Sunday: Family
Grilling days are here, so enjoy your own GRILLED CHICKEN for family day. Alongside, add delicious CRISP ROASTED FINGERLING POTATOES, GREEN BEANS and SOURDOUGH BREAD. BLUEBERRY AND CITRUS SORBET “LAYER CAKE” is a pretty and refreshing summertime dessert.
Plan
Grill enough chicken for Monday.
Shopping List
chicken to grill, fingerling potatoes, salt, baking soda, extra-virgin olive oil, pepper, green beans, sourdough bread, walnuts, blueberry preserves or jam, orange sorbet, lemon or other citrus sorbet, fresh blueberries.
CRISP ROASTED FINGERLING POTATOES
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 32 to 40 minutes, plus cooling time
- 2 pounds fingerling potatoes, unpeeled, halved lengthwise (about 3 inches long)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Adjust oven rack to lowest position. Place rimmed baking sheet on rack and heat to 500 degrees. Bring 2 quarts water to boil in large saucepan. Add potatoes, salt and baking soda, return to simmer, and cook 7 to 10 minutes or until tender but centers offer slight resistance when pierced with paring knife. Drain in colander and shake vigorously to roughen edges.
Transfer to large platter lined with kitchen towel and arrange cut side up. Let sit about 5 minutes until no longer steaming and surface is tacky. Transfer potatoes to bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon oil and pepper. Working quickly, transfer pan from oven and drizzle remaining oil over surface. Arrange potatoes cut side down for 20 to 25 minutes until crisp and spotty brown, rotating halfway through roasting. Flip for 5 minutes and cool. (Adapted from "Cook's Vegetables Illustrated," America's Test Kitchen.)
Per serving: 156 calories, 3 grams protein, 5 grams fat (26% calories from fat), 0.5 gram saturated fat, 27 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 498 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber.
BLUEBERRY AND CITRUS SORBET “LAYER CAKE”
Prep time: 15 minutes; freezing time: 2 hours to overnight
- 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons blueberry preserves or jam, divided
- 1 pint orange sorbet, slightly softened
- 1 pint lemon or other citrus sorbet, slightly softened
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
Line the bottom and sides of an 8-by-4-inch loaf pan with a double layer of waxed paper, folding the paper to fit smoothly. In a small bowl, mix together walnuts and 1/4 cup preserves; set aside. Spoon orange sorbet into the lined pan, smoothing the top to make an even layer. Spread the walnut-preserves mixture evenly over sorbet. Spoon lemon sorbet evenly over preserves and smooth the top. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Freeze several hours to overnight.
Just before serving, in a medium bowl, stir remaining 2 tablespoons preserves until smooth; fold in fresh blueberries. Invert the cake on a chilled serving plate. Remove the pan and paper; spoon about 1/4 of the blueberry mixture down the center of the cake. Cut into 8 1-inch slices. Serve on chilled dessert plates; top each slice with a spoonful of the remaining fresh berry mixture. Serve immediately.
Per serving: 201 calories, 1 gram protein, 5 grams fat (22% calories from fat), 0.5 gram saturated fat, 38 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 1 milligram sodium, 2 grams fiber.
Monday: Heat and Eat
Use the leftover chicken in CHICKEN SPAGHETTI. Serve it with BROCCOLI, a LETTUCE WEDGE and WHOLE-GRAIN BREAD. Fresh NECTARINES are your dessert.
Plan
Save enough chicken spaghetti for Tuesday.
Shopping List
multigrain spaghetti, canned condensed reduced-sodium, reduced-fat cream of mushroom soup, 50% light sharp cheddar cheese, onion, green bell pepper, jar diced pimentos, 25% less sodium seasoned salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, broccoli, lettuce, whole-grain bread, nectarines.
CHICKEN SPAGHETTI
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 35 to 45 minutes plus spaghetti; standing time: 5 minutes
- 1 (14.5-ounce) package multigrain spaghetti, broken into 2- or 3-inch pieces
- 2 (10 3/4-ounce) cans condensed reduced-sodium, reduced-fat cream of mushroom soup (such as Healthy Request)
- 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded 50% light sharp cheddar cheese (such as Cabot), divided
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1/4 cup finely diced green bell pepper
- 1 (4-ounce) jar drained diced pimentos
- 1 teaspoon 25% less sodium seasoned salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or according to taste
- 3 cup diced cooked chicken breast
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook spaghetti according to directions; drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water. In a large bowl, combine cooked spaghetti, soup and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese. Stir in onion, bell pepper, pimentos, seasoned salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Mix well. Add chicken and reserved pasta water (as needed) and mix.
Spoon into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with remaining cheese. Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes and serve.
Per serving: 394 calories, 35 grams protein, 9 grams fat (20% calories from fat), 3.8 grams saturated fat, 44 grams carbohydrate, 63 milligrams cholesterol, 645 milligrams sodium, 5 grams fiber.
Tuesday: Express
You can reap the rewards of your hard work and enjoy leftover CHICKEN SPAGHETTI tonight. Add a packaged GREEN SALAD and CRUSTY BREAD to the meal. Juicy WATERMELON is a perfect dessert.
Shopping List
packaged greens, crusty bread, watermelon.
Wednesday: Budget
I’ve never tried a PULLED PORK recipe I didn’t like, and this one is no exception. In a medium bowl, combine 1 (10.5-ounce) can condensed French onion soup, 1 cup barbecue sauce, 1/4 cup cider vinegar and 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar; mix until blended. Trim and cut 1 (3- to 4-pound) boneless pork shoulder roast into 2 or 3 pieces. Place in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker; pour barbecue mixture over pork. Cover and cook on low 8 hours. Remove pork, shred and return to cooker. Serve the pork with sauce on whole-grain buns; top with sliced jalapeno peppers, if desired. Add COLESLAW. Enjoy FRESH BLUEBERRIES for dessert.
Plan
Save some pulled pork for Thursday.
Shopping List
can condensed French onion soup, barbecue sauce, cider vinegar, brown sugar, boneless pork shoulder roast, whole-grain buns, sliced jalapeno peppers if desired, coleslaw, fresh blueberries.
Thursday: Kids
The kids can help you make BARBECUE WRAPS. Heat the leftover pulled pork and spoon onto warm whole-grain tortillas. Roll and eat. Add CORN ON THE COB on the side. For dessert, try RED AND GREEN GRAPES.
Shopping List
whole-grain tortillas, corn on the cob, red and green grapes.
Friday: Meatless
PASTA SHELLS with CHICKPEA-TOMATO SAUCE is an easy no-meat dinner. Cook 12 ounces medium pasta shells according to directions. Meanwhile, in a skillet heat 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium. Add 2 cloves minced garlic and 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper; cook 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add 2 (15-ounce) cans rinsed chickpeas and cook 5 minutes. Add 1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes and 1 (14.5-ounce) can unsalted vegetable broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes or until the sauce has reduced slightly. Add 1 sprig fresh basil; cook 5 minutes. Remove basil. Add sauce to drained pasta; toss to mix. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan and garnish with more basil. Serve with a SPINACH SALAD and GARLIC BREAD. PLUMS are dessert.
Shopping List
medium pasta shells, olive oil, garlic, crushed red pepper, canned chickpeas, canned crushed tomatoes, unsalted vegetable broth, fresh basil, Parmesan, fresh spinach, garlic bread, plums.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
Keep the kitchen cool and enjoy GRILLED STEAKS WITH GARDEN FRESH VEGETABLES. Combine 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning. Brush mixture on 2 boneless beef top loin steaks (1 inch thick), about 1 1/2 pounds, and 2 each medium yellow and zucchini squash (sliced 3/4-inch thick, diagonally). Grill beef 15 to 18 minutes and vegetables until tender, turning occasionally. Serve with ROASTED RED POTATOES, MIXED GREENS and CRUSTY ROLLS. Wouldn’t PEACH SHORTCAKE be good for dessert?
Shopping List
olive oil, dried Italian seasoning, boneless beef top loin steaks, yellow and zucchini squash, red potatoes, mixed greens, crusty rolls, peach shortcake.