Menu Planning Series: Week FOUR

Holy Moly! I honestly couldn’t believe it when I realized that we are on Week FOUR of our Menu Planning Series. Time sure does fly when you’re having fun, right?

Ok, Ok. I won’t push it and assume that this is FUN for y’all. But I sincerely hope it is, at the very least, making life less stressful and allowing dinnertime to be a more relaxed and easy affair. 

I can’t wait to hear about your experiences thus far with this adventure. I will be creating a poll next week to examine your likes and dislikes in the hopes that I can improve this program for you. I know quite a few of you have been emailing me with questions and comments already, and I really appreciate it, but I want to jump into Month TWO with a better understanding of what works and what doesn’t. I can’t wait to move forward.

I think if I had to subtitle this weeks menu I would call it “the week the kids won.” Mostly because every single thing on this list is a family favorite. My kids seriously love this entire menu. Yes, even my picky one. For what it’s worth, any menu with both mac n cheese and B.F.D (breakfast for dinner) is pretty much a WIN for everyone, but those kids especially, they’ll devour dinner each night.

Not to mention the fact that all of these meals are easy. All of these meals are quick. And, if your pantry is well-stocked (remember to keep working on this each week) it should be very wallet-friendly. Anytime the shopping list is heavier on the staples side then the fresh groceries, you know you’ve got yourself a win.

Week FOUR Grocery List: HERE

Week FOUR Menu Plan: HERE

• Monday: Instant Pot Mac-n-Cheese (recipe below)

  • Listen, I know a long time ago I was all up on my anti-Instant Pot high horse. I know I at one point called it a “waste of space except for Hard boiled eggs and oatmeal.” I know this. But here I stand, a woman chagrined, asking for forgiveness. Because Instant Pot Man-n-Cheese is legit. It’s delicious. And it takes just about 20 minutes. If you don’t have an Instant Pot, no worries: click HERE for a stove top option and HERE for a slow cooker. You can’t go wrong with this one. Kids LOVE it. And when you make it yourself, you control the fat and sodium, making it much better for you.

• Tuesday: Hoisin Pork Tacos with Cabbage Slaw (Recipe HERE) 

  • My iPhone just informed me that my second most used emoji is a taco. While this is slightly embarrassing. It’s also very true. Tacos are my love language. And if we’re being honest, they are for a lot of people. These are a fun and different take on Taco Tuesday. More Asian than Tex Mex, the hoisin sauce gives them a great sweet kick and the slaw makes a wonderful crunch while also adding some nutrition that many taco nights are missing. In the interest of making this pantry friendly, sub out the fresh ginger for ground, the garlic sauce for hot sauce and the red onion for a regular one. You won’t notice the difference and those are three less things you have to buy extra this week.

• Wednesday: BREAKFAST FOR DINNER–Pancakes and Bacon (Recipe HERE)

  • Hey, wanna be Mom (or Dad) of the year? Here’s a secret. Give them bacon. Works every time. Pancakes don’t hurt either. To make these easier and pantry staple friendly, sub in regular flour and regular sugar if you don’t have coconut sugar. They are delicious. If you’re feeling really daring or are, say, making up for missing pajama day at school, throw some chocolate chips in and become the biggest winner of all time (at least until bedtime or homework, whichever comes first).

• Thursday: Cheesy Turkey Pasta Skillet (Recipe HERE)

  • This is not, by any means, my most popular recipe (yet). But it is one of the recipes that gets the best feedback. Especially from busy moms who are struggling to get dinner on the table for hungry families. It’s one pot (can I get an AMEN) and takes 30 minutes. It’s cheesy. Delicious. And unless your family inhales it like mine does, it makes perfect lunch leftovers. It’s a total Thursday win, every single time. 

• Friday: Slow Cooker Indian Butter Chicken (Recipe HERE)

  • If there were Oscars or actual MVP awards given to kitchen appliances (which there aren’t because that would be one hella boring awards show) the slow cooker would sweep the night. It is a busy cooks dream. And this Butter Chicken, well, it too could win some awards. Kids and adults alike love the mild flavor and rich sauce. To make life easier and quicker, I recommend keeping the chicken thighs whole instead of cutting up and simply shredding in the sauce before serving. There’s no reason they won’t be tender enough to do it and you won’t notice the difference. To give some added veggie punch and use up the rest of the cabbage from the tacos I like to throw some finely shredded cabbage in at the very end, but if you have picky eaters hold off and do it individually. 

Friends, I can’t wait to hear how these recipes go with your families. Please remember to take pics and send them or tag me in them. As always, I can be found on FB and IG and would love for you to follow along with me there too.

Peace, love and meals,

Meg

Instant Pot Mac-n-Cheese

May 8, 2020

Print This

By: Meaghan Dawson

Ingredients

• 2 cups Elbow Macaroni
• 4 cups water
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• pinch of nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 2 cups cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons corn starch
• 2 tablespoon water
• salt and pepper

Directions

• Step 1 Combine macaroni, 4 cups water, butter, dijon, nutmeg, and salt in the bowl of an instant pot. Stir.
• Step 2 Close and seal.
• Step 3 Set for four minutes on manual setting.
• Step 4 Cook.
• Step 5 Perform rapid release.
• Step 6 Switch the setting to saute and add milk and cheeses, stirring to combine.
• Step 7 In a small bowl, combine corn starch and water and make a thin paste.
• Step 8 Slowly add to the pot with macaroni, stirring to combine.
• Step 9 Let cook, stirring often, for 5-10 more minutes until thickened.
• Step 10 Season with Salt and Pepper and Serve.

Sharing is Caring

Facebook

Google

Twitter

Linkedin

Stumbleupon

Yummly