For the next 3 months I will not be home to make dinner so once again I have to plan easy meals that my husband can get on the table quickly. He does midnight shift work so it is really important for the meals to hit the table quickly. Not only do the dinners need to be convenient, but taste is always an extremely important factor. I needed meals that my family will love to eat.
I think this meal plan will be a hit. There are lots of family favorites on the plan and lots of great comforting meals. But enough with my rambling...it's time to see what we will be making!
There you have the meals and now for the grocery list.
As always the list includes everything needed to make the meals. A majority of the items I have on hand and I am sure most of you do too.
There you have it. My list for the month is cut down quite a bit. Now on to the best part. The recipes!
Beef Pot Pie source Allrecipes.com
1 lb ground beef
1 onion, diced
1 TBS garlic
2 stalks celery, diced
3 small potatoes, peeled and diced
4 carrots, peeled and diced
1 can vegetable beef soup, undiluted
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 pie crust (top and bottom)
- In a large skillet brown ground beef with onion, garlic, celery, carrots, and potatoes seasoned with salt and pepper
- Remove from heat and drain off grease
- Stir in the vegetable beef and cream of mushroom soup
- Pour filling into pie crust
- Cover with the top pie crust, seal, and poke slits to vent
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown
1.5 - 2 lbs chicken, diced
1 TBS olive oil
2 TBS butter
3 small russet potatoes, peeled and diced
4 carrots ,peeled and diced
1 medium onion, diced
3 ribs celery, diced
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 TBS poultry seasoning
1/8 cup flour
32 oz low sodium chicken broth
1 small box of biscuit mix (like Jiffy)
1/2 cup warm water
4 tsp dried parsley
1 cup frozen peas
2 TBS butter
3 small russet potatoes, peeled and diced
4 carrots ,peeled and diced
1 medium onion, diced
3 ribs celery, diced
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 TBS poultry seasoning
1/8 cup flour
32 oz low sodium chicken broth
1 small box of biscuit mix (like Jiffy)
1/2 cup warm water
4 tsp dried parsley
1 cup frozen peas
- Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat and add olive oil, vegetables, and bay leaf then cook for 5 minutes while stirring frequently
- Season vegetables with salt, pepper, and poultry season
- Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes while continuing to stir mixture
- Add broth and mix to combine
- Bring to a boil then add chicken, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 20 minutes
- Meanwhile add biscuit mix, warm water, and dried parsley in a small bowl then stir to combine
- Drop biscuits by spoonfuls into pot, cover, and steam for 8-10 minutes
- Remove from heat, add peas, and gently stir
8 oz sour cream
4 oz cream cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup
4 oz sliced mushroom, drained
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2-3 cups cooked egg noodles or macaroni whatever you have will work fine
2-3 cups cooked egg noodles or macaroni whatever you have will work fine
- Brown ground turkey with onion and drain off fat
- Add cream of mushroom soup, mushrooms, garlic salt, and pepper to ground turkey and cook over medium heat until heated through, about 10 minutes
- Remove ground meat mixture from heat and add sour cream and cream cheese
- Mix the meat mixture with the noodles
Herbed Chicken
1 TBS olive oil
4 chicken breasts
garlic and onion powder
1 can cream of chicken with herbs
1/2 cup milk
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet
- Season both sides of chicken with garlic and onion powder
- Brown chicken on both sides
- Add soup and milk to the skillet
- Heat to a boil, cover, and cook on low for 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through
- Serve over rice or mashed potatoes
Sloppy Joe's
1 lb ground turkey
salt and pepper to taste
1 small onion, diced
3/4 cup ketchup
1 tsp mustard (I use yellow, but use what you like)
1 TBS worcestershire sauce
1 TBS vinegar
1 TBS minced garlic (remember I LOVE garlic so cut this down if you are not a huge fan like myself)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 lb ground turkey
salt and pepper to taste
1 small onion, diced
3/4 cup ketchup
1 tsp mustard (I use yellow, but use what you like)
1 TBS worcestershire sauce
1 TBS vinegar
1 TBS minced garlic (remember I LOVE garlic so cut this down if you are not a huge fan like myself)
1/4 cup brown sugar
- Saute the onion in a hot skillet until just tender, about 3 minutes
- Add garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant
- Add ground turkey, season with salt and pepper, and brown
- Drain turkey and return to skillet
- Add the remaining ingredients and mix well cooking over medium-low heat for 15 minutes
Crock Pot Pork Chops
8 pork chops
1 can chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 packet brown gravy mix
1 packet onion soup mix
- Place pork chops in the slow cooker
- In a bowl combine remaining ingredients and stir to combine
- Pour over the pork chops, cover, and cook on low for 6-8 hours
Shepherd's Pie source Allrecipes.com
1 lb ground beef
1 TBS garlic
1 TBS worcestershire sauce
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
1 small onion, diced
1 cup shredded cheese
2 cups prepared mashed potatoes
- Brown ground beef, garlic, and onion until cooked through
- Drain off fat and mix with frozen vegetables, wrocestershire, and cream of mushroom soup
- Pour mixture into a casserole dish
- Top with cheese and then mashed potatoes
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes
Roasted Sausage and Potatoes
4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-1/2 in cubes
4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-1/2 in cubes
1 lb baby carrots
1 red bell peppers, seeded and sliced into large strips
1 large sweet onion, cut into wedges
1 TBS minced garlic
2 TBS olive oil
2 tsp italian seasoning
3/4 cup beef broth
4-5 italian sausage links
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees
- Place the potatoes, baby carrots, bell pepper, and onion in a large roasting pan
- Mix the garlic, olive oil, italian seasoning, and beef broth in a small bowl
- Pour over vegetables and toss to cook
- Place in the oven uncovered for 35 minutes stirring once halfway through
- While vegetables are roasting brown italian sausages in a skillet over medium high heat
- Cut in half and arrange sausage over vegetables
- Drizzles balsamic vinegar over and place back in the oven for 30 minutes
- After 30 minutes give everything a gentle stir, flip sausages, drizzle juices over sausages, and cook for an additional 15 minutes
Goulash
1 lb ground turkey
salt and pepper
1 onion, diced
1 TBS minced garlic
1 TBS worcestershire sauce
Bay leaf
1 box noodles (macaroni, spiral, whatever you like), cooked and drained
2 cans tomato soup
2 cans diced tomatoes, drained
1 can stewed tomatoes, drained
- Brown turkey with onion and garlic seasoned with salt and pepper
- Drain fat and return to skillet
- Combine remaining ingredients except the noodles and simmer for about 20 minutes
- Remove from heat and stir in the cooked noodles
Salisbury Steak
1 can french onion soup, undiluted
2 lbs ground beef
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 onion, sliced
1 TBS minced garlic
1 TBS flour
1 cream of mushroom soup
1 onion soup mix
2 TBS ketchup
1 TBS worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp ground mustard
- Mix the ground beef, 1/3 can of french onion soup, bread crumbs, egg, salt, and pepper until combined
- Form into 6 patties
- In a large skillet brown each side of each patty
- Place patties in a glass baking dish
- Add onions to the skillet and cook until softened, about 10 minutes
- Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute
- In a bowl combine remaining ingredients and add to the skillet
- Scrape up the browned bits and cook until bubbly
- Pour over the patties and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until patties are cooked through
2 lbs ground turkey
1 TBS olive oil
1 TBS garlic
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (14 oz) can stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 can mild chili beans
1 can hot chili beans
2 TBS Worcestershire Sauce
3 TBS chili powder
1 TBS ground cumin
1/2 TBS ground coriander
1/2 TBS cocoa powder
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp oregano
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 TBS olive oil
1 TBS garlic
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (14 oz) can stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 can mild chili beans
1 can hot chili beans
2 TBS Worcestershire Sauce
3 TBS chili powder
1 TBS ground cumin
1/2 TBS ground coriander
1/2 TBS cocoa powder
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp oregano
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
- Brown ground turkey and drain
- In a soup pot heat olive oil over medium-high heat
- Add onion and saute for about 5 minutes
- Add garlic and cook for 1 minute
- Combine everything else, mix well, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 1-2 hours stirring occasionally
Pot Roast
3 lbs beef roast
salt, pepper, garlic powder
2 large onions, cut into chunks
1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
4 potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
2 stalks celery, diced
1 TBS minced garlic
1/2 cup red wine
5 sprigs thyme
- Generously season roast with salt, pepper, and garlic powder
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat
- Add 2 TBS oil and brown roast on all sides
- Place roast in the crock pot
- Add onions, carrots, potatoes, celery, and garlic to the skillet
- Season with salt and pepper
- Saute for about 10 minutes or until veggies are bright in color
- Add wine to scrape up all the browned bits from the skillet
- Pour vegetable mixture over the roast and add the thyme
- Cover and cook on high for 6 hours
- ****Make the gravy****
- Combine 1 TBS cornstarch with 2 TBS cold water
- Place 1 1/2 - 2 cups of the meat juice in a saucepan and bring to a boil
- Whisk in cornstarch mixture and continue whisking until thickened
4 chicken breasts
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 packet onion soup mix
1 cup rice
2 cups water
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 cup broccoli pieces
paprika
seasoning salt
garlic powder
black pepper
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 packet onion soup mix
1 cup rice
2 cups water
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 cup broccoli pieces
paprika
seasoning salt
garlic powder
black pepper
- Mix the mushroom soup, onion soup, water, and rice in a small bowl
- Pour mixture into a glass baking dish
- Add your vegetables and mix to combine
- Place chicken on top of rice mixture and seasoning with paprika, seasoning salt, garlic powder, and black pepper then cover with aluminum foil
- Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through
- Remove foil and return to the oven to bake for about 15 minutes just to brown the top a bit
3 TBS olive oil
3 lbs beef stew meat
salt, pepper, and garlic powder
1 TBS minced garlic
6 oz tomato paste
2 cups beef stock
12 oz beer
2 tsp dried thyme
2 bay leaves
3 carrots, peeled cut into bite size pieces
1 large onion, cut into large chunks
1 rutabaga, peeled and cut into bite size pieces
2 medium parsnip, peeled and cut into bite size pieces
6 red potatoes, quartered
1/2 cup frozen peas
6 red potatoes, quartered
1/2 cup frozen peas
- Season beef with salt, pepper, and garlic powder
- Heat 2 TBS olive oil in a dutch oven over medium high heat
- Brown meat in batches in a single layer (I did 4 batches)
- When all beef is browned return to pot and add garlic then saute for 2 minutes
- Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute stirring
- Add stock, beer, thyme, bay leaves, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cover
- Transfer pot to a 325 degree oven and bake until beef is tender about 2 hours
- Meanwhile in a large skillet heat remaining olive oil over medium high heat
- Add vegetables and saute until vegetables become bright and take on a golden hue, about 3-5 minutes
- Add vegetables to the beef mixture and stir to combine
- Return to the oven, uncovered, and bake for about 1 hour or until sauce is slightly reduced and veggies are tender
- Remove from oven, stir in frozen peas, and allow to sit for about 5-10 minutes
Quick and Easy Mock Jambalaya
1 package smoked sausage, sliced
1 small onion, diced
1 bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 TBS minced garlic
2 TBS butter
1 box Rice-A-Roni spanish rice (or anything else you have like jambalaya mix or dirty rice)
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
2 cups water
1 TBS Old Bay Seasoning (or creole seasoning)
Hot Sauce (we add this to each individual bowl since some don't like and others do)
1 package smoked sausage, sliced
1 small onion, diced
1 bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 TBS minced garlic
2 TBS butter
1 box Rice-A-Roni spanish rice (or anything else you have like jambalaya mix or dirty rice)
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
2 cups water
1 TBS Old Bay Seasoning (or creole seasoning)
Hot Sauce (we add this to each individual bowl since some don't like and others do)
- Melt butter in a large saucepan over high heat
- Add onion, bell pepper, and rice (not the seasoning) and saute for about 5 minutes (just to soften veggies and brown vermicelli)
- Add garlic and saute for 1 minute
- Mix in remaining ingredients and bring to a boil
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is done
- Stir and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes to cool and thicken a bit
Gravy and Stuffing Chicken Bake source Allrecipes.com
1 Rotisserie Chicken, shredded
1 can corn
1 can sliced carrots
1 jar chicken gravy
a jar turkey gravy
1 box prepared stuffing
- Place corn and vegetables in the bottom of a 9x13 glass baking dish
- Mix in the gravies and top with the prepared stuffing
- Bake in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes or until heated through
2 lbs ground beef
1 box chicken stuffing mix
1 cup V8
2 eggs beaten
1 small onion, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 TBS Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
- In a large bowl combine everything except ketchup and brown sugar together (I use my hands...it just works better for me)
- Shape into a loaf pan
- In a small bowl stir together ketchup and brown sugar
- Pour over the top of the meatloaf
- Bake in a 375 degree preheated oven for 60 minutes or until done
Crock Pot Cubed Steak
6 cube steaks
1 package onion soup mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 onion, sliced
- Place onions in the bottom of the crock pot
- Top with cubed steaks
- Sprinkle onion soup over top
- Pour cream of mushroom soup on top
- Cook on low for 8 hours
Beef Barley Soup
2 lbs Chuck Roast cubed or Stew Meat
salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste
oil for browning
4 carrots, peeled and diced
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 large onion, chopped
1 TBS minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups beef stock
2 cups V8
2 TBS worchestire sauce
2 TBS parsley chopped
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 TBS white sugar
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1 16oz bag of frozen veggies
2/3 cup barley
2 lbs Chuck Roast cubed or Stew Meat
salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste
oil for browning
4 carrots, peeled and diced
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 large onion, chopped
1 TBS minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups beef stock
2 cups V8
2 TBS worchestire sauce
2 TBS parsley chopped
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 TBS white sugar
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1 16oz bag of frozen veggies
2/3 cup barley
- Season meat with salt, pepper, and garlic powder meanwhile heat oil over medium-high heat and add meat once pan is hot. Brown all sides (about 5 minutes or so) and place in crock pot
- Add carrots, celery, onion, potatoes, and garlic to skillet and season with salt and pepper. Saute for about 5 minutes. Pour everything in crock pot (juice and all)
- Add beef stock, V8, parsley, stewed tomatoes, worchestire sauce, sugar, and spices to crock pot. Stir to combine and cook on low for 8 hours
- Add barley and frozen veggies about 1 hour before serving. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed
Oven Fried Potato Dipped Chicken source Betty Crocker
1 packet cheddar mashed potatoes
3/4 cup plain yogurt
4 chicken breasts
1/4 cup butter, melted
- Dip each chicken breast in yogurt and coat
- Roll chicken in potato flakes and place in a greased baking dish
- Drizzle chicken with melted butter
- Bake in a 400 degree oven for 25-35 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and coating is browned
There you have it. Lots of old favorites and great comforting meals that are incredibly simple to prepare. I am confident my husband will have no problems preparing these dishes and I know my family will enjoy them!
