A Weekly Dinner Plan + Chicken Corn Chowder

I've been gone awhile - thanks to Janis for keeping the blog going!! - and, now that we've moved, my camera cable is missing still. This mean I can't upload any pictures for recipes. But with my kitchen in an uproar, installing new cabinets, I haven't been trying any new recipes these days anyway. But I wanted to have something for the blog...

SO, I decided I wanted to start posting our family's weekly meal plan each week. These are meals I plan ahead for - taking meat out of the freezer, buying produce & specific ingredients for, etc. I decide each evening what sounds good & then prepare it for dinner. If I can, I work in a new recipe, but it's usually our tried-and-true favorites that are served.

Having a week of meals pre-planned helps me use the food I already have in my freezer, fridge & pantry, allows me to take advantage of weekly sales at the grocery stores, and means I don't have an excuse to fall back on eating out when I can't decide what to make or don't have ingredients on-hand.


Dinner Plan - November 7-13

Sunday: Turkey burgers, veggies & dip (carrots, broccoli, cauliflower & cucumbers), & chips
Monday: Chili with toppings (cheese, sour cream, green onions), green salad & cornbread
Tuesday: Domino's Pizza (for my daughter's elementary school fundraiser), green salad
Wednesday: Chicken-Corn Chowder (recipe below), stir-ins: bacon, cheddar, broccoli, whole wheat rolls
Thursday: Skillet Lasagna made with ground turkey, broccoli & corn
Friday: Beef Tips (browned in a skillet w/olive oil) with gravy over egg noodles, peas & corn, wheat rolls
Saturday: Sub sandwiches, veggies & dip, & chips

I make a dessert twice each week & try to make it last for a couple of days. This week, I made brownies & Indoor S'Mores.

Freezer: ground turkey, pre-made chili, shredded chicken & bacon (for chowder), stew meat (for Beef Tips), frozen broccoli, peas & corn, whole wheat rolls
Pantry: Ranch dip spices, chips, cornbread mix, egg noodles, Skillet Lasagna & gravy ingredients, brownie mix & Indoor S'Mores ingredients
Fridge: sour cream for Ranch dip & chili toppings, cheddar cheese, lunch meats & cheeses, Skillet Lasagna ingredients
Grocery store: fresh veggies for the week - used for veggies & dip and green salads

I hope these will be helpful, giving you dinnertime ideas along the way. I'll post more recipes too (when I find that darned camera cable).




Chicken Corn Chowder

Mix thoroughly & set aside:
1/4 cup cold water
3 T flour

Cook & crumble, 8 slices bacon
Save 3 T bacon grease & set crumbled bacon aside.

Slice thinly, 1 onion. Cook in 3 T bacon grease until soft & browned.

Cook in water until soft, 2 large potatoes, cubed or sliced
OR
use 2-3 cans sliced or diced potatoes, drained.

In large pot, combine cooked onions & potatoes.

In a 4-cup measure, combine to equal 4 cups total:
2 cans evaporated milk
Water

Heat evaporated milk/water mixture in saucepan. Add flour/cold water mixture when heated through.

Add 17 oz can creamed corn to milk/flour/water mixture. Stir to combine & heat through.

Add creamed corn mixture to potatoes & onions. Stir in 1 can chicken chunks (or 1-2 cups cooked & shredded/cubed chicken), 1 pkg frozen broccoli (thawed & drained), and 1 can corn (drained).

Heat 10 minutes, or until heated through.

Add salt & pepper to taste.

Serve with desired toppings:
Crumbled bacon
Cheddar cheese, shredded
Green onions or French-fried onions

If you don't like the cooked onions in the chowder, leave them out & only add green onions or french-fried onions on top.