Week 35
Notes for this week:
- Plan to make extra Pesto Chicken on Day 1 to use in the wraps on Day 4.
- Crustless quiche is perfect for freezing, so if you'd like you can double the recipe on Day 5 and freeze half to bake another day.
Day 1
- Pesto Chicken (save leftovers for Day 4)
- Macaroni & Cheese
- Steamed Asparagus
Day 2
- Pasta Carbonara with Tomatoes
- Green Beans
- Italian Bread
Day 3
- Slow Cooker Beef & Mushrooms
- Zucchini & Tomatoes
Day 4
- Pesto Chicken Wraps (use leftovers from Day 1)
- Potato Chips
- Grapes
Day 5
- Crustless Broccoli Quiche
- Apple Raisin Salad
Day 1 Dinner Menu
- Pesto Chicken (save leftovers for Day 4)
- Macaroni & Cheese
- Steamed Asparagus
Pesto Chicken
Pesto makes this baked chicken a flavorful but easy meal. You can use a jar of pesto for quicker prep, but homemade pesto is quick and easy to make and is worth the few minutes of effort.
Ingredients
- 1-½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 6 pieces
- 1 recipe homemade pesto, or 10 oz. jar pesto
- 1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded, for garnish
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated, for garnish
- Nonstick cooking spray
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375°Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Spread a small amount of pesto sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Lay chicken in the baking dish and pour the remaining pesto over the chicken.
- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes or until cooked through.
- Remove foil and sprinkle with cheeses and bake for 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted.
Notes
Pesto freezes well, so you may want to double the recipe and freeze a portion for future use.
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 345 calCarbohydrates: 2 gProtein: 18 gFat: 30 gSodium: 362 mgFiber: 1 gSugar: 1 g
Pesto Chicken Permalink
Macaroni and Cheese
Homemade macaroni and cheese is worth the effort for the comforting "welcome home" feeling it evokes. This version with a crushed crouton topping is the perfect blend of creamy and crunchy.
Ingredients
- ½ lb. elbow macaroni
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp dry mustard powder
- 1 Tbsp hot/ warm water
- 3 cups grated cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup seasoned croutons, crushed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain thoroughly and return to pan.
- Stir in butter and egg; mix mustard and salt with water and add to macaroni.
- Add cheese, reserving ½ cup to sprinkle on the top.
- Pour into a greased 2 quart casserole dish. Pour milk over noodles and cheese – do not stir it in but distribute evenly. Sprinkle with cheese and croutons.
- Bake for about 45 minutes or until set and the top is brown.
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 324 calCarbohydrates: 25 gProtein: 16 gFat: 18 gSodium: 602 mgFiber: 1 gSugar: 3 g
Macaroni and Cheese Permalink
Day 2 Dinner Menu
- Pasta Carbonara with Tomatoes
- Green Beans
- Italian Bread
Pasta Carbonara with Tomatoes and Spinach
Ripe cherry tomatoes and fresh baby spinach are the perfect addition to pasta with a carbonara sauce. They cook up quickly on the stovetop with minimal fuss but make a refreshing and flavorful dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 8 oz. pkg. fresh baby spinach
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 6 oz. Parmesan cheese, shredded
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1 egg
- 16 oz. pkg. penne pasta
- ¼ cup fresh basil, optional
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring 3 quarts water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions until al dente; drain and set aside.
- While pasta is cooking, heat oil a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Sauté garlic for about 1 minute then add spinach and tomatoes. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until tomatoes are tender.
- In a large bowl, whisk together cheese, salt, pepper, and egg. Toss drained pasta with egg mixture. Add tomato/spinach mixture, tossing until sauce thickens.
- Sprinkle each serving with fresh basil if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
Try mixing up various styles of hearty pasta for a different texture and balance of flavors.
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 448 calCarbohydrates: 63 gProtein: 23 gFat: 12 gSodium: 702 mgFiber: 4 gSugar: 4 g
Pasta Carbonara with Tomatoes and Spinach Permalink
Day 3 Dinner Menu
- Slow Cooker Beef & Mushrooms
- Zucchini & Tomatoes
Slow Cooker Beef and Mushrooms
Slow cooker recipes like Slow Cooker Beef and Mushrooms are a great way to make a low stress dinner at home.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. beef stew meat cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 envelope onion soup mix
- 10.5 oz can cream golden mushroom soup
- 2 cups whole mushrooms
- ½ cup red wine
- 6 cups egg noodles, prepared according to directions
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in crock pot. Stir until well blended. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours (or on high for 5-6 hours). Serve over cooked egg noodles.
Notes
This recipe freezes well so you may want to double the ingredients on your grocery list and freeze half. (Freeze only the meat mixture; cook the egg noodles just before serving.)
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 309 calCarbohydrates: 24 gProtein: 32 gFat: 8 gSodium: 345 mgFiber: 1 gSugar: 1 g
Slow Cooker Beef and Mushrooms Permalink
Day 4 Dinner Menu
Notes: Since we are using the leftover Pesto Chicken from Day 1, you don't need to add the pesto that the recipe calls for unless you want the extra flavor. Just reheat the leftover Pesto Chicken and use it in the wraps, skipping the step calling for sautéing the chicken with the pesto.
- Pesto Chicken Wraps
- Potato Chips
- Grapes
Pesto Chicken Wraps
Pesto and olives give leftover cooked chicken a delicious Mediterranean flavor in this easy wrap recipe.
Ingredients
- 4 whole wheat tortillas
- ¼ cup pesto sauce, prepared
- 2 cups cooked chicken, sliced or cubed
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 cup Romaine lettuce, chopped
- ½ cup black olives, sliced
Instructions
- Preheat broiler.
- In a large skillet, reheat the chicken with the pesto sauce until warmed. Spoon ¼ of the warmed chicken mixture onto each tortilla along with salt and pepper. Sprinkle Mozzarella cheese over each tortilla.
- Place tortillas on a cookie sheet and broil for about 1 minute or until cheese has melted.
- Add Romaine and black olives to top of melted cheese and roll tortillas into wraps. Serve with extra pesto for dipping if desired.
Notes
Pesto and olives give leftover cooked chicken a delicious Mediterranean flavor in this easy wrap recipe.
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 421 calCarbohydrates: 25 gProtein: 29 gFat: 22 gSodium: 1068 mgFiber: 4 gSugar: 3 g
Pesto Chicken Wraps Permalink
Day 5 Dinner Menu
- Crustless Broccoli Quiche
- Apple Raisin Salad
Crustless Vegetable Quiche
We’ve used broccoli and cheddar in this delicious and easy crustless quiche, but you can substitute different cheeses or vegetables to use what you have. Try it this way or with spinach and mozzarella cheese or mushrooms and Swiss.
Ingredients
- 8 eggs, beaten
- 10 oz pkg frozen chopped broccoli, cooked, drained and chopped
- 1 C. cheddar cheese, shredded
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 C. milk
Instructions
- Combine eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Stir in broccoli/spinach and cheese. Pour into a greased 8 inch pie pan that has 2 inch sides.
- Bake at 350°F about 40-50 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Notes
For spinach quiche, use 1 (10 oz) pkg. frozen spinach, defrosted, with the water squeezed out, or use sliced sautéed mushrooms and Swiss cheese for an entirely different flavor.
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 283 calCarbohydrates: 6 gProtein: 20 gFat: 20 gSodium: 361 mgFiber: 1 gSugar: 3 g
Crustless Vegetable Quiche Permalink
Apple Raisin Salad
Sweet, crisp apples mixed with celery and raisins are delicious with a simple dressing.
Ingredients
- 5 apples, cored and chopped into bite sized pieces
- 1 cup raisins
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Soak raisins in hot water to cover to soften for about 5 minutes, drain and dry on a paper towel. Combine apples, raisins, and celery in a bowl.
- In a separate bowl combine salad dressing, lemon juice, and sugar. Pour the dressing over the fruit mixture and stir.
- Refrigerate for about an hour to chill then serve.
Notes
If you use Miracle Whip, know that it is sweeter than mayonnaise and will result in a sweeter dressing.
If you chop the apples ahead of time, toss them with a little water and a tsp of lemon juice to keep them from browning.
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 233 calCarbohydrates: 36 gProtein: 1 gFat: 11 gSodium: 96 mgFiber: 4 gSugar: 18 g
Apple Raisin Salad Permalink
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.
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