Winter is the time to snuggle up with your food. Let these recipes do their job of warming you up this winter while making the house smell cozy and comforting at the same time. This week’s meals are hearty, rib-sticking dinners to keep you satisfied and give you the strength to plow through any type of weather. You’ll be making a soup, a stew, some good old chicken and dumplings, as well as meatloaf and a baked pasta. All these meals are prime comfort foods. Friday night’s stromboli dinner is more fun as we let loose for the weekend a little.
Don’t forget to “Grab Your Shopping List” by clicking the button above. I’ve listed everything so that you can be sure you have all you need.
If you like planning your meals for week, you might also like to check out other weekly menu planners, including a 7-day plan for vegetarians, a 7-day plan for your air fryer or another 7 -day plan for your pressure cooker (or Instant Pot®). You can find all the Weekly Menu Planners here.
(The planned menu and grocery list has quantities for a family of four. You can alter the recipe quantities by clicking on the plus or minus buttons next to the serving size on the recipe card.)
Monday: Tuscan Bean Soup
This Tuscan Bean Soup was featured in my first pressure cooker cookbook Comfortable Under Pressure. It can be made in the pressure cooker OR on the stovetop (cook your beans separately or used canned beans, adding them at the end; increase stock by 1 cup and simmer for 30 minutes). If you’re a fan of “meatless Mondays”, omit the pancetta and use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock, OR if you’re a meat lover, try the Chicken Tuscan Bean Soup instead.
Tuesday: Pork Chops with Artichokes and Capers with Angel Hair Pasta
This is another pressure cooker recipe because pork chops are so moist and delicious out of the pressure cooker. The tangy artichokes and salty capers are balanced nicely with sweet sun-dried tomatoes and turn into a delicious sauce over angel hair pasta. You can do this on the stovetop, but be sure to simmer gently, covered and only for about 10 to 12 minutes so you don’t toughen the chops.
Wednesday: Meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes and Balsamic Glazed Carrots
Tonight’s dinner is a classic family favorite. You can make a traditional meatloaf or spice it up with the Spicy Italian Meatloaf, or make it a little lighter by using turkey instead of beef. Serve this with some basic fluffy mashed potatoes and make delicious balsamic glazed carrots while the meatloaf cooks.
Thursday: Chicken and Dumplings
I don’t need to tell you much about this dinner, other than it is delicious and includes fluffy dumplings (as opposed to the rolled dumpling version which is more like pasta). You can vary your dumplings by adding different fresh herbs or lemon zest to the batter before dropping them on top of the delicious stew.
Friday: Philly Chicken Cheesesteak Stromboli
When Friday rolls around, we all deserve a little celebration. This Stromboli is not much to look at, but boy is it delicious and finger foods lead to fun! If you love a good cheesesteak, but don’t feel like having beef, a chicken cheesesteak “wit wiz” as they say in Philly is the ticket. Two worlds collide in this mash up of stromboli and cheesesteak. If you’re feeling responsible, add a side salad to the mix for a complete meal.
Saturday: Guinness Beef Stew and Irish Soda Bread
A pot of hearty Guinness Beef Stew simmering on the stovetop on a Saturday is a welcome sight… and smell! This beef stew uses Guinness stout beer in the braising liquid, giving it a rich and earthy flavor. A little Irish Soda Bread to soak up any leftover liquid is just what the doctor ordered and it’s a lot easier to make than you think!
Sunday: Lasagna with Zucchini with Caesar Salad
It’s the end of the week and time for a delicious family meal around the table. Even if you have a small family, making a lasagna when you have the time is a good idea – the leftovers will make you really happy on a busy weeknight. This lasagna pairs perfectly with a Caesar salad. This week’s grocery list has ingredients for the classic dressing. You could instead make the lighter version of a Caesar dressing, but remember to add the ingredients to your list.
Love this. . .especially, since I love all your recipes. Have lots of your different cookbooks. Good food. . .not crazy ingredients. . .things my husband will eat. Have been for over 40 years and this refreshes my menu. Keep them coming!