September is settling in now, and this week’s dinners follow. There is a one pot chili macaroni to start the week, a creamy skillet chicken, a big pot of lentil soup that feeds you twice, quick air fryer salmon, and crispy Ritz cracker pork chops to finish on Friday.
For the bonus recipe, pumpkin bread pudding is the first real fall dessert of the season. It uses a whole can of pumpkin puree, it is only lightly sweet, and it is very good warm with caramel sauce and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Helpful Tips for This Week
- Do one prep session for the aromatics. The chili macaroni, skillet broccoli cheddar chicken, and lentil soup all start with diced onion and garlic, so chop them all at once and keep them in the fridge.
- Chili macaroni makes 8 servings. It reheats beautifully, so plan on leftovers for lunches or freeze half for a night when there is no time to cook.
- Slice the chicken breasts lengthwise into thin cutlets before making the skillet broccoli cheddar chicken. They cook faster and stay tender in the cream sauce.
- The lentil soup is the easiest night of the week and it tastes even better the next day. Add the squeeze of lemon to each bowl right before serving so it stays bright.
- If you are using frozen salmon, thaw the fillets overnight and pat them very dry before seasoning. The air fryer does the rest in about 10 minutes, so start your sides first.
- Bake the pumpkin bread pudding earlier in the week so it is ready when you want it. One full can of pumpkin puree goes straight in, with nothing left over to store.
1
Monday — Chili Macaroni
This Chili Macaroni is a hearty one pot dinner made with ground beef, beans, tomatoes, elbow macaroni, and melted cheese. It makes a big batch, so there is plenty left for lunch the next day.
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2
Tuesday — Skillet Broccoli Cheddar Chicken
Creamy broccoli cheddar chicken made in one skillet with tender cutlets, broccoli, garlic, and sharp cheddar. It is ready in 30 minutes and good over pasta or rice, or on its own for a lighter plate.
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3
Wednesday — Instant Pot Lentil Soup
This Instant Pot lentil soup is comforting, hearty, and filling, made with brown lentils, soup vegetables, and plenty of warm spices. A squeeze of lemon before serving is what makes it taste bright and fresh.
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4
Thursday — Air Fryer Salmon
Air fryer salmon is one of the quickest ways to get dinner on the table. The fillets come out juicy and flaky with crisp edges, and a garlic lemon butter sauce goes over the top right before serving.
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5
Friday — Ritz Cracker Baked Pork Chops
Thick, juicy pork chops baked under a crispy buttery Ritz cracker crust. They feel like a proper end of week dinner and go with mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, or a simple salad.
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6
Bonus — Pumpkin Bread Pudding
Brioche soaked in a creamy pumpkin spice custard and baked until golden and set. It uses a full can of pumpkin puree and is only lightly sweet, so it takes well to caramel sauce, toasted pecans, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
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Easy Serving Ideas
Keep the sides simple this week. Chili macaroni is a full meal on its own, so a green salad is plenty. Serve the skillet chicken over rice, pasta, or mashed potatoes, the lentil soup with crusty bread, the salmon with rice or roasted vegetables, and the pork chops with mashed potatoes and something green. The bread pudding is best served warm.
Shopping List
This shopping list includes everything you need to make all five dinners, plus the bonus dessert included in this week’s plan. Click the button below to print it and take it to the store.
Produce
- 3 medium yellow onions, or 1 small bag yellow onions
- 2 bulbs garlic
- 2 medium carrots
- 1 small bunch celery
- 1 small green bell pepper
- 1 or 2 jalapeños, optional
- 1 small head broccoli, about 10 ounces
- 1 (5-ounce) container baby spinach
- 1 small bunch fresh parsley
- 1 small bunch fresh cilantro, optional
- 2 lemons
Meat and Seafood
- 1 pound lean ground beef, 85/15
- 3 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 1 ½ pounds
- 6 boneless thick-cut pork chops
- 4 (4-ounce) salmon fillets
Dairy and Eggs
- 6 large eggs, or 1 dozen if you need to restock
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, or 1 (8-ounce) package
- 1 pint heavy cream
- 1 small carton whole milk, at least 2 cups
- 1 (8-ounce) bag shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 (8-ounce) bag shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Bakery
- 1 loaf brioche, enough for 8 cups cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 loaf crusty bread, for serving with the lentil soup
Canned and Jarred
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans
- 1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans
- 2 (32-ounce) cartons low-sodium vegetable stock, or vegetable base to make 5 cups
Pasta and Dry Goods
- 1 (8-ounce) box elbow macaroni
- 1 (1-pound) bag brown lentils
Crackers and Snacks
- 1 box Ritz crackers, you will need about 2 cups crushed
Baking Aisle
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
- Granulated sugar
- Light brown sugar
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Pure vanilla extract
Oils, Condiments and Spices
- Olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 (1.25-ounce) packet mild chili seasoning
- Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
- Smoked paprika
- Paprika
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Ground cumin
- Dried oregano
- Dried thyme
- Italian seasoning
- Dried bay leaves
Supplies
- Air fryer
- Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker
- 12-inch skillet
- Large pot or Dutch oven
- 9×13-inch baking dish for the pork chops
- 9×13-inch baking pan for the bread pudding
- Instant-read thermometer
Optional Serving Ideas
- Vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce for the pumpkin bread pudding
- ½ cup pecans, toasted and roughly chopped, for the bread pudding
- Sour cream, extra shredded cheese, fresh cilantro, or sliced jalapeños for the chili macaroni
- Rice, pasta, or mashed potatoes for the skillet broccoli cheddar chicken
- Crusty bread or a simple green salad with the lentil soup
- Rice, roasted potatoes, or steamed vegetables with the salmon
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