Meal Plan for Week 40 2020: September 28 - October 2

• Brown ground beef.
• Add tomatoes, ramen seasoning packet, corn, and peas. Break up the noodles and add. Add water if needed to cover the noodles.
• Bring to a boil then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer 10 minutes or until noodles are fully cooked.

• In a large bowl, combine the first 3 ingredients and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the mayo, sugar, and vinegar. Pour over the broccoli mixture and mix gently to coat. Chill for at least 4 hours.
• Add bacon crumbles just before serving.

• Heat oven to 425º. Coat chicken with mayonnaise, then dredge in cracker crumbs, turning to evenly coat both sides of each chicken breast.
• Place prepared chicken in a 9x13” baking dish that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Drizzle each piece of chicken with butter.
• Bake 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through (when internal temperature reaches 165ºF).
• Top with salsa and cheese; bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

• Break apart a piece of cornbread in each bowl and top with hot cooked pinto beans.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with chopped onion, cheddar cheese, and chopped cilantro.

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Put half of the vegetable oil in a 9x9x2 cast iron skillet and preheat in oven just long enough to heat oil (be careful not to burn oil or let it smoke). Tip: You can test the preheated oil for readiness by dropping a tiny bit of cornmeal or batter into it. If it sizzles, it is ready.
• While oil is heating in skillet, mix all remaining ingredients in a bowl.
• Remove preheated cast iron skillet from oven carefully.
• Pour batter into preheated cast iron skillet and bake for 20-25 minutes or until done. Cornbread is done when a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out with no wet batter (moist crumbs are okay).

If preparing to serve:

• In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil. Sauté the onion and zucchini in the olive oil until onion is translucent and zucchini is tender.
• Add the stock, basil, bay leaf, tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Stir and heat to a simmer.
• Add tortellini and bring back to a simmer. Cook for 8 minutes or until tortellini is tender and cooked through. Add parsley and stir just before serving.

If preparing to freeze:

• Sauté the onion and zucchini in the olive oil until the onion is translucent and zucchini is tender. Remove onion and zucchini from heat and combine with all ingredients except stock in a freezer container.
• Freeze and label each container with the following instructions: "Bring 6 cups of stock to a boil. Add frozen ingredients and stir gently until thawed. Heat to a boil and cook for 8 minutes or until tortellini is tender and cooked through."

• Place vegetables in the bottom of a slow cooker.
• Sprinkle tapioca over the vegetables. Place chicken on top of the vegetables.
• Combine all other ingredients except rice in a small bowl. Pour over chicken.
• Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours. Serve over rice.

• Bring broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add salt and pepper.
• In a small bowl, beat eggs and add onions to beaten eggs.
• Pour eggs into boiling broth slowly, stirring with fork so that egg forms into ribbons. Soup is ready when egg is cooked.