinkle with Parmesan or Asiago cheese. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden.
- Serve hot with additional Parmesan cheese and crusty bread.
Notes
Nutritional information does not include bread.
Nutrition
Serving: 1meatball with sauce and cheeseCalories: 115kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 6gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 223mgPotassium: 240mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1040IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 97mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Tuesday
📖 Recipe
Stuffed Pepper Soup
Wholesome, hearty, and full of flavor, this easy recipe for stuffed pepper soup is a family favorite.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 2 onion peeled, diced
- 2 green bell peppers seeded, diced
- 1 red bell pepper seeded, diced
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon salt to taste
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper to taste
- 14.5 ounces diced canned tomatoes undrained
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 4 cups beef broth low sodium
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce to taste
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce to taste
- ¾ cup long grain rice uncooked, brown or white
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Stir in the minced garlic. When you start to smell the garlic, add the ground beef and onions. Crumble and stir to combine.
- Add the diced bell peppers. Cook and stir the beef and vegetables for 7 minutes or until the beef is no longer pink.
- Stir in the parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper. Carefully pour in the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, beef stock, and water.
- Bring to a low boil, stirring frequently. Taste and add the worcestershire and soy sauces to preference.
- Reduce heat and lower to a simmer. Cover the pot and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the lid and bring to a boil. Stir in the rice, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for another 10 to 15 minutes until the rice is tender. Stir frequently so the rice does not stick.
- Serve hot.
Notes
Add more water as needed after you add the rice based on how thin or thick you want your soup.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cupCalories: 218kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 20gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 730mgPotassium: 677mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 566IUVitamin C: 40mgCalcium: 59mgIron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Wednesday
📖 Recipe
Asian Sticky Chicken
Better than take out (and probably better for you), this recipe for Asian-inspired sticky chicken is a tasty twist on weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts boneless, skinless
- 1 cup bottled Thai chili wing sauce
- ½ cup water
- 4 green onions chopped
- 4 TB cornstarch
- 3 - 4 TB vegetable oil for cooking the chicken
- 2 TB Hoisin sauce
- 2 TB soy sauce
- 1 TB minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces. In a large bowl, toss the chicken with cornstarch until all pieces are well coated.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok on medium high. When the oil starts to shimmer, quickly cook the chicken in batches until golden brown. Set the cooked pieces aside.
- Add more oil to the pan after each batch, and repeat until all chicken is cooked.
- In a medium bowl, combine the chili sauce, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, pepper and water. Whisk until well combined.
- Reduce heat to medium and return chicken to the skillet. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Cook to heat through, then reduce to low and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened.
- Stir in the green onions, and cook an additional 5 minutes.
- Serve hot over cooked rice with steamed vegetables.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 300kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 33gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 96mgSodium: 1024mgPotassium: 598mgFiber: 0gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 125IUVitamin C: 3.7mgCalcium: 17mgIron: 0.9mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Thursday
📖 Recipe
Zesty Marinated Steak Nachos
A zesty and snack worthy recipe for nachos loaded with marinated and tender steak, jalapenos and fresh veggies. Make a double batch!
Ingredients
- 1-2 lbs steak flank steak, skirt steak, strip steak, etc
- Juice and zest of 1 lime
- ¼ cup olive oil plus 1 TB for cooking the steak
- ¼ cup chopped green onions plus additional for topping
- 1 TB chili powder
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large bag white tortilla chips
- 1 cup of queso cheese sauce or shredded Monterrey jack cheese
- ½ pint cherry tomatoes halved
- ¼ cup chopped purple onion
- ¼ cup or more sliced jalapenos (pickled or fresh)
- Or your toppings of choice.
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl, combine ¼ cup of olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Stir in the minced garlic and ¼ up of the chopped green onions.
- Cut the steak into serving sized pieces and place into the marinade. Coat all sides of the steak and press into the bottom of the bowl. Cover with foil or plastic wrap, and press the cover onto the top of the steak, sealing out all air.
- Refrigerate for atleast 1 hour to overnight.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat with 1 TB of olive oil. When the oil shimmers and the skillet begins to smoke, place a few pieces of the steak into the pan.
- Sear for 3 minutes, flip, and sear on the other side for 2-3 minutes. Continue this process working in small batches until all of the steak is cooked.
- Transfer the cooked steak to a plate; cover with foil and let rest 15 minutes.
- Slice the steak into small pieces.
- On a large baking sheet, arrange the tortilla chips in a single layer. Top evenly with the steak pieces, cheese, tomatoes, onions, and jalapenos.
- Place the baking sheet into the oven. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the chips are browned on the edges and all cheese is melted.
- Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 337kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 17gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 49mgSodium: 823mgPotassium: 369mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1095IUVitamin C: 11.8mgCalcium: 52mgIron: 2.4mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Friday: Leftovers!
Saturday
📖 Recipe
Red Wine Slow Cooker Roast
Ingredients
- 4 to 6 pound chuck roast
- 12 baby potatoes washed and halved
- 2 large onions peeled and cut into wedges
- 10 to 12 mild pickled peppers banana peppers, pepperocini, etc (about 1 cup)
- 1 cup dry red wine
- ½ cup pickled pepper juice
- 2 TB dry Italian dressing mix
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic or garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For Red Wine Pan Gravy (optional)
- 1 cup of the red wine cooking liquid from the roast
- 2 TB beef fat bacon grease or butter
- 2 TB all purpose flour
Instructions
- In a slow cooker, place the chuck roast in the bottom. Sprinkle the Italian dressing mix evenly over the roast.
- Place the halved baby potatoes, onions wedges, and pickled peppers on top of the roast. Sprinkle the garlic, salt and pepper over the top.
- Pour the pickled pepper juice over the meat and vegetables. Follow with pouring the dry red wine over the top.
- Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours. (*Note, cooking times will vary based on the size of your roast, whether it was thawed or frozen, and the size and heat of your slow cooker. Please adjust time accordingly.)
For the Optional Red Wine Gravy
- In a small skillet or sauce pan, melt the grease or butter over medium high heat. Whisk in the flour and cook until smooth and bubbly.
- Slowly pour in the red wine cooking broth from the roast. Stir until smooth, reduce heat and simmer until it reaches the desired thickness. Serve over the roast and vegetables.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Sunday
📖 Recipe
Hawaiian Grilled Pork Kabobs
Tender pork marinated in a pineapple based marinade and grilled to perfection with bright veggies.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds pork loin
- 1 cup crushed pineapple with juice Do not use fresh pineapple.
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup chili sauce
- 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large white onion
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 yellow bell pepper
Instructions
- Cut pork loin into even sized cubes, about 1 - ½ inch sized.
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together pineapple with juice, soy sauce, honey, oil, chili sauce, vinegar, garlic and seasonings. Stir until well blended.
- Pour over the pork chunks, seal, and refrigerate for 1 hour - overnight.
- Peel and chop the onion into 1 inch sized pieces. Seed and trim the bell peppers, and cut into similar sized pieces.
- Carefully skewer the marinated pork with the vegetables onto metal or bamboo skewers. Alternate pepper, pork, onion and repeat until you have used all.
- On a grill heated to about 400 degrees, grill the skewers on 3-4 minutes on each side. Rotate until all sides are cooked evenly and the pork is done and no longer pink. Do not overcook.
Notes
NOTE: Do not use fresh pineapple for the marinade.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 352kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 28gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 71mgSodium: 987mgPotassium: 681mgFiber: 2gSugar: 29gVitamin A: 665IUVitamin C: 56mgCalcium: 31mgIron: 1.6mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Notes about This Week's Meal Plan:
- Each recipe makes at least 4 servings. Most make more.
- Grab a bag of salad and a loaf of garlic bread to pair with the meatball skillet.
- Cook some plain white rice to serve with the sticky chicken.
- Feel free to switch the meals and days around to fit your schedule and mood.
- Feel free to make seasoning substitutions as you see fit based on what you have on hand and your taste.
- Substitute the fresh herbs with dried if you'd like to save $$. Use what you have in your pantry.