Have you ever wanted what you should cook? I have a plan for you. Here is my suggested menu guide for a menu plan for the month of November. I don’t always have time to cook a nice square meal. Sometimes I am just grateful to get food on the table, and not have to rummage through those frozen dinners. Wait, I am out of frozen dinners, so it is time to cook. My food isn’t the healthiest, I am not gluten free, although I think it has it’s merits. I am not a vegetarian, and I don’t eat low carb. I would always suggest adding a nice salad, or some fruit to any of these meals. I personally love one dish meals, I love them because you can easily take them to work the next day. While everyone else is nuking their frozen dinner, people will want to know what you are going to eat.

The suggested recipes include family favorites that I have been making for years, CopyKat recipes, and a few recipes from friends of mine that I love.

November 1
Tonight it’s time for grilled chicken and some twice baked potatoes if you have time, if not, just serve up some baked potatoes.
Cracker Barrel Grilled Chicken Tenders
Ponderosa Steakhouse Twice Baked Potatoes

November 2
This is a classic taco soup, you can be flexible on this soup, if you are missing a can of something see if you have something similar. By big tip on this is that the Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing can be purchased in a large container at Sam’s. I buy this in bulk just for this recipe. If you have some left over veggies, I would throw those in too. It is a great way to use up little bits of this and that in your refrigerator.
No Time Taco Soup

November 3
Tonight it’s my favorite casserole ever. No, it isn’t for the faint of heart. This was my grandmother’s casserole recipe, and I adore this, cheddar cheese, ground beef, provolone cheese, and canned mushrooms fill your dish. I don’t generally serve anything else with this, you should. Wait, I will include some green beans for you (you should have some bacon left over from the night before), when this casserole is served, I just want this and some buttered white bread.
Macaroni Casserole
Cracker Barrel Country Green Beans

November 4
Ok, tonight it is time to have the Boston Market at home. Tonight we have meatloaf, which reheats very well, potato dill wedges, and some creamed spinach. If you have never tried creamed spinach before, please try it, it is good, and frozen spinach isn’t anything like the awful canned spinach.
Boston Market Meatloaf
Boston Market Dill Potato Wedges
Boston Market Creamed Spinach

November 5
I am feeling hearty tonight, and after several heavier meals how about something lighter? This meal can be easily converted to a vegetarian pasta dish, if you are gluten free, use gluten free pasta.
Olive Garden Capellini Primavera

November 6
In the winter hearty dishes fill the spot. How about some of Wendy’s Old fashioned Chili? This is a hearty chili that you can definitely take to work with you for the next day or two. I love to have chili with cornbread, or even tortillas. Feeling fancy dress up your chili with a little cheddar cheese, chopped onion, and maybe even a few jalapeno slices.
Wendy’s Chili
Boston Market Cornbread

November 7
Cooking on the weekend often means getting the chance to sit back and take your time cooking. Often on the weekend I cook a dish or two extra to reheat during the week. You could do that easily with the Natasha’s Cafe Black Bean Soup, and the Sweet Tomatoes Baja Bean Salad that is coming up later in the month. I am going through in Tina’s recipe for the best chocolate chip cookies ever. I am hoping that she will invite me over for another wii night, where I will be serenaded with these cookies *hint*.

The best chocolate chip cookies ever
To Die for Pot Roast
Cracker Barrel Baby Carrots
Potatoes – add some peeled and largely chopped potatoes to the roast during the last hour of cooking

November 8
Tonight it’s Natasha’s Cafe Black Bean Soup and some garlic cheese bread. You can make the soup, and the cheese spread ahead of time. This way actual dinner preparation involves only a few minutes of actual cooking time.
Natasha’s Cafe Black Bean Soup
North Woods Inn Garlic Cheese Bread

November 9
This is a favorite dish of mine. A wonderful cream cheese sauce complimented by the wonderful flavor of Vermouth makes this oh so good. I simply cook up some noodles with this, you won’t want to miss a drop of the sauce, and serve with a salad.
Cream Cheese Chicken

November 10
Living in Texas means its a Mexican Fiesta night, every night. This Mexican Salad provides you a great sampling of what Tex Mex food is all about. Enjoy this Mexican salad with some easy to make baja bean and cilantro salad.
Mexican Salad
Sweet Tomatoes Baja bean and Cilantro Salad

November 11
Tonight, it is time to cook up soup just like the Olive Garden. Tonight we are serving the Olive Garden Chicken and Gnocchi soup.
Olive Garden Chicken and Gnocchi soup
The Pasta House Co. Special Salad

November 12
So, tonight’s dinner isn’t the prettiest dinner, but it is pretty tasty. Best of all, this is an easy meal you can prepare in a crockpot. If you don’t have a lot of time on your hands, this is a great way to still serve up a hearty dinner.
Crockpot Chicken and Blackbeans

November 13
This is a hearty salad that has meats, cheese, fresh tomatoes, and fresh avocado’s in this salad. Simply add a nice crusty roll of your local bakery, or even some nice Crescent rolls fresh out of your oven, and you have a delicious dinner that is easy to put together.
Brown Derby Cobb Salad

November 14
It is Sunday, and it is time for some slow cooking. Baked Chicken is a wonderful weekend treat, if you have never made a baked chicken before, I would urge you to try to make a baked chicken, I promise it isn’t difficult to do at all. I love to splurge and purchase either a kosher or organic chicken when I make a baked chicken. Oh, yes, and a sopapilla cheesecake. Can’t forget a little bit of dessert.
Baked Chicken Recipe
Saltgrass Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Sopapilla Cheesecake

November 15
These braised beef short ribs are served in many different restaurants. These are paired with a fabulous butternut squash risotto from a friend of mine. You will want the rice to absorb all of the flavorful sauce that is created when these beef short ribs are made.
Braised Beef Short Ribs
Butternut Squash Risotto

November 16
Tonight we are heading to the south for one of my personal favorite interpretations of barbecued shrimp. So when I say barbecued, I don’t mean shrimp on a grill, I mean shrimp cooked Louisiana style. Now to make it simple on you, I would add some corn on the cob, the frozen cobs are ok, and some boiled red potatoes. I would also have an Abita beer too, if I could with this meal. Abita beer is sold in New Orleans and barbecued shrimp and Abita beer go so well together.
Bubba Gump Shrimp

November 17
Here is a classic dinner of tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. I love to serve my grilled cheese sandwiches with a side of dill pickle relish.
4B’s Homemade Tomato Soup
Grilled Cheese Sandwich ideas

November 18
Chicken Marsala is a wonderful one dish meal. My suggestion is to purchase some dry Marsala wine and keep on hand for occasions just like this one.
Buca di Beppo Chicken Marsala

November 19
You can start out with a jar of prepared alfredo pasta sauce, and add some additional fresh vegetables, and in no time you can have a dinner that tastes like it came out of the restaurant.
Johnny Carinos’ Bowtie Festival

November 20
Pulled from the Outback Steakhouse menu, this Queensland Chicken and Shrimp is a perfect dish combining the best of grilled chicken and shrimp served over pasta.
Slow Roasted Chipotle Pork
TGI Friday’s Pico de Gallo

November 22
This is one of my favorite dishes from the Olive Garden, your ordinary chicken breast is transformed into something extraordinary by coated the chicken in a bread crumb and Parmesan cheese mixture.
Olive Garden Parmesan Crusted Chicken

November 23
So I normally am starting to gear up for my Thanksgiving cooking, today I will be going to the market, and regretting it entirely. I never learn my lesson. It is an easy dinner for you. Popeye’s Red Beans for dinner.
Popeye’s Red Beans

November 24
Honestly, I don’t really cook this day for my house. It is time to go out, or get a chicken or something. For me Thanksgiving is a large cooking affair, and the day before I am generally not doing a lot of cooking, but if you must, how about some Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana soup.
Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup

November 25 – Thanksgiving
We all have our family traditions. Come back for more details for my suggested Thanksgiving meals. More to come!! I can’t just add a few links for this.

November 26
No cooking for you! Take the day off, point people to the refrigerator, then the microwave, let there be glorious left overs.

November 27
Armstrong’s Turkey Devonshire
Outback Steakhouse Caesar Salad

November 28
Chicken and Pancetta Meatballs
Spaghetti Warehouse Spaghetti with Garlic Butter

November 29
Tonight it’s steak and potatoes, but the potatoes have a twist. These sweet potatoes are turned spicy with the addition of Chipotle peppers. Choose the steak you like best, and prepare it the way you like the most. Enjoy a salad with Houston’s Buttermilk Ranch Dressing.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Chipotle
Braised Chicken in Sun Dried Tomatoes