This week we’ve got breakfast without hitting the drive-through and dinner without starting from scratch. We’re talking Starbucks-style egg bites, pumpkin cream cheese muffins, a bright pesto pasta salad, slow-braised beef ragu, and chicken pot pie with cheddar biscuits.
Plan about 4-5 hours in total if you make everything in one afternoon, but you can easily break this into two cooks and still make your week significantly easier. Some longer cooks in here compared to previous weeks but the reward is well worth it!
This Week’s Lineup
This week, we’re making:
Breakfast - Bacon and Gruyere Egg Bites
Breakfast/Snack - Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Lunch - Chicken Pesto Caprese Pasta Salad
Dinner - Slow-Braised Beef Ragu with Pappardelle
Dinner - Cheddar Biscuit Chicken Pot Pie
Shopping List
Quantities cover all five recipes. Pantry staples are separated so you can check the cabinet before buying stuff you don’t need.
Produce
3 large yellow onions
4 medium carrots
3 celery ribs
1 head garlic
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 large bunches fresh basil
2 lemons
1 small bunch fresh thyme (dried is fine too)
1 small sprig fresh rosemary (again, dried is ok)
Meat and Poultry
12 ounces thick cut bacon
3 pounds boneless beef chuck roast
4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts (half for pasta salad, other half for pot pie)
Dairy and Eggs
18 count large eggs
16 ounces cottage cheese
4 ounces Gruyere (I like to shred all cheese myself. Preshredded has anti-caking powders that don’t melt as well)
4 ounces Monterey Jack, shredded
8 ounces sharp cheddar
8 ounces Parmesan block
8 ounces mozzarella pearls
8 ounces cream cheese
1 quart whole milk (you’ll only use like a cup, so just buy accordingly)
1 pint buttermilk
1 small carton heavy cream
1 pound butter
Cans, Jars, and Freezer
15 ounces pumpkin puree (pumpkin, not pie filling)
28 ounces crushed tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
1 carton beef broth, 8 ounces used
1 carton chicken broth, 32 ounces
1 small bag frozen peas
Dry Goods
1 pound rotini or fusilli
1 pound pappardelle
All-purpose flour, about 4½ cups total
Light brown sugar, 1 cup total
Granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons
Powdered sugar, optional if you prefer it in the muffin filling
Walnuts or pine nuts, ⅓ cup for pesto
Pantry Check
Extra-virgin olive oil (about ¾ cup total, plus more as needed)
Neutral oil, ½ cup plus oil for searing chicken
Cornstarch, 1 tablespoon
Baking powder, 1 tablespoon plus ½ teaspoon
Baking soda, 1¼ teaspoons
Vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons
Pumpkin pie spice, 1½ teaspoons
Ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon
Kosher salt and black pepper
Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon
Dry red wine, 1 cup (or replace with beef broth)
Bay leaves, 2
Balsamic glaze, optional for serving
Order of Operations
If you’re planning on making all of these in an afternoon, which is kind of the whole entire point, (but not required!) 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.
Set up and start the beef Chop the vegetables (medium dice onions, carrots, celery, and mince all garlic) and grate the cheeses. Sear the chuck in a Dutch oven or Instant Pot, build the sauce and simmer covered on the stovetop for 3 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally. If you’re using an Instant Pot or pressure cooker, cook on high for 75 minutes and natural release. Heat the oven to 350°F.
Bake the pumpkin muffins Mix the muffin batter and cream cheese filling, add streusel and bake 22 to 27 minutes. While they bake, crisp the bacon and set out the egg-bite pans or muffin tins.
Bake the egg bites Lower the oven to 300°F. Blend the egg mixture, fill the bacon-lined molds and bake over a separate tray of hot water for 25 to 35 minutes, until the centers are just set. This is similar to the classic method of how chefs make souffles, because it steams and prevents the eggs from getting too hot.
Cook the chicken and pasta While the bites bake, cook chicken for pasta salad and pot pie to 165°F and boil the pasta until al dente. Cool both promptly and blend the pesto.
Assemble the pasta salad Toss cool pasta and 2 lbs chicken with pesto and mozzarella. Portion six lunches; pack tomatoes, basil and balsamic glaze separately.
Make the pot pie filling Sauté the vegetables, add flour and liquids, then simmer until thick. Fold in remaining 2 lbs chicken and peas; keep the filling hot for baking.
Bake the cheddar biscuit topping Raise the oven to 425°F. Mix biscuit dough and spoon over the hot filling and bake 22 to 27 minutes, until biscuits are cooked through and the filling bubbles.
Finish the ragu and pasta Shred the fork-tender chuck and reduce the sauce if needed. Cook pappardelle for tonight; keep remaining ragu separate and pack everything promptly.
Cool and portion Cool in shallow containers; refrigerate within 2 hours. The smaller the container, the faster they will chill in the fridge which is great for food safety. Freeze later-week portions of everything, if you want, except the pasta salad.
Before You Start
Clear a refrigerator shelf and label your containers. I’ve been using these for glass and these for situations when the kids need something disposable and compostable.
You need two 12-cup silicone molds or muffin tins for the egg bites (or bake in batches), a lined muffin tin for the muffins, a Dutch oven, one large skillet and a 9 by 13 inch baking dish.
The ragu simmers on the stovetop (or in a pressure cooker) so the oven is free for muffins, egg bites and biscuits. If your Dutch oven is in the oven, you may have to modify the timeline.
Refrigerate cooked food in shallow containers within 2 hours; freeze portions you will not eat within 4 days. Save fresh biscuits for baking or crisping on the day you eat them.
What to Freeze
Freeze 12 to 16 egg bites in two-bite portions for breakfasts beyond day four. Let them cool before sealing; reheat until hot throughout. Two bites wrapped in a paper towel for 40 seconds in the microwave was perfect for us.
Freeze at least six cooled muffins individually if you don’t think your household will rip through them all in the week.
Do not freeze the assembled pasta salad. The mozzarella survives, but the tomatoes and basil will not.
Freeze ragu by itself. Fresh pappardelle cooks in minutes and reheated pasta is not always the best. If freezing, store separate. If just holding in fridge, it’ll be fine combined together.
Freeze extra pot pie filling without biscuits. Add freshly mixed biscuits when you bake it later.
Easy Swaps
Egg bites - Replace the bacon with chopped cooked ham or sautéed mushrooms. Keep the Gruyère; that is the point, but another cheese will work fine too.
Muffins - Swap half the streusel for chopped pecans or skip the cream cheese filling if you want fewer steps (and dishes).
Pasta salad - Use store-bought pesto if you need to. Add a squeeze of lemon and extra Parmesan so it actually tastes bright and punchy.
Ragu - Skip the red wine and use extra beef broth plus 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar for a little acidity.
Pot pie - A rotisserie chicken saves time, and probably even money. Fold about 4 cups chopped cooked chicken into the finished sauce.
Bacon and Gruyère Egg Bites
The breakfast you normally order in an app and buy two at a time, except we’re making twenty-four and skipping the drive through.
YIELD
24 bites
ACTIVE AND TOTAL
20 minutes, 50–60 minutes
FREEZER
Excellent
Ingredients
12 large eggs
1½ cups full-fat cottage cheese
1 cup shredded Gruyère
½ cup shredded Monterey Jack
10 slices bacon, cooked crisp and finely chopped
1 tablespoon cornstarch
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Butter or nonstick spray for the silicone molds or muffin tins
Method
Heat the oven - Heat the oven to 300°F. Set a baking dish or sheet pan of very hot water on the bottom rack. This creates a gentler oven environment; it is not a submerged sous vide bath.
Prepare the molds - Grease two 12-cup silicone muffin pans well. You can also use metal ones, but make sure to oil them well. Divide the chopped bacon evenly among the 24 wells.
Blend the filling - Blend the eggs, cottage cheese, Gruyère, Monterey Jack, cornstarch, salt and pepper until completely smooth, about 30 seconds.
Fill and bake - Divide the mixture evenly among the wells, leaving a little room at the top. Bake 25 to 35 minutes, until the centers are just set and an instant-read thermometer registers 160°F. If your oven fits only one pan, bake in two rounds.
Rest and release - Rest 5 to 10 minutes before lifting the bites from the molds. Their centers should be tender, not rubbery. Let cool promptly before storing.
Storage and Reheating
Store Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze individual cooled portions up to 2 months for best texture.
Reheat Microwave two refrigerated bites in short 15-second bursts until hot throughout. I found ours needed about 40 seconds total. Thaw frozen bites overnight for the gentlest reheat.
Make it work Use regular-size silicone muffin wells for 24 small bites. If you use a larger egg-bite mold, the batch will make fewer pieces and need a longer bake. Blend the cottage cheese completely smooth.
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Soft pumpkin muffins with a little cheesecake in the middle and cinnamon streusel on top. Could it be a dessert too? Yeah, probably.
YIELD
12 muffins
ACTIVE AND TOTAL
20 minutes, 50 minutes
FREEZER
Excellent
Ingredients
Pumpkin Muffins
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling
2 large eggs
½ cup neutral oil
¼ cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Cream Cheese Filling
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Cinnamon Streusel
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
Method
Prepare - Heat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease it very well.
Mix the batter - Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin spice and salt. In another bowl, whisk brown sugar, pumpkin, eggs, oil, milk and vanilla. Fold wet into dry just until the flour disappears. Don’t overmix it please.
Make the filling - Beat cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk and vanilla until smooth. In another bowl, pinch flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and cold butter together until crumbly.
Fill the cups - Divide about two thirds of the pumpkin batter among the liners. Spoon roughly 1 tablespoon cream cheese filling into each center. You’ll notice I didn’t reserve enough pumpkin batter, so mine kind of sat on top of the muffin. Still worked. Cover with the remaining batter and scatter streusel on top.
Bake and cool - Bake 22 to 27 minutes, until the pumpkin cake around the cream cheese springs back and a tester inserted into the cake portion comes out without wet batter. Cool 10 minutes in the pan, then move to a rack.
Storage and Reheating
Store Because of the cream cheese filling, refrigerate in an airtight container up to 4 days or freeze individually wrapped up to 2 months.
Reheat Eat cool or microwave a refrigerated muffin for 10 to 15 seconds. Thaw frozen muffins in the refrigerator overnight.
Make it work Check the cake portion, not the cream cheese center, with your tester. Filling stays creamy. Don’t overmix the batter or the muffins will be less tender.
Chicken Pesto Caprese Pasta Salad
Chicken, pasta, mozzarella and a bright basil pesto. Lunch is handled, and it’s perfect for school lunches because you’ll eat this one cold.
YIELD
6 portions
ACTIVE AND TOTAL
30 minutes, 45 minutes
FREEZER
Definitely do not freeze
Ingredients
Chicken and Pasta
1 pound rotini or fusilli
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1 tablespoon olive oil
1½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus salt for pasta water
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
8 ounces mozzarella pearls, drained
Fresh basil leaves and balsamic glaze for serving, optional
Basil Pesto
2 packed cups fresh basil leaves
½ cup finely grated Parmesan
⅓ cup walnuts or pine nuts
1-2 garlic cloves
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
Method
Boil the pasta - Boil salted pasta until al dente. Reserve ⅓ cup pasta water, drain and cool.
Cook the chicken - Season chicken with 1 teaspoon salt and pepper; cook in olive oil to 165°F; pan sear or bake. Rest, dice and cool.
Blend the pesto - Pulse basil, Parmesan, nuts, garlic, lemon and ¼ teaspoon salt. Stream in oil until spoonable.
Build the salad - Toss cooled pasta and chicken with pesto and mozzarella. Loosen with pasta water if needed.
Portion - Portion six lunches; pack tomatoes, basil and balsamic glaze separately until serving.
Storage and Reheating
Store Refrigerate up to 4 days. Do not freeze the assembled pasta salad; pack tomatoes and basil separately for the best day-four texture.
Reheat Eat cold or let stand 10 minutes before serving. Keep refrigerated between meals.
Make it work Cool pasta before adding pesto. After chilling, refresh with lemon and salt if needed.
Slow-Braised Beef Ragu with Pappardelle
A pot of shredded beef in a rich tomato and red wine sauce. Mostly hands-off cooking, which is a nice break. Everyone likes Italian, right? Right?
YIELD
6 portions
ACTIVE AND TOTAL
35 minutes, 3½–4½ hours
FREEZER
Excellent (sauce)
Ingredients
Beef Ragu
3 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 3 or 4 large pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large yellow onions, finely diced
2 medium carrots, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine, or additional beef broth or red wine vinegar
1 can crushed tomatoes, 28 ounces
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 small sprig rosemary, optional
1½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For Serving
1 pound pappardelle
Grated Parmesan and fresh basil, optional
Method
Sear the beef - Pat the beef dry and season with the salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a heavy Dutch oven over medium-high. Sear the beef on all sides in batches, 8 to 10 minutes total per batch. Same process here if you’re using a pressure cooker. Transfer to a plate.
Build the base - Lower heat to medium. Add onions and carrots; cook 8 to 10 minutes, scraping up the browned bits. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste and cook until darkened, about 2 minutes.
Deglaze - Add wine (or a splash of red wine vinegar/beef broth) and scrape the bottom of the pot. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes, then stir in crushed tomatoes and beef broth. Add bay leaves, thyme and rosemary.
Braise low and slow - Return the beef and any juices. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook on the stovetop over low heat for about 3 to 4 hours, turning the beef occasionally and adding a splash of broth if the sauce becomes dry. It is ready when the beef shreds easily with a fork.
If you’re using an Instant Pot, cook on high for 75 minutes and use a natural pressure release.
Shred and reduce - Remove the herbs and bay leaves. Shred the beef into the sauce. Simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes to thicken as needed. Taste and adjust salt.
Serve - Cook pappardelle in salted water according to the package. Toss with ragu and a splash of pasta water. Finish with Parmesan.
Storage and Reheating
Store Refrigerate ragu in shallow containers up to 4 days or freeze sauce up to 3 months. Keep pasta separate for best texture but not totally required; you can cook fresh pasta for later portions.
Reheat Heat ragu covered in a saucepan, stirring occasionally, until hot throughout (165°F for leftovers). Loosen with broth or water if needed.
Make it work The cooking time is a range. Chuck roast finishes when it pulls apart effortlessly, not when the clock says it’s done.
Cheddar Biscuit Chicken Pot Pie
Creamy chicken and vegetables under a blankie of cheddar biscuits. Bake one for dinner and eat it immediately or portion out for meals for the week. This one might be my personal favorite.
YIELD
6 portions
ACTIVE AND TOTAL
45 minutes, 1 hour 15 minutes
FREEZER
Excellent (filling)
Ingredients
Chicken Pot Pie Filling
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
3 celery ribs, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
½ cup whole milk
½ cup heavy cream
1 cup frozen peas
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon black pepper
Cheddar Biscuits
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
¾ cup cold buttermilk
Method
Cook the chicken - Heat olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high. Season chicken lightly and cook until browned and the thickest pieces reach 165°F. Transfer to a plate.
Build the filling - Melt 4 tablespoons butter in the same pan. Add onion, carrot and celery; cook 7 to 9 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Sprinkle with ⅓ cup flour and stir for 1 minute.
Thicken the sauce - Gradually whisk in broth, milk and cream. Simmer 5 to 8 minutes, until the sauce coats a spoon. Fold in chicken, peas, thyme, Dijon, salt and pepper. Taste before transferring to a 9 by 13 inch baking dish.
Mix the biscuits - Heat the oven to 425°F. Whisk biscuit flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut in cold butter until pea-size bits remain. Stir in cheddar, then buttermilk just until a shaggy dough forms.
Top and bake - If the filling has cooled, reheat it until steaming hot before topping. Spoon 10 to 12 biscuit mounds over the hot filling. Bake 22 to 27 minutes, until biscuits are deeply golden, cooked through in the middle and filling bubbles at the edges.
Rest and serve - Let the pie stand for 10 minutes. Serve warm, keeping leftover biscuits separate from the filling if possible so they can be crisped again.
Storage and Reheating
Store Refrigerate cooked filling up to 4 days or freeze without biscuits up to 3 months. Refrigerate baked pot pie leftovers up to 4 days.
Reheat Reheat filling to steaming hot (165°F) before adding freshly made biscuits and baking. Reheat baked biscuits separately in a 350°F oven to restore their crust.
Make it work Hot filling matters. Cold filling under raw biscuits can leave the bottoms doughy. The freezer-friendly move is filling now, fresh biscuits later.
What I’ve Been Into
Reading: Mostly just silly and dumb stories on Substack.
Listening: Zach John King
Watching: My daughter’s soccer game! Thinking I’ll go see Primetime this weekend.
Doing: Planning my first pop-up in Austin on 10/1, and editing my cookbook—releasing next year! I also made an absolutely killer biryani chicken from Hyderabad; the recipe for that is in the caption of the video.
What are you making first? If you found this helpful, it’d mean a lot to me if you’d pass along to a friend or consider becoming a paid subscriber.
Enjoy the weekend!
-Tim
Can’t wait until your cookbook drops!!! Thank you for all the work you put in and offer for free every week!
I love the downloadable PDF!! Please keep that feature. The storage suggestions are also very helpful!