This week's meal plan is full of easy, slow cooker comfort foods from country style ribs and meatballs sandwiches to smothered chicken. As always there are tips for saving time and money.
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📅 Food Holidays
We celebrate a couple of fun food holidays this week. They're silly little holidays but it gives us an opportunity to make some memories and have some fun!
- October 8 is National Fluffer Nutter Day, the perfect time to give these fluffer nutter whoopie pies a try!
- October 9 is National Pizza and Beer Day - put them together with this beer pizza dough. SO good.
- October 12 is National Pumpkin Pie Day, aren't you happy you don't have to wait until Thanksgiving for pumpkin pie?
🫑 What's in Season?
- Beets
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Celery
- Chard
- Chicory
- Endive
- Horseradish
- Pea
- Potato
- Pumpkin
- Leek
- Lettuce
- Spinach
- Winter squash
💭 Tips for success
Here are some tips for this week -
- Double some of the recipes and freeze half. Find out how to meal prep for freezing.
- Make a simple garlic butter by stirring together 1 cup softened butter, 1 tablespoon garlic salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder (or to taste), and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning. Let stand for 15 minutes for the flavors to blend.
- The beef barbacoa can be used for amazing burrito bowls. Add cooked rice to a bowl and then top with the barbacoa, black beans, onions, peppers, salsa, guacamole, cheese, and sour cream.
- Grab different types of the bagged salads for quick side dishes. They usually come with a unique mixture of ingredients that take salads up a notch.
- Save some of the biscuits and make biscuits and southern cream gravy for breakfast one day.
- Remember to prep as many of your ingredients at once as you can. Chop all the onions for the week, chop the celery for the week, etc.
- Move the days around as you need to. Don't forget there are more meal plans here.
🍹This week's cocktail
Grapefruit Tequila Sour
Y'all, this grapefruit tequila sour is one of my favorites. It's tangy and refreshing - not really a fall flavor but just delicious!
October 8
Spaghetti & Meatballs
These slow cooker meatballs are SO easy & tender! Just shape them and put them right into the crock pot raw. They simmer all day in marinara - and you have meatballs for dinner! Make double or triple. They freeze well and you'll need some for later in the week.
Garlic Bread
I love this quick & easy 30 minute baguette. Make garlic butter as directed in tips and serve it at the table OR spread on the slices and broil for a minute or two. Make extra loaves - you'll need them later in the week.
Pumpkin Biscotti
Pumpkin Biscotti are easy to make and they last for weeks at room temperature. Perfect for lingering at the table with a cup of coffee!
October 9
Chicken & Noodles
Chicken & Noodles is a quick bowl of country comfort. When you are poaching the chicken breast make extra to save time later in the week. Serve with a side salad.
Angel Biscuits
These southern yeast biscuits are quick to make, like regular biscuits but rise high and light like a roll. Mix up some softened butter with a few teaspoons of honey and a pinch of cinnamon to serve with them. YUM!
Candy Apple Pie
Candy apple pie tastes like old fashioned candied apples! Apples are simmered in Red Hots syrup before being added to a buttery, flaky crust. Use a purchased crust to save time if you wish.
October 10
Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa
Beef barbacoa is slow cooked until it falls apart. Use it in tacos today with your favorite toppings today and freeze some for some other meal. Fabulous for burritos and burrito bowls!
Cowboy Caviar
This black-eyed pea salad is best made a day ahead of time so it has time to soak up the marinade.
Quadruple Chip Cookies
The ultimate chocolate chip cookie! 4 kinds of chips, pecans, and toffee make these irresistible! I like to make a dozen then drop the rest of the dough by teaspoonfuls on a baking sheet and freeze to bake when I want.
October 11
Meatball Sandwich
Remember the meatballs and baguettes we saved from Friday? Enjoy an almost instant dinner by using them for meatball sandwiches. Add Mozzarella to the tops and broil a few minutes just to melt.
Chocolate Upside Down Cake
Chocolate Upside Down Cake is an old, old recipe that saves time because the frosting is baked right on the cake!
October 12
King Ranch Chicken
Today you'll use the leftover chicken you saved from Saturday to make this simple King Ranch Chicken casserole. It's crazy that so much flavor can be SO easy. A salad with tortilla chips broken up into it is a delicious side.
Hatch Chile Cheese Bread
Hatch Chile Cheese Bread makes great sandwiches, too! Save some to serve with dinner tomorrow.
Peach Cobbler Dump Cake
Easiest peach cobbler ever! Just dump the ingredients in a pan, bake, and serve! No fuss at all! Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
October 13
Almost NO prep time! The whole family is going to love these country ribs in crock pot! Leftovers make great sandwiches or stuffing for tacos!
Potatoes au Gratin
Potatoes au gratin the way it used to be done! Thinly sliced potatoes, onions, cheese, and a homemade cream sauce. It takes 1 ½ hours to bake so either make this on your day off and warm it up or substitute fried potatoes.
Cheesecake Brownies
Today is National Cream Cheese Brownie Day and what better way to celebrate than these Pecan Praline Cheesecake Brownies?
October 14
Smothered Chicken
Smothered chicken is a delicious southern dish that you can make right in the skillet! Creamy gravy, tender chicken... It's the best!
Buttermilk Dinner Rolls
These are homemade brown n serve rolls. I'll show you how to make a batch and freeze to brown and serve as needed. Plus the are super light and delish!
Lemon Cream Cake
This easy lemon sheet cake has an amazing, lighter-than-air whipped lemon frosting.
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