Weekly Meal Plan #2 {March 5, 2017}

Chicken-Mushroom Grilled Reubens with roasted Brussels sprouts
Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick), divided and softened
• 1/2 pound baby portobello mushrooms, sliced (optional)
• Salt and pepper
• 1 can sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved (6 ounces each half)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

Homemade Thousand Island* (Optional)

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons dill relish
• 3 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped, or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried dill
• 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped
• * Buy your favorite jar of Thousand Island salad dressing if you don't want to make the homemade version*

• 8 slices marble rye, rye or pumpernickel bread
• 8 slices deli Swiss cheese
• Make dressing first if doing homemade. Heat a grill pan or skillet to medium heat. Season the chicken well with salt and pepper, or marinate in Italian dressing. Slice thinly after grilling and cooling. This is a step that would be great to do ahead of time if you have some meal-prep time on your hands. Butter one side of 8 slices of bread. Drain and rinse sauerkraut. Build 4 sandwiches: spread dressing on one slice, top it with a slice of cheese, then mushrooms, sauerkraut, then chicken. Spread dressing on the other slice of bread and put a slice of cheese on that one, then top off the sandwich. Place it on the grill pan, and then build your next sandwich. You can adjust the temperature of your pan as you go. Don't get it too hot or the sandwich won't get ooey-gooey-melty like it's supposed to be!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients:

• 1 bag pre-washed Brussels sprouts (Eat Smart brand if you're shopping Food City)
• salt and pepper
• 1-2 tbsp cooking oil of choice

Heat oven to 425F. On a small baking sheet, trim the ends off of the Brussels and then halve each one or quarter if they are large. Toss with salt, pepper, and 1-2 tbsp cooking oil of choice. Roast uncovered for about 20 minutes, flip and turn Brussels, and roast for another 10 minutes. Sooo delicious!

Baja Fish Tacos with Cilantro-Lime Coleslaw (optional) 
Ingredients:
Slaw:

• 2 containers Greek yogurt 5.3 oz 
• Juice of 1 lime
• Medium to large handful of cilantro chopped (this depends on how intense you want your cilantro to be)
• Salt and pepper to taste (usually I need to add a little bit of extra salt to the slaw)
• 8 oz tri-color coleslaw mix about half of a large bag
• 2-3 tablespoons milk

1. In a large bowl, mix the yogurt, lime juice, chopped cilantro, salt and pepper until creamy. Remove about 1/3 of the mixture and set it aside in a smaller bowl (this is for the sauce). Add the coleslaw mix to the remaining 2/3 of yogurt sauce and mix it very well. Cover and refrigerate.
2. Mix the yogurt from the smaller bowl with 2-3 tablespoons of milk, until the sauce is pourable but not runny. Cover and refrigerate as well. Check for seasoning again just before serving.

Fish:

• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3-4 tilapia filets (or other fish filet of your choice)
• 1-2 cloves minced garlic
• Toppings and taco shells of choice. We love soft corn tortillas, shredded cheese, fresh tomato, and avocado

• Mix the spices together in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over both sides of the fish filets. (I like to season my fish a LOT, but just sprinkle on however much looks good to you.) Add salt and pepper to taste.

• In a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat, heat a drizzle of olive oil. Add the garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add the fish filets to the pan. Grill the fish on each side for several minutes, checking the middle for doneness (fish should be completely white and flake apart easily). 

Warm shells if directed on package to do so, then fill with fish and slaw and other toppings as desired. Serve with simple black beans drained, rinsed, and seasoned with salt, pepper, and cumin.

One-Pot Greek Chicken with snap Peas
Ingredients:

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken tenders
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small onion, finely diced (roughly 1 c)
• 1 cup long grain white rice (or brown)
• 2¼ c chicken broth
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 lemons, zested and juiced
• 2 Tbsp dried oregano
• ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
• ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
• ½ cup kalamata olives, sliced
• parsley (for garnish)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Chop all ingredients.
2. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the 1 Tbsp of olive oil over medium high. Add the onion and garlic and saute 2-3 minutes until onions start to become translucent.
3. Into the same pot, add rice, broth, salt, lemon juice, lemon zest, oregano, feta, sun-dried tomatoes, and kalamata olives. Stir and bring to a boil.
4. Once it reaches a boil, turn off the heat and add chicken to pot. Cover and place in oven.
5. Bake for 30 minutes until chicken is cooked through and rice is fluffy.
6. Plate and garnish with finely chopped parsley and any remaining lemon zest.

Look for the feta, sundried tomatoes, and olives on the salad bar instead of individual jars or containers. It will save you a little money and keep you from wasting unneeded amounts.

Quick steam the snap peas in a steam basket, or blanche in the microwave. Lightly salt.

Crock-pot Vegetable Beef Soup

• 1 lb bag frozen mixed veggies
• 1 can condensed tomato soup
• 2 cans diced tomatoes (no salt added)
• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 2 cups beef broth
• salt and pepper

recipe for homemade onion soup mix:

• ⅔ cup dried, minced onion
• 3 teaspoons parsley flakes
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons turmeric
• 1 teaspoon celery salt
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground pepper
• You will not use all of this mix in the recipe, so you'll have extra for the next time you need it.

Brown the ground beef in a skillet. Drain any excess fat. Put all remaining ingredients using only 3-4 tbsp of homemade onion soup mix OR 1 package onion soup mix into the Crock Pot and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Serve with grilled cheese sandwiches for comfort food at its best!

One-Pan Balsamic Roasted Sausage and Veggies
Ingredients:

• 1 package pre-cooked smoked sausage (or kielbasa, or whatever you choose; we like the Jennie-O turkey variety)
• 1 pound potatoes (I like small reds for this recipe.)
• 1/2 pound carrots
• 1 bell pepper
• 1 large onion
• 1 fennel bulb (optional)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp oil
• freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp Italian herbs (can also use Oregano, parsley, rosemary individually if you don't have an Italian mix)
• 1/2 cup chicken broth 
• 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar 
• Bread of choice to serve alongside this amazing dish.

Pre-heat oven to 450F. Slice up the sausage into about 1 1/2 inch to 2 inch rounds; rinse and dice the potatoes, carrots, bell pepper, and onion to fairly equal sized pieces.

In a small mixing bowl or measuring cup, combine the garlic, oil, herbs, and broth (not the Balsamic yet). Pour the mixture over the sausage and veggies in a casserole dish. Toss to coat everything well. Cover with foil. Bake for about 40 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle Balsamic vinegar over sausage and veggies and toss again to coat. Roast uncovered for about 15 more minutes. Serve with hot Italain bread to soak up the juices. Sooo yummy!!!

Shopping List:

Dry Goods/Spices/Baking:
cooking oil of choice (EVOO or canola are my preference)
salt & pepper
Baguette of choice to go with roasted sausage and veggies
marble rye or pumpernickel bread
Dried Italian herbs
dried minced onion (for homemade onion soup mix)
dried onion powder (for homemade onion soup mix)
dried parsley (for homemade onion soup mix)
turmeric (for homemade onion soup mix)
celery salt (for homemade onion soup mix)
sugar (you probably already have this) (for homemade onion soup mix)
long grain white or brown rice (1 cup)
chili powder
dried cumin
cayenne pepper
taco shells of choice (We prefer soft corn for fish tacos)
1 envelope dried onion soup mix (if not making homemade)

Cans/Sauces:
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
4 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
2 cups beef broth
1 can tomato soup
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can sauerkraut
bottle of thousand island *(if not making homemade)*
dill relish (if making homemade tousand island)
ketchup (if making homemade thousand island)
1 can black beans if desired as a side with tacos

Produce:
garlic
fennel (optional)
onion (2)
bell pepper
1/2 lb carrots
1 lb small red potatoes
2 lemons
bag of snap peas
avocado (if desired for tacos)
tomato (if desired for tacos)
1 lime
cilantro
small bag coleslaw mix
1 bag pre-washed Brussels sprouts
fresh parsley (if making homemade thousand island)
fresh dill (if making homemade thousand island)
1/2 lb sliced baby bella mushrooms (optional)

Meats:
1 pkg smoked sausage
1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb boneless skinless chicken tenders
3-4 tilapia or cod filets
2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts or 1lb tenders

Dairy:
2-3 tbsp milk
2 small containers plain Greek yogurt
8 slices deli swiss cheese
1/2 cup sour cream (if making homemade thousand island)
4 tbsp butter
shredded cheese of choice for tacos

Salad Bar:
1/2 cup crumbled feta
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes
1/2 cup kalamata olives

Frozen:
1 lb bag frozen mixed veggies