Dinner Planner – Week of November 18, 2024

weekly planner of 9 dishes ready to eat

I’ve been getting busy prepping for Thanksgiving!  15 minutes here and there adds up to a lot of help on the big day.  If you are feeling like you are not well organized yet for Thanksgiving, my Thanksgiving e-book is a LIFE-SAVER!  No scouring my site for every recipe or searching for trouble-shooting turkey tips.  It’s all in one handy PDF and it’s only $15.  A few of you have asked me if I am doing a gift guide this year and yes, I am planning on it for the Monday after Thanksgiving! 

Here is your dinner planner for the week:

Meatless Monday: Cozy Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Soup + Fall Market Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette and Savory Granola

Tuesday: Quinoa and Jicama Salad with Avocado Dressing + rotisserie chicken (or any protein that you choose)

Wednesday: Parmesan Baked Tofu (I’m going to skip the cherry tomatoes) + Roasted Fall Vegetables with Italian Agrodolce

Thursday: Quick and Easy Pistachio Crusted Salmon, Crunchy Kale Salad Recipe with Almond Vinaigrette, roasted carrots 

Friday: Minestrone Soup from Love & Lemons (I might add precooked or browned sausage to this) + Cornbread (with quinoa!)

Saturday brunch: Individual baked oatmeal cups, Pumpkin Spice Yerba Mate Latte, and fruit 

Sunday: Turkey Bolognese Spaghetti Squash Casserole, roasted cauliflower, Sweet Potato Brownies (for a sweet treat!) 

I have LOVED seeing all your creations of my recipes on Instagram. If you make any of my recipes, please tag me @pamelasalzman #pamelasalzman so I can check them out! I have a free Monday newsletter with my thoughts, new recipes, and things I’m loving lately. Subscribe here!

Dinner Planner – Week of November 11, 2024

dinner planner with 9 images of ready to eat meals

I used to post my weekly to-do list for Thanksgiving on my site, but now I’m putting it all in my Substack newsletter. Not to sound like a broken record BUT the sooner you commit to a menu, the sooner you can start prepping ahead.  I do most of my grocery shopping for Thanksgiving THIS week.  You can buy canned goods, frozen items, spices, baking supplies, nuts and dried fruit, winter squashes, sparkling water and booze, even butter, and many dairy products.  Now is also a good time to get your knives sharpened and check your serving pieces.  If you need a guidebook to help you figure out which recipes to include in your Thanksgiving menu, troubleshooting tips, how to plan your timeline and more, you can order my Thanksgiving e-book here!

Here’s your dinner planner for the week:

Meatless Monday: Split Pea and Barley Soup, Thanksgiving Salad with Homemade Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Tuesday: Easy Balsamic Chicken from The Mediterranean Dish, Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Wednesday:  Mediterranean fish stew, fennel and green bean salad with olives

Thursday: Deconstructed stuffed cabbage casserole (you can swap lentils for the meat to make this vegetarian), baked parsnip “fries”

Friday: Turkey meatballs with pasta or polenta, sautéed spinach

Saturday brunch: Pumpkin Pancakes with Yogurt and Homemade Applesauce

Sunday: Spicy Salmon Sushi Bake + cucumber and avocado salad with creamy miso-ginger dressing 

I have LOVED seeing all your creations of my recipes on Instagram. If you make any of my recipes, please tag me @pamelasalzman #pamelasalzman so I can check them out! I have a free Monday newsletter with my thoughts, new recipes, and things I’m loving lately. Subscribe here!

Dinner Planner – Week of November 4, 2024

collage of 9 dinner recipe images

I hope you all had a nice Halloween!  For those of you who take my online monthly classes, the new Thanksgiving class is uploaded!  You can purchase just a single class if you’re not a subscriber.  Here’s the menu if you’re looking for some new inspiration and/or if instructional videos help you! 

Here’s the new menu: 

Caramelized Pear Salad 

Cheddar-Jalapeno Corn Pudding

Chocolate Cream Pie with Gingersnap Crust

Make-Ahead Turkey 

Roasted Acorn Squash with Sage Brown Butter, Hazelnuts, and Raisins

Here’s your dinner planner for the week:

Meatless Monday: baked ziti* (you can opt for not meatless and add browned sausage), garlicky broccoli
Tuesday (election night): It’s going be a long night and I will likely need a Spicy Tequila Cocktail plus chicken pot pie, sauteed green beans with shallots, and maybe something sweet like this apple fritter skillet cake
Wednesday: Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup (this is enough for us for a meal, but add a kale salad with citrus vinaigrette if you need more)
Thursday: Harvest Chopped Salad, simple roasted salmon (or rub with olive oil and your favorite seasoning blend)
Friday: Turkey and Pinto Bean Sloppy Joes (serve with a toasted bun or over rice), classic cole slaw
Saturday brunch: Chickpea “tuna” salad on toast or lettuce cups
 
*baked ziti: Spread a thin layer of marinara sauce on the bottom of a 13-9 baking dish. Combine 1 pound ziti, cooked until al dente, with 1 15-ounce container of ricotta and about 2 cups sauce. Mix well.  Add to baking dish and cover with a thin layer of sauce, sprinkle with grated parmesan and shredded mozzarella.  Bake in a preheated 350 oven for about 30 minutes or until bubbling and cheese is melted.

I have LOVED seeing all your creations of my recipes on Instagram. If you make any of my recipes, please tag me @pamelasalzman #pamelasalzman so I can check them out! I have a free Monday newsletter with my thoughts, new recipes, and things I’m loving lately. Subscribe here!

Dinner Planner – Week of October 28, 2024

A lot happening this week!  Monday, Hubs and I should be able to do our regular IG Live at 5 pm. We are a house divided for Monday Night Football since it’s my NY Giants v his Pittsburgh Steelers!  It is Halloween on Thursday and it also marks 4 weeks until Thanksgiving.  It is GO time!  On Friday, I plan to upload the new November/Thanksgiving class if you take my monthly classes. 

Here’s your dinner planner for the week: 

Tuesday: Crispy Rice Salad from Dishing Out Health with Creamy Miso-Ginger Dressing topped with simply roasted salmon 
Wednesday: Shrimp with tomatoes, white beans and spinach (we love this with rice or garlic bread) + Bell Pepper Jack o’ Lanterns (such a cute night before Halloween addition)
Thursday: Turkey chili (to make this plant based: swap out turkey for an equal weight of cooked beans or cooked lentils) + topping bar and cornbread and Roasted Stuffed Fondue Pumpkin
Friday: Sumac spiced chicken, jeweled rice (there are some veggies in the rice, but if you have time, roast some cauliflower to go with) Ok, this rice is more involved than the typical side dish, but it’s GORGEOUS and delicious!
Sunday: Roasted cauliflower steaks served with roasted Brussels sprouts, red onion, and grapes (good recipe for Thanksgiving, too!), slow cooker chicken

I have LOVED seeing all your creations of my recipes on Instagram. If you make any of my recipes, please tag me @pamelasalzman #pamelasalzman so I can check them out! I have a free Monday newsletter with my thoughts, new recipes, and things I’m loving lately. Subscribe here!

Dinner Planner – Week of October 14, 2024

 I am back from a restorative trip to Aspen, part with Hubs and part with girlfriends.  The changing of the leaves is one of the things I miss living in Southern California.  I came back with not much time to prepare for the break fast.  Wish me luck!  If you still need inspo, check out last week’s dinner planner!

Here’s your dinner planner for the week: 

Meatless Monday: Broccoli Soup, naan pizza with mozzarella, artichokes hearts and roasted red peppers

Tuesday: Red Lentils with Roasted Salmon, sauteed green beans

Wednesday: Easy No-Fail Whole Roasted Chicken with fennel, potatoes, and carrots (one-pan meal)

Thursday: Rice and Smothered Cabbage Soup from Food52.  I’m going to add leftover shredded chicken.

Friday: Stir-fried Beef and Broccoli, steamed rice or cauli-rice

Saturday brunch:  Grain-free Pumpkin Cake (skipping the frosting)

Sunday:  Roasted Acorn Squash with Roasted Grapes and Pine Nut Dressing, roasted turkey sausages, sauteed spinach

I have LOVED seeing all your creations of my recipes on Instagram. If you make any of my recipes, please tag me @pamelasalzman #pamelasalzman so I can check them out! I have a free Monday newsletter with my thoughts, new recipes, and things I’m loving lately. Subscribe here!

Dinner Planner – Week of October 7, 2024

The new October cooking class has been uploaded for your viewing pleasure!  To remind, I teach a new cooking class every month with never-before-published recipes.  You can purchase one class (video and recipes) for $27 or subscribe for a minimum of 3 months for $29/month and you have access to the entire library of classes (many years worth!)

 

Here’s the October menu:  Fall Slaw with Lemon-Chile Dressing, Pan Roasted Chicken Breasts with Shallot-Herb Sauce , Pasta e Ceci, Pumpkin Spice Latte Coffee Cake, Roasted Fennel and Apple Gratin

Here’s your dinner planner for the week: 

 

Meatless Monday: Porcini Beans and Greens Soup, small piece of toast with cheese

Tuesday: Easy Chinese Chicken served with a side of brown rice and steamed vegetables

Wednesday: Wild Salmon Patties, baked parsnip fries, simple salad

Thursday: Creamy Chicken Potato Soup from The Kitchn

Friday (Kol Nidre): (My sister-in-law hosts, but here are some ideas – we try to not overeat or eat too much salt) Brisket, easy no-fail whole roast chicken with onions, fennel and potatoes, shredded sweet potatoes and apple, smashed potatoes, honey lemon green beans, green salad with everyday salad dressing #2, challah, grain-free apple tarte tatin, applesauce coffee cake

Saturday (Yom Kippur break fast): We do part deli (because it’s traditional for Hubs’s family) and part homemade (because I like to cook good stuff!)  Spanakopita, frittata, spinach and quinoa salad with feta, salads (like this Delicata Squash and Apple Salad, Roasted Vegetable Salad, Mejadra, Farro with Roasted Tomato Dressing,  tuna salad, chicken soup, noodle kugel (my mother-in-law’s recipe – not healthy LOL). I am also doing a cream cheese board to go with bagels and lox.  I make a fruit platter and I ask my guests to bring dessert.

Sunday: Leftovers from the day before like a scramble with leftover veggies and lox. If I have nothing leftover, I’ll plan on Baked Eggs and Greens. Serve with grilled bread drizzled with unrefined extra-virgin olive oil and sea salt.

 

I have LOVED seeing all your creations of my recipes on Instagram. If you make any of my recipes, please tag me @pamelasalzman #pamelasalzman so I can check them out! I have a free Monday newsletter with my thoughts, new recipes, and things I’m loving lately. Subscribe here!

Dinner Planner – Week of September 30, 2024

For my cooking class subscribers, I am planning to upload the October class video and recipes at some point on Tuesday. I have a new assistant, so please be patient in case we are a little late.  🙂 Look out for the email!  Wednesday night is the first night of Rosh Hashanah and my friend Lydia is generously hosting us. I have included some inspiration if you are still planning your menu.

 

Here’s your dinner planner for the week: 

 

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Dinner Planner – Week of September 23, 2024

I am prepping the last bits of good summer produce and freezing them for the fall and winter.  I made a big batch of basil pesto, roasted some tomatoes, took corn off the cob, and roasted some Hatch chilies.  🙂 For those of you who take my online cooking class every month, I am hosting Office Hours on Wednesday, September 25 at 12:00 pm PST/3:00 pm EST.  Come join and hang out or bring any and all questions about cooking, recipes, hosting, holidays, nutrition, etc.  Check your email for the zoom invite!  Here’s your dinner planner for the week: Continue reading