I’m writing this on Wednesday evening. Last week I said, “By the time I send you another shopping list, we’ll know who our next president is.” Maybe that’ll be true by the time you read this but right now, not so much. So you’ll forgive me if I don’t have a lot to say…
Here’s the menu for next week:
SUNDAY: Brown 2 1/2 lbs. of lean ground beef or turkey, seasoned with salt & pepper. Vegetarians, you can brown the same amount of plant-based meat or cook 12 oz. of lentils. Refrigerate them in two packages, with one having more than the other (it doesn’t need to be precise). Cook a double-batch of white or brown rice, and again, refrigerate in two packages: 1 1/2 cups in one, and the rest in the other.
MONDAY:
American Chop Suey is a recipe from my childhood, and if you’re from New England you may recognize it. It’s a one-pot meal consisting of ground meat (the larger package from Sunday), macaroni, chopped bell peppers and/or celery, tomato sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Super-easy, and very little cleanup. (Forgive the crummy photo when you click through—I posted this recipe in the very early days of my blog, circa 2004.) NOTE: I’ve made this successfully in the Instant Pot several times, as in the picture above. If you’d like instructions, just respond to this email.
TUESDAY: Tofu Stir-Fry from Dinner at the Zoo with rice. Crispy tofu, whatever stir-fry vegetables you have, and a simple honey-soy sauce. Having the rice ready to go makes this even easier.
WEDNESDAY:
Frozen Vegetable Minestrone from Food Network with garlic bread. I love the simplicity of this recipe: You’re basically raiding your freezer and pantry for vegetables and turning them into soup. One pot, ready in half an hour. The garlic bread isn’t strictly necessary—you can go with plain bread if you like—but it’s a nice added touch.
THURSDAY: Stuffed Peppers from The Kitchn uses the second package of rice and the second package of browned meat. This makes assembly very easy.
FRIDAY: Pasta with Pesto & Peas and a salad. No recipe needed for this one! You’ll have plenty of pesto leftover from Wednesday’s soup, so simply toss it with your favorite pasta and some frozen peas (add them to the pasta pot for the last minute of cooking). Add a green salad and you’ve got dinner.
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Here’s the shopping list:
As always, items with an asterisk * are for the vegetarian option. Note that the vegetables for Tuesday (T) are flexible—you can use whatever appeals to you in a stir-fry.
Produce
2 medium onions (M, Th)
13 cloves garlic (T, W, Th)
Small knob ginger (T)
1 large potato (W)
1-2 scallions (T)
10 bell peppers, any color (M, T, Th)
4 ribs celery (M, W)
2-3 carrots (T)
1 medium zucchini (T)
1 bunch parsley, optional (W)
Salad fixings (F)
1 (14-oz.) package extra-firm tofu (T)
1 package prepared pesto (W, F)
Pantry
12 oz. dried lentils* OR 2 1/2 lbs. plant-based meat* (M, Th)
8 oz. elbow macaroni (M)
1 lb. pasta of your choice (F)
2 (8-oz.) cans tomato sauce (M)
1 (28-oz.) can peeled whole tomatoes OR crushed tomatoes OR diced tomatoes (W)
1 (15-oz.) can diced tomatoes (Th)
Worcestershire sauce (M)
Vegetable oil (T, Th)
Extra-virgin olive oil (W)
1/3 cup cornstarch (T)
1/4 cup vegetable or chicken broth (T)
1/4 cup soy sauce (T)
3 tablespoons honey (T)
2 cups white or brown rice (T, Th)
Red pepper flakes (W)
Dried Italian seasoning OR dried basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme (Th)
1 (15-oz.) can great northern OR cannellini OR kidney beans
Meat Counter
2 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef OR turkey OR plant-based meat OR 12 oz. dried lentils (M, Th)
Dairy
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (W, F)
1 stick butter (W)
1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend OR mozzarella (Th)
Bakery
1 loaf French or Italian bread (W)
Freezer Case
1 cup pearl onions (W)
1/2 lb. peas (W)
1/2 lb. corn kernels (W)
On Saturday, paying subscribers will get the details on how it all comes together.
Stay safe, be kind, wash your hands, and wear a mask.
Debbie