menu plan #23: 6 dinners for $55.12 (shopping list included)!

Let’s talk about making sense.

This week it just made sense to:

• Frantically drive Emma around to several stores (including a CVS) to find her just about any shoes that would generally fit her feet because, alas, we arrived at pre-school shoeless.
• Let my son read books in his bed from 2am-5am (his 8th day in a row waking up at this ungodly hour).  At least Mama got some sleep.
• Eat way too many of these.
• Buy this wine at Costco when it was on sale for $6.19 – what the what?
• Head here to celebrate Emma’s 5th birthday by staying up way too late and consuming way too many (expensive) calories.
• Try to get ahead of the chaos that’s surely to come by creating this week’s menu plan.  So let’s get down to business shall we?

What’s cooking this week?

I’ve got the popular feta and herb stuffed chicken, a greek panzanella bread salad with roasted chicken, spaghetti with arugula pesto, golden beets and goat cheese, prosciutto pizza and more!

Dinner #1:

Feta and Herb Stuffed Chicken and Simple Side Salad

Prep and Cooking Time:  35 minutes

Total:  $7.16 for the chicken + estimated $2.00 for the side salad

Dinner #2:

Greek Panzanella Salad topped with Roasted Chicken (cook ahead of time and toss in or add on top)

Prep and Cooking Time:  45 minutes (most of that is letting the salad rest after it is tossed)

Total:  $9.26 for the salad plus estimated $2.00 for chicken

Dinner #3:

Spaghetti with Arugula Pesto, Golden Beets and Goat Cheese

Prep and Cooking Time:  30 minutes

Total:  $7.15 for the pasta (you may want to add extra protein if desired)

Dinner #4:

Prosciutto and Caramelized Onion Pizza and Side Salad

Prep and Cooking Time:  30 minutes

Total:  $5.61 for the pizza + estimated $2.00 for the salad

Dinner #5: 

Weekend Chile Rellenos and Seasonal Fruit

Prep and Cooking Time:  30 minutes

Total:  $5.72 for the rellenos + estimated $2.00 for the fruit

Dinner #6:

Rosemary Balsamic Glazed Chicken with Potatoes (if desired) and your favorite veggie

Prep and Cooking Time:  1 hour, 25 minutes (prepare chicken night before, then most of the day-of cooking time is roasting)

Total:  $10.22 for the chicken with potatoes + estimated $2.00 for a side veggie

Total for 6 nights of dinners:  $55.12!  That’s about $2.29 per serving!

Shopping List:

Meat

• 6 (4-6 ounce) boneless skinless chicken breasts)
• 3 ounces prosciutto
• 1 (3 1/2-4 pound) whole chicken

Produce/Herbs

• 1 cucumber
• 2 bell peppers (any color)
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
• 4 red onions
• 1/4 cup basil
• 1/4 cup italian parsley
• 1 favorite veggie
• seasonal fruit (to go with chile rellenos)
• 6 garlic cloves
• 4 tablespoons rosemary
• 4 cups arugula
• 1 lemon
• 2 shallots
• 4 golden beets
• 1 head lettuce

Pantry

• 1 loaf french bread
• 1/2 cup black olives
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 package spaghetti
• 1/4 cup walnuts, almonds or pine nuts for spaghetti
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 4 corn tortillas
• 3/4 cup red wine
• 1 pizza dough
• 2 cans diced green chiles

Dairy/Eggs

• 7 ounces feta
• 3 ounces goat cheese (for spaghetti, can substitute feta too)
• 1/4 cup asiago
• 1 cup grated mozzarella
• 1 cup grated jack (for rellenos, but you can sub mozzarella too and not buy jack)
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups milk

Need more meal plans?  I’ve got plenty more to share if you need inspiration in the kitchen!

Browse more plans (with shopping lists!) here.