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03/25/2012

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

ZESTY ROASTED CHICKEN AND POTATOES (see recipe) is perfect for family day. Serve it with GREEN BEANS with SLICED ALMONDS and BISCUITS. Buy a COCONUT CAKE for dessert.

PLAN AHEAD: Save 2 plain chicken breasts for Monday and enough cake for Tuesday.
Check out the recipe for this day!

Heat and Eat MONDAY
For a quick meal, make TEX-MEX CHICKEN AND RICE. Cook yellow rice mix as directed on the package. Five minutes before it's done, stir in the 2 chopped leftover chicken breasts, 1 (15-ounce) can rinsed reduced-sodium black beans and 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles. Heat through. Serve the combo with GUACAMOLE and reduced-fat SOUR CREAM. Make FLAN from a mix for dessert.

Budget TUESDAY
Keep an eye on the budget and enjoy TUNA NOODLES ROMANOFF. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook and drain 8 ounces no-yolk noodles as directed. In a large bowl, mix noodles with 2 (6-ounce) cans drained albacore tuna, 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms, 2 tablespoons rinsed capers, 1 1/2 cups reduced-fat sour cream, 1 cup 1 percent milk, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spoon into an 8-by-8-inch (2-quart) baking dish coated with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, mix 1/4 cup panko crumbs, 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese and 2 tablespoons melted buttery spread. Sprinkle over tuna mixture. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. (Adapted from "Betty Crocker Country Cooking," Jeff Nowak, editorial director; Wiley, 2009.)

Serve the one-dish dinner with BROCCOLI and CRUSTY ROLLS. Slice the leftover CAKE for dessert.

Meatless WEDNESDAY
Feast on VEGETABLE STEW (see recipe) tonight. Serve with a ROMAINE SALAD and WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. Make instant BANANA PUDDING with 1 percent milk for dessert. Stir sliced bananas into the pudding for a flavor boost.
Check out the recipe for this day!

Express THURSDAY
Buy refrigerated PORK BARBECUE (such as Lloyd's) and serve it on toasted whole-grain buns topped with DILL PICKLE SLICES. Add deli POTATO SALAD and deli COLESLAW. For dessert, try RED AND GREEN GRAPES.

PLAN AHEAD: Save enough barbecue for Friday.

Kids' FRIDAY
Kids are always in a hurry to eat, so BBQ PIZZA is right up their alley. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place a large, thin, ready-to-eat whole-grain pizza crust on a baking sheet. Spread 2/3 cup barbecue sauce over crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Top with leftover barbecue pork, 1 cup chopped yellow bell pepper, 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella and 4 thinly sliced plum tomatoes. Sprinkle freshly grated parmesan over the top. Bake 10 minutes or until cheese melts and crust is hot and crisp. Slice into wedges and serve.

Add CARROT SALAD alongside. For dessert, fresh PINEAPPLE SPEARS are fun.

Entertaining SATURDAY
Invite very special guests for SEARED GINGER-BALSAMIC SALMON WITH HOT AND SOUR SLAW (see recipe). Serve with BROWN RICE and BREAD STICKS. For dessert, ALMOND COOKIES and fat-free VANILLA ICE CREAM are perfect together.

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.