This installment of College Student Meals features a menu of meals from a post I published a while ago. It was extremely popular on Pinterest and the recipes are true favorites.
For the meals this week, I thought it would be a nice idea to make a meatloaf on Monday. Meatloaf…you say? You’re not a big fan? No worries, this meatloaf recipe is a variation of Paula Deen’s Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf. Paula Deen is all about comfort foods and I can tell you with conviction that you will love this meatloaf. It’s packed with lots of crispy bacon and plenty of creamy cheddar cheese. My kids love when I make it at home and I’m sure you will too! Make it on a Monday and you’ve got fabulous leftovers for the next two days.
Monday
Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf – Recipe from Paula Deen
* You will need to use a loaf pan or an 8×8 square baking pan
Ingredients
1 pound ground chuck
10 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 (8-ounce) package sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
Directions
Click here to see the full recipe and directions.
Tuesday
Meatloaf Po-Boy
Ingredients
2-3 slices of the meatloaf
mayonnaise
ketchup
lettuce
tomato
french bread or rolls
Directions
Spread the mayonnaise and ketchup on each slice of the bread. Heat the slices of meatloaf and place them on the bread. Top with lettuce and tomato. Serve with a spinach salad.
Wednesday
Pasta with Meat sauce
Ingredients
8 ounces of penne pasta (or choose your favorite type of pasta) – This recipe calls for 8-ounces, but go ahead and make the entire package and reserve the other half for a meal later in the week.
1/2 jar of spaghetti sauce
2-3 slices of meatloaf, cut into cubes
parmesan cheese
Directions
Prepare the pasta according to package directions. You will only use half of the pasta for this recipe. (Reserve the remaining pasta for later in the week.)
Heat the sauce in a medium saucepan set to medium high heat. Add the meatloaf and cook until heated through.
Pour the meat sauce over the pasta and top with Parmesan cheese
Thursday
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burritos
Ingredients
1 sweet potato, cooked or 1 can of sweet potatoes, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
Directions
In a large skillet on medium high heat add the tablespoon of olive oil. Add the chopped onion and saute for two minutes. Toss in the garlic powder, cumin and coriander to the pan and stir well. Add the black beans and chopped sweet potatoes. Stir until well mixed. Remove from heat.
Scoop the sweet potato and black bean combination into two heated tortillas. Top with fresh spinach and cheese, if desired.
* The Cilantro-Yogurt Sauce is an optional topping. If you’d like the recipe and directions to make it, they can be found here.
Friday
Creamy Pasta with Spinach and Tomatoes
Ingredients
8 ounces of penne pasta
1/2 jar of spaghetti sauce (use the remaining sauce from the other night)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3 ounces cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup spinach leaves
Directions
Heat a large skillet on medium high heat. Pour in the entire can of the diced tomatoes. Add the garlic powder and basil. Stir in the cream cheese and the cheddar cheese and stir until cheeses are melted. Add in the pasta and heat through. Remove from the heat and stir in the spinach leaves. Pour into a bowl and top with parmesan cheese.
You might also be interested in these weekly menus:
Ten Easy Breakfast Recipes For Busy College Students
Meal For College Students – Meatball Chili and Sub Week
Meals For College Students – Roasted Chicken Week
Meals For College Students – Tacos and Stir Fry Week
Meals For College Students – Fettuccine Alfredo and Chicken Week
Meals For College Students – Mini Pizza Week
Meals For College Students – Pasta and Chili Week
*TIP OF THE WEEK: If you decide to bake a sweet potato for the burritos, they’re quite easy to make. Since sweet potatoes are good for you and loaded with lots of fiber, you might even want to bake up a few sweet potatoes at a time and keep them in your refrigerator to eat for lunch during the week. Here’s how to bake sweet potatoes:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Scrub the sweet potatoes and prick each sweet potato several times with the tines of a fork. Rub a little butter all over each sweet potato. Place the sweet potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Bake the potatoes until tender, about 45 minutes.