Sunday: Family
Make family day special with MEDITERRANEAN STEAK AND PASTA WITH TOMATO-OLIVE SAUCE for dinner. Serve the beef entree with GREEN BEANS, a GREEN SALAD and WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. Buy an APPLE PIE and serve a small slice with a dab of VANILLA ICE CREAM for dessert.
Plan
Save some pie for Monday and ice cream for Thursday.
Shopping List
fettuccine, beef round (sirloin) tip center steaks, jar pasta sauce with olives, dried oregano, shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, fresh parsley, green beans, salad greens, whole-grain rolls, apple pie, vanilla ice cream.
MEDITERRANEAN STEAK AND PASTA WITH TOMATO-OLIVE SAUCE
Servings: makes 4 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 11 to 13 minutes, plus pasta
- 8 ounces dry fettuccine
- 4 beef round (sirloin) tip center steaks, cut 3/4 inch thick (about 5 to 6 ounces)
- 1 (26-ounce) jar pasta sauce with olives
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
Cook pasta according to directions; drain. Heat large nonstick skillet on medium. Place steak in skillet; cook 11 to 13 minutes for medium-rare to medium doneness, turning twice. Do not overcook. Remove from skillet; keep warm. To same skillet, add pasta sauce and oregano; heat thoroughly. Return steaks to skillet; turn to coat with sauce. Place steaks on fettuccine; spoon sauce over all. Sprinkle steaks with cheese to melt. Garnish with parsley.
Per serving: 497 calories, 42 grams protein, 9 grams fat (17% calories from fat), 2.8 grams saturated fat, 58 grams carbohydrate, 85 milligrams cholesterol, 788 milligrams sodium, 5 grams fiber.
Monday: Kids
PIZZA BAKE will please the whole family. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook 8 ounces wagon-wheel or other pasta according to directions; drain. In a 2 1/2-quart baking dish, mix pasta, 1 (26-ounce) jar no-salt-added or regular red pasta sauce, 1 (8-ounce) can rinsed sliced carrots and 1 (2 1/4-ounce) can rinsed sliced ripe olives. Cover and bake 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle with 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese. Bake uncovered 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Serve with a CHOPPED LETTUCE SALAD. Slice the leftover PIE for dessert.
Shopping List
wagon-wheel or other pasta, jar no-salt-added or regular red pasta sauce, canned sliced carrots, canned sliced ripe olives, shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, lettuce.
Tuesday: Meatless
We didn't miss the meat with all the flavor in SPAGHETTI AL LIMONE. Add a ROMAINE SALAD and ITALIAN BREAD. PEARS are your dessert.
Shopping List
spaghetti, coarse salt, extra-virgin olive oil, shallot, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, lemons, pepper, basil, romaine, Italian bread, pears.
SPAGHETTI AL LIMONE
Servings: makes 6 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt, divided
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus extra for drizzling
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, finely grated, plus extra for serving
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (2 lemons)
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring often, according to package directions. Reserve 1 3/4 cups cooking water, then drain pasta. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add shallot and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook about 2 minutes or until softened. Stir in cream and 3/4 cup reserved pasta water; bring to a simmer and cook 2 minutes. Off heat, add pasta, Parmesan, zest, juice, remaining 3 tablespoons oil and pepper; toss to combine. Cover and let pasta stand for 2 minutes, tossing frequently and adjusting consistency of sauce with remaining reserved cooking water as needed. Stir in basil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle individual servings with extra oil and serve, passing extra Parmesan separately. (Adapted from "One-Hour Comfort," America's Test Kitchen.)
Per serving: 419 calories, 11 grams protein, 15 grams fat (33% calories from fat), 4.4 grams saturated fat, 59 grams carbohydrate, 15 milligrams cholesterol, 254 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.
Wednesday: Express
Take it easy tonight with CHICKEN SALAD on RED-TIPPED LETTUCE. Mix toasted chopped walnuts and a chopped apple with deli chicken salad. Add a dash of curry powder. Serve with BEAN SOUP and WHOLE-GRAIN CRACKERS. Munch on OATMEAL COOKIES for dessert.
Shopping List
red-tipped lettuce, walnuts, apples, deli chicken salad, curry powder, bean soup, whole-grain crackers, oatmeal cookies.
Thursday: Budget
Put this CHICKEN WITH WHITE BEANS AND TOMATOES in your "favorites" file and serve it as a low-cost feast. Add a SPINACH SALAD and CRUSTY BREAD. Scoop the leftover ICE CREAM for dessert.
Plan
Save enough chicken and beans for Friday.
Shopping List
canned cannellini beans, grape tomatoes, fresh thyme, fresh or dried oregano, garlic, crushed red pepper, olive oil, coarse salt, black pepper, bone-in skinless chicken thighs, paprika, bacon, fresh spinach, crusty bread.
CHICKEN WITH WHITE BEANS AND TOMATOES
Servings: makes 8 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 45 to 55 minutes
- 2 (15.5-ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed
- 1 pint grape tomatoes
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme, plus leaves for garnish
- 4 to 8 sprigs fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 8 bone-in skinless chicken thighs, well-trimmed (about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds total)
- Paprika for garnish
- 4 slices bacon, halved
Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, toss the beans and tomatoes with thyme sprigs, oregano, garlic, red pepper, 1 tablespoon oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Pat chicken dry with paper towels; place skin side up on top of bean mixture. Sprinkle with remaining salt and pepper and the paprika. Top each thigh with a half-slice of bacon. Roast 35 to 45 minutes or until internal temperature of chicken reaches 165 degrees. Remove from oven; sprinkle with thyme leaves.
Per serving: 322 calories, 26 grams protein, 15 grams fat (44% calories from fat), 4.6 grams saturated fat, 18 grams carbohydrate, 116 milligrams cholesterol, 499 milligrams sodium, 5 grams fiber.
Friday: Heat and Eat
Turn Thursday’s leftovers into CHICKEN AND RICE. Shred the chicken and mix with the leftover beans and some unsalted chicken broth. Heat and serve it all over BROWN RICE. Garnish with diced avocado.
Serve with MIXED GREENS and WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. Finish with sliced STRAWBERRIES.
Plan
Save enough strawberries for Saturday.
Shopping List
unsalted chicken broth, brown rice, avocado, mixed greens, whole-grain rolls, strawberries.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
SCALLOPS WITH CREAMY PESTO is worthy of any guest. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high. Add 1 pound sea scallops (patted dry). Cook 4 minutes, turning once, until golden or just barely opaque at centers. Remove to plate; keep warm. Off heat, add 1/3 cup refrigerated pesto and 2 tablespoons half-and-half to skillet; stir to blend. Spoon pesto cream sauce onto serving plates; top with scallops.
Serve with LONG-GRAIN AND WILD RICE (from mix), SUGAR SNAP PEAS, a BIBB LETTUCE SALAD and SOURDOUGH BREAD. Buy a CHEESECAKE and top with leftover STRAWBERRIES for dessert.
Shopping List
olive oil, sea scallops, refrigerated pesto, half-and-half, long-grain and wild rice mix, sugar snap peas, bibb lettuce, sourdough bread, cheesecake.