Week 20 Summary |
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Notes for this week |
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Day 1 |
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| Grilled Chicken with Garlic Soy Marinade | Corn Casserole | |
Day 2 |
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| Chicken Pepper Pasta | Green Salad | |
Day 3 |
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| Beef Stew with Dumplings | Fruit of Your Choice | |
Day 4 |
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| Crockpot Marinara over Pasta of Your Choice | Grilled Asparagus | |
Day 5 |
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| Italian Meatball Subs | Balsamic Grilled Vegetables | |
🗓️ Day 1
- Grilled Chicken with Garlic Soy Marinade
- Corn Casserole
Grilled Chicken with Garlic Soy Marinade
This tender chicken is as delicious as it is easy to prepare. It is similar to our favorite grilled chicken and is a terrific recipe for cooking in bulk for the freezer. The extra flavor from marinating and grilling will enhance any casseroles, skillet meals, or soups that you add the chicken to.
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 ½ tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients except chicken in a large mixing bowl and whisk until the marinade is thoroughly combined.
- Add chicken to the bowl and stir until all chicken is coated in marinade; cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat grill to medium heat. Grill the chicken for 6-7 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until the chicken is cooked through (temperature of the thickest part of the chicken should register 165ºF).
- Remove from grill onto a platter and tent with foil. Let the chicken rest about five minutes before serving.
Notes
You can also bake the chicken at 350ºF for about 45 minutes or until temperature reaches 165ºF.
This is a good recipe for bulk cooking chicken for the freezer, so if your supply is low, plan to double or triple this recipe to restock.
This is a good recipe for bulk cooking chicken for the freezer, so if your supply is low, plan to double or triple this recipe to restock.
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 283 calCarbohydrates: 1 gProtein: 33 gFat: 16 gSodium: 524 mgSugar: 1 g
Grilled Chicken with Garlic Soy Marinade Permalink
Creamy Mexi-Corn Casserole
This delicious Mexi-corn casserole with a little bit of kick makes a delicious side dish for any Mexican-style main dish.
Ingredients
- 4 cups frozen corn, thawed
- 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
- 1 stick butter, softened
- ¼ cup milk
- 4 oz. can diced green chilies, diced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Mix cream cheese, butter, milk, and green chilies in bowl. Mix well. Add corn and mix thoroughly.
- Pour corn into a lightly sprayed baking dish. Bake 45 minutes or until casserole is fully heated.
Notes
Adapted from Frugal Mom’s Guide to Once a Month Cooking
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 288 calCarbohydrates: 22 gProtein: 5 gFat: 22 gSodium: 247 mgFiber: 3 gSugar: 2 g
Creamy Mexi-Corn Casserole Permalink
🗓️ Day 2
- Chicken Pepper Pasta
- Green Salad
Chicken Pepper Pasta
Tarragon complements chicken beautifully, giving Chicken Pepper Pasta a unique and delicious flavor.
Ingredients
- 4 Tbsp. butter
- 1 medium onion, cut into thin wedges
- 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into strips
- 1 medium orange or yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 ½ C cooked chicken, chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
- 8 oz uncooked angel hair pasta
- 1 C Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
- ½ C shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 C half and half
Instructions
- Prepare pasta according to directions and drain.
- Melt butter in large skillet and add onion, bell peppers, and garlic and cook on medium high until vegetables are tender crisp.
- Add cooked, chopped chicken, tarragon, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring gently, until chicken is hot.
- Add mozzarella, half and half, and Parmesan cheese to chicken.
- Reduce heat and cook on low until cheese is melted.
- Rinse pasta in hot water until noodles are warm, and add to pan. Toss gently and serve.
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 647 calCarbohydrates: 53 gProtein: 34 gFat: 33 gSodium: 989 mgFiber: 4 gSugar: 6 g
Chicken Pepper Pasta Permalink
🗓️ Day 3
- Beef Stew with Dumplings
- Fruit of Your Choice
Beef Stew with Dumplings
Rich flavors and tender dumplings make this easy beef stew a fall favorite.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. beef stew meat, cut into small pieces
- 2 Tbsp. oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 3 medium potatoes, peeled & cut into chunks
- 15 oz. can stewed tomatoes, undrained
- 15 oz. can beef broth
- Water as needed to cover ingredients
Dumplings:
- 1 ½ C flour
- 3 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ C milk
Instructions
- In a large pot cook onion and mushroom in oil on medium high for about 10 min. until softened.
- Add beef, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, broth, and water (if needed to cover the ingredients) to the pot.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer about an hour and 15 min.
- Prepare dumplings by combining the ingredients together and dropping by the spoonful on top of the stew.
- Cover and let cook without lifting the lid for 10 minutes or until dumplings are raised and fluffy.
Notes
You can avoid peeling potatoes by choosing Yukon gold variety or by using about 1-½ cups frozen hash browns in place of potatoes.
If you would like to make this in the crockpot, you can omit the sautéing and combine everything except the dumpling ingredients in the crockpot. Cook on low for about 6 hours, and follow the instructions for making the dumplings just before serving.
If you make this in the Instant Pot and would like to let me know your method, I’ll add it for others to follow.
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 381 calCarbohydrates: 47 gProtein: 26 gFat: 11 gSodium: 698 mgFiber: 5 gSugar: 7 g
Beef Stew with Dumplings Permalink
🗓️ Day 4
- Crockpot Marinara over Pasta of Your Choice
- Grilled Asparagus
Crockpot Marinara Sauce
Slow cooking marinara in the crockpot yields a rich, intense tomato flavor. For quicker cooking, this can be prepared on the stovetop but will result in a less flavorful sauce.
Ingredients
- 25 oz jar spaghetti sauce
- 14 oz can diced tomatoes
- 14 oz can stewed tomatoes
- 6 oz can tomato paste
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp. oregano
- 1 tsp. basil
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients and simmer in a slow cooker for 4-5 hours on low or until done.
- Serve over hot pasta.
Notes
This can also be prepared on the stovetop. Although cooking over low heat for a longer period of time intensifies the flavor, sauce can be served at any time after 30 minutes on the stovetop.
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 80 calCarbohydrates: 18 gProtein: 4 gFat: 1 gSodium: 1018 mgFiber: 5 gSugar: 12 g
Crockpot Marinara Sauce Permalink
Grilled Asparagus
Grilling brings out the best in fresh, tender asparagus.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. fresh asparagus
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar, or to taste
Instructions
- Wash asparagus and snap tough ends off.
- Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and marinate for 10 minutes.
- In order to keep the tips from burning, place a piece of foil under just the tip ends of the asparagus on the grill. Grill until tender, turning regularly, and serve immediately.
Notes
This recipe can also be cooked under a broiler, but reverse the foil to placing it on top of the tips instead of underneath.
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 99 calCarbohydrates: 7 gProtein: 3 gFat: 7 gSodium: 6 mgFiber: 2 gSugar: 5 g
Grilled Asparagus Permalink
🗓️ Day 5
- Italian Meatball Subs
- Balsamic Grilled Vegetables
Homemade Italian Meatball Subs
Homemade Italian meatball subs taste every bit as good as those from expensive sub shops, and they are easy to make.
Ingredients
- Oil, as needed
- 1 bell pepper, cut into strips
- 1 onion, cut into wedges
- 1-¼ pounds cooked frozen meatballs, thawed
- 6 hoagie rolls, split and toasted
- 4 ounces Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Homemade Pizza Sauce Ingredients
- 6 ounces can tomato paste
- 16 ounces canned tomato sauce
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Italian seasoning to taste
Instructions
- Combine pizza sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, sauté peppers and onions in a large nonstick skillet in oil, stirring frequently, until tender (about 3 to 4 minutes). Reduce heat to medium-low.
- Add cooked meatballs and pizza sauce. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, 5 to 6 minutes.
- Divide among rolls and sprinkle with cheese.
Notes
If needed, you can substitute a jar of prepared pizza sauce (or our Crockpot Marinara Sauce) and purchased frozen meatballs.
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 357 calCarbohydrates: 45 gProtein: 15 gFat: 13 gSodium: 1043 mgFiber: 4 gSugar: 13 g
Homemade Italian Meatball Subs Permalink
Balsamic Grilled Vegetables
Grilled vegetables are almost universally loved and are easy to prepare with little clean-up.
Ingredients
- 2 red bell peppers, chopped into 1" pieces
- 2 zucchini, thickly sliced
- 1 onion, quartered and pulled apart
- 16 oz. package of whole mushrooms, cleaned
- ¾ cup Balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Italian seasoning to taste
Instructions
- Mix all vegetables together with Balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and seasonings. Grill over medium-high heat for about 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 155 calCarbohydrates: 14 gProtein: 4 gFat: 10 gSodium: 19 mgFiber: 3 gSugar: 10 g
Balsamic Grilled Vegetables Permalink
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