Meal Plan Monday: Week 6-Something 4 Everyone!

How did it get to be May already? It seems everyone is ready to relax and start enjoying the warmer weather just as end of school events reach a fevered pitch. Inductions, meetings, last performances. Oh my! Let’s find a way to savor this time rather than just tick these events off the list. One way? Make meal time easier! Here is week 6 of Harvey family-tested, easy meals. This meal plan has something for everyone-shrimp, chicken, beef and pork!

Meal Plan Monday

Week 6 Has Something 4 Everyone!

Meatless Monday: Creamy Shrimp and Poblanos

This recipe from Real Simple is just that-real simple 🙂 The shrimp served over rice makes for a healthy yet filling meal.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 poblano peppers, seeded and cut into ¼­-inch pieces
• 1 1/2pounds peeled and deveined large shrimp
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• kosher salt and black pepper

Directions

Cook the rice according to the package directions.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the poblanos and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 5 to 6 minutes.

Add the shrimp, corn, cream, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Simmer until the shrimp are opaque throughout, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve over the rice.

Taco Tuesday: Creamy Crock Pot Fiesta Chicken

The gals over at Pretty Providence know how to make good food, easily and inexpensively. They’re a great resource for my meal plan Mondays for sure!

Ingredients:

• 1 15oz. can black beans, drained
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1 jar of your favorite salsa, divided (anywhere from 16-24 oz will work fine!)
• 4 large chicken breasts (or 8 breast tenders)
• 1 8oz package cream cheese, cubed
• Shredded cheese and green onions to garnish (optional)

Directions:

Add beans, corn, garlic, cumin and half of your salsa in the bottom of your crock-pot and mix to combine.

Layer chicken breasts over the top, and cover with remaining salsa.

Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 hours.

After the time is up, shred chicken and add in your cream cheese cubes. Turn heat to high and wait for cream cheese to melt (about 15 minutes).

Serve over cooked rice and garnish with shredded cheese and green onions. Enjoy!

Wednesday: Kansas City Steak Soup

This recipe was a staple when I was growing up in Kansas City.  Apparently a local restaurant allowed this popular dish to be published in the paper.  It’s hearty and a great way to get kids to eat vegetables.  Mine love this soup-which is more like a stew. Here I thought this was a souper secret recipe (ha ha!!) but I found a variation of it published on allrecipes.com. My original recipe is listed below.

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks margarine
• 1 cup flour
• 2 quarts warm water
• 3-4 pounds ground beef
• 1 cup diced onions
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 cup diced celery
• 10 ounce package frozen mixed vegetables
• 10 ounce package frozen corn
• 16 ounce can tomatoes
• 4 beef bouillon cubes

Directions

Make a roux by melting the butter or margarine, then stirring in the flour. Brown gently.

Gradually add 2 cups of the water to the roux and stir until smooth. Add the remaining water, the carrot, onion, celery, frozen vegetables, canned tomatoes, and beef bouillon.

In a skillet saute the ground beef  until browned. Drain off all the grease.

Add the browned steak to the soup and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 1/2 hours or until the vegetables are tender.

Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper. This soup freezes beautifully. (Yes, that was a nod to Steel Magnolias.)

Thursday: Rosemary Balsamic Pork Loin

This dish from WhitneyBond.com makes the whole house smell like you are a gourmet cook!  It looks oh-so-fancy and tastes incredible yet is easy to make.  Meal Plan Bonus!

Directions

Pre-heat the oven to 400°.

Brush the pork loin on all sides with the balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

Cut six slits in the loin to make a nice little home for the crushed garlic.

Use a garlic press to crush one clove of garlic into each slit, then push the crushed garlic well into the pork.

After the pork is all garlic-ed up, put the spices together and get ready to rub!

Place the steak seasoning, black pepper, 4 sprigs chopped rosemary and 4 sprigs chopped thyme in a small bowl together.

Rub the spice mixture on to the loins, making sure to cover both sides evenly.

Place 2 sprigs of rosemary and 2 sprigs of thyme on the loin.

Wrap the loin in bacon, making sure to wrap up those sprigs of rosemary and thyme.

Place in the oven to roast.

After 40-45 minutes, place a meat thermometer into the center of the pork.

The pork will register at 165° F when ready.

FREE PRINTABLE

GROCERY LIST

And now for your grocery list!  Always check to see what you’ve got on hand first; you’ll spend less at the grocery store.

Need a grocery printable? There are two choices: 1) common ingredients already listed for you to check off as needed  or 2) a blank one. They’ll make your life so much easier. And they’re FREE printables!

Produce

• Carrots
• Celery
• 8 cloves garlic
• Green onions (to garnish Fiesta Chicken)
• 1 medium onion
• 2 poblano peppers

Meat/Seafood

• 6 slices bacon
• 3-4 pounds ground beef
• 4 chicken breasts
• 3 lbs boneless pork loin
• 1 1/2pounds peeled and deveined large shrimp

Canned/Jarred

• 16 ounce can black beans
• 16-24 ounce jar salsa
• 16 ounce can tomatoes

Condiments

• Balsamic vinegar
• Olive oil

Spices

• Beef bouillon
• Black pepper
• Cumin
• 6 springs fresh rosemary
• Kosher salt
• Steak seasoning
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme

Dairy

• Butter or margarine
• 1 8oz package cream cheese
• Heavy cream
• Shredded cheese

Frozen

• 2 10 ounce bags frozen corn
• 10 ounce package frozen mixed vegetables

Other

• Flour
• Long grain white rice

I hope this Meal Plan Monday post helps you relax during the flurry of activities that have filled your calendar.  When we have a plan, life gets a little easier, don’t you think?

Happy (easy) cooking!

Daria