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05/13/2012

Plan your meals a week at a time or pick and choose your favorites. Each meal comes with a handy shopping list. Bon Appetite!

Family SUNDAY

Keep family day simple and prepare your own ROAST TURKEY BREAST. Add canned whole-berry CRANBERRY SAUCE on the side. Serve with your POTATOES AU GRATIN and fresh GREEN BEANS tossed with chopped fresh dill and butter. Add a LETTUCE WEDGE and DINNER ROLLS. For dessert, buy a CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE.

PLAN AHEAD: Save enough turkey, cranberry sauce and cake for Monday.

Heat and Eat MONDAY
Make simple TURKEY-CRANBERRY WRAPS for dinner tonight. Heat 6 large fat-free whole-grain tortillas according to directions. Mix together leftover cranberry sauce, 2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard and 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger. Spread evenly on one side of each tortilla. Top with leftover thinly sliced (or chopped) turkey breast, sliced green onions, toasted chopped pecans and shredded lettuce. Roll and serve with OVEN FRIES (frozen). Add PICKLES, OLIVES and TOMATO WEDGES on the side. Dessert is leftover CAKE.

Meatless TUESDAY
Skip meat tonight and prepare ZITI BAKED WITH SPINACH, TOMATOES AND SMOKED GOUDA (see recipe). Serve with a ROMAINE SALAD and GARLIC BREAD. PEARS are for dessert.
Check out the recipe for this day!

Budget WEDNESDAY
Gather 'round the campfire for a low-cost dinner of COWBOY TRAIL BURGERS. Broil any burgers. Heat a 20-ounce can of vegetarian baked beans with 1/3 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce. Spoon over burgers; garnish with chopped sweet onion. Serve with any canned SOUP and COLESLAW. Enjoy FRESH STRAWBERRIES for dessert.

Express THURSDAY
Make it quick tonight and prepare PULLED BARBECUED CHICKEN PANINIS WITH SWISS AND RED ONION. Heat a panini press or heavy skillet to medium-high. In a large bowl, combine 4 cups shredded or cubed cooked chicken (such as a rotisserie chicken or any cooked chicken) and 1 cup barbecue sauce and toss chicken to coat. Arrange 6 slices sourdough bread (1 inch thick) on a flat surface. Top each bread slice with 1 slice reduced-fat Swiss cheese, 1 slice red onion and the chicken mixture. Top each with another slice of bread. Place in pan and cook 3 to 5 minutes, or until the bread is golden and cheese melts. (Turn sandwich if cooking in a skillet.) (Adapted from "Robin Takes 5," Robin Miller; Andrews McMeel Publishing; 2011.)

Serve with a packaged GREEN SALAD. TROPICAL FRUIT is good for dessert.

Kids' FRIDAY
The kids will love MEXICAN CHICKEN AND BEANS (see recipe). Accompany the kids' soon-to-be favorite with BABY CARROTS, CELERY STICKS, CHERRY TOMATOES and DIP, along with CORNBREAD (from a mix). For dessert, slurp on frozen FRUIT JUICE BARS.
Check out the recipe for this day!

Entertaining SATURDAY
Your guests will feel special when you serve them SHRIMP WITH COCONUT-ALMOND RICE (see recipe). Add SUGAR SNAP PEAS, a BOSTON LETTUCE SALAD and SESAME BREAD STICKS. For dessert, make PEACH SHORTCAKE by spooning Nutella on shortcake shells and covering with sliced peaches. Garnish with light whipped cream. TIP: Look for Nutella, a hazelnut spread, near the peanut butter.

Check out the recipe for this day!

Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. E-mail Susan at menuplanner@mindspring.com.