We are officially in the thick of all things school, sports practices and ROUTINE. And I’m loving it. As much as I cherish the laid back days of summer, the lack of a set schedule wreaks havoc on my ability to meal plan. As I work on this week’s shopping list (I hit up Publix most Sundays), I thought I would share my meal plan in hopes it helps you come up with dinner ideas for your family.
Monday: Ina Garten’s Winter Minestrone Soup https://emerybodie.com/my-tried-and-true-recipe-source-barefoot-contessa/
Tuesday: Meatloaf https://emerybodie.com/meal-planning-meatloaf/
Wednesday: Dorito Casserole (a fan favorite) https://emerybodie.com/dorito-casserole-a-family-favorite/
Thursday: Million Dollar Spaghetti https://emerybodie.com/million-dollar-spaghetti/
Friday: Mississippi Chicken https://emerybodie.com/mississippi-chicken/
Starting with Meatless Monday, which isn’t something I always follow, but I try to occasionally, especially when we are in the “ber” months and I can justify comfort foods, like Ina Garten’s winter minestrone soup. It’s delicious, but does require a bit of chopping, so I like to knock this out early in the week when I’m still fresh and motivated.
Winter Minestrone Soup
Meatloaf takes a hot minute to cook, but the delay start feature on my oven makes this possible on even the busiest of nights. I prep whenever I can during the day and then stick it in oven before leaving the house for my after school/evening duties. Coming home to hot meatloaf is heavenly. And the leftover sandwiches are even better.
Meatloaf
I’ve talked about Dorito casserole for years. Whenever I ask my children what they want me to cook for dinner, they ALWAYS ask for this. It’s not gourmet, but they love it. Ben and I do, too. Would I serve this to guests? No. But I know my family is always excited to see this on the menu.
Dorito Casserole
The name says it all…Million Dollar Spaghetti is worthy of company, but easy enough to fix on a week night. I cannot wait for Thursday.
Baked Spaghetti
A lighter twist on Mississippi Pot Roast, this version calls for chicken in the oven. It’s a great option when you don’t need a crock pot meal. That being said, I’ve also made this in the crock pot and it’s quite tasty. Ideal for when you want the flavors of Mississippi Pot Roast, but don’t want to use red meat.
Mississippi Chicken
This may change a bit as the week progresses. Sometimes we end up ordering pizza on Friday nights and I’ll slide Friday’s dinner to Sunday evening. Saturday usually involves watching football with takeout (sushi, Thai, Chinese, Double Dogs or the club) or grilling/smoking stuff at the house.
Have a great week! Let me know if you prepare any of these dishes and please share your own favorites. I’m always on the hunt for new dinners.
