Sunday: Family
No need to go to the islands for CARIBBEAN CHICKEN AND RICE SALAD. Serve the whole-meal salad with LEMON POPPY SEED MUFFINS (from a mix).
Make an easy BLUEBERRY PIE for dessert. Bake a frozen piecrust according to directions; cool. Combine 1 (16-ounce) jar blueberry jam (or spread) and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon; microwave on high 1 minute or until mixture liquefies. Stir in 2 cups fresh blueberries. Spoon mixture into shell. Chill; slice and garnish with light whipped cream and serve.
Plan
Make an extra pie for Monday (Labor Day).
Shopping List
slivered almonds, olive oil, chicken breast tenders, packaged yellow rice, cilantro, sweet onion (such as Vidalia or another variety), fresh jalapeno pepper, jerk seasoning, oranges for juice and zest, arrowroot, coarse salt, orange sections (fresh, canned or chilled), fresh baby spinach leaves, lemon poppy seed muffin mix, frozen piecrust, blueberry jam or spread, cinnamon, fresh blueberries, light whipped cream.
Monday: Budget
Celebrate Labor Day with ROOT BEER PULLED PORK SANDWICHES on whole-grain toasted buns. Serve with your POTATO SALAD and COLESLAW. For dessert, slice the leftover PIE and top it with fat-free VANILLA ICE CREAM.
Plan
Save enough pulled pork, buns and potato salad for Tuesday. Save ice cream for Tuesday and Saturday.
Shopping List
bone-in pork shoulder, envelope onion soup mix, coarse salt, pepper, canned root beer, barbecue sauce, whole-grain buns, potato salad, coleslaw, fat-free vanilla ice cream.
Tuesday: Heat and Eat
No one will mind eating leftover PULLED PORK for dinner. Add the leftover POTATO SALAD along with PICKLES, OLIVES AND CARROT STICKS to munch on. Top the leftover ICE CREAM with fresh peaches.
Shopping List
pickles, olives, carrot sticks, fresh peaches.
Wednesday: Kids
No kid can resist SPAGHETTI AND MEAT SAUCE. Buy any jarred meat sauce and spoon it over spaghetti. Top with a little freshly grated parmesan and dinner is ready. Add a CHOPPED LETTUCE SALAD, WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS and WATERMELON CUBES for dessert.
Shopping List
meat sauce, spaghetti, parmesan, lettuce, whole-grain rolls, watermelon cubes.
Thursday: Express
With the swiftness of Super Woman, you'll have REUBEN WRAPS on the table. Spread burrito-size tortillas with reduced-fat Russian dressing. Top with deli coleslaw, thinly sliced deli corned beef and reduced-fat Swiss cheese. Roll, halve and eat. Serve with deli THREE-BEAN SALAD. NECTARINES are dessert.
Shopping List
burrito-size tortillas, reduced-fat Russian dressing, deli corned beef, reduced-fat Swiss cheese, deli three-bean salad, nectarines.
Friday: Meatless
With its good flavor and simplicity, you can't go wrong with MACARONI SOUP WITH BEANS AND CABBAGE. Cook 1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni according to directions; drain.
Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon canola oil on medium-high. Add 1 medium thinly sliced onion, 1 pound thinly sliced savoy cabbage, 1 teaspoon minced garlic and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook 6 to 8 minutes or until cabbage begins to wilt, stirring often. Add 4 (14-ounce) cans vegetable broth, 2 (19-ounce) cans rinsed cannellini beans and 1 1/2 cups water; heat to boiling. Add macaroni; heat through and serve.
Make a LETTUCE SALAD and top with sliced hard-cooked eggs and tomato wedges. Serve with CRUSTY BREAD. For dessert, try FRESH PLUMS.
Shopping List
elbow macaroni, canola oil, onion, savoy cabbage, garlic, pepper, vegetable broth, canned cannellini beans, lettuce, eggs, tomatoes, crusty bread, fresh plums.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
This BAKED GROUPER was a hit with our guests. Serve it with RICE tossed with petite GREEN PEAS (frozen). Add a BIBB LETTUCE SALAD and SOURDOUGH BREAD. For dessert, a dab of leftover ICE CREAM over BROWNIES and drizzled with CHOCOLATE SAUCE will cap off a fine meal.
Shopping List
olive oil, onions, green bell pepper, canned crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, coarse salt, black pepper, skinless grouper filet, lemon pepper seasoning, cayenne pepper, rice, petite green peas (frozen), Bibb lettuce, sourdough bread, brownies, chocolate sauce.