Week 12 Meals & Shopping List

NOTES:
• If you're a new visitor to this blog, please read "how to use this blog" off to the right-hand-side.
• Check NOTES under each meal for ahead-of-time preps. Meal 5 is cooked in a crock-pot.
• By clicking on “older posts” at the bottom of this page, you can look back at previous week’s recipes.
• If you are looking for a particular recipe, use the search box at the right-hand-side then scroll to the top of the page to see search results.

RECIPE 1: SCALLOPED POTATOES WITH CHEESE & HAM

NOTES:
• This is a great way to get rid of leftover Easter ham!
• You can make this ahead of time and store in fridge. Reheat leftovers.


Ingredients
• 1 can (10 ¾ oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 c. milk
• 2/3 c. condensed cream of potato soup
• ½ c. chopped onion
• ¼ c. butter, melted
• ½ tsp garlic, minced
• ½ tsp pepper
• ¼ tsp seasoned salt (like Lawry’s or a generic brand)
• 8 medium red potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (use the slicer on your standing grater)
• 3 c. fully cooked cubed ham
• 1 ½ c. (6 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions
1. In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients (through seasoned salt). Add potatoes, ham and cheese and toss to cot. Transfer to a greased 13 x 9 inch baking dish.
2. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for around 65 minutes or until bubbly and potatoes are tender. Let stand 10 min before serving.

RECIPE 2: Grilled Sausage, Pepper, and Onion Calzones

Ingredients
• Homemade pizza dough or refrigerated dough
• 1 Vidalla or other sweet onion, cut into ½-inch thick slices
• 1 red bell pepper, quartered
• 1 yellow pepper, quartered
• Cooking spray
• 1 lb hot Italian turkey sausage links
• About 2 c. pizza sauce
• 1 ½ c. mozzarella cheese

Directions
1. Let pizza dough stand at room temp (if using refrigerated) for about 30 min to an hour.
2. Prepare grill (or use a grill pan on the stove) to medium high heat. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
3. Coat onion slices (1/2-inch thick slices) and bell peppers (quartered) with cooking spray and place on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill veggies 4 min on each side or until browned. Grill sausages 8 min or until done, turning occasionally to brown on all sides. Remove veggies and sausages from cook and cool slightly.
4. Cut onion slices in half and cut bell pepper pieces into ½-inch strips. Cut sausages diagonally into thin slices.
5. Place dough on a lightly floured surface; divide dough into 4 equal portions and roll into a 9x5 inch rectangle. Spread ¼ c. sauce evenly over each rectangle leaving a ¼-inch border. Arrange sausage over half of each rectangle and top evenly with onion and bell peppers. Sprinkle with 1/3 c. cheese. Fold other half of dough over filling and press edges together with a fork to seal.
6. Place calzones on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray and coat calzones with the spray. Bake at 500 degrees for 15 min for until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut each calzone in half and serve with remaining sauce.

RECIPE 3: CHICKEN & CORN CHOWDER

NOTES:
• I used a rotisserie chicken for this recipe out of convenience. You don’t have to buy the rotisserie chicken the day you’re going to use it in a recipe! Buy it when you buy your groceries and pick off chicken at your convenience and freeze in two containers for two future recipes.
• I made this recipe in the morning and reheated for dinner.

Ingredients
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 6 green onions
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 small packages frozen corn kernels, thawed and divided
• 1 (14-ounce) can chicken broth
• 2 cups milk (I used 1 ½ c. skim and ½ c. heavy cream because that’s what I had on hand).
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

Directions
1. Melt butter in a large pot oven over medium-high heat. Remove green tops from green onions; chop & set aside. Thinly slice white portion of each onion. Add sliced onions to pan; sauté 2 minutes. Add flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly with a whisk. Stir in chicken, salt, pepper, 1 package of corn, and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes.
2. While mixture simmers, combine the remaining corn and milk in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Add milk mixture to pan; simmer 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Ladle 2 cups chowder into each of 4 soup bowls; sprinkle evenly with green onion tops. Top each serving with 2 tablespoons cheese.

RECIPE 4: SKILLET SAUSAGE AND SPINACH PASTA

NOTES:
• Make this through step 1 if you want and store in fridge until ready to finish.

Ingredients
• 8 oz pasta (like penne or ziti)
• ½ lb hot or mild Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp basil
• 1 bell pepper (any color), chopped (optional)
• Baby spinach (4 large handfuls)
• 1 can chopped tomatoes in their juice with Italian seasonings or roasted garlic
• 2 c. chicken broth
•1/2 c. heavy cream
• Parmesan cheese, grated (for topping pasta)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. In a saucepan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil and sauté onions and bell pepper (if using) and ½ tsp salt until onions and pepper are softened, about 5 min. Stir in sausage, oregano and basil and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 4 min.
2. Stir in the garlic and cook about 15 sec. Pour can of tomatoes over meat mixture and sprinkle pasta over top. Pour broth and cream over pasta. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally (and checking to make sure the pasta is drying out – if so add more broth or water), until the pasta is tender, about 10-12 minutes.
3. Stir in the spinach a handful at a time and cook until wilted. Stir in the Parmesan and season with salt and pepper to taste.

RECIPE 5: PULLED PORK TACOS (CARNITAS)

NOTES:
• This is a crock-pot meal. Shred lettuce and cheese ahead of time and place in containers in fridge for a quick prep when you are ready to eat!
• You can use this same shredded pork recipe for sandwiches. Leave out the chipotle pepper or jalapeno if desired.

Ingredients
• A 2 ½-3 lb pork shoulder or pork butt
• 2 tbsp chopped chipotles in adobo or 2 fresh jalapeno chiles, seeded and sliced
• 1 onion, sliced
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp dried oregano, crushed (I just crushed it between my fingers)
• 1 tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• 1 c. beef froth (or water)
• Corn tortillas
• Toppings: shredded lettuce, Monterrey Jack or cheddar cheese, avocado, pico de gallo (chopped cilantro, onion, and tomato with salt and a little lime – let ingredients sit at room temp together for at least 10 min), sour cream, salsa.

Directions
1. Mix spices (garlic through pepper) in a small container. Set aside.
2. Place onions, chipotles or jalapenos, and ¼ c. beef broth or water in a slow cooker and stir to combine. Using a knife make incisions all over pork and insert spice mixture. Rub extra on outside of pork.
3. Heat a tbsp or two of oil over medium high heat and brown roast on all sides, about 8 min total. Transfer to crock pot and pour rest of beef broth (or water) into pan where you browned your roast, scarping up any browned bits. Pour this into crock pot over meat, cover, and cook on low 10 hours or on high for 5.
4. Remove roast and let cool enough to shred the pork, using two forks to pull it apart. Return to slow cooker and stir to combine with onions, chipotles or jalapenos and juices.
5. Serve with warmed tortillas, shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, avocado, pico de gallo (chopped cilantro, onion, and tomato with salt and a little lime), sour cream, salsa.

Shopping list:

NOTES:
• I have organized the shopping list by category and then within each category by meal. After each item you’ll see a number in parenthesis which corresponds to the meal number. That way you can easily pick which recipes you want to try and then find those items (or cross items out) on the list.
• Under Veggies/Fruit I have italicized anything that is a veggie or fruit but NOT found in the fresh fruits and veggie area of the supermarket.
• For Sides: Add sides to the meals as necessary. Suggestions: bread and/or a spinach salad (3), side salad and a green veggie like peas or broccoli (4), rice & refried or black beans (5).

Meat/Fish
• 3 c. fully cooked cubed ham (a great way to use leftover Easter ham if you have it!) (1)
• 1 1/2 lbs hot Italian turkey sausage links (or use 1 lb if it comes in that size of package and just use a little less than what recipes (2) and (4) call for) (2), (4)
• Chicken: 2 c. chopped cooked or shredded chicken (buy a rotisserie chicken, shred and freeze if you prefer)
• A 2 ½ - 3 lb pork shoulder or butt (5)

Veggies/Fruit
• Onions (white or yellow) – ½ c. chopped (1), 1 (4), 1 (5), Vidalla or other sweet onion – 1 (2), 1 bunch green onions (3)
• Garlic – ½ tsp minced (1), 3 cloves (4), 6 cloves (5)
• Red potatoes – 8 medium (1)
• Bell peppers – 1 yellow, 1 red (2), 1 any color (4) (optional)
• Frozen corn – 2 small packages (about 10 oz each)
• 1 bag baby spinach (4)
• 1 can chopped tomatoes (either Italian-style or garlic) (4)
• 2 tbsp chopped chipotles in adobo or 2 fresh jalapenos (5)
• Toppings for tacos (5): shredded lettuce, avocado, pico de gallo (chopped cilantro, onion, and tomato with salt and a little lime – let ingredients sit at room temp together for at least 10 min), salsa

Breads & starches
• Homemade pizza dough or refrigerated dough (2)
• 8 oz penne or ziti pasta (4)
• Corn tortillas (5)

Spices/Sauces/Vinegars
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Seasoned salt (1) (Like Lawry’s or a generic brand)
• ¼ tsp garlic powder (1)
• Oregano - 1 tsp (4), 2 tsp (5)
• Basil – 1 tsp (4)
• 2 tsp ground coriander (5)
• 2 tsp ground cumin (5)
• 1 tsp onion powder (5)

Dairy
• Butter – ¼ c. (1), 1 tbsp (3)
• Mozzarella cheese – 1 ½ c. (1), 1 ½ c. (2)
• Milk – 1 c. (1), 1 ½ c. (3)
•Shredded cheddar cheese – ½ c. (3)
• Heavy cream – ½ c. (3), ½ c. (4)
• Parmesan cheese, grated – ½ c. (4)
• Shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese to top tacos (5)
• Sour cream for topping tacos (5)

Other
• Oil
• 1 can condensed cream of potato soup (1)
• 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup (1)
• Pizza sauce (2)
• Cooking spray (2)
• Small amount of flour (3)
• Chicken broth - 1 14-oz can (3), 2 c. (4)
• 1 c. beef broth (or water) (5)