Week 48 Summary |
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Notes for this week |
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Day 1 |
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Baked Southwestern Spaghetti | Mixed Vegetables | |
Day 2 |
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Shortcut Baked Swiss Hamburgers | Rice | Garlic Roasted Zucchini |
Day 3 |
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Easy Burrito Casserole | Fruit Cocktail | |
Day 4 - Thanksgiving Day |
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Roasted Turkey Baked Orange Cranberry Sauce Easy Microwave Acorn Squash | Mashed Potatoes Fresh Green Bean Casserole Cornbread Sage and Onion Stuffing | Pecan Pie |
Day 5 |
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Leftovers |
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🗓️ Day 1
- Baked Southwestern Spaghetti
- Mixed Vegetables
Baked Southwestern Spaghetti
Change up your baked spaghetti by giving it a Tex-Mex flavor with green chilies, black olives, and more.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces spaghetti
- 1 ½ lbs. ground beef
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 26 ounces jar spaghetti sauce
- 4 ounces can diced green chilies, chopped
- 2.25 ounces can sliced black olives, drained
- 10 ounces can diced tomatoes and green chilies, drained
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Toppings as desired, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sour cream, salsa, hot peppers, etc.
- Non-stick cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Cook spaghetti according to package directions.
- While spaghetti is cooking, brown ground beef. When almost done, add onion and cook until onion is tender.
- Drain beef and onion mixture and add remaining ingredients except cheese and toppings. Mix thoroughly and cook over medium heat until heated through.
- When spaghetti is ready, drain and mix with meat mixture.
- Pour into a 9"x13" pan prepared with non-stick cooking spray and sprinkle with shredded cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- Serve with toppings of your choice.
Notes
If you have cooked ground beef and cooked onion in the freezer, skip the steps for cooking those and just thaw and heat.
Toppings not included in nutritional data.
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 490 calCarbohydrates: 52 gProtein: 34 gFat: 16 gSodium: 893 mgFiber: 5 gSugar: 8 g
Baked Southwestern Spaghetti Permalink
🗓️ Day 2
- Shortcut Baked Swiss Hamburgers
- Rice
- Garlic Roasted Zucchini
Shortcut Baked Swiss Hamburgers
Swiss steak is a slow-cooked beef with a tomato-based gravy. We’ve taken that idea and made Swiss Hamburgers to take advantage of frozen hamburger patties in an easy recipe with a rich, tomato-based sauce.
Ingredients
- 6 frozen hamburger patties
- ¼ cup barbecue sauce
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Place frozen hamburger patties on an aluminum foil lined cookie sheet.
- Mix the remaining ingredients and pour over hamburger patties. Cover with foil.
- Bake at 325°F for 1 hour.
Nutrition per serving
Serving: 1 hamburgerCalories: 270 calCarbohydrates: 10 gProtein: 17 gFat: 18 gSodium: 297 mgFiber: 1 gSugar: 8 g
Shortcut Baked Swiss Hamburgers Permalink
Garlic Roasted Zucchini
These baked zucchini pieces come out perfectly tender but not gooey, and topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Perfect to serve with burgers, chicken, sandwiches, or with kebabs!
Ingredients
- 2 zucchini, give or take depending on size and how many people you are feeding
- 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 Tbsp. fresh minced rosemary
- 1 garlic clove, sliced
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Notes
Get the instructions and full recipe at The Gingered Whisk.
🗓️ Day 3
- Easy Burrito Casserole
- Fruit Cocktail
Easy Frozen Burrito Casserole
Dress up frozen burritos with Easy Frozen Burrito Casserole. It goes beyond just making frozen burritos taste better - it will actually become a family favorite!
Ingredients
- 1 pkg frozen bean burritos, 8 count
- 10 ounces condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 5 ounces milk, about ½ soup can
- 4 ounces can diced green chilies
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Nonstick cooking spray
Instructions
- Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place frozen burritos in the baking dish.
- Combine soup, milk, and green chilies, mix well and then pour over the burritos. Top with cheese.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 375°F for 35-40 minutes or until heated though and cheese is melted.
Notes
Substitute any kind of burritos that you think would be good, and feel free to change the flavor of the cream soup (cream of chicken with chicken enchiladas, for example).
Nutrition per serving
Serving: 1 burritoCalories: 359 calCarbohydrates: 39 gProtein: 16 gFat: 15 gSodium: 676 mgFiber: 2 gSugar: 1 g
Easy Frozen Burrito Casserole Permalink
🗓️ Day 4
- Roasted Turkey
- Baked Orange Cranberry Sauce
- Easy Microwave Acorn Squash
- Mashed Potatoes
- Fresh Green Bean Casserole
- Cornbread Sage and Onion Stuffing
- Pecan Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream
Easy Roast Turkey and Gravy
Sometimes the best is also the easiest. Slow roasting a turkey seasoned with turkey rub makes a tender and delicious bird for your holiday meal.
Ingredients
- 12 lb. turkey, fresh or thawed
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 4 Tbsp. turkey rub
- 1 extra large cooking bag, such as Reynold's cooking bags for turkeys
Gravy
- ½ cup water
- 2 Tbsp. flour
Instructions
Turkey:
- These instructions are for cooking the turkey in the oven with a roaster that has a lid, or in an electric roaster. For alternate instructions, see the notes below.
- Remove the giblets (if any) or other contents of the cavity. rinse and dry the turkey.
- Rub the skin all over with the oil.
- Sprinkle the turkey rub all over the turkey, rubbing it in if necessary.
- Follow the time and temperature recommendations that came with your turkey. Generally, you can count on cooking an unstuffed turkey for 15 minutes per pound at 325ºF. Stuffed turkeys take slightly longer; about 18 minutes per pound at the same temperature (do not stuff a turkey larger than 24 lbs. for safety reasons). Always use internal temperature to determine doneness—the turkey is done when it reaches an all over internal temperature of 165ºF (revised down from 180ºF, which some people still prefer as the safest temperature).
- When done, remove the turkey from the roasting pan and let it sit for about 20 minutes before carving.
Gravy:
- When the turkey is done, transfer the drippings from the baking bag or pan to a saucepan through a strainer.
- If your turkey came with a gravy packet, use it with the drippings from the turkey according to the packet instructions.
- If it did not come with a gravy packet, combine ½ cup warm water and 2 Tbsp. flour in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Tighten the lid and shake vigorously until the flour is dissolved. Add to drippings.
- Heat the drippings, stirring frequently, until gravy is thickened. If you need to stretch your gravy, add all or part of a can of chicken broth.
- Pour the gravy through a strainer into a gravy boat to remove any lumps.
Notes
You can use a purchased turkey rub, or try a homemade one. Spruce Eats has a nice collection of turkey rub recipes.
I don’t use a 12 lb. turkey; as beautiful as a large roasted turkey is, much of it goes to waste in my house. I use 2 turkey breasts instead of 1 whole turkey because my family prefers white meat.
Crockpot: If using turkey breasts and they are small enough (and presentation isn't important), they can be cooked in a crockpot. This makes the most tender and juicy turkey, and it frees up your oven for other dishes. Times should be approximately the same for turkeys cooked in the crockpot, but know that a turkey cooked in the crockpot is not going to make a centerpiece turkey. It will be so tender that the meat will fall off of the bone and you will be lucky to get it out of the crockpot in one piece.
Oven without a Roaster: If you need to roast your turkey in the oven and do not have a roasting pan with a lid, use a cooking bag according to the bag instructions, which will keep the meat very moist. I use the Reynold’s Turkey Size cooking bags.
Grilling & Smoking: https://hgic.clemson.edu/hot-topic/cooking-the-holiday-turkey/
Safe Handling: https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/safe-handling-of-poultry/
Questions: If you have any questions about safe handling of your turkey you may contact the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at (888) 674-6854 M-F from 10am-4pm EST.
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 401 calCarbohydrates: 1.81 gProtein: 52.52 gFat: 19.79 gSodium: 271.8 mgFiber: 0.53 gSugar: 0.17 g
Easy Roast Turkey and Gravy Permalink
Baked Orange Cranberry Sauce
Orange marmalade gives cranberry sauce a delicious citrus twist.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. fresh cranberries, rinsed
- 1 cup coconut flakes
- 1 cup orange marmalade
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup water
- Nonstick cooking spray
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
- Spray a 2 qt casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and pour mixture into casserole dish.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until cranberries are tender.
- Serve warm or chilled.
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 233 calCarbohydrates: 48.76 gProtein: 0.86 gFat: 5.54 gSodium: 22.8 mgFiber: 3.7 gSugar: 41.62 g
Easy 15 Minute Microwave Acorn Squash
Microwave acorn squash is a delicious side dish that says fall with every bite, and it is ready in just 15 minutes. This microwave recipe with cinnamon-sugar butter is an easy side dish.
Ingredients
- 1 acorn squash
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar or honey
- dash of cinnamon and/or nutmeg
- 2 teaspoon butter
- dash of salt
- 2 tablespoons water, for steaming
Instructions
- Wash acorn squash, cut in half lengthwise; scrape out seeds.
- Place cut side down into a glass baking dish containing 2 tablespoons water.
- Cook in microwave until squash is tender, about 6 minutes. (Cooking time depends on your microwave strength and the number of squash you are cooking; this recipe was tested using one squash—two halves—in a 1600 watt microwave.)
- Remove from microwave, turn squash right side up in same dish.
- Into each hollow, place butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cook in microwave until butter mixture is bubbly, about 2-4 minutes. Serve hot.
- Cook in microwave until butter mixture is bubbly. Serve hot.
Video
Notes
One squash makes enough for two people, so just adjust the number of squash to be half the number of servings you want.
Oven instructions: You can make roasted or baked squash in the oven if you prefer—skip the steaming step and put it face down on a baking sheet with shallow sides, and cook it in a preheated 375ºF oven for about 30-40 minutes (or until the insides are tender when pricked with a fork) Remove and turn skin side down and fill the hollow with the butter, sugar, and cinnamon. Cook until butter is melted and bubbling, about 15 more minutes.
Nutrition per serving
Serving: 0.5 squashCalories: 140 calCarbohydrates: 27 gProtein: 2 gFat: 4 gSodium: 43 mgFiber: 3 gSugar: 5 g
Easy 15 Minute Microwave Acorn Squash Permalink
Homemade Mashed Potatoes
Whether you prefer creamy potatoes or potatoes with some body to them, homemade mashed potatoes are worth the effort.
Ingredients
- 5 lbs. potatoes, cleaned and peeled (see note below)
- 6 tablespoon butter, divided
- ¼ cup skim milk, or more as needed
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- paprika, for garnish
Instructions
- Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Boil until potatoes are fork tender; drain and return to pot.
- Add 4 Tbsp. butter, salt, and pepper to pot and mix; adding enough milk while mixing to reach desired consistency.
- Transfer mashed potatoes to a serving bowl, top with 2 Tbsp. butter, and garnish with paprika.
Notes
Russet potatoes are a good choice for mashed potatoes, but if you prefer to not peel your potatoes, Yukon Gold is perfect for mashing with the skin on.
If you need to speed up the cooking process, try chopping your potatoes before boiling.
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 193 calCarbohydrates: 28.52 gProtein: 6.11 gFat: 7.04 gSodium: 434.05 mgFiber: 5.67 gSugar: 0.32 g
Fresh Green Bean Casserole
Green Bean Casserole is a staple at Thanksgiving tables all over the south—its creamy sauce and crunchy fried onions are a comforting reminder of home and holiday, and Fresh Green Bean Casserole keeps the tradition alive in this updated version with fresh and rich flavors, better texture, and brighter color.
Ingredients
- 24 ounces fresh or frozen long slender green beans, blanched or lightly steamed
- 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 ½ cups French fried onions
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- Start by sautéing the sliced mushrooms in butter with a chopped onion and a minced garlic clove in an oven-proof skillet. (If you don't have an oven-proof skillet, you can use a regular skillet and transfer to a baking dish before adding the French fried onion topping.) When they are tender and starting to brown, add a tablespoon of flour and mix well.
- Heat for about one minute, stirring gently, then add the heavy cream. Stir gently and add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, until sauce starts to thicken.
- Add the steamed or blanched green beans and mix well.
- Top with French fried onions and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350ºF or until heated through and the onions start to brown.
Notes
Trim the green beans if necessary—even some trimmed green beans still have a few stems that were missed.
Be sure not to overcook the green beans when blanching or steaming. they should be just pliable but not limp.
Gluten-free version. If you're gluten-free and missing one of your favorite holiday dishes, you'll be thrilled to learn that you can purchase gluten-free fried onions from Amazon (affiliate link) or from stores such as Sprouts or Whole Food. You can also make your own at home.
A cornstarch slurry can be used to thicken the sauce instead of flour if you need to keep this dish gluten-free. For this substitution, omit the flour. After adding the heavy cream, mix a slurry of 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1-½ tablespoons of cool water. Add the cornstarch mixture to the dish and simmer until sauce thickens.
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 225 calCarbohydrates: 15 gProtein: 3 gFat: 18 gSodium: 358 mgFiber: 3 gSugar: 4 g
Fresh Green Bean Casserole Permalink
Cornbread Sage and Onion Stuffing
In this yummy dressing recipe from Culinary Ginger, delicious cornbread is mixed with fresh sage, onion and celery, moistened with stock then baked to achieve a crispy crunchy top.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter, unsalted
- 8 ounces yellow onion, chopped
- 4 celery stalks, chopped small
- 1 ¼ cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
- 6 cups cornbread, broken into large pieces
- Salt
Notes
Thanks to Janette of Culinary Ginger for allowing me to feature this recipe and include the ingredients so they can be added to your shopping list. Grab the instructions at her site.
Pecan Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream
This traditional pecan pie is full of rich, syrupy pecans in a flaky homemade crust. It’s perfect right out of the oven or topped with vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¾ cup white corn syrup
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup pecans, chopped
- 1 uncooked pie crust
- ½ gallon vanilla ice cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- In a medium size bowl, beat eggs thoroughly; add sugar, syrup and salt; mix well.
- Add butter and vanilla; stir until thoroughly blended.
- Place pecans on bottom of pie shell.
- Pour egg mixture over nuts.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Reduce heat to 300°F and cook for 35 minutes.
- Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 911 calCarbohydrates: 111 gProtein: 13 gFat: 48 gSodium: 407 mgFiber: 3 gSugar: 94 g
Pecan Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream Permalink
🗓️ Day 5
- Leftovers
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