This is the week fall really digs in. Cheesy beef stuffed shells to start, a creamy chicken gnocchi soup, bratwurst and sauerkraut in the slow cooker, a fast and creamy sweet potato soup, and a cheesy topped fish pie on Friday.
For the bonus recipe, apple pie filled cinnamon rolls. Soft yeasted rolls with a homemade apple pie filling and a cream cheese icing. They need two rises, so save them for a morning when you are home.
Helpful Tips for This Week
- Assemble the beef stuffed shells a day ahead if Monday is busy. They keep covered in the fridge and bake straight from cold, just add 10 minutes.
- Slice the chicken breasts before they go into the gnocchi soup. They cook evenly that way and shred in seconds.
- Start the bratwurst in the slow cooker in the morning. It needs just over 6 hours, and the apple and brown sugar do the work while you get on with your day.
- The sweet potato soup is the fastest dinner of the week at 20 minutes. Peel and cube the sweet potatoes the night before to make it faster still.
- Fish pie can be assembled and kept in the fridge for up to 2 days before baking. Save the milk you poach the fish in, that is what the sauce is built on.
- The cinnamon rolls need two rises totaling about 1 hour 45 minutes. Start them in the morning, or shape them the night before and let the second rise happen in the fridge.
1
Monday — Beef Stuffed Shells
Tender jumbo pasta shells are filled with a creamy ricotta and mozzarella mixture, then baked in a rich beef and marinara sauce until bubbling and golden. This hearty Italian-inspired dinner is comforting, flavorful, and perfect for feeding a family or entertaining guests.
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2
Tuesday — Chicken Gnocchi Soup
This chicken and gnocchi soup is a stovetop copycat inspired by the classic served at Olive Garden. It is made in one Dutch oven, uses simple ingredients, and relies on gentle heat to keep the chicken tender and the soup creamy. Slicing the chicken before cooking helps it cook evenly and makes shredding quick and easy.
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3
Wednesday — Bratwurst with Sauerkraut
Slow cooker Bratwurst with Sauerkraut and apples is savory and lightly sweet, easy to make, and perfect for a tailgate party or an easy weeknight dinner.
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4
Thursday — Creamy Sweet Potato Soup
An easy recipe for Sweet Potato Soup is flavorful and delicious enhanced with the warm flavors of ginger, garlic, and cayenne pepper. Perfect for lunch or dinner.
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5
Friday — Fish Pie
Classic British Fish Pie is straightforward and delicious savory seafood casserole topped with creamy, cheesy mashed potatoes.
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6
Bonus — Apple Pie Filled Cinnamon Rolls
Soft, fluffy Apple Pie Filled Cinnamon Rolls are so simple to make from scratch! The homemade apple pie filling is easy and delicious too.
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Easy Serving Ideas
Keep the sides easy. The stuffed shells want nothing more than garlic bread or a green salad. Serve the gnocchi soup with crusty bread, the bratwurst on soft rolls with extra mustard, the sweet potato soup with bread for dipping, and the fish pie with peas or green beans.
Shopping List
This shopping list includes everything you need to make all five dinners, plus the bonus cinnamon rolls included in this week’s plan. Click the button below to print it and take it to the store.
Produce
- 4 medium yellow onions, or 1 small bag yellow onions
- 1 large sweet onion
- 2 bulbs garlic
- 1 small bunch celery
- 3 medium carrots
- 4 sweet potatoes, about 1 ½ pounds total
- 2 pounds Yukon Gold or russet potatoes
- 4 apples, 1 Honeycrisp for the bratwurst and about 1 pound for the cinnamon rolls
- 1 (5-ounce) container baby spinach
- 1 small package fresh thyme
- 1 small bunch fresh basil
- 1 small bunch fresh parsley
Meat and Seafood
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 2 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 1 pound
- 5 bratwurst
- 1 pound mixed fish fillets, skin off
- 8 ounces shrimp, peeled and deveined
Dairy and Eggs
- 3 large eggs, or 1 dozen if you need to restock
- 2 sticks unsalted butter
- 1 quart whole milk, you need about 4 cups
- 1 small carton heavy cream
- 1 (15-ounce) container full-fat ricotta cheese
- 1 (16-ounce) bag shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese
- 1 small wedge Parmesan cheese, or ½ cup grated
- 1 (8-ounce) block sharp cheddar cheese
- 8 ounces cream cheese
Canned, Jarred and Boxed
- 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce
- 2 (32-ounce) cartons low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 (32-ounce) carton low-sodium vegetable stock
- 1 (16-ounce) jar sauerkraut
- 1 (12-ounce) bottle lager beer
- Dried bay leaves
Pasta and Dry Goods
- 1 (8-ounce) box jumbo pasta shells, about 30 shells
- 1 (1-pound) package potato gnocchi
Baking Aisle
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Light brown sugar
- Powdered sugar
- 1 packet instant yeast
- Cornstarch
- Pure vanilla extract
- Maple syrup, for the icing
Oils, Condiments and Spices
- Olive oil
- Vegetable oil
- Whole-grain mustard
- Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
- Dried oregano
- Ground ginger
- Ground cumin
- Cayenne pepper
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground nutmeg
- Caraway seeds, optional
- Crushed red pepper flakes, optional
Supplies
- 6-quart Dutch oven
- 12-inch skillet
- 6-quart slow cooker
- 9×13-inch baking dish for the stuffed shells
- 9×13-inch casserole dish for the fish pie
- 9×13-inch baking pan for the cinnamon rolls
- Large pot for the pasta
- Potato masher
- Stand mixer with a dough hook
- Box grater, for shredding the cheddar
- Nonstick cooking spray and aluminum foil
Optional Serving Ideas
- Garlic bread or a green salad with the beef stuffed shells
- Crusty bread with the chicken gnocchi soup
- Soft rolls and extra mustard with the bratwurst
- Crusty bread for dipping into the sweet potato soup
- Peas or green beans with the fish pie
Made something from this week’s plan? Leave a 5-star rating and a quick comment on the recipe. It helps other readers decide what to cook next, and it means a lot to me. Thank you for your support!
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