I am sorry this is late, but the last couple of weeks have been so crazy!
Better late than never, right?
Here is this week’s menu for ya! I hope it’s starting to cool down in your neck of the woods because we are entering ANOTHER heat wave and are supposed to have temperatures over 100 degrees for the next 10 days.
It’s October. I am ready for soups, casseroles, cozy meals and all the fall things. Apparently Southern California didn’t get the memo. 😂
So, while my heart says soup season, I’m still trying to keep dinners fairly simple and avoid heating up the house more than necessary.
Here’s what’s on our table this week!
Thursday — Chicken Fried Steak & Mashed Potatoes
This is a family favorite.
Okay...it’s really a male favorite in my house. My boys LOVE chicken fried steak and request it all the time.
It’s a little more time-consuming than some of my normal weeknight meals, but it really isn’t difficult to make. I fry mine in coconut oil. I like the way it crisps up, and it works really well for frying.
Add some homemade mashed potatoes and gravy and you have some serious comfort food—even if it is still 100 degrees outside.
Friday — Meatloaf & Scalloped Potatoes
I found ground meat on sale, so we’re going to mix ground beef, ground pork and ground turkey together to make a nice meatloaf.
This is another place where making things yourself lets you control exactly what goes into your food.
I use my homemade meatloaf seasoning and mix it with eggs, milk and breadcrumbs or panko. When I need to make it gluten-free, I simply use gluten-free breadcrumbs instead.
Simple swaps. Same family dinner.
Saturday — Hawaiian Chicken Bowls
I’m going to be gone most of the day, so this is one of those meals where a little preparation ahead of time makes dinner SO much easier.
I’ll make the Hawaiian sauce ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator. I’ll also have the chicken trimmed, seasoned and ready in a pan.
And yes, I am one of those people who trims half the chicken breast off because certain parts give me the ick. 😂 Please tell me I’m not alone.
My kids can put the chicken into the oven when I’m on my way home. When it’s almost finished, we’ll add the sauce and make some rice to go with it.
If I were home, I would probably air fry the chicken instead, but sometimes you just have to work with the schedule you have.
Dinner doesn’t have to be complicated to be homemade!
Sunday — Sloppy Joes, Tater Tots & Fresh Fruit
Sloppy Joes are one of those meals that not everyone in my house agrees on.
I have two who aren't really fans, including one who thinks they're downright gross. 😂 So, needless to say, I don’t make them very often.
BUT...
I discovered that if I make tater tots, he can turn them into loaded tater tots with the Sloppy Joe meat and cheese.
Problem solved.
Everyone eats, nobody complains (too much), and I have a quick and easy dinner.
PLANNED OVER ALERT: Make extra ground beef tonight! Set it aside before turning the rest into Sloppy Joes. We’ll use that cooked ground beef on October 7th for Beef Ragu Rigatoni.
Cook once. Eat more than once!
Monday — Cowboy Potato Casserole
This one is NEW for us, so we’re trying it together!
It sounds really good, and I'm hoping it earns a spot in our regular dinner rotation.
Basically, you brown ground beef with some onion, then add diced tomatoes and beef broth and let everything simmer together.
From there, you can layer it in a baking dish or toss everything into the crock pot:
Meat → thinly sliced potatoes → kidney beans → cheese → repeat.
Then top the whole thing with more cheese and bacon and cook until the potatoes are tender.
How bad can something topped with cheese and bacon really be? 😂
I’ll let you know how we like it!
Jennifer’s Kitchen Tip
Cook the ingredient—not just the meal.
When you're already browning ground beef, grilling chicken, making rice or chopping vegetables, ask yourself, “Will I need this again in the next few days?”
If the answer is yes, make extra now.
It takes almost no additional time to brown another pound of ground beef tonight, but when you pull it out for another dinner later, you just eliminated one whole step.
That is the heart of my planned overs: not eating the same leftovers all week, but intentionally doing part of tomorrow’s work while you’re already cooking today.
Happy cooking, friends! 🤎
Jennifer
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