A Full Week of Meals + A Shopping List

Cook once and eat all week! Breakfast biscuits, peach oat bars, butternut vodka sauce rigatoni, and more.

Since fall is apparently less of a season and more of a state of mind, we’re deciding to lean into it a bit more this week. Not so much that I’m packing pumpkin spice into these dishes, but we are charring poblanos, roasting some butternut squash, and eating a hearty one-pan crispy chicken and potato dish. As much as I’d love to step into soups and all that, it’s still pretty damn close to 100 degrees here in Austin and no matter how hard I try, I just can’t pretend otherwise.

If you only make one thing, allow me to suggest the breakfast bites. The poblano flavor is just too good to pass up.

A quick note: Y’all have had me in the top 10 rising food Substack accounts all week long. I’m so grateful for that, as well as all of the messages telling me how impactful these plans have been to your week. I’d love to keep this momentum up, and would greatly appreciate it if you’d share these with a friend if you find them helpful, or consider a paid subscription. Ok, plug over.

---

---

This Week’s Lineup

• Breakfast - Loaded Poblano Breakfast Biscuits with Honey Butter (my favorite)

• Snack - Brown Butter Peach Oat Bars

• Lunch - Apple Cheddar & Thyme Chicken Salad

• Dinner - Butternut Squash Vodka Rigatoni with Sausage

• Dinner - Crispy Chicken Thighs with Garlic-Sage Potatoes

---

Order of Operations

If you’re planning on making all of these in an afternoon, which is kind of the whole entire point, here’s the most optimal order to minimize your time in the kitchen. These are general, high-level instructions; more detailed steps are further down.

1. Get the oven hot + produce moving

• Heat the oven to 425°F. Char the poblano first, then cover it to steam.

• Wash and prep the squash, peaches, apple, celery, green onions, onions, garlic, potatoes, thyme and sage.

• Roast squash.

• Peel/seed/dice the poblano once it has steamed.

2. Cook the proteins that need time to cool

• Brown 8 oz breakfast sausage for the biscuits; set aside to cool.

• Cook (I baked, since the oven was available) the chicken for the chicken salad; set aside to cool.

• Soft-scramble the 5 eggs for the biscuits and spread them on a plate so they cool quickly. Don’t overcook them or the texture will be buns, which means bad.

3. Make the oat bars

• Drop the oven to 350°F.

• Brown 6 tbsp butter, mix the peach oat batter, top with sliced peaches and turbinado sugar, then bake 35 to 40 minutes.

• Cool the bars before packing away for storage.

4. Build the chicken salad while the oats bake

• Whisk the yogurt-mayo-Dijon dressing with vinegar, honey and thyme.

• Dice the cooled chicken, apple, celery and cheddar; fold everything together with green onion and toasted pecans.

• Refrigerate. Keep the crackers separate until serving.

5. Assemble + bake the biscuits

• Raise the oven back up to 425°F.

• Mix the biscuit dough, folding in cooled sausage, poblano, cheddar, green onion and chunks of soft-scrambled egg.

• Scoop into 12 to 15 biscuits and bake 18 to 22 minutes. Mix the honey butter while they bake.

6. Make the rigatoni

• Brown the Italian sausage, then cook onion, garlic, red pepper flakes and tomato paste.

• Deglaze with water (or red wine vinegar or chicken stock), then add squash and blend.

• Finish with cream, Parmesan and butter. Add cooked pasta. Crisp sage separately and add it at the end.

7. Finish with the chicken + potatoes

• Keep the oven at 425°F.

• Render the chicken thighs skin-side down in the oven or over a burner, brown the potatoes in the chicken fat, then add garlic and sage.

• Add the Dijon-lemon stock around the potatoes, return chicken skin-side up and roast 25 to 35 minutes.

• Finish the potatoes with butter and lemon.

---

Loaded Poblano Breakfast Biscuits with Honey Butter

MAKES 8 large biscuits | TAKES about 50 minutes

A full breakfast baked directly into a biscuit: sausage, soft egg, sharp cheddar and roasted poblano, with honey butter because… why not?

Ingredients

• 8 oz breakfast sausage

• 5 large eggs

• 1 poblano pepper

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tbsp baking powder

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

• 8 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed

• 1 cup sharp cheddar, shredded

• 2 tbsp green onion, sliced

• 3/4 to 1 cup cold buttermilk

• Black pepper

• 4 tbsp salted butter, softened

• 2 tbsp honey

• Pinch flaky salt

Instructions

1. Roast the poblano over a flame or under the broiler until charred. Cover for 5 to 10 minutes, then peel, seed and dice.

2. Brown the sausage, breaking it into small pieces. Transfer to a plate and cool.

3. Whisk the eggs with salt and pepper and soft-scramble them. Pull them while they’re still slightly underdone. Cool, then break into bite-size chunks.

4. Heat the oven to 425°F. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and garlic powder. Cut in the cold butter with a fork, or even your hands, until pea-size pieces remain.

5. Toss in the cheddar, poblano, sausage and green onion. Gently fold in the egg.

6. Add 3/4 cup buttermilk and fold until a shaggy dough forms, adding a little more only if needed.

7. Scoop into 12 to 15 biscuits, using an ice cream scoop. I like to put a little more cheese on top. Bake 18 to 22 minutes, until they puff up a bit and are deeply golden.

8. Mix the softened salted butter, honey and flaky salt. Serve with the warm biscuits.

MAKE AHEAD: Refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in a 325°F oven or air fryer until warmed through. Keep the honey butter refrigerated separately.

---

Brown Butter Peach Oat Bars

MAKES 9 to 12 bars | TAKES about 50 minutes

Brown butter and ripe peaches make baked oatmeal feel a bit fancier. We eat a lot of oats in my house, if you can’t tell. Same oats, different shape.

Ingredients

• 6 tbsp unsalted butter

• 2 cups old-fashioned oats

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

• 2 large eggs

• 1 1/4 cups milk

• 1/3 cup maple syrup

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• Zest of 1 lemon

• 2 to 3 ripe peaches

• 2 tbsp turbinado sugar

• Warmed peach preserves, optional

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease or line a mini loaf pan or an 8-inch square baking pan.I tested this recipe in a mini loaf pan, and they do look adorable.

2. Brown the butter over medium heat until the milk solids are deeply golden and smell nutty. Let cool slightly.

3. Dice enough peach for about 1 1/2 cups. Thinly slice the remaining peach for the top.

4. Mix the oats, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

5. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, maple syrup, vanilla, lemon zest and browned butter.

6. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, then fold in the diced peaches. Let sit for ten minutes. The consistency should resemble a thin pancake batter. Add a bit more oats if needed.

7. Pour into the prepared mini loaf pan, cupcake tin, or standard pan. Arrange the peach slices over the top and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.

8. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until set in the center and golden around the edges. Cool before cutting.

MAKE AHEAD: Refrigerate for up to 5 days. Eat cold, room temperature or reheat briefly in the microwave and drizzle it with syrup (my fav). These also freeze well individually wrapped.

---

Apple Cheddar & Thyme Chicken Salad

MAKES 4 to 6 servings | TAKES about 35 minutes

Crunchy apple, sharp cheddar, toasted pecans and thyme make this chicken salad feel highly appropriate for fall. The kids like to take this with crackers, but I’m more of a sandwich guy.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (thighs would work too)

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• Kosher salt and black pepper

• 1 large crisp apple, diced

• 2 celery ribs, finely diced

• 3 green onions, sliced

• 3/4 cup extra-sharp cheddar, cut into small cubes

• 1/3 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

• 1 1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves

• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise

• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 1 to 2 tsp honey

• Crackers, for serving

Instructions

1. Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper. Pan sear in olive oil or bake at 425°F until cooked through, then cool completely and chop.

2. Whisk the Greek yogurt, mayo, Dijon, vinegar, honey and thyme. Season with salt and plenty of black pepper.

3. Add the chicken, apple, celery, green onion, cheddar and pecans.

4. Fold everything together until evenly coated. Taste and adjust the salt, vinegar or honey as needed.

5. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving with crackers or making a sandwich.

MAKE AHEAD: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. If serving with crackers, keep them separate or I assure you they will be nasty. If packing for lunch, assemble and wrap sandwiches the morning before.

---

Butternut Squash Vodka Rigatoni with Sausage

MAKES 6 servings | TAKES about 40 minutes

This is a fun one. Sweet butternut squash and spicy-ish sausage turn into a creamy rigatoni with a fresh fall twist. No vodka necessary, unless you’re having that kind of day.

Ingredients

• 1 lb mild Italian sausage

• 1 small yellow onion, diced

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 2 cups butternut squash purée (or 1 butternut squash, halved and roasted)

• 1 lb rigatoni (or literally any other small pasta, I actually used mafaldini)

• 1 cup chicken stock

• 1/2 cup heavy cream

• 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan

• 2 tbsp butter

• 8 to 10 fresh sage leaves

• Kosher salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. If you’re making this with fresh butternut squash, half it, scoop out the seeds, and roast it at 425°F until it’s soft. If you’re using canned puree, you can obviously skip this.

2. Start cooking your pasta according to package instructions.

3. Brown the sausage in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, breaking it into craggy pieces. Remove from pan and save about one-third for topping.

4. Add the onion and cook 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes and tomato paste and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until the paste darkens.

5. Add 1 cup of chicken stock and scrape up the browned bits. Simmer for a minute.

6. Stir in the squash purée (if you’re using fresh, roasted squash, you’ll want to blend it with a standard or immersion blender). If too thin, just simmer a bit to thicken.

7. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cream, Parmesan and butter. Season with salt and plenty of black pepper. Add in cooked pasta.

8. Crisp the sage separately in a little butter or oil.

9. Finish with the reserved sausage, crispy sage, more Parmesan and black pepper.

MAKE AHEAD: Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat gently with a splash of stock or water to loosen the sauce.

ANOTHER FUN TWIST: As I was putting this together, I realized it would’ve also made a great soup if I added more chicken stock. Consider that.

---

Crispy Chicken Thighs with Garlic-Sage Potatoes

MAKES 4 to 6 servings | TAKES about 55 minutes

Crispy chicken skin, potatoes browned in chicken fat and garlicky, lemony pan juices. Don’t overthink it.

Ingredients

• 6-8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

• 2 lb baby Yukon Gold potatoes, halved (you’ll notice I didn’t half mine, and I wish I did)

• 6 garlic cloves, smashed

• 8 to 10 fresh sage leaves

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• Kosher salt and black pepper

• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

• 1/2 cup chicken stock

• 1 lemon

• 2 tbsp butter

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Pat the chicken very dry and season generously with salt, pepper and garlic powder.

2. Place the thighs skin-side down in a cold oven-safe skillet, then slide in the oven. Cook 8 to 12 minutes, until the fat has rendered and the skin is deeply golden.

3. Remove the chicken from the pan. Add the potatoes cut-side down to the rendered fat. Add the smashed garlic and sage.

4. Whisk the Dijon, chicken stock and juice of half the lemon. Pour it around the potatoes.

5. Nestle the chicken back into the skillet skin-side up, keeping the skin above the liquid. We want the potatoes to simmer in the liquid, and the chicken to be raised above them so it gets crispy.

6. Roast 30 to 35 minutes in the oven, until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are tender.

7. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Stir the butter into the potatoes and pan juices and finish with more lemon, salt and pepper as needed. Return the chicken to the skillet and serve.

MAKE AHEAD: Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat the chicken uncovered in a 375°F oven or air fryer to bring the skin back.

---

Shopping List

Produce

• 1-2 poblano peppers

• 3 ripe peaches

• 2 crisp apples (1 for the salad, 1 extra for serving if you want it)

• 1 bunch celery

• 1 bunch green onions

• 1 small yellow onion

• 2 heads garlic

• 2 lemons

• 1 bunch fresh thyme

• 1 bunch fresh sage

• 2 lb baby Yukon Gold potatoes

• 2 cups butternut squash purée (or 1 medium butternut squash)

Meat

• 8 oz breakfast sausage

• 1 lb mild Italian sausage

• 1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts

• 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

Dairy + cold stuff

• 1 dozen large eggs

• 1 quart buttermilk

• 1 quart milk

• 1 lb unsalted butter

• 1 small package salted butter, or use the butter you have and add salt

• 8 oz sharp cheddar

• 8 oz extra-sharp cheddar

• 1 small container plain Greek yogurt

• 1 pint heavy cream

• 6 to 8 oz Parmesan

Bread, pasta + grains

• Old-fashioned oats

• 1 lb rigatoni

• 1 box sturdy crackers or bread for sandwiches (for chicken salad)

Condiments + baking

• All-purpose flour

• Baking powder

• Maple syrup

• Honey

• Vanilla extract

• Turbinado sugar

• Peach preserves, optional

• Mayonnaise

• Dijon mustard

• Apple cider vinegar

• Tomato paste

• Chicken stock — 2 quarts

• Olive oil

• Pecans

Seasonings

• Kosher salt

• Black pepper

• Garlic powder

• Ground cinnamon

• Red pepper flakes

• Flaky salt, optional

  ---

What I’ve Been Into

Reading: How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan, and a bunch of random Substacks.

Listening: A small band called Armlock that should be way bigger.

Watching: NFL! Football is back. If you don’t care about football, you should at least care about the gameday snacks. I’m going to the UT v Ohio State game on Saturday as well.

Doing: I rode my bike 100 miles on Wednesday. Why? I have no idea.

I also baked an incredible blueberry galette. Let me know if you want that recipe!

---

In the comments, tell me what you’re making first. If you found this helpful, pass along to a friend or consider becoming a paid subscriber.

Have a good weekend!

-Tim