Autumn Recipes for Family Dinner Nights

Monday: Fig & Rosemary Pork Chops with Sweet Potato Wedges & Baby Broccoli 

Tuesday: ⁠Beef Bourguignon with Mashed Cauliflower 

⁠Wednesday: Roasted Butternut Squash & Apple Soup with Shaved Fennel, Walnut, Arugula & Blue Cheese Salad

Thursday: Thai Coconut Shrimp & Vegetable Curry with Rice Udon

Friday: Date night

Download recipes below:

Autumn Recipes for Family Dinner Nights (Week 25).pdf

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Fig & Rosemary Pork Chops with Sweet Potato Wedges & Baby Broccoli

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 4 bone-in pork chops (about 1 inch thick) (pork loin or pork shoulder would work too)

• 3 tbsp olive oil, divided

• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• ½ cup dried figs, sliced

• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• ½ cup chicken broth

• 2 large sweet potatoes, cut into wedges

• 1 lb baby broccoli (broccolini)

• Salt & pepper to taste

  
  

Directions

1. Roast the potatoes: Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss wedges with 1½ tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast 25–30 minutes, flipping halfway.

2. Cook pork chops: Season chops with salt, pepper, and rosemary. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; sear chops 4–5 minutes per side. Remove and cover.

3. Make fig glaze: Add garlic, figs, balsamic vinegar, and broth to the pan. Simmer until thickened (3–5 minutes). Return pork to the pan, spoon glaze over top.

4. Steam broccolini: Steam or sauté in olive oil 3–4 minutes until bright green.

5. Serve: Plate pork with fig glaze, sweet potatoes, and broccolini.

Beef Bourguignon with Mashed Cauliflower

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1½ lbs stewing beef, cut into 1-inch cubes

• Salt & pepper

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 4 slices bacon, diced

• 1 small yellow onion, chopped

• 2 carrots, sliced

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 1½ cups dry red wine (like Pinot Noir)

• 1 cup beef broth

• 1 bay leaf + 2 thyme sprigs

• 8 oz mushrooms, quartered

• 1 small head cauliflower, chopped

• 2 tbsp butter or olive oil (for mash)

  
  

Directions

1. Brown beef: Pat dry and season. In a Dutch oven, cook bacon until crisp; remove. Brown beef in bacon fat, then remove.

2. Sauté vegetables: Add onion, carrots, and garlic. Cook 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste.

3. Deglaze: Pour in wine; scrape up browned bits. Add broth, herbs, beef, and bacon back in. Cover and simmer 1½–2 hours.

4. Add mushrooms: Add mushrooms during the last 30 minutes.

5. Mash cauliflower: Boil cauliflower 10 minutes, drain, and mash with butter, salt, and pepper.

6. Serve: Spoon beef and sauce over mashed cauliflower.

Roasted Butternut Squash & Apple Soup with Shaved Fennel, Walnut, Arugula & Blue Cheese Salad

Ingredients (serves 4)

For the soup:

• 1 large butternut squash, peeled and cubed

• 2 apples (Honeycrisp or Fuji), cored and chopped

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 3 cups vegetable broth

• ½ cup coconut milk (or cream)

• ½ tsp cinnamon

• Salt & pepper to taste

For the salad:

• 1 fennel bulb, thinly shaved

• 4 cups baby arugula

• ½ cup walnuts, toasted

• ⅓ cup crumbled blue cheese

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 1 tsp honey (optional)

• Salt & pepper

  
  

Directions

1. Roast vegetables: Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss squash, apples, and onion with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast 25–30 minutes.

2. Blend soup: Add roasted mix to a blender with broth, coconut milk, and cinnamon. Blend until smooth. Reheat gently on stove.

3. Make salad: Toss arugula, fennel, walnuts, and blue cheese with olive oil, vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper.

4. Serve: Ladle soup into bowls and serve with salad on the side.

Thai Coconut Shrimp & Vegetable Curry with Rice Udon

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 lb large shrimp, peeled & deveined (could use chicken as well)

• 1 tbsp coconut oil

• 1 tbsp red curry paste

• 1 can (14 oz) coconut milk

• ½ cup vegetable broth

• 1 tbsp fish sauce (or tamari for vegan)

• 1 tsp coconut sugar or honey

• 1 red bell pepper, sliced

• 1 small zucchini, sliced

• 1 cup snap peas

• 1 lime (juice + zest)

• 2 tbsp fresh basil or cilantro, chopped

• 8 oz rice udon noodles

  
  

Directions

1. Cook noodles: Boil rice udon per package, drain, and set aside.

2. Make curry base: In a large skillet, heat coconut oil. Add curry paste and cook 1 minute until fragrant.

3. Add liquids: Stir in coconut milk, broth, fish sauce, and sugar. Simmer 3 minutes.

4. Add vegetables: Add bell pepper, zucchini, and snap peas; simmer until tender, 5 minutes.

5. Add shrimp: Add shrimp and cook 2–3 minutes until pink. Stir in lime juice and basil.

6. Serve: Spoon curry over rice udon.

Shopping List

Produce

• 2 large sweet potatoes

• 1 lb baby broccoli (broccolini)

• 1 small head of cauliflower

• 1 large butternut squash

• 2 apples (Honeycrisp or Fuji)

• 1 fennel bulb

• 4 cups baby arugula

• 2 carrots

• 1 small yellow onion + 1 small onion

• 2 garlic bulbs (6–8 cloves total)

• 1 red bell pepper

• 1 zucchini

• 1 cup snap peas

• 1 lime

• Fresh rosemary, thyme, basil, or cilantro

  
  

Meat & Seafood

• 4 pork chops (bone-in, 1 inch thick)

• 1½ lbs stewing beef

• 4 slices bacon

• 1 lb large shrimp

  
  

Pantry

• Olive oil

• Coconut oil

• Balsamic vinegar

• Apple cider vinegar

• Tomato paste

• Red curry paste

• Fish sauce or tamari

• Coconut sugar or honey

• Dried figs (½ cup)

• Chicken broth (1 qt)

• Beef broth (1 qt)

• Vegetable broth (1 qt)

• Rice udon noodles (8 oz)

  
  

Dairy & Refrigerated

• Butter or olive oil (for mash)

• Blue cheese (⅓ cup crumbled)

• Coconut milk (2 cans or 1 can + ½ cup for soup)

  
  

Dry Goods

• Walnuts (½ cup)

• Bay leaf

• Salt & pepper

• Cinnamon

• Red wine (Pinot Noir preferred)

  
  

Meal-prep friendly version of the same menu, organized by cook-ahead, freeze, and store instructions, so you can prep smartly while keeping everything fresh and flavorful for the week.

1. Fig & Rosemary Pork Chops with Sweet Potato Wedges & Baby Broccoli

Meal-Prep Notes

• Make ahead: You can cook the fig glaze and roast the sweet potatoes 2–3 days in advance. Store in airtight containers in the fridge.

• Do last minute: Sear the pork chops just before serving to keep them juicy. Steam or sauté the broccolini fresh—it only takes 5 minutes.

• Storage:

  • Pork chops & glaze: 3–4 days (fridge)

  • Sweet potatoes: 4 days (fridge)

  • Broccolini: 2 days (fridge)

    
    

• Freezer option: The fig glaze freezes beautifully. Store in a small jar up to 3 months.

Reheat Tips

Reheat the pork gently in a skillet with a splash of broth to prevent it from drying. Crisp sweet potatoes in the oven or air fryer.

2. Beef Bourguignon with Mashed Cauliflower

Meal-Prep Notes

• Make ahead: This dish actually tastes better the next day—great for Sunday cooking.

• Storage:

  • Beef bourguignon: 4–5 days (fridge) or up to 3 months (freezer).

  • Mashed cauliflower: 3 days (fridge) or 1 month (freezer).

• Freezer tip: Freeze in individual containers for easy thaw-and-heat meals.

Reheat Tips

Reheat slowly on the stove or in the microwave, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of broth if thickened.

3. Roasted Butternut Squash & Apple Soup with Shaved Fennel, Walnut, Arugula & Blue Cheese Salad

Meal-Prep Notes

• Make ahead: Roast and blend the soup up to 5 days in advance. It also freezes beautifully.

• Storage:

  • Soup: 5 days (fridge) or 3 months (freezer).

  • Salad: Keep ingredients separate; dress just before serving.

• Freezer tip: Store soup in freezer-safe glass jars or silicone bags—leave an inch of space for expansion.

  
  

Reheat Tips

Warm soup on the stovetop over medium heat, adding a splash of broth if it thickens.Toss the salad fresh with olive oil and vinegar right before serving.

4. Thai Coconut Shrimp & Vegetable Curry with Rice Udon

Meal-Prep Notes

• Make ahead: Prepare the curry base (sauce + vegetables) up to 3 days ahead.

• Do last minute: Add shrimp fresh right before serving—they cook in just 3 minutes.

• Storage:

  • Curry sauce & veggies: 3 days (fridge)

  • Cooked shrimp: 2 days (fridge)

  • Rice udon: 3 days (fridge, toss with oil to prevent sticking)

• Freezer tip: Freeze only the curry base without shrimp for 2–3 months.

  
  

Reheat Tips

Reheat the curry base over low heat, and add shrimp at the end. Refresh noodles by dipping briefly in hot water before serving.