Sunday: Family
Treat the family to SAVORY BEEF STEW for a casual family gathering. Serve the meal-in-a-bowl with a ROMAINE SALAD. CARROT CAKE is a perfect dessert.
Plan
Save enough beef stew for Monday and some cake for Tuesday.
Shopping List
beef stew meat, carrots, canned no-salt-added diced tomatoes, onion, packet slow cooker beef stew seasoning mix, dry red wine or low-sodium beef broth, fresh or dried rosemary, Italian bread, romaine, carrot cake.
SAVORY BEEF STEW
Servings: makes 8 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 7 to 8 hours on low
- 2 pounds well-trimmed beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 4 carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2 (14.5-ounce) cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes, with liquid
- 1 medium onion, cut into wedges
- 1 (1.5-ounce) packet slow cooker beef stew seasoning mix
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup dry red wine or low-sodium beef broth
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 8 slices toasted Italian bread
In a 4-quart or larger slow cooker, place beef, carrots, tomatoes and onion. In a small bowl, blend seasoning mix, water, wine or broth and rosemary. Pour over beef and vegetables; toss to coat. Cover. Cook 8 hours on low. To serve, place 1 slice toasted bread into each bowl. Spoon stew over bread.
Per serving: 310 calories, 25 grams protein, 9 grams fat (27% calories from fat), 3 grams saturated fat, 27 grams carbohydrate, 71 milligrams cholesterol, 918 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber.
Monday: Heat & Eat
Dice the leftover beef and vegetables; combine them with marinara sauce and heat. Spoon the sauce over any pasta, and you have BEEFY SPAGHETTI for a quick meal. Add a SPINACH SALAD and GARLIC BREAD alongside. Finish with BLUEBERRIES for dessert.
Shopping List
marinara sauce, any pasta, fresh spinach, garlic bread, blueberries.
Tuesday: Meatless
With all the hustle and bustle this week, no-meat SPICY BEAN MEDLEY, prepared in the slow cooker, will be stress-free. In a 4-quart or larger slow cooker, stir together 1 3/4 cups unsalted vegetable broth, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 (15-ounce) can reduced-sodium rinsed black beans, 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans and 1/2 cup dry lentils. Cover and cook on low 6 to 7 hours. Stir in 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies. Cover and cook on low 1 hour or until the lentils are tender.
Ladle over BROWN RICE and garnish with chopped cilantro. Add a MIXED GREEN SALAD and WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS on the side. Slice the leftover CAKE for dessert.
Shopping List
unsalted vegetable broth, chili powder, cumin, canned reduced-sodium black beans, canned chickpeas, canned cannellini beans, dry lentils, canned diced tomatoes with green chilies, brown rice, cilantro, mixed greens, whole-grain rolls.
Wednesday: Budget
We’re always glad to save some money, especially around the holidays. Make this economical SOUTHWEST MEATLOAF for dinner. Serve it with BAKED POTATOES, STEAMED ZUCCHINI, a LETTUCE WEDGE and CORNBREAD (from mix) for a fine meal. For dessert, TROPICAL FRUIT is just right.
Plan
save enough meatloaf for Thursday and enough cornbread for Friday.
Shopping List
93% to 95% lean ground beef, whole-grain bread, onion, red bell pepper, frozen corn, skim or 1% milk, eggs, coarse salt, chili powder, cumin, black pepper, cooking spray, thick and chunky salsa, avocado, potatoes to bake, zucchini, lettuce, cornbread mix, tropical fruit.
SOUTHWEST MEATLOAF
Servings: makes 8 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 75 to 80 minutes; Standing time: 5 minutes
- 2 pounds 93% to 95% lean ground beef
- 1 cup soft whole-grain breadcrumbs, crusts removed
- 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
- 1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
- 1/2 cup skim or 1% milk
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup thick and chunky salsa
- Sliced avocado for garnish
Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine beef, crumbs, onion, bell pepper, corn, milk, egg, salt, chili powder, cumin and black pepper; mix thoroughly but lightly. Shape mixture into a 10-by-4-inch loaf. Place on rack coated with cooking spray in broiler pan. Bake 75 to 80 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Let stand 5 minutes; top with salsa, cut into slices and serve. Garnish with avocado.
Per serving: 202 calories, 27 grams protein, 7 grams fat (30% calories from fat), 2.5 grams saturated fat, 9 grams carbohydrate, 86 milligrams cholesterol, 348 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.
Thursday: Kids
Get the kids’ attention with BEEF WRAPS for dinner. Crumble and heat the leftover meatloaf, spoon it onto warm whole-wheat flour tortillas, top with some shredded 50% light cheddar cheese and roll. Garnish with salsa and guacamole. Serve with canned MEXICAN-STYLE CORN (rinsed). PEARS are your dessert.
Shopping List
whole-wheat flour tortillas, 50% light cheddar cheese, salsa, guacamole, canned Mexican-style corn, pears.
Friday: Express
You’ll want a quick meal tonight, so buy a spiral-sliced HAM and serve it with prepared MASHED SWEET POTATOES (found in the refrigerated aisle), your BAKED APPLES, deli COLESLAW and leftover CORNBREAD. CHRISTMAS COOKIES are always a welcome dessert.
Plan
Save some ham and cookies for Saturday; make Saturday’s brunch entree today.
Shopping List
spiral-sliced ham, refrigerated mashed sweet potatoes, apples to bake, deli coleslaw, Christmas cookies.
Saturday: Family
Enjoy delicious FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE before the big meal later in the day. Serve the casserole with BACON. For something sweet, AMBROSIA with leftover CHRISTMAS COOKIES fits right into the season.
Shopping List
French or Italian bread, cooking spray, whole milk, eggs, heavy cream, pure vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, light brown sugar, unsalted butter, light corn syrup, pecans, bacon, ambrosia.
FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE
Servings: makes 16 servings
Prep time: 25 minutes; refrigeration time: 8 to 24 hours
Cook time: 25 minutes for bread; 1 hour for casserole; standing time: 10 minutes
- 1 pound French or Italian bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- 8 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 1/3 cups packed light brown sugar
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions; heat to 325 degrees. Spread bread over 2 rimmed baking sheets and bake 25 minutes or until dry and light golden, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Let bread cool completely. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray; pack bread into dish. In a large bowl, whisk milk, eggs, cream, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg together. Pour mixture evenly over bread; lightly press on bread to submerge. Wrap dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 8 hours. In another bowl, stir brown sugar, butter and corn syrup until smooth; stir in pecans. Wrap tightly in foil and refrigerate. Assembled casserole and topping can be refrigerated separately for up to 24 hours. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat to 350 degrees. Unwrap casserole and sprinkle evenly with brown sugar mixture, breaking apart any large clumps. Place casserole on rimmed baking sheet; bake about 1 hour or until puffed and golden. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. (Adapted from "The Complete Autumn and Winter Cookbook," America’s Test Kitchen.)
Per serving: 445 calories, 9 grams protein, 28 grams fat (55% calories from fat), 11.5 grams saturated fat, 41 grams carbohydrate, 139 milligrams cholesterol, 238 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.