Sunday: Family
Gather the family for CHICKEN WITH 40 CLOVES OF GARLIC. Serve the juicy bird with your MACARONI AND CHEESE and TINY GREEN PEAS (from frozen). Add DINNER ROLLS. For dessert, buy a BLUEBERRY COBBLER.
Plan
Save enough chicken and cobbler for Monday.
Shopping List
garlic, canola oil, sugar, bone-in chicken thighs, coarse salt, pepper, dry sherry, unsalted chicken broth, heavy cream, cornstarch, fresh thyme, bay leaf, macaroni and cheese ingredients, frozen tiny green peas, dinner rolls, blueberry cobbler.
CHICKEN WITH 40 CLOVES OF GARLIC
Servings: makes 8 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 27 to 33 minutes
- 40 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 teaspoons canola oil, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 8 (5- to 7-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup dry sherry
- 1/4 cup unsalted chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Toss garlic in bowl with 1 teaspoon oil and sugar. Microwave garlic 4 minutes or until slightly softened with light brown spotting, stirring halfway through. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in a 12-inch oven-safe skillet on medium-high until just smoking. Cook chicken skin side down until browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer to plate, skin side up. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add garlic; cook until evenly brown, about 1 minute. Off heat, add sherry to skillet. Return skillet to medium and bring sherry to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits. Cook until sherry coats garlic and pan is nearly dry, about 4 minutes. Stir in broth, cream, cornstarch mixture, thyme sprigs and bay leaf; simmer until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Return chicken, skin side up, to skillet along with any accumulated juices. Transfer skillet to oven and roast 18 to 22 minutes or until internal temperature of chicken reaches 175 degrees. Using potholder, remove skillet from oven. Transfer chicken and half of garlic to serving platter. Discard thyme and bay leaf. Using potato masher, mash remaining garlic into sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour half of sauce around chicken. Serve, passing remaining sauce separately. (Adapted from "The Chicken Bible," America’s Test Kitchen.)
Per serving: 413 calories, 25 grams protein, 31 grams fat (67% calories from fat), 10.1 grams saturated fat, 7 grams carbohydrate, 159 milligrams cholesterol, 248 milligrams sodium, no fiber.
Monday: Heat and Eat
Use the leftover chicken and make nontraditional GRILLED CHICKEN AND PROVOLONE SANDWICHES. Coat one side of 16 whole-grain bread slices with cooking spray. Place 1/2 thin slice of Provolone cheese on each of 8 of the bread slices (coated side down). Chop the leftover chicken and mix with 1/3 cup golden raisins, 1/4 cup thinly sliced celery and 1/3 cup low-fat mayonnaise. Spread bread with chicken mixture. Top with another half-slice of cheese and remaining 8 bread slices (coated side up). Place in a hot skillet or griddle over medium heat; gently press down. Cook 3 to 4 minutes per side or until lightly browned and cheese is melted.
Serve with deli CARROT SALAD. Warm the leftover COBBLER and top it with VANILLA ICE CREAM.
Plan
Save enough ice cream for Tuesday.
Shopping List
whole-grain bread, cooking spray, thinly sliced Provolone cheese, golden raisins, celery, low-fat mayonnaise, deli carrot salad, vanilla ice cream.
Tuesday: Kids
You'd think they'd get tired of SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS, but kids never do. Make them happy and cook some spaghetti, top it with their favorite red pasta sauce, and buy or make your own meatballs to go with the sauce. Sprinkle with freshly ground Parmesan cheese for some adult appeal. Make a chopped LETTUCE SALAD and add BREADSTICKS. Enjoy ORANGE SECTIONS for dessert.
Shopping List
spaghetti, red pasta sauce, meatballs, Parmesan cheese, lettuce, breadsticks, oranges.
Wednesday: Meatless
CRUSTLESS VEGETABLE QUICHE has great flavor without any meat: Coat a 4-quart or larger slow cooker with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, beat 6 eggs with 2 tablespoons flour, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg and freshly ground pepper to taste. Whisk in 1 cup half-and-half and 1 cup 1% milk. Stir in 3 cups any cooked vegetables, 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil, 1/2 cup grated Gruyere, Emmental, Gouda or cheddar cheese (or a mixture) and 1/2 cup Parmesan. Pour the mixture into the slow cooker. Sprinkle another 1/2 cup Parmesan on top. Cover and cook on high 1 1/2 hours or until quiche is just set in center. Run a knife around the edge of the quiche, cut into wedges and serve hot.
Add BAKED SWEET POTATOES, a ROMAINE SALAD and WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. Enjoy fresh PEARS for dessert.
Plan
Bake enough potatoes for Friday.
Shopping List
cooking spray, eggs, flour, coarse salt, ground nutmeg, pepper, half-and-half, 1% milk, any cooked vegetables, fresh basil, Gruyere, Emmental, Gouda or cheddar cheese, Parmesan, sweet potatoes to bake, romaine, whole-grain rolls, fresh pears.
Thursday: Express
Make tonight a soup-and-sandwich night. Buy deli ROAST BEEF SANDWICHES and jazz them up with horseradish sauce. Serve the sandwiches with prepared BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP for a big shot of vitamin A. Add a packaged GREEN SALAD. For dessert, PLUMS are simple.
Shopping List
deli roast beef sandwiches, horseradish sauce, prepared butternut squash soup, packaged green salad, plums.
Friday: Budget
For an economical meal, serve CATFISH PO' BOYS tonight. Make SWEET POTATO OVEN FRIES with leftover potatoes: Heat oven to 425 degrees. Cut pre-baked sweet potatoes into 3/4-inch-thick wedges, coat with cooking spray and add coarse salt and black pepper to taste. Bake until hot.
Serve with SLICED BELL PEPPERS and OLIVES. Try PEACHES for dessert.
Shopping List
eggs, catfish fillets, Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs, canola oil, long rolls or Italian bread, prepared pesto sauce, jar roasted red peppers, lettuce, Provolone cheese, cooking spray, coarse salt, black pepper, bell peppers, olives, peaches.
CATFISH PO’ BOYS
Servings: makes 4 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: about 10 minutes
- 1 egg, beaten
- 4 catfish fillets (about 4 ounces each)
- 1/2 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 4 (4-inch-long) rolls, split, or Italian bread cut into 4-inch pieces
- 1/4 cup prepared pesto sauce, divided
- 8 roasted red pepper halves (from jar)
- 8 lettuce leaves
- 4 thin slices Provolone cheese, halved
In a shallow dish, place egg. Coat each fillet in egg, then sprinkle with breadcrumbs. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil on medium-high. Cook fillets, two at a time, 3 or 4 minutes per side or until golden and opaque in center. Drain on paper towels. Spread cut sides of rolls with pesto. On bottoms, layer red peppers, lettuce and Provolone; top each with a catfish fillet. Place tops of rolls on fish.
Per serving: 505 calories, 34 grams protein, 21 grams fat (38% calories from fat), 5.7 grams saturated fat, 44 grams carbohydrate, 127 milligrams cholesterol, 911 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
These ONION-AND-CHERRY-GLAZED PORK CHOPS would please any guest. Serve with BROWN RICE PILAF (from mix), GREEN BEANS, a SPINACH SALAD and SOURDOUGH ROLLS. LEMON SORBET is just the right light dessert.
Shopping List
trimmed boneless pork chops, garlic-pepper seasoning, olive oil, onions, light brown sugar, cornstarch, sweetened or tart dried cherries, balsamic vinegar, brown rice pilaf mix, green beans, fresh spinach, sourdough rolls, lemon sorbet.
ONION-AND-CHERRY-GLAZED PORK CHOPS
Servings: makes 4 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: less than 30 minutes
- 4 well-trimmed boneless pork chops (3/4 inch thick)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic-pepper seasoning
- 3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
- 2 small onions, sliced into thin rings
- 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/4 cup sweetened or tart dried cherries
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Season chops with garlic-pepper seasoning. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chops 6 to 8 minutes or until golden brown, turning once. Remove chops from skillet; keep warm. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook onions in the same skillet in remaining oil, covered, 12 to 14 minutes or until onions are tender; stir occasionally. Stir in brown sugar. Increase heat to medium and cook 3 or 4 minutes more or until onions are lightly browned. Meanwhile, stir together cornstarch, water, cherries and vinegar. Add to skillet; cook and stir until bubbly and slightly thickened. Add chops (and accumulated liquid) back to skillet and heat through.
Per serving: 330 calories, 35 grams protein, 12 grams fat (34% calories from fat), 3.4 grams saturated fat, 18 grams carbohydrate, 90 milligrams cholesterol, 126 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.