Weekly Meal Plan #22: Easy Dinners for Mid-November

This week leans on the slow cooker and the stovetop. Two dinners cook in the slow cooker while you get on with your day, and two come together on the stove in about 30 to 40 minutes.

Monday is a brisket and vegetable soup. Tuesday is egg roll in a bowl, with all the egg roll flavor and no wrappers.

Meal Plan Week #22 graphic with Waikiki meatballs, French fry casserole, hash brown potato soup, egg roll in a bowl and a printable grocery shopping list.

Wednesday’s sweet and sour meatballs are a family favorite from my mom’s kitchen. Thursday’s creamy potato soup starts with frozen hash browns, and Friday’s casserole is topped with French fries.

You’ll find three bonus recipes at the end: cheesy biscuits, a bacon and pea pasta salad, and a no-bake dessert. The printable grocery list covers the five dinners.

Weekly meal plan graphic showing five dinners labeled Monday through Friday: Slow Cooker Beef Brisket & Vegetable Soup, Egg Roll in a Bowl, Waikiki Meatballs, Hash Brown Potato Soup and French Fry Casserole.

The Daily Dinner Line-Up

Beef brisket soup in a bowl with a spoon.

Monday: Slow Cooker Beef Brisket & Vegetable Soup

Brisket, baby carrots, celery, onion, fingerling potatoes and mushrooms go in the slow cooker with beef broth, water, thyme, oregano and pepper. It cooks for 10 hours on low or 6 to 7 hours on high, until the beef shreds easily. Shred it, then give it 10 to 20 more minutes on high. Prep is 15 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

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Tuesday: Egg Roll in a Bowl

Cooked ground pork, garlic, fresh ginger, coleslaw mix, soy sauce, sesame oil, hoisin sauce, chicken broth and bean sprouts all go in the slow cooker. It takes about 4 hours in all, with 10 minutes of prep. Top it with green onions and sesame seeds if you like. Makes 6 servings.

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Waikiki meatballs in a skillet with a wooden spoon.

Wednesday: Waikiki Meatballs

Ground beef, cracker crumbs, sweet onion, egg, milk, salt and ginger get shaped into tablespoon-size meatballs and browned in a skillet. A sauce of pineapple syrup, brown sugar, cornstarch, vinegar and soy sauce thickens in the same pan. Then the meatballs go back in with pineapple tidbits and green pepper. Prep is 15 minutes and cooking is 23. It’s good over rice. Makes 6 servings.

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Thursday: Hash Brown Potato Soup

Frozen hash browns, onion, chicken broth, cream of chicken soup and butter simmer in one pot for 15 to 20 minutes. Shredded cheddar melts in next, followed by sour cream, salt and pepper. Top it with bacon, green onions or parsley if you like. Prep is 10 minutes and cooking is 22. Makes 6 servings.

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French fry Casserole in a pan with a serving spoon.

Friday: French Fry Casserole

Raw ground beef goes in the bottom of a 9×13 dish and gets seasoned with salt and pepper. Cream of mushroom soup and cheddar cheese soup go on top, then a layer of frozen french fries. It bakes for 1 hour at 350°F after just 5 minutes of prep. Add green onions on top if you like. Makes 6 servings.

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Bonus Recipe: Cheesy Garlic Biscuits

Bisquick, cheddar, milk and garlic powder, dropped by the spoonful with no rolling or kneading. They bake for 8 to 10 minutes and get brushed with garlic butter.

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Bonus Recipe: Easy Bacon Pea Pasta Salad

Bow tie pasta, frozen peas and corn and bacon in a lemon garlic dressing. It’s ready in about 22 minutes and chills until you serve it.

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The recipe in a pan with a slice cut out.

Bonus Recipe: Strawberry Icebox Cake

Graham crackers, whipped topping and strawberries layered in an 8×8 pan and chilled for at least 8 hours.

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Meal Prep & Money-Saving Tips

Start early: Monday’s soup needs 10 hours on low or 6 to 7 on high, so get it going in the morning.
Freeze extras: The brisket soup and the Waikiki meatballs both freeze well. Pack leftovers into containers before you forget.
Check your pantry: Soy sauce, cornstarch, brown sugar and white vinegar are on Wednesday’s list, and you may already have them.

Easy Swap Ideas

Roast swap: Any cut of roast can replace the brisket. Cook it 6 to 8 hours on low or 4 to 6 hours on high. Green beans, corn, or sliced zucchini also work in the soup.
Other meats: Ground chicken or beef can replace the pork in the egg roll bowl.
Meatball extras: Use ground chicken, turkey, pork or veal in place of beef. Broccoli, mushrooms, baby corn, or snap peas can go in with the green pepper, and sriracha or red pepper flakes add heat.
Soup toppings: Bacon, green onions, and parsley all work on the potato soup.
Bacon bits: Stir bacon into the French fry casserole for extra savory flavor.

Master Grocery List: Week 22 Dinners

This grocery list covers only the five Monday-to-Friday dinners. Add the bonus recipe ingredients separately if you plan to make them.

Meat

1 beef brisket, about 2 lb (for Monday)
1 lb of ground pork (for Tuesday)
2 ½ lb of lean ground beef (for Wednesday and Friday)
1 package of bacon, optional topping (for Thursday)

Produce

1 bag of baby carrots (for Monday)
1 bunch of celery (for Monday)
2 yellow onions (for Monday and Thursday)
1 sweet onion (for Wednesday)
1 bag of fingerling potatoes, about 12 (for Monday)
1 package of white button mushrooms (for Monday)
1 head of garlic (for Tuesday)
1 piece of fresh ginger (for Tuesday)
1 bag of coleslaw mix, 14 oz (for Tuesday)
1 bag of bean sprouts (for Tuesday)
1 green pepper (for Wednesday)
1 bunch of green onions, optional garnish (for Tuesday, Thursday and Friday)

Dairy and Refrigerated

1 egg (for Wednesday)
1 small carton of milk (for Wednesday)
1 package of unsalted butter (for Thursday)
1 block of sharp cheddar cheese (for Thursday)
1 tub of sour cream (for Thursday)

Frozen

1 bag of frozen hash browns, 32 oz (for Thursday)
1 bag of frozen French fries, 650 g (for Friday)

Pantry

1 carton of beef broth (for Monday)
1 carton of chicken broth (for Tuesday)
2 cans of chicken broth (for Thursday)
1 bottle of soy sauce (for Tuesday and Wednesday)
1 bottle of sesame oil (for Tuesday)
1 jar of hoisin sauce (for Tuesday)
1 small jar of sesame seeds, optional (for Tuesday)
1 box of soda crackers (for Wednesday)
1 can of pineapple tidbits, 20 oz (for Wednesday)
1 bottle of white vinegar (for Wednesday)
1 container of shortening (for Wednesday)
1 box of cornstarch (for Wednesday)
1 bag of brown sugar (for Wednesday)
1 bag of rice, optional (for Wednesday)
1 can of cream of chicken soup, 10.75 oz (for Thursday)
1 can of cream of mushroom soup, 10 oz (for Friday)
2 cans of cheddar cheese soup, 10 oz each (for Friday)

Spices and Seasonings

Dried thyme and oregano (for Monday)
Ground ginger (for Wednesday)
Salt and black pepper (for Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday)

Your Printable Meal Plan

I put the five dinners and the full grocery list on a printable so you can stick it on the fridge or take it to the store. Print it, or save it to your phone, and cross things off as you go.