Meals With Monet: Weekly Meal Plan #6

Sometimes, you need a hug in a mug on a bug in a rug, or whatever the kids are saying these days. I don’t know about you, but fall makes me crave comfort food. There’s something about the weather getting colder, the blankets are coming out, my comfort shows are coming back on the air, and for some reason, I want as much cheese and butter as I can manage. So here are the best comfort foods to make this week!

Grocery List

Monday: Truffle Mac and Cheese

Thanks to Williams-Sonoma for this recipe!

Ingredients

• 4 Tbsp of unsalted butter

• Salt (to taste)

• 1 lb. of elbow macaroni

• 2 tsp of truffle oil 

• ¼ cup of all-purpose flour

• ½ tsp of sweet paprika

• ½ tsp of dijon mustard

• 2 cups of milk

• 1 cup of half-and-half

• Freshly ground pepper

• 1 + ½ cups of shredded Gruyère cheese

• 1 + ½ cups of shredded white cheddar cheese

• 2 Tbsp of minced fresh chives

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and butter a 9×13-inch baking dish. 

2. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the macaroni and cook, stirring occasionally until the pasta is not quite al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package instructions. Drain and transfer the pasta into a large bowl. While the pasta is still warm, drizzle it with truffle oil and stir well. 

3. Return the saucepan to medium-high heat and melt the 4 tablespoons of butter in it. Add the flour, paprika, and mustard and cook, stirring well for 1-3 minutes. Whisk in the milk, half-and-half, a generous pinch of salt, and bring it to a boil. Whisk frequently to smooth out any lumps for 4-5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and add a pinch of pepper and 1 cup of each of the cheeses. Stir until the mixture is smooth.

4. Pour the cheese sauce onto the macaroni, add the chives, and stir well. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining cheeses. Bake until the top is lightly browned and the sauce is bubbly, 25-30 minutes. Let it stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Tuesday: Everything Cheddar Tomato Bacon Grilled Cheese

Thanks to Half-Baked Harvest for the recipe! 

Ingredients

Grilled Cheese:

• 1 tomato (thinly sliced)

• Kosher salt and black pepper

• 4 slices of sourdough bread

• 1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese

• ½ cup of shredded Havarti cheese

• ¼ cup of fresh basil (chopped)

• 1 Tbsp of fresh chopped chives 

• 4 Tbsp of salted butter (room temperature)

• 2 Tbsp of grated parmesan cheese

• 2-4 slices of cooked crispy bacon

Everything Spice: 

• 3 Tbsp of toasted sesame seeds

• 2 Tbsp of poppy seeds

• 2 tsp of dried onion

• 2 tsp of dried garlic

• 1 tsp of kosher salt

Directions

1. Arrange the tomato slices on a cutting board and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Let them sit for 15 minutes to draw out excess moisture. 

2. In a bowl, combine the cheddar, Havarti, basil, thyme, and chives. 

3. To make the everything spice, combine the toasted sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried onion, dried garlic, and 1 tsp of kosher salt in a small bowl.

4. Brush the outside of each slice of bread with butter. Sprinkle the parmesan and everything spice over both buttered sides of the bread, pressing the spice mix gently into the bread to adhere.

5. On the inside of half the slices, evenly layer half the cheese mix, tomatoes, bacon, and remaining cheese. Add the top piece of bread. 

6. Heat 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place the sandwiches in the skillet and cook until the bread is golden on each side, about 3-5 minutes. 

7. Eat and enjoy!

Wednesday: Air-Fryer Fish Sticks

Thanks to Lexi’s Clean Living for this recipe!

Ingredients

For the Fish Sticks:

• 1 + ½ lb. of cod (or any other white fish)

• ½ cup of tapioca starch

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup of almond flour

• 1 + ½ tsp of dried dill

• 1 + ½ tsp of onion powder

• 1 tsp of fine sea salt

• 1 tsp of ground black pepper

• ½ tsp of mustard powder

• 2 Tbsp of avocado oil

For the Tartar Sauce:

• ⅓ cup of avocado oil mayo

• 1 Tbsp of dill relish

• 1 Tbsp of chopped fresh or dried herbs (dill, parsley, and scallions)

• 2 tsp of lemon juice

• ¼ tsp of salt

Directions

1. Preheat the air fryer to 390°F. 

2. Pat the fish dry with a paper towel and season it with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cut it into small fish sticks, about half an inch. 

3. Place the tapioca starch in a medium bowl. In a second bowl, whisk the eggs. In a third and larger bowl, whisk the almond flour, dill, onion powder, salt, pepper, and mustard powder. 

4. Dip the sliced fish into the tapioca, shake off all the excess, dip into the egg, then dredge in the flour mixture. Repeat for all the fish. 

5. Add the avocado oil to the basket and then spray the air fryer basket generously with avocado spray. Place the fish sticks in the basket with plenty of space in between them. Lightly coat the fish sticks with additional avocado spray.

6. Fry for 11 minutes, delicately flipping once at 5 minutes. 

7. Make the tartar sauce by combining all of its ingredients into a medium bowl, then set aside. 

8. Repeat until all of the fish sticks have been cooked through. Be careful not to overcook. 

9. Serve immediately with tartar sauce.

Thursday: Chicken and Dumplings

Thanks to Butter Be Ready for this recipe!

Ingredients

For the Soup:

• ½ cup of unsalted butter

• 1 large onion (chopped)

• 4 large carrots (chopped)

• 4 celery hearts (chopped)

• 3 garlic cloves (finely minced)

• 3 Tbsp of all-purpose flour

• ½ cup of heavy whipping cream 

• 32 oz. of chicken broth or stock

• 3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme

• 1 store-bought rotisserie chicken (shredded)

• Salt and pepper

Dumplings:

• 1 + ½ cups of all-purpose flour

• ½ cup of fine cornmeal

• 1 Tbsp of baking powder

• Salt and pepper

• 5 Tbsp of butter (melted)

• ¾ cups of whole buttermilk

Directions

1. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot/dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add in the onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté until the vegetables are tender, about 5-6 minutes. Then add in the garlic and let it cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. 

2. Add the flour and stir until it dissolves and the mixture becomes a golden-brown color, about 5-6 minutes. Pour in the cream and broth and stir to combine. Allow the mixture to boil and add in the thyme sprigs and the shredded chicken. Leave the soup to continue cooking and prepare the dumplings. 

3. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add in the melted butter and buttermilk and stir with a spatula until dough begins to form. If your dough is dry, add a bit more buttermilk. 

4. Using a spoon or a scooper, drop the dumpling dough directly on top of the hot soup until the top of the soup is covered. Take a spoon and gently pour some of the broth over the top of each dumpling. 

5. Cover your pot with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Let the dumplings cook for 15-20 minutes. 

6. Serve the hot soup by ladling it carefully into the bowls and enjoy!

Friday: Creamy Sesame Miso Ramen with Crispy Mushrooms

Thanks to Half-Baked Harvest for this recipe!

Ingredients

• 6 cups of low sodium vegetable broth

• ¼ cup of soy sauce

• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar 

• ¼ cup of tahini 

• 3 Tbsp of white miso paste

• 2 Tbsp of hot chili oil 

• ¼ cup dried porcini mushrooms 

• 1-inch fresh ginger (grated)

• 2 cloves of garlic (minced or grated)

• 2-4 squares of ramen noodles

• 4 cups of shredded kale or baby spinach 

• 4 Tbsp of salted butter (melted)

• 2 lbs. of mixed mushrooms (roughly torn)

• 2 small shallots (sliced)

• 2 Tbsp of raw sesame seeds 

• ½ tsp of chili flakes

• ¼ cup of fresh cilantro (chopped)

• 4-6 soft or hard-boiled eggs 

• Sliced carrots and green onions (for serving)

Directions

1. In a large soup pot, combine the broth, 2 cups of water, soy sauce, vinegar, tahini, miso, and chili oil. Add the dried mushrooms, ginger, and garlic. Set over medium heat on the stove and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes until the broth is fragrant. 

2. Remove the mushrooms. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat. Stir in the noodles, kale or spinach, and cilantro. Let it sit for 5 minutes or until the noodles are soft. 

3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 435°F. Combine the butter, mushrooms, shallots, sesame seeds, chili flakes, and a pinch of salt on a baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and roast for 15 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking until the mushrooms are golden, then broil for 1-2 minutes until crisp. 

4. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with crispy mushrooms, eggs, carrots, green onions, and additional chili oil. Enjoy!

Okay, we’re feeling comforted already. How about you? What are your go-to comfort foods? Comment below!

For More Weekly Meal Plans, Read These:

Meals With Monet: Weekly Meal Plan #5

Meals With Monet: Weekly Meal Plan #4