Menu Plan Monday

I know, menu planning is a chore.  But that 20 minutes of planning makes the weeknights go smoother and saves you money.  It's worth it - trust me.

Monday - Mar-A-Lago burgers with Sweet Potato Fries
Tuesday - Pasta with Meat Sauce
Wednesday - Caribbean Chicken with Rice and Veggies
Thursday - Sausage, Sweet Potato and Kale Stew
Friday - Date Night In
Saturday - Roasted Salmon with Wild Rice and Veggies
Sunday - Grilled Flat Iron Steak with Mashed Potatoes and Veggies

Mar-A-Lago Burgers - The recipe calls for 8 oz burgers (huge!) and a ton of salt -  I make much smaller burgers and use almost no salt. 

Pasta with Meat Sauce - this is a go-to favorite.  It comes together quickly and just gets better the longer you cook it.  Depending on my schedule, I've been known to start it at 10 am and let it simmer all day.  Yummy!  I make mine with turkey, but beef works just as well.  Just make sure to skim off any extra fat before adding the tomatoes.

1 lb ground turkey
2-3 links turkey italian sausage  removed from casing (hot or sweet)
medium onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, diced
28 oz diced tomatoes (no salt added)
6 oz can tomato paste
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp thyme
1 bay leaf

Brown meat, onion and garlic.  Add all other ingredients, plus 1-2 cups water.  Simmer 1-2 hrs.  Serve over your favorite pasta with parmesan cheese and garlic bread.

Caribbean Chicken - Years ago, we had one of those "freezer meal" stores where you can put together 4-5 meals at a time.  This recipe was one of my favorites.  When the owner told me they were closing, I made sure to note the recipe and I've been using it ever since.  It is great for batch freezer cooking - especially when bone-in chicken goes on sale!

Whole Chicken (cut into pieces)
Lemon wedge
Orange wedge
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 tsp red pepper flake
2 tbsp olive oil
2-3 scallions, chopped
medium onion, diced
3-4 garlic cloves, diced
large handful cilantro, diced
salt and pepper, to taste

Dump all ingredients in a large ziploc bag and marinate 4-6 hours (or freeze).  Dump into large baking dish and bake at 400' for 1 hr.  Serve with rice and a green salad.

Links to all other recipes are provided above.