Thicc Kitchen’s Meal Plan – Week 7

Thicc Kitchen’s Weekly Meal Plan
By: Tori McGeehon

December 17th – 21st 2018

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Figuring out what to make for dinner every night just got easier! I know everyone dreads the question, “What do you want to eat?” and a reply of the classic “I don’t care, what ever you want…” and the back and forth bickering until eventually one person gets what they want and the other is left to mosey on with the choices the other made.

Let’s skip that tiring argument and take a look at all the craving-satisfying meals I have planned out for you this week…

You’re welcome.

If you would like to learn a little bit more about what Tori does and who she is,
check out this page we put together for her!
Meet Tori McGeehon!

Monday

Ruben Melt W/ Homemade Thousand Island 
Let me just start by saying YUM. I can be really picky when eating a Ruben sandwich. I have specific flavor needs when ordering one, or trying to recreate what I wanted that taste to be. It was tricky, but I knew it all had to be in the sauce, and OH BOY THIS SAUCE ….. amazing. Making a homemade thousand island may sound like a pain in the butt, but this sauce will take down any store bought competitor, I PROMISE. If you have any left over sauce you can keep it in your fridge for up to about a week. This sauce has so many other uses though: dipping for fries, a nice ice burg wedge salad, or of course, a classic burger!

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RUBEN MELTS W/HOMEMADE THOUSAND ISLAND ( Best Ruben Ever?) RECIPE: 2 slices marble rye 2 tbs mayo 1 slice smoked Swiss 4 to 6 slices corned beef 1/4 cup sauerkraut 1 tsp brown sugar THOUSAND ISLAND: 3 tbs mayo 1 tbs ketchup 1 tbs sweet relish 1 tsp garlic powder Splash of lemon juice Sprinkle of salt and pepper HOW TO PUT THIS ISH TOGETHER Start by blending all ingredients for the thousand island and set aside Then brush 1 side of each slices of bread with the mayo , take one slice mayo side down and smear with thousand island, then layer the corned beef , sauerkraut, then sprinkle the brown sugar over top, cheese , and top with other slice of bread mayo side up Toast in oven at 350*F until bread is crusty and cheese is melty ( or toast in pan over flame ) NOW PUT THAT S*** IN YOUR MOUTH AND EAT IT Thanks as always @torimcgeehon #ruben #melt #sandwich #rubenmelt #sauerkraut #swiss #cheese #cornedbeef #deli #dinner #chef #cheflife #foodie #foodblog #foodblogger #blog #blogger #qcfindnowfoods

A post shared by Thicc Kitchen (@thicckitchenqc) on Nov 18, 2018 at 1:54pm PST

Tuesday

Loaded Bacon Potato Soup
If you aren’t making/eating soups around this season than what are you doing!? Wasting precious winter meals.. that’s what you are doing! My FAVORITE winter eats include soups, potatoes, hearty warm meals, and cheesy/creamy things. So it’s only natural I try to combine all of those, correct? Whelp, this is what I got and if you have half the winter food cravings that I have, then you will love this soup. Guess what, an added bonus, this soup freezes INCREDIBLY well so you can have it all the rest of the winter season!

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LOADED POTATO BACON SOUP ( seriously this should be regulated because this soup is crack) RECIPE: 6 cups diced red skin potatoes 1 large yellow onion 1 small bag mixed frozen veggies (peas , carrots , corn) 1 small bag frozen corn (yes more corn) 2 cans low sodium chicken broth Salt and pepper 2 tbs garlic powder 1/3 cup butter 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 2 1/2 cups milk 1/2 cup sour cream 1 pack bacon 1 bag sharp cheddar cheese HOW TO PUT THIS ISH TOGETHER First get your bacon cooked then; Combine diced potatoes, and all frozen veggies/onion with chicken broth in a large stockpot and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover pot and bring to boil, once it reaches a boil reduce heat and cook until potatoes are very soft, in another pan melt butter over medium heat, add flour and cook for 1 minute while whisking constantly. While whisking, slowly add milk and cook, stirring constantly until mixture begins lightly bubble and thicken, Once potatoes are soft add thickened milk mixture to potato soup mixture and stir; Add sour cream and garlic powder . Top with more sour cream, cheddar cheese , and as much f***ing bacon you want NOW PUT THAT S*** IN YOUR MOUTH AND EAT IT Thanks as always @torimcgeehon #soup #potato #bacon #cheddar #sourcream #veggies #loadedpotato #bakedpotato #potpie #chilly #fall #autumn #warm #hearty #chef #cheflife #blog #blogger #food #foodblogger #foodblog #dinner

A post shared by Thicc Kitchen (@thicckitchenqc) on Sep 26, 2018 at 3:03pm PDT

Wednesday

Avocado Cucumber Salad W/ Avocado Ranch
I don’t know if you have noticed, but right now avocados are at a prime price in the market. So not only is this meal going to fill you up, but will also keep your wallet full. An addition of meat to this salad is also suggested for the people who are looking to get a little bit more out of their greens. I’d suggest a grilled chicken or shrimp, the smoke flavor from the grill, or a nice char, will really add some depth to this dish. If you have been following my meal plans, or my blog, you know I love to make a good homemade ranch. So naturally, I tried to incorporate MORE avocados into this dish by adding it to the dressing. I know it sounds like a lot of work when you can just grab a bottle off the shelf, but I can’t even describe what a good homemade dressing will do to a person. Life. Changed. Forever . BUTTTT if you are lazy and don’t feel like making it, which shame on you, I do think I have seen some different brands of avocado ranch in store.

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AVOCADO ???? CUCUMBER ???? SALAD W/ AVOCADO RANCH (Yassss lots of avocado for the avo-w****’s like me) RECIPE: 1 bag of your favorite leaves 1 cucumber 1/2 red onion 2 avocados 3/4 cup grated Parmesan Salt & pepper (obvi I like pepper ) SAUCE : 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup sour cream 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and quartered 1/4 cup parsley 2 tbs garlic chopped Sprinkle of garlic powder 1 tablespoon olive oil (or eat more depending on how thicc you like it ) Juice from 1/2 of a lime Salt and pepper, to taste HOW TO PUT THIS ISH TOGETHER Honestly I hate this because it’s salad , if you don’t know how to chop and toss veggies , and purée all sauce ingredients then per-say drizzle that over your salad then please leave this page (best of luck ) NOW PUT THAT S*** IN YOUR MOUTH AND EAT IT Thanks as always @torimcgeehon #foodie #food #foodporn #foodblogger #instafood #igfood #foodlove #foodgasm #foods #eating #goodeats #eats #chef #cheflife #kitchen #thicc #issa #bloggerlife #blog #bloggers #cucumber #dinner #ranch #foodphotography #nom #salad #veggies #avocado

A post shared by Thicc Kitchen (@thicckitchenqc) on Aug 27, 2018 at 2:56pm PDT

Thursday

Farm Fresh Butternut Squash Sauce
I LOVE going to the farmers market.  I’m sad it’s the down season but you can always find local produce growers in the grocery stores around you, or at least ask, to support your community! With this recipe, I have a great little excerpt about my experience at the farmers market and I think it’s worth while to check out. Anyways, on to this sauce. Butternut is huge during the fall and winter season, and frankly, I’m obsessed. This sauce recipe is perfect for pasta, ravioli, or just add a touch more broth and serve that in a bread bowl…mmmmmm. I know butternut squashes can be intimidating and HUGE ,depending on the product, but a helpful hint: they freeze AMAZINGLY if you have any left over.

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FARM FRESH BUTTERNUT SQUASH SAUCE Ft. @freighthousefarmersmarket and Farmer Ken’s produce (15200 305th st. Long Grove IA 52756) Let me just start by saying Ken and his wife were so helpful showing me how they prepare their butternut squash , and sharing recipes and tips for the future . This HUGE squash was only 3$ which is what you would pay at the grocery store for a squash half the size and with half the flavor that this AMAZING squash had. HOLD UP , I used this sauce recipe with cheese raviolis and served it with Focaccia bread that I also got from a booth at the market that specializes in Focaccia bread (if you go to the market a lot you know what booth I’m talking about ????????????) RECIPE : 2 cups cooked squash 1 8oz block cream cheese 1/2 cup chicken broth 1 tbs salt 1 tsp pepper 1 tsp dried rosemary 1 tsp dried ground sage 1 tsp dried thyme 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (More salt and pepper to taste ) HOW TO PUT THIS ISH TOGETHER So first you have to cook your squash , how I made mine (with tips and tricks from Kens wife) I roasted it in the oven for about and hour at 450*F , so I cut the squash into 5 sections vertically, scooped out the seeds, and poked holes all over . One squash is done peel off skin and place in blender, food processor, ninja WHATEVER in addition to the cream cheese , broth, and all seasoning. AND THERE YOU HAVE IT ???????????? NOW PUT THAT S*** IN YOUR MOUTH AND EAT IT Thanks as always @torimcgeehon #butter #butternut #butternutsquash #pasta #ravioli #focaccia #produce #farm #farmfresh #farmfreshproduce #freshdinner #local #shoplocal #chef #cheflife #food #foodporn #foodblogger #blogger #qcfindnowfoods

A post shared by Thicc Kitchen (@thicckitchenqc) on Oct 21, 2018 at 3:34pm PDT

Friday

Easy Sheet Tray Fajitas
I’m feeling spicy today. It’s finally Friday, you get to go home and relax and prepare to enjoy the weekend. So why don’t we make tonight carefree with this crazy simple recipe that will have you coming back for 3rds. I like to use Taco Bell’s seasoning because, although I try to stay away from fast foods and I don’t even really like Taco Bell, they make a great seasoning– but you can use whatever you want to your liking. If you really want to add some extra flavor to this dish, try holding off adding the chicken for a bit to really get some caramelization to your veggies.

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????EASY SHEET TRAY FAJITAS ???? ( seriously so easy it should be outlawed ) 2 chicken breast 2 packs @tacobell taco seasoning 1 tbs garlic minced 2 tbs olive oil Salt and pepper to taste 2 red onions 1 red pepper 1 yellow pepper HOW TO PUT THIS ISH TOGETHER So chop all that s*** up (veggies and chicken) and toss it all on a non stick or sprayed sheet tray , drizzle with olive oil , toss on garlic and sprinkle the seasoning packets( I really like the @tacobell seasoning , have yet to find another that really impressed me LEAVE RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW) Salt and pepper all over , using tongs stir it around a bit and throw it in the oven at 350*F until chicken is cooked all the way through (about 20 or less depending on how small you cut it ) NOW PUT THAT S*** IN YOUR MOUTH AND EAT IT Thanks as always @torimcgeehon #taco #fajitas #seasoning #chicken #peppers #onion #mexican #spanish #sheettray #easymeals #easydinner #dinner #foodporn #food #foodblog #foodblogger #chef #cheflife #kitchen #blog #blogger

A post shared by Thicc Kitchen (@thicckitchenqc) on Oct 9, 2018 at 1:17pm PDT

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE

If you’re like us, some nights there is just too much going on to find time to cook! On those nights, convenience takes precedence. That doesn’t have to mean you are giving up quality, though! We asked Tori for her expert advice on those days that we’re just too tired or busy to prepare a meal.
This week, she recommends supporting THESE local establishments:

“Life is rough. I get that you won’t always have time, motivation, or brain power to keep running to the store, making dinner, or even thinking about a meal plan… thankfully, we have A TON of great places that do all that for you in the QC.”

Coya’s Cafe

I recently tried Coya’s Cafe for the first time. It’s a small Mexican cafe with food, snacks, and drinks all centered around Mexican cuisine. I was impressed with how fresh the ingredients were, and all the menu options they had. I ordered a couple different items and all seemed to uphold the quality of freshness and craftsmanship. Sometimes with using all fresh ingredients **which I love and appreciate whole hardheartedly** you have to season products accordingly. AND the salsa, that I’m assuming is made in house, was PHENOMENAL and was a great addition to each dish I ordered. If you’re looking to branch out from your normal Americanized Mexican food, I’d suggest Coya’s as a great start!  P.S. burritos… HUGE

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coyascafe/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/COYASCAFE/

Cru

If you’re looking for a relaxing warm atmosphere, music, and great drinks look no further. Beyond the expansive wine menu, they also have featured cocktails that will rock your socks off. It’s a great place to end your tiring work day or enjoy an after dinner drink, and the bartenders really REALLY know their craft. What I appreciate most about Cru is that everyone working there, or creating cocktails, knows what they are doing and seem to have a passion for it. I can guarantee you will have an amazing time at Cru and why not an amazing drink!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cru221/

Simple Super Food Cafe

Besides this establishment being located in the cutest little home, it’s producing amazing fresh product that can not be ignored. The quality and freshness at Simple Super Food is by far outstanding. I ordered a steak power bowl and just looking at it made me feel like a heath goddess. Let’s not forget about the flavor though, I know a lot of people can look down on healthy dishes feeling like they lack flavor or “taste weird” but HOLY COW the flavor of my steak bowl was AMAZING! Seriously, a punch of flavor in your mouth. This is a great place to run and grab a quick lunch or if you need a little pick me up in your diet, you won’t regret it.

Website: https://www.simplesuperfoodcafe.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Simplesuperfoodcafe/

As always, if you have any questions about my recipes or suggestions please reach out! Also, of course, let me know some of your favorite QC food-related establishments or anything you would like me to check out!!

. . .

Thanks, as always,
Tori McGeehon

If you would like to download our FREE printable for this week’s Menu Plan…Simply login to view the download link below. If you don’t have a local account…you can sign up now for free here.

(A new updated download will be available every week so you can create your very own ThiccKitchen Cook Book/Meal Planner for FREE!)

Make sure if you are following along with us and creating Tori McGeehon’s Dishes, to share them on your Instagram using this hashtag: #thicckitchenqc

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tori mcgeehon

Tori is a 2015 Kendall College grad with a degree in the sciences of baking and pastry, and a passion for working in the kitchen! She has her small business, “Cakes by Tori,” and she also works as a head chef and kitchen manager of a small corporate office! Her Instagram page is separate from her business and she does it just for the love of food. But, let us tell you, it is ALL the hype and she backs it up with killer recipes and her witty, youthful captions and instructions!

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