What’s for Dinner: Our Weekly Meal Plan (Week #4)

Week four’s weekly meal plan is here, and I’m absolutely thrilled to share another collection of family-tested dinners that are going to make your weeknights so much easier! The feedback from our meal planning series has been overwhelming—it’s clear that we’re all looking for the same thing: delicious, doable dinners that don’t require a culinary degree to pull off.

If you’re just joining us, welcome to the club! You can catch up on our previous weeks here, here, and here. The concept is simple but game-changing: plan your dinners ahead of time, prep what you can, and say goodbye to that dreaded 4 PM “what’s for dinner?” panic.

This week’s weekly meal lineup is absolutely loaded with comfort food favorites that have a fresh twist. We’re talking about a cozy Lasagna Soup that has all the flavors of traditional lasagna in a fraction of the time, Chicken Caesar Salad served on crispy Texas toast for the ultimate handheld meal, individual Chili Cornbread Pot Pies that are as cute as they are delicious, perfectly seasoned Garlic Butter Steak and Potato Bites that cook together in the crockpot, and Sheet Pan Crunchwraps that bring all that Taco Bell flavor right to your kitchen table.

As always, each recipe comes with a complete shopping list and step-by-step instructions that won’t overwhelm your already packed schedule. These are real meals for real families—tested in my kitchen and guaranteed to work in yours too!

Ready to tackle another week of stress-free dinners? Let’s dive in!

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Our Meal Plan this Week:

Chicken Caesar Salad on Texas Toast

This recipe is a total game-changer for Caesar salad lovers! Instead of serving it as a traditional side salad, we’re piling all that crispy lettuce, juicy chicken, and creamy dressing on top of buttery, toasted Texas toast. It’s like an open-faced sandwich meets salad situation, and trust me, your family is going to be asking for this one on repeat. It’s substantial enough to be a main dish but still feels fresh and satisfying. If you want to take an even easier route, you can use a caesar salad mix (minus the croutons), and cook your frozen chicken tenders in the air fryer.

Ingredients

• 6-8 slices Texas toast (frozen)
• 2 lbs Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp Paprika
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 Head of Romaine Lettuce, chopped
• 1/2 cup Shredded Parmesan cheese

DRESSING

• 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
• 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Season chicken breasts with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil.
2. Bake chicken for 20-25 mins until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Let rest 5 mins.
3. Meanwhile, prepare Texas toast according to package directions until golden and crispy.
4. Make Caesar dressing by whisking together mayonnaise, lemon juice, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
5. In a large bowl, toss chopped romaine with Caesar dressing until well coated.
6. Place each slice of Texas toast on a plate. Top with dressed lettuce, sliced chicken, (cherry tomatoes, red onion optional,) and extra Parmesan cheese.
7. Serve immediately while toast is still warm and crispy.

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Chili Cornbread Pot Pies

These individual pot pies are absolutely adorable and so much fun to make! Each person gets their own personal pot filled with hearty, flavorful chili and topped with a golden cornbread crust. They’re perfect for those chilly nights when you want something warm and comforting. We used our favorite chili recipe here.

Ingredients

• 1-2 pounds ground beef
• 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
• 2 (15 oz) cans dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained, optional
• 1 can green chilies, 4 oz.
• 1 large yellow onion chopped
• 1 pepper (color of choice) seeded and chopped
• 2 cups beef stock — bone broth for an even richer taste
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1½ tablespoons dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¾ teaspoon cayenne pepper to taste
• 1 box of Cornbread Mix
• 1 Can of Creamed Corn

Directions 

1. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat to brown the ground beef.
2. Add the chopped onion and pepper for about 5 minutes or until onions are translucent.
3. To the crockpot, add in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, beans, chilies, and beef stock. Season with garlic, oregano, cumin, paprika, basil, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Stir to blend, then cover and simmer over low heat for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Chili can be served at any time, though the longer the chili simmers, the better it will taste.
4. Mix up cornbread (a box of Jiffy + a can of creamed corn is our hack).
5. Spoon chili into oven-safe bowls. Top with cornbread batter + bake 20 min.

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Garlic Butter Steak and Potato Bites

This crockpot wonder is pure magic! Tender steak bites and crispy potato cubes all tossed in the most incredible garlic butter sauce. It’s fancy enough that you feel like you’re treating yourself, but simple enough for a Tuesday night. The key is getting those potatoes and steak perfectly tender. It’s a complete meal in the crockpot, which means minimal cleanup—always a win in my book!

Ingredients

• 2 lbs Beef Stew Meat, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 bag (1.5-2lbs) Small Potatoes
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp Onion Powder
• 3 tsp of Minced Garlic
• Kinder’s Butter & Garlic Herb seasoning (optional – measure with your heart)
• 1 packet (1 oz) Beef Onion Soup Mix
• 1 (1/2 cup) Stick of Butter

Directions 

1. Add beef stew meat and small yellow potatoes to slow cooker.
2. Sprinkle garlic powder, onion powder, minced garlic, Kinder’s butter and garlic herb seasoning, and beef onion soup mix over meat and potatoes.
3. Toss everything together until meat and potatoes are well coated with seasonings.
4. Place whole stick of butter on top of mixture.
5. Cover and cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours.
6. Stir gently before serving to distribute melted butter and seasonings.

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Sheet Pan Crunchwraps

Who says you need to go to Taco Bell for that iconic crunchwrap crunch? These homemade versions are so much better and surprisingly easy to make! We’re talking crispy tortillas wrapped around seasoned ground beef, cheese, lettuce, and all your favorite toppings. The sheet pan method means you can make several at once, perfect for feeding the whole family. Once you try making these at home, you’ll never want the drive-thru version again!

Ingredients

• 2 lbs Ground Beef
• 2 Packets Taco Seasoning
• 2 tbsp. Butter melted
• 10 large Flour Trotillas
• 6 Tostada Shells or Tortilla Chips
• 1 jar Nacho Cheese Sauce
• 3/4 cup Sour Cream
• 1 cup Diced Tomatoes (optional)
• 4 cups Shredded Iceberg Lettuce
• 1 bunch Sliced Green Onions (optional)
• 16 oz. Shredded Cheese

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Cook ground beef with taco seasoning, drain and cool.
2. Brush sheet pan with 1 tbsp butter. Place 8 tortillas: 6 around edges (half hanging over) and 2 in middle.
3. Spread nacho cheese over tortillas, top with beef.
4. Add 2 tbsp sour cream to each tostada. Place 6 tostadas (sour cream up) over beef.
5. Layer lettuce, tomato, green onion, and cheese on top.
6. Place 2 remaining tortillas in center, overlapping. Fold hanging edges over to cover. Brush with remaining butter.
7. Cover with second sheet pan and add weight. Bake 20 minutes covered, then broil 5 minutes.
8. Cool 5-10 minutes before slicing. Serve with sour cream and taco sauce.

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Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup

This lasagna soup recipe is an absolute lifesaver for busy weeknights! You get all the rich, comforting flavors of traditional lasagna—the hearty meat sauce, Italian herbs, tender noodles, and melty cheese—but in a fraction of the time and effort. The best part? You can literally set it and forget it! Just brown your meat in the morning, toss everything in the slow cooker, and come home to a house that smells absolutely amazing. It’s like having a warm hug waiting for you at the end of a long day, and trust me, your family is going to be asking for this one on repeat.

Ingredients

• 1 pound Italian sausage
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 carton (32 ounces) broth
• 2 cans (15 oz) tomato sauce
• 2 cans (15 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tbsp dried basil
• 1 box lasagna noodles, broken into 1-inch pieces
• 2 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach
• 1 cup cubed or shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• Thinly sliced fresh basil, optional

Directions

• Brown the Italian sausage and ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat and drain off the excess grease.
• Stir in diced onions and garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.
• Then place the meat mixture, crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce, and broth in the slow cooker and stir.
• Add in seasonings.
• Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
• Remove the lid. Break the lasagna noodles into bite-size pieces and stir them in.
• Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes until the noodles are cooked through.
• Stir in chopped spinach and spoon into bowls.
• Top with mozzarella and parmesan cheese, as desired.

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That’s a Wrap on Week 4!

Another week of delicious, doable dinners ready to save your weeknights! From that cozy Lasagna Soup to those crispy Sheet Pan Crunchwraps, this week’s lineup is all about maximum flavor with minimal fuss. I hope these recipes help take the stress out of meal planning and bring some new favorites to your dinner table.

Which recipe are you most excited to try first? I’d love to hear how your family likes these—and if you have any tweaks or substitutions that work well for picky eaters, drop them in the comments! We’re all in this together, and there’s nothing better than sharing what actually works in real kitchens with real families.

See you back here next week for another round of tried-and-true weeknight winners. We’re building quite the arsenal of go-to meals that actually get dinner on the table without the drama!

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