Plan & Prep.....What's on the Menu for December 13-19

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As the reality that winter has made it's stalwart appearance here in Maine begins to sink in, so does the craving for rich, comforting food. This week's meal ended up (unintentionally) being quite pasta forward, but still nicely varied.



Chicken Breasts Stuffed w/ Spinach, Cream Cheese, & Bacon


This Sunday we spent the day playing catch-up on a few projects (I'm looking at you, dust bunnies under the bed). Included in these projects was taming the fridge jungle that consisted of leftover produce, berry-container mountain, a huge family pack of chicken, and half a packet of bacon.



Mini Chocolate Cake


So what did I do to tame the fridge jungle? Here's a quick rundown:
  • Two bags, about 12 yellow and orange bell peppers became:
    • Sliced peppers for a chicken fajita dish later in the week
    • Diced peppers for salad 
    • Minced peppers for a "lazy lasagna" dish for later in the week
    • Minced peppers for turkey meatballs
    • 3 quart bags of diced peppers for the freezer
  • 6 mini cucumbers got sliced up for salads
  • Less than stellar looking mushrooms were finely diced and used to make turkey meatballs and broccoli mushroom chicken alfredo
  • A pint and a half of slightly wrinkled grape tomatoes were roasted in bacon fat to go with dinner
  • Berry Container Mountain was condensed into prepped cups of berries for lunches
  • Half of the chicken was butterflied and stuffed with a cream cheese and spinach mixture for dinner and lunches
  • The other half of the chicken was pounded to an even thickness and put in an airtight container for Wednesday night's bacon cheddar chicken dinner
  • A 20oz package of ground turkey became 3 dozen mushroom swiss meatballs, which I cooked and then frozen for future quick meal prep
  • Half of the bacon was cooked to use in the stuffed chicken breast, the other half was stored raw in an air tight container for use later in the week
  • Sad deflated whipped cream was stirred into hot cocoa Monday morning, what a better way to start your Monday?
Nothing is more satisfying for me on a Sunday evening than having a nicely organized fridge with prepped meals and ingredients to help kick off the week. This one to two hours of prep means that we spend less time cooking during the week, waste less food, and generally make healthier meal choices.

Some weeks lend themselves to very structures meal plans, others like this week focus on using up leftovers. Let your schedule and activities drive your meal plan strategy!

mmmm Bacon

Dinners for the Week 
  • Spinach & Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breas w/ Herb Pasta and Salad (x2)
  • Lazy Lasagna with Green Beans
  • Bacon & Cheddar Baked Chicken with Roasted Potatoes and Beets
  • Homemade pizza, depending on what we end up with for leftovers
Breakfasts for the Week
  • Yogurt, Cheerios, and Fruit
  • Granola Bars w/ Peanut Butter
  • Breakfast Sandwiches or Freezer Breakfast Burritos
Lunches for the Week
  • Broccoli & Mushroom Chicken Alfredo (x2)
  • [Leftover] Spinach & Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast w/ Herb Pasta (x2)
  • [Leftover] Lazy Lasagna
  • Chicken Fajita Bowls (x3)
Lunch Snacks for the Week
  • Grapes
  • Also Available: carrots, popcorn, cheese sticks, nuts, pretzels, etc
Food for Sharing
  • This weekend I plan to make butter fan rolls and a maple gingerbread buche de noel for a small family Yule celebration with our parents.
  • My Dad is joining us Wednesday night for dinner, which is when I'll make the Bacon Cheddar Chicken.
Check out the first post in my Budget Grocery Shopping Fundamentals to learn more about my approach to meal prep, planning, and shopping!

What are you planning and prepping this week?

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