Sunday: Family
Start the Super Bowl festivities with a bowl of CORN TORTILLA CHIPS. It wouldn't be the Super Bowl without your GUACAMOLE and your favorite SALSA to go with the chips. BARBECUE BEEF BISCUIT SLIDERS will bring the family to the table in a hurry. Accompany the delicious sandwiches with BAKED BEANS and deli COLESLAW. Finish this fine meal with warm PEACH COBBLER and VANILLA ICE CREAM. Go, team, go!
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Plan
Make enough beef and save some beans, slaw and cobbler for Monday. Save enough ice cream for Saturday.
Shopping List
corn tortilla chips, ingredients for guacamole, salsa, hickory-flavored barbecue sauce, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, beef tri-tip steak, package low-fat buttermilk biscuits (2 to 2 1/2 inches diameter), baked beans, deli coleslaw, peach cobbler, vanilla ice cream.
BARBECUE BEEF BISCUIT SLIDERS
Servings: makes 18 servings
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 to 50 minutes plus biscuits
- 1 cup hickory-flavored barbecue sauce
- 1 tablespoon chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, seeded and minced
- 1 beef tri-tip steak (about 1 1/2 pounds)
- 18 baked low-fat buttermilk biscuits (about 2 to 2 1/2 inches diameter)
- 3/4 cup crushed corn tortilla chips
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Combine barbecue sauce and chipotle peppers; reserve 3/4 cup sauce mixture. Brush some of remaining sauce mixture onto all sides of steak. Place on rack in shallow roasting pan. Do not add water or cover. Roast to 40 to 50 minutes for medium doneness. Baste roast with more sauce 10 minutes before finished roasting. Remove roast from oven and let stand 15 to 20 minutes. Carve roast across the grain into thin slices. Toss with reserved 3/4 cup sauce mixture. Evenly divide beef slices and tortilla chips among split biscuits. Close sandwiches and serve.
Per serving: 159 calories, 10 grams protein, 4 grams fat (25% calories from fat), 1.6 grams saturated fat, 21 grams carbohydrate, 22 milligrams cholesterol, 402 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.
Monday: Heat and Eat
Make BARBECUE BEEF SANDWICHES on WHOLE-GRAIN BUNS tonight. Split the buns, brush with olive oil and toast before adding beef. Serve with leftover BEANS and SLAW. Dessert is leftover COBBLER topped with light WHIPPED CREAM.
Shopping List
whole-grain buns, olive oil, light whipped cream.
Tuesday: Meatless
Serve Italian-inspired CANNELLINI BEAN AND ESCAROLE STEW over BROWN RICE for a no-meat meal. Add a MIXED GREEN SALAD and CRUSTY ROLLS. For dessert, serve FRESH PINEAPPLE SPEARS.
Shopping List
olive oil, onions, escarole, garlic, coarse salt, pepper, canned cannellini beans, canned diced no-salt-added tomatoes, brown rice, mixed greens, crusty rolls, fresh pineapple.
CANNELLINI BEAN AND ESCAROLE STEW
Servings: makes 4 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: less than 25 minutes
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 1 bunch escarole (13 to 14 ounces), coarsely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 (15- to 19-ounce) can rinsed cannellini beans
- 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced no-salt-added tomatoes, with liquid
In a medium nonstick skillet, heat oil on medium. Add onions; cook, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes or until softened. Add escarole, garlic, salt and pepper; cook 3 minutes or until escarole is wilted. Stir in beans and tomatoes with liquid; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook 10 minutes. Serve warm.
Per serving: 162 calories, 6 grams protein, 3 grams fat (15% calories from fat), 0.3 gram saturated fat, 28 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 470 milligrams sodium, 8 grams fiber.
Wednesday: Kids
Pizza is one of those special "food groups for kids," and CHICKEN PIZZA fits right in: Heat oven to 425 degrees. Top a thin whole-grain pizza crust with 1 (9- or 10-ounce) package cooked chicken (chopped). Top with 1 cup shredded part-skim Monterey Jack cheese mixed with 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh spinach. Bake about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Serve the pizza with CARROT STICKS. For dessert, ORANGE SECTIONS are good.
Plan
For Friday, order a heart-shaped chocolate cake for your honey.
Shopping List
thin whole-grain pizza crust, packaged cooked chicken, shredded part-skim Monterey Jack cheese, fresh spinach, carrot sticks, oranges.
Thursday: Budget
Pinch some pennies and serve SAUCY MEATBALL SUBS for a delicious money-saver. Accompany the flavor-packed dish with a GREEN SALAD. Sliced KIWIS make a simple dessert.
Shopping List
eggs, whole-grain bread, onion, coarse salt, dried Italian seasoning, 95% lean ground beef, no-salt-added or regular tomato-based pasta sauce, hoagie or other sandwich rolls, Parmesan cheese, salad greens, kiwis.
SAUCY MEATBALL SUBS
Servings: makes 12 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 15 to 20 minutes
- 2 lightly beaten eggs
- 1 1/2 cups whole-grain soft breadcrumbs (about 2 slices)
- 1/2 onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 2 pounds 95% lean ground beef
- 1 (26- to 28-ounce) no-salt-added or regular tomato-based pasta sauce
- 12 hoagie or other sandwich rolls
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine eggs, crumbs, onion, salt and Italian seasoning; mix well. Add beef; mix well. Shape into 48 meatballs; arrange on a rimmed 10-by-15-inch baking pan. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees; drain well. In a Dutch oven, combine the pasta sauce and cooked meatballs. Heat through. Partially split buns; spoon hot meatball mixture into buns. Spoon additional sauce over meatballs if desired. Sprinkle cheese over meatballs. Let stand 1 to 2 minutes before serving.
Per serving: 381 calories, 27 grams protein, 13 grams fat (30% calories from fat), 4.1 grams saturated fat, 41 grams carbohydrate, 75 milligrams cholesterol, 699 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber.
Friday: Express
Make Valentine's Day special with PEPPER-GARLIC TENDERLOIN STEAKS: Heat a large nonstick skillet for 5 minutes on medium. Crush 1 large clove garlic and combine with 1/4 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns. Press evenly into both sides of 2 beef tenderloin steaks (4 to 5 ounces each, cut 1 inch thick). Place steaks in a large skillet. Cook 10 to 13 minutes, turning occasionally, for medium-rare to medium doneness. Remove; keep warm. Add 1/2 cup lower-sodium beef broth to skillet; increase heat to medium-high. Cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes or until sauce is reduced by half. Spoon sauce over steaks. Top with crumbled blue cheese.
Serve the tender steaks with STUFFED BAKED POTATOES (from frozen) and PEAS WITH PEARL ONIONS (from frozen). Add DINNER ROLLS. For dessert, enjoy a HEART-SHAPED CHOCOLATE CAKE with RASPBERRY SORBET by candlelight.
Tip
Make Valentine's Day special with PEPPER-GARLIC TENDERLOIN STEAKS: Heat a large nonstick skillet for 5 minutes on medium. Crush 1 large clove garlic and combine with 1/4 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns. Press evenly into both sides of 2 beef tenderloin steaks (4 to 5 ounces each, cut 1 inch thick). Place steaks in a large skillet. Cook 10 to 13 minutes, turning occasionally, for medium-rare to medium doneness. Remove; keep warm. Add 1/2 cup lower-sodium beef broth to skillet; increase heat to medium-high. Cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes or until sauce is reduced by half. Spoon sauce over steaks. Top with crumbled blue cheese.
Serve the tender steaks with STUFFED BAKED POTATOES (from frozen) and PEAS WITH PEARL ONIONS (from frozen). Add DINNER ROLLS. For dessert, enjoy a HEART-SHAPED CHOCOLATE CAKE with RASPBERRY SORBET by candlelight.
Plan
Save some cake for Saturday.
Shopping List
garlic, black peppercorns, beef tenderloin steaks, lower-sodium beef broth, crumbled blue cheese, frozen stuffed baked potatoes, frozen peas with pearl onions, dinner rolls, heart-shaped chocolate cake, raspberry sorbet.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
Prepare your own LAMB CHOPS for guests.
Accompany your prize recipe with RICE PILAF: Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet on medium; add 1 small chopped onion and 1/2 cup slivered almonds. Cook 7 minutes or until onion is softened and almonds are golden. Stir in 1 1/2 cups basmati rice, 1/2 cup golden raisins, 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt; cook 2 minutes. Add 3 cups unsalted chicken broth; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 20 to 25 minutes or until rice is tender.
Serve with MARINATED CUCUMBER AND TOMATO SALAD: Add 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint to your favorite vinaigrette. Pour over 3 medium thinly sliced cucumbers, 3 medium tomatoes cut into wedges, 1 thinly sliced medium red onion, coarse salt and pepper to taste. Toss gently to coat; cover and marinate 2 hours.
Serve with FLATBREAD. Slice leftover CAKE and top it with leftover ICE CREAM for dessert.
Shopping List
lamb chops, butter, onion, slivered almonds, basmati rice, golden raisins, turmeric, cinnamon, coarse salt, unsalted chicken broth, fresh mint, vinaigrette, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, pepper, flatbread.