Easy Weekday Suppers For Crazy Weekdays

A friend of mine asked for ideas for quick weeknight suppers, so I sent her a few ideas. She then asked for recipes. Well, as we all know, there are only a handful of "recipes" I use, so I had to come up with directions on how to do what I was suggesting she do. I then took it one step further and added a prep list, and a shopping list.

Now, honestly, I 've gone over this so many times I'm blind. I'm sure there are things that I've missed and left out, so please leave comments on what you've found that I missed.

Hope you enjoy!

Busy Week Menu, How-To, and Shopping List

Saturday = Planning, Shopping, Prepping, and freezing

Shopping list: some of these are suggestions. Most of what I have listed is things that my family likes on/in taco’s, pizza, kabobs, stir-fry, and burgers. Pick and choose what your family likes. Things for specific recipes have been marked with an asterisk.

Proteins:

1-2 lbs (Depending on size of family) Ground Turkey or Beef for your Monday night burgers. You’re going for ¼ pound burgers, so 1 pound of ground meat will make 4 ¼ pound patties.

**If making Chicken Sandwiches or Pulled Pork Sandwiches, but chicken breasts or pork butt, and add BBQ sauce and or Ranch dressing to your canned/dried grocery list below.

1-2 lbs (Depending on size of family) Ground Turkey or Beef for your Taco’s on Tuesday.

1-2 lbs (Depending on size of family) Beef or Chicken for Kabobs on Wednesday

1-2 lbs (Depending on size of family) Beef, Chicken, Pork, Shrimp, or extra firm Tofu for Stir-fry on Thursday

1 Package peperoni and additional meats you would like on your pizza on Friday

Veggies:

Lettuce of your choice for your burgers and taco’s

Lettuce of your choice for salads to be sides for each night

2-3 large onions (for Burgers, Stir Fry, Kabobs)

2-3 Large Tomatoes (for Burgers, Taco’s, Pizza)

Pint of cherry or grape tomatoes (for Kabobs)

Pint of button or baby Portobello mushrooms (for Kabobs and Pizza)

Baby Carrots for stir fry, snacks, and lunches

Sugar Snap Beans for stir-fry, snacks, and lunches

Bean Sprouts for stir fry

Bok Choy Cabbage for stir-fry

1 bunch scallions

2-3 Bell peppers for kabobs and pizza, or more for snacks and lunches too

Jalapeño’s for taco’, stir fry, pizza, kabobs, and burgers if you like them as much as my husband does

Canned/Dried:

Rice or Rice Noodles for stir fry

Black Beans

Water chestnuts

Pizza Sauce

Olives for pizza

Condiments of choice for burgers = A-1, Heinz 57, Mayo, Mustard, BBQ sauce, etc.

Worcestershire Sauce

*Soy Sauce (or a jarred premade stir fry sauce)

*Hoisin Sauce (or a jarred premade stir fry sauce)

*Minced fresh ginger in a tube (or a jarred premade stir fry sauce)

Coconut Oil

*Italian Dressing

Salad dressing your family likes

*1 small can Tomato Paste

Taco Sauce (Unless you buy the boxed taco set with the sauce included. But if you’re like my family, the packet of sauce in the boxed set is never enough, so we always buy more)

Taco Seasoning (Unless you buy the taco boxed set with the seasoning included)

Refrigerated:

Shredded cheese of choice for Taco’s

Shredded cheese or sliced cheese of choice for Pizza’s

Sliced cheese of choice for Burger’s

Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt for Taco’s

Extra Firm Tofu (If using in place of animal protein for either stir fry or kabobs)

Gluten Free burger buns for Burgers (if your family is GF)

Gluten Free French Bread for Pizza’s (if your family is GF)

Minced Garlic

Inside Isles:

Buns for Burger’s

French Bread for Pizza’s

Flour or corn Tortilla’s for Taco’s

(Or buy the boxed set for taco’s which comes with shells, sauce, and spice mix)

Prep:

Wash and dry all fresh produce.

Cooking temps:

Visit this link.  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/articles/meat-and-poultry-temperature-guide.html

For Burger Night:

Make your burger patties. Using the ground beef or turkey, season the meat with salt, pepper, a teaspoon of minced garlic, and a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce to each pound of meat being used. Form the patties and use wax paper cut into 6 inch squares to separate the patties. Put them into a plastic zipper  bag and squeeze out the air to keep them fresh until Monday.

Slice onions and tomatoes for burger toppings, and place into zipper bags.

**If making the Chicken Sandwiches or Pulled Pork Sandwiches, you’ll want to put your chicken breasts or pork butt into the crock pot with chicken stock and herbs of your choice. Cook until it’s falling apart, shred and drain any extra liquid out. On Burger/Sandwich night, you’ll reheat your protein, toast your buns, and chow down.

For Taco Tuesday:

Cook your meat of choice with the seasoning packet per the box directions. Or, if not using the packaged stuff, add a little cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder to get the flavor you like. Or use the recommended amount of a premixed taco seasoning bought separately. Let the cooked meat mixture cool completely, then put in a sealable container in the ‘fridge. Grill a few of the scallions if you would like to add those to your tacos as well. You’ll need to keep just one table spoon for your stir fry sauce. If you want to add the rest of the scallions to your stir-fry or to your pizza, prep them for use in those dishes per instructions below.

Dice the tomato for your taco toppings. Don’t shred your lettuce just yet because it will turn brown before Tuesday.

For Kabobs Night:

Make the marinade:

                6oz Can of Tomato Paste

                2/3 cup of Italian dressing

                ¼ cup water

1 TBLS Worcestershire Sauce

Dice the meat or tofu and place in the marinade in a plastic zipper top bag. Smush around to be sure all the meat is coated then put in the freezer. Pull it out the night before you’re going to cook the Kabobs to thaw, and then keep in ‘fridge the day of.

Cut 1 or 2 bell pepper(s) into squares, and cut one onion in half from tip to root, then each half in half again the same direction, making 4 wedges, then each 4 in half to make a set of 8 triangular / pyramid shapes. Wash and rinse your cherry/grape tomatoes. Wipe your mushrooms with a wet paper towel to get dirt off. Prep and wash any other veggies that your family likes on kabobs. Put all prepped veggies into a plastic zipper top bag in the fridge. (If you want to wait until the day of to slice the onion, that’s smart too. They will make everything else taste and smell like onion if they’re in there too long. If you and your family likes onions a whole bunch and you’re going to be very pressed for time on kabob night, go ahead and prep them on Saturday and store them. You can also double bag them and or put them into another sealable container until you want to use them to keep them from stinking up the place.

Soak wooden skewers in water for at least 20 minutes, and then arrange veggies on skewers. Alternate slices of pepper, onion, mushroom, and tomato so you can get an even cook on each skewer. The night before Kabob night, you’ll skewer the meats, lay them on a cookie sheet, and cover the sheet with plastic wrap.

For Stir Fry Night:

Cut up your meat of choice into strips about the size of your index finger, then place in a plastic sealable baggie for freezing. Squish the air out, then arrange the meat pieces into a single layer flat in the bag. This makes it easier to thaw later.

Cut the baby carrots into pieces about the size of a 4-prong Lego. The other veggies are going to stay whole, or you’re going to cut them the night of stir fry. You’ll chop your cabbage the night of stir fry, to keep it from turning brow and getting yucky. As with the onions for Kabob night, you can either you’re your stir fry onions now and store them, or wait and duce them the night of stir-fry to keep them from stinking up the ‘fridge. Your snap peas, bean sprouts, and water chestnuts will be dumped in whole. You’ll need to drain the liquid from the water chestnuts before dumping them into the mix as well.

Make a pot of rice and freeze it. You can add a little water and microwave it the night of to have with your stir-fry. You can also use rice noodles, which cook very quickly, and can be made fresh the night of Stir-Fry.

Make your stir fry sauce and put into a glass jar with a lid, like a mason jar.

                1 cup water

                ¼ cup Hoisin Sauce

                1 Tablespoon Minced Fresh Ginger in the tube

                1 Tablespoon Minced Fresh Garlic from the jar

                1 Tablespoon chopped scallions

Place the lid on the jar, shake to mix, and keep in the ‘fridge until it’s time to cook stir-fry.

For French Bread Pizza Night:

Prep your toppings. Slice your peppers, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, etc. Whichever toppings your family wants on their individual pizza’s, go ahead and chop and slice them and package them in zipper top baggies. You can also add any leftovers from the weeks dinners as pizza toppings too. For instance, a taco pizza would be pretty tasty.

Sunday = Chill. Watch Football. Relax.  Make a big pot of chili and a big pot of vegetable soup to take to work for lunches. Make spaghetti for tonight.

Monday Night Cooking

Burgers, or Chicken Sandwiches, or Pulled Pork Sandwiches – Prepped on Saturday.

Pull patties out of ‘fridge, allow to come to room temp while you’re heating your gas grill, or inside grill pan, or “George Forman”, or oven broiler. Cook patties to your taste/temp preference, use a meat thermometer if you’re unsure of times and temps. Pull out your containers of burger fixings and toast buns if that’s your family’s preference.

Tuesday Night Cooking

Taco Tuesday – Prepped on Saturday

Don’t’ get stuck in a taco rut. You can use many different meats in tacos and they are all delicious. Shrimp, chicken, beef, pork, tofu, beans, fish, lobster, sausage, etc. The list is really endless.

Reheat taco meat in the microwave. Toast your shells in the toaster oven or regular oven. Grab your prepped toppings, and have a taco feast. Eat on paper plates so you can toss them and run out the door.

Pull out Kabobs to thaw. Once thawed, skewer, put on cookie sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and put in fridge for Wednesday night’s supper.

Wednesday Night Cooking

Kabobs – Prepped on Saturday and Tuesday. Pull everything out, cooktime should be around 15-20 minutes total.

Kabobs are as versatile as the tacos and sandwiches. Use whichever meat your family prefers. Chicken, beef, venison, shrimp, pork, or go meatless by using mushrooms or extra firm tofu in place of a meat.

Preheat your gas grill, or your inside grill pan on the stove, or your “George Foreman”, or your oven’s broiler. Depending on the cooking method, you’ll need to cook for 4-6 minutes per side, turning ¼ turns until all 4 sides are cooked through. Use a meat thermometer if you’re unsure of temps and times.

Thursday Night Cooking

Stir-Fry – Prepped on Saturday. Pull everything out, cook time should be less than 15-20 minutes total.

Again, your choice of meats and veggies are endless. Use what your family enjoys.

Preheat your wok or large sauté pan to medium high, add your coconut oil and let it get hot. Add onions and carrots to let them soften and begin to cook. Add meat of choice and cook through. Add remaining veggies, and cook no more than 2 minutes, stirring constantly just to warm them through. They’ll taste better the crunchier they are, and they’ll add texture that way so you’re not eating a bowl of mush. Add your sauce in the last minute, make sure it’s all hot, then spoon over rice.

Friday Night Cooking

French Bread Pizza’s

Nothing prepped for this ahead of time, all ingredients are in ‘fridge and ready to be opened, sliced, and put on pizza.

Preheat oven to 375, slice French bread lengthwise, add sauce of choice, cheese of choice, toppings of choice, and bake for 8-10 minutes until cheese is melted and bread is warm and crusty to your liking.