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01/30/2000
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
Impress your family with TOP ROUND STEAK WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS (see recipe) today. Accompany this savory entree with your own ROASTED POTATOES AND CARROTS. Add a MIXED GREEN SALAD and CRUSTY BREAD. A store-bought BOSTON CREAM PIE spells easy.

PLAN AHEAD: Save 2 servings of cooked steak and onions and enough pie for Monday.

TIP: Top round steak is sometimes called London broil. If you overcook it, it will be called shoe leather.
Check out the recipe for this day!

Heat and Eat MONDAY
Take advantage of leftovers and make BEEF AND POTATO HASH tonight. Chop leftover cooked beef. In a medium bowl, mix beef with 4 (3-ounce) frozen and thawed hash brown potato patties (break patties into small pieces), 1/2 cup chopped scallions, 1 medium chopped red bell pepper and 1/2 cup bottled chili sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium heat. Add beef mixture; press with a wide spatula to cover bottom of skillet. Cook, pressing down two or three times, uncovered, 10 minutes or until bottom is brown and crisp. Divide into sections (like a pie) and turn them, pressing them into a "round" again. Cook 10 more minutes, pressing down. Cut into wedges and serve. Spoon salsa over hash if desired.

Serve with a GREEN SALAD and WHOLE-WHEAT ROLLS. Leftover PIE is your dessert.

TIP: If you have leftover potatoes, carrots and onions, reduce frozen hash browns by that approximate amount.

Budget TUESDAY
SALMON BURGERS WITH HONEY BARBECUE SAUCE (see recipe) have high flavor and low cost, a perfect combination. Frozen STEAK FRIES are good on the side, as is deli COLESLAW. FRESH FRUIT is a quick dessert.
Check out the recipe for this day!

Kids' WEDNESDAY
The kids can help prepare one of their favorites, PEANUTTY MUFFINS. Heat broiler. Toast 4 split English muffins in toaster or toaster-oven. Spread each muffin half with about 1 tablespoon apricot preserves. Top each with 4 or 5 banana slices. Spread banana slices with 1 tablespoon reduced-fat peanut butter and top with a dollop of apricot preserves. Place on cookie sheet and broil 1 to 2 minutes until hot and bubbly. Serve with a BAKED POTATO and STEAMED CARROTS. How about GINGERSNAPS for dessert?

Meatless THURSDAY
Sign me up for SPAGHETTI WITH TOMATOES, OLIVES AND FETA (see recipe). Serve with a ROMAINE SALAD and BREADSTICKS. Instant PISTACHIO PUDDING made with skim milk is an easy dessert.
Check out the recipe for this day!

Express FRIDAY
Too bad my father didn't have the ultra-convenient Campbell's Ready to Serve CREAMY TOMATO SOUP when he used to be our baby sitter and burn the condensed kind for us for lunch. He'd like the new 32-ounce jars that are the pour-and-heat variety. Serve the soup with a deli TURKEY AND SWISS CHEESE SANDWICH ON RYE. You can add lettuce and tomato to the sandwiches. FRUIT AND COOKIES are a Dad-proof dessert.

TIP: Use any brand of ready-to-serve soup.

Entertaining SATURDAY
Keep it simple and impress your guests, too, with PENNE PASTA WITH SPINACH AND PARMESAN. Cook 12 ounces penne pasta according to directions; drain and return pasta to warm pan. Add 1/2 cup reduced-fat cream cheese (cut into small pieces) and stir gently until cheese has warmed and is evenly distributed. Add 1 pound shredded baby spinach leaves; stir gently. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately and garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Serve with MIXED GREENS and GARLIC BREAD. For dessert, toasted fat-free POUND CAKE with fat-free VANILLA ICE CREAM and FUDGE SAUCE is something special.

TIP: Warm the plates before adding pasta.

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