Meal Planning for Two: February 21, 2021

This week’s meal plan from our kitchen to yours. Enjoy!

Breakfast

Egg cups and maybe some Granola Parfaits since we have yogurt to use. Both recipes are in the Breakfast Meal Plan.

Lunch

Black Bean Veggie Burgers
Frozen Pizza
Leftovers

Dinner

Rosemary Roasted Pork Chops w/ sweet potatoes & green beans (method below)

Ravioli with Red Sauce and Meatballs (Nothing fancy here. I’ll set the frozen meatballs and red sauce up in a small slow cooker around lunch and let it cook all afternoon; then cook the frozen ravioli and top with sauce at dinner time.)

Oven “Fried” Chicken Thighs w/ roasted potatoes & green beans (These aren’t fried or breaded, but if done right the meat is juicy and delicious and the crispy skin is addictively good; method below)

Roasted Salmon (Confession: we’re on a huge “Salmon Fridays with Wanda Vision” kick! The way we make the salmon is based on this recipe but I tweak the sides each week. Sometimes I skip the sauce and make a simple roasted lemon pepper salmon. Or, if I have fresh dill, I ditch the capers from the sauce and sprinkle dill on the salmon before it goes in the oven. Last week I added a little cream to the sauce. So simple. So delicious.)

Cooking Methods

Rosemary and garlic infused meat makes a killer, simple pork chop.

Rosemary Roasted Pork Chops | 4 Servings

4 Pork Chops
4 Large Springs of Rosemary
4 Garlic Cloves
Balsamic Vinegar
Kosher Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Preheat the oven to 400°

Take the pork chops out of the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking. Sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides. Set aside to let the salt do its magic and to get the chill off the meat.

Rinse the rosemary stalks and dry gently, keeping whole. Peel and thickly slice the garlic cloves.

In a large, oven safe skillet heat 2-3 TBS of oil on medium-high. When the oil is hot, carefully lay the sprigs of rosemary (use tongs) and garlic slices into the pan, directly under where you will place each pork chop. Immediately place the pork chops on top of the seasonings. Sear for 2-3 minutes. Flip (rosemary can stay on the bottom to crisp or on top if it’s sticking, doesn’t matter) and sear the other side for 2-3 minutes.

Turn off the heat. Drizzle each pork chop with a generous tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. Move the entire pan to the oven to roast for 8-15 minutes, based on the thickness of your pork chop. The pork is done when it reads 145° on an instant read thermometer.

Remove from the oven and cover with a lid or aluminum foil. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes.

Tip: Feel free to use a naturally flavored balsamic vinegar, especially fruit infused vinegars. We’ve been using a pomegranate infused balsamic vinegar from a local vineyard that is so good you want to eat straight out of the pan.

This can also be made as a one-pan meal on the grill.

Oven “Fried” Chicken Thighs | 4 Servings

3-4 lbs Bone-in, Skin-on Chicken Thighs
Kosher Salt
Other Seasonings to taste

Preheat the oven to 475°

Season: Peel the skin back and season with a pinch of salt under the skin; about 1/4 tsp per thigh. Add any other seasonings you want at this time too. Replace the skin and allow to season for at least 8 hours. You can do this up to a day in advance.

Roast: Remove the chicken thighs from the fridge at least 30 minutes before cooking. Take some paper towels and dab the skin of each chicken thigh really well to dry it off. Cover a sheet pan (with sides) and well with foil and spray with non-stick spray, or just spray the pan. (The foil option makes clean up a breeze). Place the chicken thighs on the pan, spaced evenly so the heat of the oven can flow freely around them. If you are batch cooking these you may want to use two pans.

Roast for 35-50 minutes. The chicken is done when it reads 165° on an instant read thermometer at it’s thickest part and the skin is nice and crispy. Don’t cover, but allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before eating.

A Confession: If we are batch prepping this, I eat all the crispy chicken skin the night I make it. It won’t be nearly as good the next day.

Flavor ideas:

Curry spices and serve with curried vegetables and rice.
Greek seasoning (oregano, dill, lemon, pepper) and serve with roasted potatoes, onions, tomatoes and feta.
Paprika and granulated garlic and serve with a side salad.