Heinen's meal plan this week: 5 dinners from the weekly ad

Ingredients

• 4 medium sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds), scrubbed and halved lengthwise
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 1 pound 85% lean ground beef
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 12 ounces Brussels sprouts, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika and 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 ounces pepper Jack cheese, shredded

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Rub the cut sides of the sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon oil and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place them cut-side down on a rimmed sheet pan and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until a paring knife slides easily through the centers.
2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add the ground beef and onion. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking up the meat, until the onion is softened and the beef reaches 160°F in the thickest part.
3. Stir in the Brussels sprouts, garlic, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, smoked paprika, and oregano. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until the sprouts are bright green and beginning to soften.
4. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and water. Bring the mixture to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits, then cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the tomatoes soften and the juices thicken into a light sauce. Taste and add salt or pepper if needed.
5. When the sweet potatoes are tender, turn them cut-side up and use a fork to loosen the flesh slightly. Divide the beef mixture among the potato halves and top with the pepper Jack. Return the pan to the oven for 3 to 4 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
6. Let the stuffed sweet potatoes stand for 5 minutes before serving so the filling settles and the potatoes are easier to handle.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed if using links
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, with their juices
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded
• 1 small crusty loaf, sliced for serving

Steps

1. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large deep skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it into bite-size pieces, for 7 to 9 minutes, until browned with no pink remaining and the center of several pieces reaches 160°F. Transfer the sausage to a plate with a slotted spoon.
2. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, carrots and parsnips to the pot and cook for 6 minutes, stirring often, until the onion has softened and the vegetables have picked up some browned bits from the pan.
3. Stir in the garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. Cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
4. Add the tomatoes with their juices, chicken broth and cannellini beans. Bring the liquid to a steady simmer over medium-high heat, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
5. Return the sausage and any accumulated juices to the pot. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 18 to 22 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the carrots and parsnips are tender when pierced with a fork and the sausage is again at least 160°F.
6. Taste the braise and add salt if needed. Scatter the pepper jack evenly over the top, cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Let stand uncovered for 2 minutes, then spoon into bowls and serve with crusty bread.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, patted dry
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, divided
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 medium delicata squash (about 1 pound), seeded and cut into 1/2-inch half-moons
• 1 cup yellow polenta
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup water, divided
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 4 ounces Muenster cheese, shredded
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 large shallot, finely chopped
• 8 ounces fresh cranberries
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Steps

1. Prep the squash, shallot and cranberries, and shred the cheese; this should take about 10 minutes. Season the chicken all over with 1 teaspoon of the salt, the pepper and the thyme.
2. Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat, 6 to 8 minutes. Whisk in the polenta in a slow stream, reduce the heat to low and cook for 22 to 25 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until thick and the grains are tender.
3. While the polenta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the delicata squash in an even layer, season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook for 4 minutes without moving it. Turn the pieces, cook for 4 minutes more, then add 2 tablespoons water, cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the squash is fork-tender. Transfer to a plate.
4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes per side, until browned and the thickest pieces reach 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. Transfer the chicken to a clean plate.
5. Reduce the skillet heat to medium. Add the shallot and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Add the cranberries, maple syrup, vinegar, remaining 6 tablespoons water and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring and pressing some berries with a spoon, until most cranberries have burst and the sauce is glossy. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet for 1 to 2 minutes to coat.
6. Stir the evaporated milk, Muenster and butter into the finished polenta for 1 to 2 minutes, until smooth and melted. Spoon the polenta into shallow bowls, then top with the squash, chicken and cranberry sauce. Serve right away.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 pounds Grilled Herb Chicken Breast, cut or torn into bite-size pieces
• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn
• 4 ounces hot pepper Jack cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 cups tortilla chips, lightly crushed

Steps

1. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or other heavy soup pot over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and the onion is translucent.
2. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt and black pepper. Stir constantly for 30 seconds, until the spices smell fragrant.
3. Whisk in the pumpkin puree and chicken broth until smooth. Bring the soup to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, about 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot as it heats.
4. Stir in the black beans, chicken and corn. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the corn is hot and the chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest pieces.
5. Taste the soup and add more salt or black pepper if needed. If it has thickened more than you like, stir in 1/2 cup hot water or additional broth and simmer for 2 minutes.
6. Ladle the soup into bowls. Top each serving with shredded pepper Jack, a spoonful of Greek yogurt and crushed tortilla chips. Serve while the cheese is beginning to melt.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds beef stew meat, chilled for 15 minutes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 large head broccoli, cut into bite-size florets (about 12 ounces)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 2 firm pears, cored and thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 4 ounces pepper Jack cheese, sliced
• 4 hamburger buns, split

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Toss the broccoli with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 18 to 22 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until browned at the edges and tender when pierced with a fork.
2. While the broccoli roasts, trim away any firm pieces of gristle from the chilled stew meat. Working in 2 batches, pulse the meat in a food processor in 1-second bursts, 10 to 12 times per batch, until it resembles coarse ground beef; do not process it into a paste.
3. Transfer the chopped beef to a bowl and gently mix with 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper. Divide into 4 portions and loosely shape into patties about 3/4 inch thick. Press a shallow dent in the center of each patty so it stays flat in the skillet.
4. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until softened and golden. Add the pears and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until just tender. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds, then add the vinegar and cook for 1 minute. Scrape the pear-onion relish into a bowl.
5. Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Cook the beef patties for 4 to 5 minutes on the first side, then flip and cook for 3 to 5 minutes more, until browned and the centers reach 160°F on an instant-read thermometer. Top each patty with pepper Jack during the last 1 minute and cover the skillet until melted.
6. Toast the buns cut-side down in the warm skillet for 1 to 2 minutes. Fill each bun with a cheesy beef patty and a generous spoonful of pear-onion relish. Serve with the roasted broccoli.