Weekly Meal Plan: Modifying Recipes (Week 225)

How often do you modify recipes? Are you a little afraid to do that?

This really is a great way to use up ingredients, especially anything perishable, that you have on hand.

This week I am modifying a few recipes to use up some produce that is in the fridge. I am going to show you how I am taking some of my favorite easy recipes and changing them up a bit. I encourage you to do the same and think outside of the box. This will really help you cut down and waste and save some money.

Weekly Meal Plan

Mediterranean Chicken – I am taking this slow cooker recipe and converting it into a stove top, one pot, dinner. Well… two pots because I am serving it with rice. Instead of basil I am using kale because I have a bunch on hand. Excited to see how this goes.

Vegetable Beef Soup– I am taking this hamburger soup and turning it into a vegetable beef soup that uses up lots of produce we have. I am taking out the pasta, adding in some cabbage, a turnip, fresh green beans and fresh cherry tomatoes instead of the rotel. I am also adding in a can of navy beans. Seriously excited about this!

Crockpot Lentil Tacos– for this one we are going to do half lentils and half hamburger meat. Stretch the budget and still have some meat in there. I will still cook it in the slow cooker but will brown the meat on the stove first. We are making this Wednesday night which is a church night and we generally have company over for dinner before church. This is a great way to feed many. I have some tortillas on hand too- so they can do a soft or hard taco.

Indiana Chowder– we love this meal. No modifications. If you’ve never made this, you need to!

Omelets– we seriously have like 3 dozen eggs in our fridge. Fresh laid eggs! This is a great way to customize dinner for everyone without it being a huge ordeal and use up things in the fridge.

Leftover Buffet– if there are any leftover.

And, the boys and I are making a loaf of this Spiced Pecan Pumpkin Bread. Nick and Luke (9 yrs old) are really excited to help bake this. They will measure and mix and learn more about cooking.

What is on your meal plan this week?