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Here is the deal. Every Friday morning I hand you five easy dinners for the week ahead, one treat for the weekend, and a one page shopping list you can print and carry into the store. This is week two. Five different proteins, five nights, and one pot of rice pulling double duty Monday and Wednesday so you cook it once and use it twice. Print the list, shop over the weekend, and dinner is handled Monday through Friday.
Why This Week Works
- It is built for a busy week. Nothing here asks for more than a skillet, a sheet pan, or a pot of rice.
- Five different proteins. Chicken Monday, pork Tuesday, beef Wednesday, salmon Thursday, turkey Friday. Nobody is staring at the same plate twice.
- Rice on Monday and Wednesday on purpose. Cook one big pot. It goes under Monday’s teriyaki chicken, and the rest turns into Wednesday’s coconut rice for the Thai beef bowls.
- Every one of these takes a vegetable well. A bagged salad or whatever is hiding in the crisper rounds any of them out.
- The leftovers actually reheat. The turkey meat sauce and the teriyaki chicken are just as good the next day, and that is your lunch sorted.
- Friday is the fast one. Turkey spaghetti is on the table in about thirty minutes, which is exactly what you want by Friday.
Monday: Panda Express Teriyaki Chicken
Copycat Panda Express Teriyaki Chicken Recipe glazes fork-tender chicken thighs in a sticky homemade teriyaki sauce in just 30 minutes at home. Copycat Panda Express Teriyaki Chicken Recipe (Easy 30-Minute)
Serving note: Serve it over rice with some steamed broccoli on the side. Cook extra rice while you are at it, Wednesday wants it too.
Tuesday: Ritz Cracker Pork Chops
Ritz Cracker Pork Chops bake up buttery and golden with a shatter-crisp crust in just 30 minutes. An easy, no-fry oven dinner the whole family will love. Baked Ritz Cracker Pork Chops
Serving note: Mashed potatoes and a vegetable, or a bagged salad if it is that kind of night. The crust does the heavy lifting.
Wednesday: Thai Beef Bowls
This easy Thai Beef bowl piles savory, saucy ground beef over creamy coconut rice for a 30-minute takeout-style dinner packed with fresh basil and lime. Thai Beef Bowls with Coconut Rice
Serving note: The coconut rice is the whole point, so make it. Pile on the cucumber, lime and fresh basil and let everyone build their own bowl.
Thursday: Salmon Patties
This easy salmon patties recipe is Grandma’s old fashioned favorite. Crispy golden canned salmon patties with barely any filler, ready in under an hour. Grandma’s Old Fashioned Salmon Patties Recipe
Serving note: A squeeze of lemon, a little tartar sauce, and something green on the side. These fry up fast in a thin layer of oil.
Friday: Turkey Spaghetti
This Ground Turkey Meat Sauce is a cozy, one-skillet dinner that tastes slow-simmered but comes together in about 30 minutes. Lighter, and packed with flavor! Easy Ground Turkey Meat Sauce (Turkey Spaghetti)
Serving note: Boil the spaghetti, spoon the sauce over, and finish it with parmesan. About thirty minutes, which is all Friday has in it.
The Treat: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies are soft, cakey, and packed with warm fall spices and melty chocolate chunks. The coziest easy fall cookie recipe, no chilling! Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Serving note: Bake these Saturday while the oven is already warm. One bowl, no chilling, and they stay soft on the counter for days.
The Shopping List
One page, grouped the way the store is laid out, with a box next to every line so you can check things off as they land in the cart. Print it Saturday morning and go.
Get These Plans in Your Inbox
A new plan goes up here every Friday morning. If you would rather have it land in your inbox than remember to come looking for it, grab one of the free recipe packs and you are on the list.
