Planning your meals just got a lot easier with Monday Menu’s 2 dinner menus, dessert, breakfast and snack ideas! This week is all about making the most of your shopping list. Ingredients do double duty to lighten the load on your budget and time in the store!
This week’s menus are all about making the most of ingredients we buy. I don’t love when I have to buy a whole jar or box of something knowing that I only really need a couple of tablespoons of it to make my recipe. We’ve all been there. What can we do?
Instead of letting that get me down or deterring me from making my dish, I see it as a golden opportunity to find a few other recipes that use that ingredient and work them into our meal rotation! You know, delicious goodies that I might not have thought about making otherwise. It’s a complete win for the family, my pantry and my budget.
This week’s menus are all about those golden opportunities. Pears, chicken, sauces, pecans and even whole grain mustard pull double duty this week!
Menu 1- Sunday Dinner Special
Who says baked chicken has to be boring? This gorgeous dish was Inspired by a visit to the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. Crusted with pecans and rosemary and covered in a delicious Dijon glaze and sauce, this mouthwateringly elegant chicken says special occasion, but is surprisingly quick & easy to whip up. But shhh… we’ll let that part be our little secret!
 Love green bean casserole, but don’t love all that goes in it? Well, this is your recipe! Sautéed with bacon and baby portabellas, these green beans are bursting with rich, earthy favors that you just won’t believe! Top them with crispy fried onions and you won't even miss the canned soup that usually shows up in a green bean dish.
Your favorite mashed potatoes are never going to be the same! Deliciously savory and unbelievably fluffy, these easy Mashed Sweet Potatoes whip up just right in 30 minutes with a little butter, garlic and sour cream and are the perfect side dish for every meal, even holidays!
Menu 2- Light & Seasonal
This fresh salad of pomegranate arils, pears, and apples with crisp Romaine, glazed pecans, goat cheese, red onion and pepitas-- whew!-- makes the perfect salad. But, add a little rotisserie chicken or sliced turkey and avocado and you have an out of this world dinner salad! Shake up an easy pomegranate vinaigrette dressing to top it all off.Â
Have leftover Southern Pecan Chicken? Slice it up to top this salad! Instead of glazed pecans, use regular pecans leftover from the pecan chicken recipe instead!
This zesty little snack cracker recipe comes together so quick & easy when you’re wanting something more than just a plain cracker to accompany your soup, sandwich or salad. With a simple homemade Ranch seasoning mix using herbs & spices from your cabinet, a little olive oil & oyster crackers, you’ll be snacking away in no time!
Dessert This Week!
Buy a few extra pears for the salad recipe above and you’re ready to go for this week’s dessert! Everyone notices when this quick and easy Rustic Pear Galette with a dollop of ice cream shows up for coffee or graces your family table. Simple to make with beautiful seasonal pears and a humble but elegant appearance, the pear galette embodies the best of all that early fall has to offer.
Rich and creamy, this easy to make Butterscotch Coffee Creamer will have you making cozy coffee drinks to sip from your favorite mug right in your own kitchen! There’s nothing better!
Looking for a grocery budget shortcut? Skip the ice cream for your pear galette and make a double batch of butterscotch when making this coffee creamer. It will be heavenly poured over your easy pear pie!
Here’s What We’re Snacking On
To make the most of the Dijon mustard we’re using for the chicken this week, why not whip up a batch of this Honey & Pineapple Mustard? It is the perfect game day, afternoon, after school snack when it shows up with a little crackers, cheese and sausage. Yum! An easy charcuterie board can also double as a quick dinner when the day has been long and everyone’s busy!
Making Breakfast Easy
When you grab the pie crusts for your galette, grab a few extra for these crazy easy Sausage Cream Cheese Handpies. These cute little Sausage Pies are unbelievably easy to make using just 3 ingredients, a pre-made crust and bake up in only 10 minutes. Serve with a spoon of jam and you have a breakfast everyone will want to get their hands on!
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