Today: We figured out the weeknight meal planning so you don't have to.

Making a to-do list—and then crossing the items off—is one of life’s most satisfying pleasures, right up there with cracking the top of a crème brûlée. It's even better when your organization has a solid purpose, like learning how to become a better minimalist or getting your dinners prepared and organized for the week.

So work with us: Make these recipes on Sunday, and you’ll be stocked with both ingredients and ideas for the week ahead. That way, when you’re running around packing your kid’s lunch, the last thing you’ll be worrying about is what’s for dinner tonight, since it'll already be crossed off the list. 

• Extra Tender Meatballs
• Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter
• Cacio e Pepe
• Farro Salad with Mushrooms and Parmesan
• Hearts of Romaine with Bacon, 5-Minute Eggs, and Pesto Dressing
• Asparagus with Spring Garlic Pesto
• Jim Lahey's No-Knead Pizza Dough 

What to do with the Extra Tender Meatballs: On Sunday, combine them with Marcella Hazan’s Tomtato Sauce with Onion and Butter over the Cacio e Pepe. Make a double batch, and you’ll have enough leftover to use in place of the chicken meatballs in Chicken Meatball Subs with Gobs of Fresh Mozzarella on Wednesday. Make mini meatballs, and you could also use them as a topping for pizza, or in lasagna.

When making the Farro Salad with Roasted Mushrooms and Parmesan, make twice (or even three times!) the farro and set the extra aside. You’ll want it for soup and your soul-lifting grain bowl later in the week. Have extra mushrooms on hand for later on, when you’ll want to make this Roasted Mushroom Salad on Wednesday.

Not only is Phyllis Grant’s Hearts of Romaine Salad with Bacon, 5-Minute Eggs, and Pesto Dressing delicious, but it was made for weeknight meal planning. Extra boiled eggs will go a long way for packing lunches, as will extra bacon. And it’s always good to have romaine to throw more salad together later in the week.

 

Now that spring has sprung, stock up on asparagus. Start the week with Asparagus with Spring Garlic Pesto (then use this pesto for your salad on Tuesday and Friday!). Sauté extra asparagus spears and set them aside for your mushroom and asparagus stir-fry later in the week; you can also add them to Thursday’s grain bowl, or make soup.

Since it’s Sunday, make a double batch of pizza dough and stick in the freezer until Thursday. Defrost it overnight, and use up the last of your bacon and the last dribbles of your tomato sauce to make Roberta’s Pizza with Guanciale and Egg. Sunday is also a great day to make yourself a treat for the weekend. Make a batch of cinnamon rolls and stick them in the fridge overnight to proof, and you’ll be set come Monday morning, when all you have to do is pop them in the oven to bake.

 

Your menu, day by day:

Sunday 

• Extra Tender Meatballs
• Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter
• Cacio e Pepe
• Farro Salad with Roasted Mushrooms
• Hearts of Romaine Salad with Bacon, 5-Minute Eggs, and Pesto Dressing
• Asparagus with Spring Garlic Pesto
• Jim Lahey's No-Knead Pizza Dough 
• Classic Cinnamon Roll prep for Monday morning

Monday

• Oyster Sauce Glazed Asparagus and Mushrooms
• Crispy Coconut Kale with Roasted Salmon and Coconut Rice 

Tuesday

• Zuppa di Farro
• Leftover Hearts of Romaine Salad with Bacon, 5-Minute Eggs, and Pesto Dressing

Wednesday 

• Chicken Meatball Subs with Gobs of Fresh Mozzarella
• Roasted Mushroom Salad

 Thursday

• Grain bowl with any leftover elements (asparagus, eggs, mushrooms, pesto, bacon)

Friday

• Roberta’s Pizza with Guanciale and Egg
• Leftover salad

To make your day of cooking just a bit simpler, we’ve written your grocery list for you:

Serves 4 

From the refrigerated and dairy cases:

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
Eggs
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese

From the produce department:

2 onions
2 cloves garlic
1/2 pound wild mushrooms
25 to 30 hearts of Romaine leaves
2 bulbs spring garlic
2 cups basil
3 tablespoons lemon juice (from about 1 or 2 lemons)
1/4 cup parsley, roughly chopped
1 bunch asparagus 

From the meat counter:

1 pound ground chuck
1 pound ground veal
10 slices bacon

From the dry goods, bulk, and international aisles:

1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 cups canned tomatoes, preferably Italian
1 box pasta of your choice
1 cup uncooked farro
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or Champagne vinegar
1/4 cup pine nuts
500 grams all-purpose flour

We assume that you already have a healthy supply of salt, pepper, olive oil, and butter in your pantry. If you don’t, add those to your list.

Photos by James Ransom, Sarah Shatz, Phyllis Grant, Mark Weinberg, fiveandspice, and Izy Hossack.