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Weeknight Dinners Made Simple

Angela Sellers | July 26, 2017

Food

We’ve taken the guess work out of weeknight meal planning for a week

We know weeknights can be next to circus-status crazy. Especially if you work full-time. Especially if your spouse also works full-time. Especially if you have company. Or kids. Or if any of the above are picky eaters. And also especially if you are one of the few, the proud, the people who are still clinging to their New Year’s resolutions for a healthier, happier 2017.

To help ease the crazy, we’ve got your back—at least for a week—but we won’t tell if you come back to this every few weeks. We’ve taken the guess work out of weeknight meal planning for the week and given you a shopping list!

Helpful tips from Angela

Tackle the challenge of meal planning and preparation with these tips in mind:

  • When writing out your grocery list, group items in like categories. Grocery, Produce, Meat, Dairy, Deli, Bakery. This keeps you moving through the store with efficiency and lessens the chance that you’ll forget something.
  • Plan meals that have similar ingredients. Turkey Enchiladas on Monday and Turkey-Vegetable Pizza on Friday. This helps keeps food waste to a minimum.
  • When shopping for produce, limit yourself to only a week’s worth. This also helps with reducing food waste.
  • If there’s a day when you have a little more time, get that pesky prep work out of the way. Chop and store items so you can easily access them on those busier days.
  • Package leftovers as individual servings, in microwavable containers. That way if something comes up, you have a backup plan in a pinch.

Turkey Pesto Pasta

  • Hands-On Time

    20 minutes
  • Total Time

    20 minutes
  • Serves

    6
  • 1 (1-pound) box campanelle pasta
  • 2 cups broccoli florets
  • 1⁄2 (24-ounce) package Jennie-O® turkey breast tenderloins
  • 1 (7-ounce) package refrigerated pesto
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 cups arugula leaves
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • to taste salt
  • to taste freshly ground pepper

Instructions

  1. In large Dutch oven, cook pasta according to package directions in boiling salted water. Add broccoli to water during last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain pasta mixture and set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, cook turkey according to package directions. Always cook to well-done, 165°F as measured by a meat thermometer. Slice or chop.
  3. Stir turkey and pesto into pasta and heat over medium heat until heated through. Stir in tomatoes, arugula and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste.

Nutrition Info

Per serving:
Calories: 670, Protein: 27g, Carbohydrate: 100g, Fat: 16g, Cholesterol: 36mg, Sodium: 243mg

Pork and Vegetable Stir Fry

  • Hands-On Time

    20 minutes
  • Total Time

    20 minutes
  • Serves

    4
  • 1 pound Hormel® Always Tender® pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 (8-ounce) package white mushrooms
  • 2 cups broccoli florets
  • 1/2 cup carrot slices
  • 1/2 cup red bell pepper, sliced
  • 1/2 cup green bell pepper, sliced
  • 1/2 cup yellow bell pepper, sliced
  • 1/2 cup frozen edamame, thawed
  • 1/4 cup House of Tsang® spicy Szechaun stir fry sauce

Instructions

  1. In wok over medium-high heat, cook pork in batches, in 2 tablespoons hot oil, 5 to 7 minutes or until browned and cooked through. Remove from wok and set aside.
  2. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil and add mushrooms. Cook 3 minutes or until browned.
  3. Stir in carrot slices and next 4 ingredients and cook until crisp tender. Add stir fry sauce and heat thoroughly.

Nutrition Info

Per serving:
Calories: 380, Protein: 30g, Carbohydrate: 23g, Fat: 21g, Cholesterol: 51mg, Sodium: 939mg

Turkey Grain Bowl

  • Hands-On Time

    30 minutes
  • Total Time

    30 minutes
  • Serves

    4
  • 1 cup uncooked whole grain rice
  • 1 (1-pound) package Jennie-O® lean ground turkey
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup carrot slices
  • 1 cup shelled frozen edamame, thawed
  • 1 cup small radishes, quartered
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
  • if desired fresh cilantro sprigs

Instructions

  1. Cook rice according to package directions.
  2. Cook ground turkey in olive oil as specified on the package. Always cook to well-done, 165°F as measured by a meat thermometer. Season with cumin and next 3 ingredients. Cook 2 minutes or until fragrant.
  3. Divide rice evenly among 4 serving bowls. Arrange turkey and remaining ingredients over rice.
  4. Garnish with fresh cilantro sprigs, if desired.

Nutrition Info

Per serving:
Calories: 479, Protein: 30g, Carbohydrate: 51g, Fat: 30g, Cholesterol: 81mg, Sodium: 617mg

Turkey Enchilada Casserole

  • Hands-On Time

    20 minutes
  • Total Time

    50 minutes
  • Serves

    6
  • 1 (24-ounce) package Jennie-O® turkey tenderloins
  • 1 (10-ounce) can La Victoria® enchilada sauce
  • 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend, divided
  • 8 fajita-size CHI-CHI’S® flour tortillas
  • 1 1/4 cups Herdez® salsa verde
  • to garnish Wholly Guacamole® dip, sliced red onion, tomatoes, freshly chopped cilantro leaves

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 375°F. Cook turkey as specified on the package. Always cook to well-done, 165°F as measured by a meat thermometer. Shred with fork.
  2. In large bowl, combine turkey, enchilada sauce and 1 cup cheese. Spoon turkey mixture evenly down centers of tortillas.
  3. Roll up tortillas and place, seam side down, in a 3-quart baking dish. Pour salsa verde over enchiladas and top with remaining 1 cup cheese.
  4. Bake 30 minutes or until heated through.
  5. Garnish with guacamole, red onion, tomatoes and cilantro, if desired.

Nutrition Info

Per serving:
Calories: 439, Protein: 37g, Carbohydrate: 36g, Fat: 18g, Cholesterol: 75mg, Sodium: 1535mg

Turkey Pesto Vegetable Pizza

  • Hands-On Time

    20 minutes
  • Total Time

    20 minutes
  • Serves

    4
  • 1/2 (8-ounce) package refrigerated pesto
  • 1 (10-ounce) pre-baked pizza crust
  • 1 cup mixed bell pepper slices
  • 1 cup shredded, cooked Jennie-O® turkey tenderloin
  • 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
  • 1/2 cup fresh arugula leaves

Instructions

  1. Move oven rack to bottom position. Heat oven to 425°F.
  2. Spread pesto evenly over pizza crust. Layer with bell pepper slices and next 3 ingredients.
  3. Bake on bottom rack 20 to 25 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned and bubbly. Top with fresh arugula leaves.

Nutrition Info

Per serving:
Calories: 447, Protein: 30g, Carbohydrate: 51g, Fat: 30g, Cholesterol: 81mg, Sodium: 617mg

Weeknight Dinners Shopping List

Dry Goods

  • 1 (16-ounce) box Campanelle pasta
  • 1 (10-ounce) prebaked pizza crust
  • 1 (14-ounce) can chick peas
  • 1 (15.2-ounce) jar Herdez® salsa verde
  • 1 (10-ounce) can La Victoria® enchilada sauce
  • 1 package CHI-CHI’S® flour tortillas (fajita size)
  • Whole-grain brown rice
  • House of Tsang® spicy Szechuan sauce

Produce

  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes
  • 2 heads broccoli
  • 1 bunch fresh parsley
  • 1 (1-ounce) package fresh basil
  • 4 bell peppers (multi-colored)
  • 1 (8-ounce) bag sliced carrots (carrot chips)
  • 8 ounces white mushrooms
  • 1 large red onion
  • 1 package fresh arugula
  • 1 cup small radishes

Refrigerated

  • 2 (7-ounce) containers refrigerated pesto
  • 4 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
  • 8 ounces Parmesan cheese
  • 1 (16-ounce) package Wholly Guacamole® dip

Meats

  • 1 (1-pound) package Jennie-O® ground turkey
  • 2 (24-oz) packages Jennie-O® turkey tenderloins
  • 1 (1-lb) Hormel® Always Tender® pork tenderloin

Frozen

  • 1 (8-ounce) package shelled edamame

Pantry

  • Olive oil
  • Kosher salt
  • Black pepper
  • Ground cumin
  • Ground curry powder
  • Ground coriander