Sunday: Family
Tickle the family taste buds with NORTH WOODS HEARTY POT ROAST. Serve a MIXED GREEN SALAD and DINNER ROLLS. For dessert, top ANGEL FOOD CAKE slices with a dab of CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM.
Plan
Save enough beef, potatoes and cake for Monday. Save enough ice cream for Thursday and Saturday.
Shopping List
seasoned pepper blend or garlic pepper seasoning, garlic, boneless beef shoulder roast, canola oil, coarse salt, unsalted beef broth, red-skinned potatoes, carrots, parsnips, leek, cornstarch, mixed greens, dinner rolls, angel food cake, chocolate ice cream.
NORTH WOODS HEARTY POT ROAST
Servings: makes 6 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 hours
- 2 teaspoons seasoned pepper blend or garlic-pepper seasoning
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 boneless beef shoulder roast (2 to 2 1/2 pounds)
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 cup unsalted beef broth
- 1 pound small red-skinned potatoes, halved or quartered
- 8 ounces baby carrots
- 2 medium parsnips, cut into 2 1/2-by-1/2-inch pieces
- 1 small leek (white and pale green parts only), cut in half lengthwise then crosswise into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 4 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Combine seasoning and garlic; press evenly onto all surfaces of beef roast. Heat oil in Dutch oven on medium. Brown roast on all sides. Pour off drippings and season beef with salt. Add broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover tightly and simmer 2 hours. Add vegetables; continue cooking, covered, 30 to 45 minutes or until roast and vegetables are fork-tender. Remove roast and vegetables; keep warm. Strain cooking liquid; skim fat, if necessary. Measure 2 cups cooking liquid (add beef broth or water to yield 2 cups, if necessary); return to Dutch oven. Combine water and cornstarch; stir into cooking liquid. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes or until mixture is thickened. Carve roast into thin slices. Season with salt, as desired. Serve with vegetables and gravy.
Per serving: 318 calories, 31 grams protein, 10 grams fat, (27 percent calories from fat), 2.5 grams saturated fat, 28 grams carbohydrate, 87 milligrams cholesterol, 259 milligrams sodium, 5 grams fiber.
Monday: Heat and Eat
Slice the leftover beef and make OPEN-FACED HOT ROAST BEEF SANDWICHES WITH GRAVY (from a jar) for an easy meal. Add the leftover POTATOES and a RED-TIPPED LETTUCE SALAD. Spoon STRAWBERRY SAUCE over the leftover cake for dessert.
Shopping List
dense white bread (for sandwiches), jar of gravy, red-tipped lettuce, strawberry sauce.
Tuesday: Budget
For a low-cost, good-tasting meal, try PENNE WITH SAUSAGE AND PEPPERS. Serve it with a SPINACH SALAD and ITALIAN BREAD. FRESH PINEAPPLE is your dessert.
Shopping List
penne pasta, mild or hot Italian turkey sausage, olive oil, green bell peppers, onion, garlic, canned crushed tomatoes with basil, coarse salt, black pepper, fresh spinach, Italian bread, fresh pineapple.
PENNE WITH SAUSAGE AND PEPPERS
Servings: makes 8 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: about 20 minutes, plus pasta
- 1 pound penne pasta
- 12 ounces mild or hot Italian turkey sausage (remove casing)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 3 green bell peppers, thinly sliced
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes with basil
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cook pasta according to directions. Meanwhile, cook sausage in a large nonstick skillet on medium for 5 minutes or until browned and crumbly. Remove to a plate. Add oil, peppers and onion to skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Push vegetables aside in skillet; add garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Add sausage, tomatoes, salt and pepper; stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes. Drain pasta; transfer to a large serving bowl and add sauce. Toss to mix and serve.
Per serving: 338 calories, 15 grams protein, 6 grams fat (15 percent calories from fat), 1.4 grams saturated fat, 54 grams carbohydrate, 36 milligrams cholesterol, 778 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber.
Wednesday: Kids
Make it a spooky Halloween dinner with GROSS INTESTINES topped with ICKY RED SAUCE (spaghetti and red pasta sauce). Add chopped LETTUCE and BEWITCHING BREAD STICKS. Prepare 1 (11-ounce) can refrigerated bread sticks according to directions. Dip sliced almonds into red food coloring. Press an almond into one end of each bread stick to resemble a fingernail. Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese. Bake as directed and scare everyone! Finish with ghoulish HALLOWEEN CUPCAKES. Boo!
Shopping List
spaghetti, red pasta sauce, lettuce, refrigerated bread sticks, sliced almonds, red food coloring, parmesan cheese, Halloween cupcakes.
Thursday: Express
For a quick meal, CHICKEN AND SUCCOTASH CHOWDER works just fine. Mix 2 cans condensed golden mushroom or corn soup, 2 soup cans 1 percent milk, 1 cup frozen baby lima beans, 1/4 cup sliced green onions and 1 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken. Simmer until lima beans are tender. Serve with a packaged CAESAR SALAD and CHEESE TOAST. Spoon MARSHMALLOW TOPPING over leftover ICE CREAM for dessert.
Tip
For a quick meal, CHICKEN AND SUCCOTASH CHOWDER works just fine. Mix 2 cans condensed golden mushroom or corn soup, 2 soup cans 1 percent milk, 1 cup frozen baby lima beans, 1/4 cup sliced green onions and 1 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken. Simmer until lima beans are tender. Serve with a packaged CAESAR SALAD and CHEESE TOAST. Spoon MARSHMALLOW TOPPING over leftover ICE CREAM for dessert.
Shopping List
canned condensed golden mushroom or corn soup, 1 percent milk, frozen baby lima beans, green onions, cooked chicken, packaged Caesar salad, cheese, bread, marshmallow topping.
Friday: Meatless
Enjoy a no-meat dinner of ROTINI PASTA WITH CHICKPEAS AND ZUCCHINI. Cook 12 ounces rotini pasta according to directions. Meanwhile, whisk 1 (14-ounce) can unsalted chicken broth and 2 tablespoons flour in a large pan until blended. Bring to a boil, whisk again, then add 2 medium zucchini (halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch pieces) and 1 teaspoon minced garlic. Reduce heat to medium; cover and simmer 3 minutes or until zucchini is softened and broth is slightly thickened. Stir in 1 (15-ounce) can reduced-sodium chickpeas (rinsed), and 1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives; heat through. Drain pasta; return to pot. Add sauce and 4 ounces crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese; toss to mix. Serve immediately with a ROMAINE SALAD and GARLIC BREAD. Dessert is simply RED AND GREEN GRAPES.
Shopping List
rotini pasta, unsalted chicken broth, flour, zucchini, garlic, canned reduced-sodium chickpeas, kalamata olives, crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese, romaine, garlic bread, red and green grapes.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
Invite friends for aromatic TANDOORI CHICKEN. Serve the flavorful chicken with BASMATI RICE and FRESH GREEN BEANS. Add a BOSTON LETTUCE SALAD and FLATBREAD. Present TRIPLE CHOCOLATE THREAT for dessert: Top brownies with leftover chocolate ice cream and drizzle with chocolate sauce.
Shopping List
plain fat-free yogurt, coarse salt, pepper, ground cloves, fresh ginger, garlic, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, coriander, bone-in skinless chicken thighs, cooking spray, , basmati rice, fresh green beans, Boston lettuce, flatbread, brownies, chocolate sauce.
TANDOORI CHICKEN
Servings: makes 8 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes; marinating time: 12 to 24 hours
Cook time: about 1 hour
- 1 (8-ounce) container plain fat-free yogurt
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 8 bone-in skinless chicken thighs (about 2 3/4 pounds)
In a medium bowl, mix together all ingredients except chicken. Place chicken in a large resealable plastic bag. Pour yogurt mixture over chicken. Turn to coat. Refrigerate 12 to 24 hours, turning occasionally. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Remove chicken; discard marinade. Place chicken on rack of broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Bake 50 to 55 minutes (or until internal temperature of chicken reaches 180 degrees). Broil 5 minutes, then serve.
Per serving: 165 calories, 22 grams protein, 8 grams fat (42 percent calories from fat), 2.1 grams saturated fat, 1 gram carbohydrate, 121 milligrams cholesterol, 204 milligrams sodium, no fiber.