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    Home / Meal Plans

    Meal Plan for Week 18 (Group 1)

    Meal Plan for Week 18 (Group 1) - Broccoli Fettuccine Alfredo, Barbecue Roasted Chicken, Easy Beef Empanadas, Barbecue Chicken Pizza, Carne Asada Tortas

    Meal Plan for Week 18 (Group 1) - Broccoli Fettuccine Alfredo, Barbecue Roasted Chicken, Easy Beef Empanadas, Barbecue Chicken Pizza, Carne Asada Tortas

    Week 18 Summary

    Notes for this week

    • For additional information about recipes, please visit the recipe post linked at the bottom of each recipe card.

    • You can use a jar of prepared Alfredo sauce for the Broccoli & Fettuccine Alfredo on Day 1 or our homemade Alfredo sauce.

    • The ingredients for the Homemade Alfredo Sauce are included in the grocery list, so you can either remove that recipe from the collection for your list if you plan to buy a jar, or you can check off the line item for “homemade Alfredo sauce” that is automatically added from the ingredient list.

    • Leftover Barbecue Roasted Chicken (Day 2) is the topping for Barbecue Chicken Pizza (Day 4). If you have big eaters or want to freeze some shredded chicken, double up on the roast chicken so you have enough.

    • Easy Beef Empanadas on Day 3 are a freezer recipe, so you can double up on stocking the freezer by cooking extra ground beef for the freezer and freezing half of the empanadas (or make extra to freeze even more). If you want to use the bulk pie crust recipe (included below) for the empanadas, you might plan ahead and prepare that earlier in the week.

    • The steak for the Carne Asada Tortas on Day 5 needs to marinate and the Tex-Mex Cole Slaw needs to chill, so plan to start on these recipes the night before.

    Day 1

    Broccoli Fettuccine AlfredoGreen Salad

    Day 2

    Barbecue Roasted ChickenCorn MuffinsPeas and Carrots

    Day 3

    Easy Beef EmpanadasMexiCornSpanish Rice

    Day 4

    Barbecue Chicken PizzaVeggie Sticks with Dip

    Day 5

    Carne Asada TortasTex-Mex Cole Slaw
    Jump to:
    • 🗓️ Day 1
    • 🗓️ Day 2
    • 🗓️ Day 3
    • 🗓️ Day 4
    • 🗓️ Day 5
    • 🧾 Create a shopping list
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    🗓️ Day 1

    • Broccoli Fettuccine Alfredo
    • Green Salad
    Afredo sauce with broccoli over fettuccine on a clear glass plate with a fork

    Broccoli & Fettuccine Alfredo

    Prepared sauces can be a lifesaver, but preparing fresh homemade Alfredo sauce is worth the little bit of extra effort. Add a quick salad to Broccoli & Fettuccine Alfredo, and the complete meal can be on the table in about the time it takes to cook and drain the fettuccine.
    No ratings yet
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    Prep Time 3 mins
    Cook Time 12 mins
    Total Time 15 mins
    Course Main Dish
    Cuisine Italian, Vegetarian
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 580

    Ingredients
      

    • 8 oz fettuccine, cooked according to pkg. directions
    • ½ recipe homemade alfredo sauce, or a jar of prepared sauce
    • 1 head broccoli, chopped into florets
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    Instructions

    • Steam broccoli in covered microwave safe dish for about 5 minutes or add broccoli to fettuccine during the last five minutes of the fettuccine boiling time.
    • Drain pasta and broccoli. Serve Alfredo sauce over pasta and broccoli.

    Notes

    Nutrition facts are for homemade Alfredo sauce.

    Nutrition per serving

    Calories: 580 calCarbohydrates: 52 gProtein: 18 gFat: 34 gSodium: 617 mgFiber: 5 gSugar: 3 g
    Broccoli & Fettuccine Alfredo Permalink
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    Overhead shot of yellow plate with fettuccine and Alfredo sauce with pot of Alfredo sauce, hunk of Parmesan cheese, and nutmeg grinder surrounding plate

    Homemade Alfredo Sauce

    The combination of cream, butter, and Parmesan cheese creates a fantastic homemade Alfredo sauce, and a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg adds the perfect complement to the creamy richness.
    5 from 2 votes
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    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 10 mins
    Total Time 15 mins
    Course Main Dish
    Cuisine Italian, Vegetarian
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 311

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
    • ¼ cup butter, cut into pieces
    • 1 clove garlic, minced
    • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
    • ⅛ tsp. freshly ground nutmeg, affiliate link
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    Instructions

    • In a large saucepan, combine cream and butter. Heat over medium heat until butter has melted and cream is warmed, but do not boil.
    • Add Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Mix well and cook over medium-low heat until cheese is melted. Serve with pasta.

    Nutrition per serving

    Calories: 311 calCarbohydrates: 2 gProtein: 6 gFat: 31 gSodium: 409 mg
    Homemade Alfredo Sauce Permalink
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    🗓️ Day 2

    • Barbecue Roasted Chicken
    • Corn Muffins
    • Peas and Carrots
    Barbecue Roasted Chicken

    Barbecue Roasted Chicken

    This delicious roasted barbecue chicken makes a wonderful meal and is perfect for planned leftovers. Shred leftover chicken and use on Barbecue Chicken Pizza or in barbecue sandwiches (double up and cook two roasters for more leftovers).
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Add to Collection Go to Collections
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 1 hr 30 mins
    Total Time 1 hr 45 mins
    Course Main Dish
    Cuisine American, Gluten-free
    Servings 10 servings
    Calories 575

    Ingredients
      

    • 5 lb. whole chicken
    • 1 ½ cups barbecue sauce
    • 4 cloves garlic, minced
    • oil as needed
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    Instructions

    • Loosen skin from the chicken on all sides. Coat chicken between the skin and meat with half of the barbecue sauce and all the garlic, distributing as evenly as possible.
    • Tie legs together and place breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Drizzle a small amount of oil over the top.
    • Bake at 375°F for about 1 hour to 1 ½ hours or until chicken is cooked through. During the last 15 minutes brush remaining barbecue sauce over the chicken.

    Notes

    Shredded or chopped cooked chicken makes a great shortcut for future meals, so whenever I roast a chicken I freeze the leftover chicken for use in things like pizza topping, barbecue sandwiches, or to use in soups and casseroles.

    Nutrition per serving

    Calories: 575 calCarbohydrates: 17 gProtein: 42 gFat: 35 gSodium: 599 mgSugar: 14 g
    Barbecue Roasted Chicken Permalink
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    Coral, white, and brown illustration of a tilted salt shaker sprinkling salt

    Corn Muffins

    Tender and crumbly Golden Cornbread makes for a delicious sweet and savory side dish.
    No ratings yet
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    Cook Time 23 mins
    Total Time 23 mins
    Course Bread
    Cuisine American, Vegetarian
    Servings 9 servings
    Calories 206

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cup cornmeal
    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • 2 to 4 tablespoons sugar
    • 4 teaspoons baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup milk
    • 1 egg, beaten
    • ¼ cup vegetable oil
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    Notes

    Complete recipe with instructions can be found at the Quaker website.

    Nutrition per serving

    Calories: 206 calCarbohydrates: 28 gProtein: 5 gFat: 9 gSodium: 150 mgFiber: 2 gSugar: 4 g
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    🗓️ Day 3

    • Easy Beef Empanadas
    • MexiCorn
    • Spanish Rice
    Corn and ground beef empanadas with salsa

    Easy Baked Beef Empanadas

    Easy Beef Empanadas make it look like you spent all day in the kitchen but are easy and delicious. They make a great freezer meal, too—make extra to freeze!
    5 from 1 vote
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    Prep Time 45 mins
    Cook Time 25 mins
    Total Time 1 hr 10 mins
    Course Main Dish
    Cuisine Mexican
    Servings 18 empanadas
    Calories 303

    Equipment

    turnover press.
    Turnover press
    rolling pin.
    Rolling Pin
    pastry mat.
    Pastry mat

    Ingredients
      

    • 3 cups cooked ground beef, from the freezer, thawed
    • 2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix
    • ⅓ cup water
    • 15.25 oz. canned corn, drained
    • ½ onion, chopped and sautéed
    • 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
    • 1 cup salsa
    • 4 pie crust dough portions, unbaked
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    Instructions

    • If your cooked ground beef is not already taco-seasoned, simmer it with the taco seasoning and water for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. If it is already seasoned, skip this step.
    • In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients except the pie crust dough.
    • Roll the pie crust dough out to about 1/16" thick. It's best to cut one 8" circle and make a test empanada before cutting out all of the circles to be sure that your thickness works well for folding and sealing. It's easy to make the dough too thin, resulting in a frustrating experience when filling and sealing.
    • When you are satisfied with the thickness of the dough, cut 18 individual circles approximately 8" in diameter.
    • Fill each crust with ⅓ cup of the filling. Fold crust over and seal, cutting off any extra dough if necessary. Bake at 375°F for approximately 25 minutes, or until crust is light brown and crispy. Serve with queso dip or salsa.
    • To freeze, place unbaked empanadas in a single layer on a cookie sheet and freeze. When frozen, place in freezer containers and label with the following information: “Thaw. Bake at 375°F approximately 25 minutes, or until crust is light brown and crispy. Serve with queso dip or salsa.”

    Notes

    1. Nutrition data is per empanada.
    2. You can substitute pie crusts from the refrigerated section of the grocery store for the bulk pie crusts if you prefer.
    3. Making empanadas, dumplings, and turnovers is much easier with a turnover press. This turnover press set from Amazon (affiliate link) comes with 5 presses of varying sizes ranging from 2-½” to 7″:
    4. If you use the 7" press (which is the largest size press I can find), you'll need to use slightly less than ⅓ cup of filling in each empanada but will be able to get 2-3 more empanadas out of the recipe.
    5. To use the press, use the side without the fluting to press into the dough to cut out your circles. Once your circles are cut out, place them on the fluted side of the press, add the filling, then close the press to seal the edges. Make sure that your dough is not too thin (thin dough will sink in the center when filled, pulling away from the edges and causing a poor seal).

    Nutrition per serving

    Calories: 303 calCarbohydrates: 25 gProtein: 8 gFat: 18 gSodium: 616 mgFiber: 1 g
    Easy Baked Beef Empanadas Permalink
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    Unbaked pie crust in a pie pan with a marble rolling pin and flour sack towel in the background

    Freezer-Friendly Bulk Pie Crust

    Our flaky, buttery (and freezer-friendly) pie crust is a delicious basis for pies, quiches, and pot pies. With only 3 ingredients plus water, this bulk pie crust recipe is all natural and contains none of the lard and preservatives found in most commercially prepared crusts.
    4.46 from 33 votes
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    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 8 mins
    Total Time 28 mins
    Course Bulk Cooking
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6 crusts
    Calories 997

    Ingredients
      

    • 6 cups flour
    • 1 lb. butter, softened (4 sticks)
    • 2 tsp. salt
    • 1 ¼ to 1 ½ cups cold water
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    Instructions

    • Mix flour and salt.
      Overhead shot of flour in a mixer with salt being added from a small wooden bowl and containers of butter and water to the side
    • If mixing by hand, use a fork or pastry cutter to blend in butter a little at a time until mixture is crumbly. If using a stand mixer, use the pulse function to mix. The flour and butter mixture does not have to be completely uniform; it's actually good to leave a few larger bits of butter mixed in.
      Overhead shot of flour in a mixer with chopped butter added throughout, a bowl with two sticks of butter to the side, and a measuring cup with 1-½ cups water to the side
    • Add water a little at a time and mix until mixture forms a ball.
    • If your dough starts to get greasy because the butter is melting, place it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before working with it further.
    • Add water as necessary to get correct texture, but try to add as little water as possible. You only need enough water so that the dough holds together; the final product will not look like a smooth ball.
      Overhead shot of pie crust dough in a mixer
    • Divide dough in half, then divide each half into 3 equal parts.
      Composite image with top image showing a lump of pie crust dough on a floured rolling mat and bottom image showing the same dough separated into 6 thick circles of dough for the freezer
    • At this point roll each section out to be ready for a pie plate before freezing, or you can freeze it in discs to be rolled before use. If you want to do the extra step of rolling it out, place each section of crust on lightly floured parchment paper and roll it out to your preferred size, then starting at one end of the parchment paper, gently roll it up with the pie crust inside.
      pie crust dough partially rolled up in parchment paper on a rolling mat with a marble rolling pin to the side
    • If you are freezing without rolling, form each section into a slightly flattened disc and place parchment paper between each disc of dough. Freeze in a freezer container.
      Overhead image of unbaked pie crust in a pie pan to the right and thick circles of pie crust dough stacked with parchment paper in between ready for the freezer
    • If you rolled the pie crusts out and rolled them up in parchment paper, place them on a cookie sheet or other flat surface and freeze for a couple of hours. Once the crusts are individually frozen, you can combine them and place them together in a freezer container or wrap them with freezer paper and freeze.

    Notes

    1. The dough can be mixed by hand or with a sturdy stand mixer.
    2. Nutrition data is per pie crust.
    3. Freshly ground whole wheat flour may be used in this recipe instead of white flour at a one to one ratio.
    4. To bake an unfilled crust, cook at 475ºF for about 8 minutes. For filled crusts, bake according to recipe instructions.

    Nutrition per serving

    Serving: 1 pie crustCalories: 997 calCarbohydrates: 95 gProtein: 13 gFat: 62 gSodium: 1179 mgFiber: 3 g
    Freezer-Friendly Bulk Pie Crust Permalink
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    🗓️ Day 4

    • Barbecue Chicken Pizza
    • Veggie Sticks with Dip
    Slice of pizza topped with chicken, cheddar cheese, and barbecue sauce being lifted from the pie.

    Barbecue Chicken Pizza

    Barbecue Chicken Pizza is a delicious way to use leftover barbecue chicken and only takes a few minutes to prepare.
    5 from 1 vote
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    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 40 mins
    Course Main Dish
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8 slices
    Calories 274

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 prepared pizza crust
    • 2 cups barbecue sauce
    • 1 cup cooked chicken, shredded
    • 1 cup red onion, sliced
    • 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
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    Instructions

    • Roll pizza dough out on a pizza stone or pan and spread with barbecue sauce. Sprinkle with cheese, then layer chicken and red onion slices.
    • Cook at 400°F until brown and bubbly, about 20-30 minutes.

    Notes

    Nutrition data is per slice.

    Nutrition per serving

    Calories: 274 calCarbohydrates: 31 gProtein: 12 gFat: 10 gSodium: 923 mgSugar: 24 g
    Barbecue Chicken Pizza Permalink
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    🗓️ Day 5

    • Carne Asada Tortas
    • Tex-Mex Cole Slaw
    White bun piled with grilled flap meat, lettuce, tomato, cheese, and jalapeno slices

    Carne Asada Tortas

    Carne asada is a delicious sliced grilled beef made with spices to marinate the meat before grilling. A torta is a Mexican sandwich usually served on a bolillo roll, a savory white roll that is crusty on the outside (we used a softer sandwich bun when we made our tortas).
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Add to Collection Go to Collections
    Prep Time 25 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Marinating Time 12 hrs
    Total Time 12 hrs 45 mins
    Course Main Dish
    Cuisine Mexican
    Servings 6 sandwiches
    Calories 580

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 lbs flap meat

    Marinade:

    • 2 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 2 teaspoon onion powder
    • 2 teaspoon paprika
    • 1 ½ teaspoon cumin
    • 1 teaspoon chili powder
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • ½ cup lime juice
    • 3 tablespoon oil

    For the sandwiches:

    • 6 sandwich rolls, bolillo or French are most authentic
    • ½ head shredded iceberg lettuce
    • ½ recipe homemade guacamole
    • 1 large tomato, sliced
    • 8 oz. cotija cheese, crumbled (or shredded colby jack)
    • ½ cup jalapeno slices
    • hot sauce, to taste
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    Instructions

    • Combine marinade ingredients and pour over the meat. Toss to coat and let marinate overnight. Grill meat until cooked to your preference.
    • To assemble: Spread guacamole on the tops and bottoms of the rolls. Top bottom buns with meat followed by tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, jalapenos, and hot sauce. Gently press the top buns over the sandwich. Serve.

    Notes

    Flap meat is another name for a sirloin tip steak, and may also be referred to as “faux hanger.” It is an inexpensive cut of meat that is perfect for grilling, but if you can’t find flap meat you can substitute flank steak.
    We used sandwich rolls for our tortas, but if you can find French rolls or bolillo, they are a more authentic style torta.

    Nutrition per serving

    Calories: 580 calCarbohydrates: 40 gProtein: 46 gFat: 25 gSodium: 1025 mgFiber: 4 gSugar: 5 g
    Carne Asada Tortas Permalink
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    Tex-Mex Cole Slaw and limes

    Tex-Mex Coleslaw

    A southwestern twist on traditional coleslaw, this Tex-Mex coleslaw is flavored with lime and cilantro.
    5 from 1 vote
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    Prep Time 10 mins
    Chilling Time 2 hrs
    Total Time 2 hrs 10 mins
    Course Salad, Side Dish
    Cuisine Gluten-free, Tex-Mex, Vegetarian
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 149

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 bag coleslaw mix
    • 3 green onions, sliced
    • ½ cup cilantro, chopped
    • ½ cup mayonnaise
    • 3 tablespoon lime juice
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    Instructions

    • Combine everything in a large bowl and let chill for a few hours before serving.

    Nutrition per serving

    Calories: 149 calCarbohydrates: 5 gProtein: 1 gFat: 14 gSodium: 133 mgFiber: 2 gSugar: 3 g
    Tex-Mex Coleslaw Permalink
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    🧾 Create a shopping list

    Note that any recipe scaling from the recipes above does not carry over to the starting point for the grocery list, so you will need to make those same serving adjustments below after you click the Shopping List button. To print the notes for each day, after clicking the Shopping List button, click Print Collection.

    📌 Pin this meal plan

    Meal Plan for Week 18 (Group 1) - Broccoli Fettuccine Alfredo, Barbecue Roasted Chicken, Easy Beef Empanadas, Barbecue Chicken Pizza, Carne Asada Tortas
    Meal Plan for Week 18 (Group 1) - Broccoli Fettuccine Alfredo, Barbecue Roasted Chicken, Easy Beef Empanadas, Barbecue Chicken Pizza, Carne Asada Tortas
    Meal Plan for Week 18 (Group 1) - Broccoli Fettuccine Alfredo, Barbecue Roasted Chicken, Easy Beef Empanadas, Barbecue Chicken Pizza, Carne Asada Tortas
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    Posted by Mary Ann on April 13, 2021Filed Under: Meal Plans

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