Sunday: Family
For family day, enjoy MUSTARD-CRUSTED PORK ROAST. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Season a 2-pound boneless pork loin roast with coarse salt and pepper to taste. Place in a shallow pan and roast for 30 minutes; remove from oven and spread with 2 tablespoons spicy mustard and sprinkle with 1 cup garlic croutons (crushed). Continue to roast 10 to 15 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 145 degrees. Remove from oven, tent with foil and let stand 5 minutes before slicing.
Serve with BAKED SWEET POTATOES and BAKED SPINACH. Buy a DEEP-DISH APPLE PIE for dessert.
Plan
Save enough pork, bake enough potatoes and save enough pie for Monday.
Shopping List
boneless pork loin roast, coarse salt, pepper, spicy mustard, garlic croutons, sweet potatoes to bake, cooking spray, onion, garlic, Neufchatel cheese, flour, nutmeg, skim milk, egg substitute or eggs, frozen chopped spinach, shredded Swiss cheese, deep-dish apple pie.
Monday: Heat and Eat
Make SLICED PORK SANDWICHES on ROSEMARY BREAD with the leftover pork tonight. (Toast the bread and brush it with olive oil.) Cut the leftover potatoes into wedges, sprinkle with chili powder and bake in 425-degree oven until hot (about 10 minutes) and buy deli COLESLAW to accompany the simple meal. Leftover PIE is dessert.
Shopping List
rosemary bread, olive oil, chili powder, deli coleslaw.
Tuesday: Meatless
Serve Italian-inspired CANNELLINI BEAN AND ESCAROLE STEW over BROWN RICE for a no-meat meal. Add a MIXED GREENS SALAD and CRUSTY ROLLS. For dessert, serve FRESH PINEAPPLE SPEARS.
Shopping List
olive oil, onions, escarole, garlic, coarse salt, pepper, canned cannellini beans, canned diced no-salt-added tomatoes, brown rice, salad greens, crusty rolls, fresh pineapple spears.
Wednesday: Kids
Kids know that pizza is one of the special "kid-food groups," so BARBECUE CHICKEN PIZZA fits right in. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Spread a thin whole-grain pizza crust with 1 (9- or 10-ounce) package cooked (chopped) chicken mixed with 1/2 cup mild barbecue sauce. Top with 1 cup shredded part-skim Monterey Jack cheese mixed with 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh spinach. Bake about 10 minutes or until hot. Accompany the pizza with CARROT STICKS. For dessert, ORANGE SECTIONS are good.
Plan
Order a heart-shaped chocolate cake for your honey for Friday.
Shopping List
thin whole-grain pizza crust, packaged cooked chicken, mild barbecue sauce, shredded part-skim Monterey Jack cheese, fresh spinach, carrot sticks, oranges.
Thursday: Budget
Pinch some pennies and serve SAUCY MEATBALL SUBS for a delicious money-saver. Accompany the flavor-packed dish with a GREEN SALAD. KIWIFRUIT makes a simple dessert.
Shopping List
eggs, whole-grain bread, onion, coarse salt, dried Italian seasoning, 95 percent lean ground beef, jarred no-salt-added or regular tomato-based pasta sauce, hoagies or other sandwich rolls, parmesan cheese, salad greens, kiwifruit.
Friday: Express
Make Valentine's Day special with PEPPER-GARLIC TENDERLOIN STEAKS. Heat a large nonstick skillet for 5 minutes over medium. Combine 1 large crushed garlic clove and 1/4 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns. Press evenly into both sides of 2 (4 to 5 ounces each) beef tenderloin steaks (cut 1-inch thick). Place steaks in skillet. Cook 10 to 13 minutes for medium-rare to medium doneness; turn occasionally. Remove; keep warm. Add 1/2 cup lower-sodium beef broth to skillet; increase heat to medium-high. Cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes or until sauce is reduced by half. Spoon sauce over steaks. Top with crumbled blue cheese.
Serve the tender steaks with BAKED STUFFED POTATOES (frozen) and PEAS WITH PEARL ONIONS (frozen). Add DINNER ROLLS. For dessert, enjoy a HEART-SHAPED CHOCOLATE CAKE with RASPBERRY SORBET by candlelight.
Tip
Make Valentine's Day special with PEPPER-GARLIC TENDERLOIN STEAKS. Heat a large nonstick skillet for 5 minutes over medium. Combine 1 large crushed garlic clove and 1/4 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns. Press evenly into both sides of 2 (4 to 5 ounces each) beef tenderloin steaks (cut 1-inch thick). Place steaks in skillet. Cook 10 to 13 minutes for medium-rare to medium doneness; turn occasionally. Remove; keep warm. Add 1/2 cup lower-sodium beef broth to skillet; increase heat to medium-high. Cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes or until sauce is reduced by half. Spoon sauce over steaks. Top with crumbled blue cheese.
Serve the tender steaks with BAKED STUFFED POTATOES (frozen) and PEAS WITH PEARL ONIONS (frozen). Add DINNER ROLLS. For dessert, enjoy a HEART-SHAPED CHOCOLATE CAKE with RASPBERRY SORBET by candlelight.
Plan
Save some cake for Saturday.
Shopping List
garlic, black peppercorns, beef tenderloin steaks, lower-sodium beef broth, crumbled blue cheese, frozen baked stuffed potatoes, frozen peas with pearl onions, dinner rolls, heart-shaped chocolate cake, raspberry sorbet.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
Prepare your own LAMB CHOPS for guests.
Accompany your prize recipe with RICE PILAF. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet on medium; add 1 small chopped onion and 1/2 cup slivered almonds. Cook 7 minutes or until onion is softened and almonds are golden. Stir in 1 1/2 cups basmati rice, 1/2 cup golden raisins, 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt; cook 2 minutes. Add 3 cups fat-free chicken broth and bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 to 25 minutes or until rice is tender.
Serve with MARINATED CUCUMBER AND TOMATO SALAD. Add 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint to your own vinaigrette. Pour over 3 medium cucumbers (thinly sliced), 3 medium tomatoes (cut into wedges), 1 medium red onion (thinly sliced), and coarse salt and pepper to taste. Toss gently to coat; cover and marinate 2 hours.
Serve with FLATBREAD. Slice the leftover CAKE and top it with light whipped cream.
Shopping List
lamb chops, butter, onion, slivered almonds, basmati rice, golden raisins, turmeric, cinnamon, coarse salt, fat-free chicken broth, fresh mint, vinaigrette, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, pepper, flatbread, light whipped cream.