Weekly Menu Plan – Oct. 23 to 29

Here is your weekly menu plan for next week!

Monday: Enchilada Style Ground Beef Burrito

Tuesday: Slow Cooker Kalua Pork (save leftovers for Thursday night)

Wednesday: Italian Wedding Soup

Thursday: Hawaiian Pork Nachos (use leftover kalua pork from Tuesday!)

Friday: Greek Tostadas

Saturday: Protein Baked Oatmeal

Sunday: Instant Pot Beef Stew

READ: Weekly Menu Plan – Oct. 23 to 29

These coconut chocolate chip cookies are loaded with both white and dark chocolate, in addition to a good amount of coconut. They are delicious warm from the oven and every bit as fantastic two days later.

Chewy Coconut Cookies

These are chewy cookies with crunchy edges, filled to the max with almost all of my favorite cookie flavors. I’ve made them three times in the past month! It clearly takes very little excuse for me to stir together a batch of these cookies.

There’s a little bit of oatmeal tucked inside as well, adding to that terrific texture and chewiness.

White and Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you don’t happen to be a fan of white chocolate, feel free to replace it with semi-sweet, milk, or dark chocolate. While I am very rarely a fan of white chocolate myself, I do enjoy it in these cookies.

The white chocolate chips add creamy sweetness, while the darker chocolate chips contribute rich, bitter notes. Their contrasting flavors create a great balance in these cookies.

Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this recipe:

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup with Mini Grilled Cheese “Croutons” [+ Video]

This Roasted Tomato Basil Soup is easy to make, and we topped it with grilled cheese croutons just for fun! A simple dinner that kids will love!

I know that I can’t be the only one that still has tomato coming out her ears. Right? I was wracking my brain about what to do with our huge colander stacked high with tomatoes, when I suddenly thought, what if I use those flavors, but make a soup to help move us into fall?

DING DING DING! Creamy tomato basil soup with mini grilled cheese croutons was born.

I love those little grilled cheese bites that act like little croutons in the soup. I’m not even kidding, it’s so delicious together.

Ingredients in Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

To make this easy fresh tomato soup recipe, you’ll need the following:

• Fresh tomatoes
• Garlic
• Olive oil
• Onion
• Salt and pepper
• Dark brown sugar
• Chicken broth
  • PRO TIP: If you want to make this recipe vegetarian, swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth.
• Heavy cream
• Fresh basil leaves
• Baguette
• Fresh mozzarella cheese
• Butter

The measurements for all the ingredients are listed in the recipe card at the end of the post. I actually love to make several batches of this recipe so I can freeze a bunch to eat throughout the whole winter. There is just nothing more comforting than a warm bowl of tomato basil soup with a little fresh parmesan cheese sprinkled on top and a grilled cheese sandwich on the side for dipping! Yes please!

What Are the Best Tomatoes for Tomato Soup?

We recommend using Roma tomatoes or vine ripened tomatoes for this creamy tomato basil soup. Avoid using beefsteak tomatoes, as we find they lack the bold flavor this soup needs. Larger tomatoes also hold a lot of water which thins out a soup.

Should the Tomatoes Be Peeled?

Peeling the tomatoes is optional but I haven’t ever felt like it was necessary. Roasting the tomatoes softens the tomato skin and blending them breaks them down until you would never know the skins were on. If you do want to peel them, the skins should slide off easily right after roasting the tomatoes.

How to Make Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

Making tomato basil soup with fresh tomatoes is easier than you might think! Here’s an overview of the recipe:

1. Roast tomatoes: Roast the tomatoes until soft and then let them cool a little.
2. Blend: Add the tomatoes to a blender and blend until pureed.
   • PRO TIP: If you have an immersion blender, you can use that instead. Move the tomatoes to a large bowl or sauce pan and blend the tomatoes there. Then they are easily measured to make sure you have enough.
3. Sauté: Heat up some olive oil in a large sauce pot then add the garlic and onions and sauté until fragrant.<

Slow Cooker Mexican Street Corn Dip

This Mexican street corn dip is the perfect blend of spicy, tangy and savory flavors. It so fun and easy to make at home!

Recommended Equipment

• Slow Cooker: The perfect size and shape for a dip!

Before You Begin…

If you’re roasting your own corn, then get those cobs out on the grill and get those tasty grill marks on the corn!

What is in Mexican Street Corn Dip?

I can’t stop eating this hot street corn dip! It’s so tasty and it comes together so quickly. Here is what you will need:

• Base: Plain Yogurt, Mayo, Lime Juice, White Vinegar
• Cheeses: Cotija Cheese and Mexican Shredded Cheese
• Add-ins: Diced Green Chiles, Fire Roasted Corn, Green Onions, Chorizo
• Seasonings: Chili Powder, Cayenne, Salt, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Smoked Paprika

The measurements for all the ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Can I Use Frozen or Canned Corn?

Yes, either one will work, but nothing will have the fresh delicious flavor of corn on the cob. If you need to use frozen corn, make sure to let it thaw and dry any excess water. Canned corn needs to be drained thoroughly. You can roast canned or frozen corn to get that charred smoky flavor in the oven or on the stove top in a cast iron skillet.

Why is it Called Street Corn?

Elote, or Mexican street corn, is a common street food that you can find in Mexico. It is grilled corn on the cob that is then lathered in mayo, sour cream, lime juice, chili powder and cotija cheese.

Variations for Street Corn Dip

There are all sorts of things you could do to change things up on this dip recipe depending on your favorite flavors.

Additions: diced jalapenos, chopped cilantro, black beans (drained and rinsed), bacon crumbles, avocado, tajin seasoning

Substitutions: swap sour cream for the plain yogurt, or add pepper jack cheese instead of the Mexican shredded cheese (either all or part of it)

Removals: you can totally eliminate the chorizo

You can also go totally crazy and eat this dip cold. Just mix everything together and let it sit in the fridge for an hour or so to let the flavors meld.

How to Eat Mexican Corn Dip

You all know that I am obsessed with dips of all shapes, sizes and flavors! I’m honestly not picky when it comes to what vessel is going to transport this dip to my mouth, but here are some ideas:

• Tortilla chips
• Baguette slic

Flavorful and tender marinated boneless skinless chicken thighs can be cooked on the grill or baked in the oven. We eat a great deal of chicken in this house and this is one of my favorite ways to cook boneless skinless thighs in the oven.

With just a little pre-planning, this makes a great weeknight meal. My oldest son compares the taste of this chicken to his favorite restaurant chicken dish, which makes this “fancy” tasting enough for a special occasion meal too, in my book!

Marinated Chicken Thighs

Boneless skinless chicken thighs soak up all the flavor of this tangy, savory marinade. The marinade itself is a simple blend of soy sauce, vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, and spices.

After whisking all the ingredients together, just pour the marinade over the chicken thighs and let it marinate.

The more time you can devote to marinating the chicken thighs, the better the flavor will be.

How Long to Marinate Chicken Thighs

I’ve made this chicken many different times now and marinating the chicken for the full 24 hours makes a big difference in the flavor for this recipe. 

While the chicken technically takes 24 hours to prepare, nearly all of that time is completely hands-off.

Start the chicken marinating on a Sunday afternoon and you’ll have yourself a delicious Monday night dinner!

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this chicken marinade:

• olive oil
• soy sauce
• Worcestershire sauce
• red wine vinegar
• lemon juice
• dry mustard
• black pepper

Baking Boneless Chicken Thighs

Boneless chicken thighs are often easier to prepare and