Sunday: Family
Treat the family to this juicy, delicious ROSEMARY AND GARLIC CRUSTED PORK LOIN WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND POTATOES. Serve with a SPINACH SALAD with diced BEETS and ORANGES: Toss fresh baby spinach with drained diced pickled beets (from jar), orange sections and a light vinaigrette. Add WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. Buy a DEEP-DISH PEACH PIE for dessert.
Plan
Save enough pork with vegetables for Monday; save enough pie for Wednesday.
Shopping List
fresh rosemary, garlic, coarse salt, pepper, cooking spray, boneless center-cut pork loin roast, Yukon gold potatoes, olive oil, butternut squash, ruby port or tawny port or prune juice, unsalted chicken stock, fresh baby spinach, jar diced pickled beets, oranges, light vinaigrette, whole-grain rolls, deep-dish peach pie.
ROSEMARY AND GARLIC CRUSTED PORK LOIN WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND POTATOES
Servings: makes 8 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: about 1 hour
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste
- 1 (2-pound) boneless center-cut pork loin roast, trimmed and tied with string
- 1 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
- 1 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1/2 cup ruby port, tawny port or prune juice
- 1/2 cup unsalted chicken stock
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine rosemary, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Coat a large roasting pan with cooking spray. Place pork in pan; rub the rosemary mixture all over it. Turn roast fat side down. In a medium bowl, toss potatoes with 2 teaspoons oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt; scatter along one side of pork. Roast pork and potatoes 30 minutes. Meanwhile, toss squash with remaining oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste in medium bowl. Remove roasting pan from oven. Carefully turn pork. Scatter squash along other side of pork. Roast pork 30 to 40 minutes more or until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. Transfer pork to carving board; tent with foil and let stand 5 minutes. If vegetables are tender, transfer to a bowl, cover, keep warm. If not, continue to roast up to 15 minutes more or until tender.
After removing vegetables, place roasting pan over medium heat and add port or juice; bring to a boil, stirring to scrape up browned bits. Simmer 2 minutes. Add broth and simmer 2 more minutes. Add any juices that have accumulated on carving board. To serve, cut strings from pork. Cut pork into thin slices and overlap on warmed platter. Spoon vegetables around edges. Serve immediately with pan sauce.
Per serving: 248 calories, 24 grams protein, 5 grams fat (20% calories from fat), 1.4 grams saturated fat, 23 grams carbohydrate, 61 milligrams cholesterol, 424 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber.
Monday: Heat and Eat
Use the leftovers and make PORK LOIN SANDWICHES ON RYE BREAD; spread the bread with honey-mustard dressing. On the side, heat the leftover POTATOES and SQUASH. Add a LETTUCE WEDGE SALAD. For dessert, you'll enjoy FRESH PINEAPPLE.
Shopping List
rye bread, honey-mustard dressing, iceberg lettuce, fresh pineapple.
Tuesday: Express
Make it easy on yourself with another sandwich night. Serve deli BLACK BEAN SOUP and GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICHES. Make a SLICED CUCUMBER SALAD and drizzle with Italian dressing. PLUMS are a simple dessert.
Shopping List
deli black bean soup, cheese and bread for sandwiches, cucumbers, Italian dressing, plums.
Wednesday: Entertaining
Celebrate New Year's Eve with friends and serve SUCCULENT FILET IN A FIELD OF GREENS. Add AU GRATIN POTATOES and a BAGUETTE. For dessert, heat the leftover PIE and top with VANILLA ICE CREAM. Say hello to 2026!
Plan
Save enough ice cream for Thursday.
Shopping List
olive oil, assorted wild mushrooms (such as cremini, oyster, shiitake, enoki and morel), garlic, fresh thyme, beef tenderloin steaks, salt, pepper, red and yellow cherry tomatoes, mixed baby salad greens, champagne or white wine vinaigrette, au gratin potatoes, baguette, vanilla ice cream.
SUCCULENT FILET IN A FIELD OF GREENS
Servings: makes 4 servings
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 10 to 13 minutes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cups assorted wild mushrooms (such as cremini, oyster, shiitake, enoki and morel)
- 3 teaspoons minced garlic, divided
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- 4 beef tenderloin steaks, cut 1 inch thick
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups halved red and yellow cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup mixed baby salad greens
- 2 tablespoons champagne or white wine vinaigrette
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet on medium. Add mushrooms and 1 teaspoon garlic; cook and stir 2 to 4 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and browned. Remove to a medium bowl; cool slightly. Meanwhile, combine remaining 2 teaspoons garlic and thyme. Press evenly onto beef steaks. Place steaks in same skillet over medium heat; cook, turning occasionally, 10 to 13 minutes or to desired doneness. Season steaks with salt and pepper as desired. Remove to platter. Combine mushrooms, tomatoes, greens and vinaigrette; toss lightly to coat. Serve steaks with salad.
Per serving: 230 calories, 25 grams protein, 11 grams fat (42% calories from fat), 3.1 grams saturated fat, 10 grams carbohydrate, 68 milligrams cholesterol, 111 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.
Thursday: Budget
Try the Southern tradition of good fortune for the new year with HOPPIN’ JOHN. Take the good-luck tradition further and add your own COLLARD GREENS for some extra spending "green." Add canned STEWED TOMATOES for some color. Serve it all with CORNBREAD (from mix). For a sweet, top leftover ICE CREAM with CHOCOLATE SAUCE and garnish with shredded coconut.
Shopping List
dried black-eyed peas, ham, onion, coarse salt, pepper, hot pepper sauce, rice, green onions, collard greens, canned stewed tomatoes, cornbread mix, chocolate sauce, shredded coconut.
HOPPIN’ JOHN
Servings: makes 8 servings
Prep time: about 15 minutes; soaking time: 1 hour
Cook time: about 1 hour 15 minutes, plus rice
- 2 cups dried black-eyed peas, plus enough water to cover
- 8 ounces chopped ham
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
- 2 cups hot cooked rice
- 1/2 cup sliced green onions
In a large pot, cover peas with water and bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 1 hour. Drain, discarding water. In a saucepan, bring ham and 1 quart water to a boil; cook 15 minutes. Add peas; cover, reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes. Add onion, salt, pepper and hot sauce; return to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until peas are tender. Stir in hot rice and onions.
Per serving: 263 calories, 16 grams protein, 6 grams fat (19% calories from fat), 1.9 grams saturated fat, 37 grams carbohydrate, 18 milligrams cholesterol, 407 milligrams sodium, 8 grams fiber.
Friday: Kids
For a change of pace, fix the kids OVEN-BAKED CHICKEN TENDERS: Heat oven to 450 degrees. Coat chicken tenders with cooking spray, then with mashed potato flakes (not granules). Sprinkle with a little coarse salt. Place on a baking sheet lined with nonstick foil and cook 15 minutes, turning once.
Serve with BAKED POTATO WEDGES (from frozen) and GREEN BEANS. Color the plate with BABY CARROTS and RANCH DRESSING for dipping. The kids will love instant CHOCOLATE PUDDING (made with 1% milk) for dessert.
Shopping List
chicken tenders, cooking spray, mashed potato flakes (not granules), coarse salt, frozen baked potato wedges, green beans, baby carrots, ranch dressing, instant chocolate pudding, 1% milk.
Saturday: Meatless
For an easy meal after a busy week, make LENTIL SOUP: Rinse and sort 1 (16-ounce) package lentils. In a large pot, combine the lentils with 4 cups water and bring to a boil; drain. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium. Add 2 thinly sliced ribs celery, 1/2 medium chopped onion and 1 clove minced garlic; cook 6 minutes or until softened. Add vegetables to lentils in pot, plus 6 cups unsalted vegetable broth and 1 teaspoon dried thyme; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until lentils are soft. Season with coarse salt and pepper to taste.
Ladle soup over BROWN RICE. Garnish with chopped red onion, chopped red bell pepper and chopped fresh cilantro if desired. Add deli COLESLAW and CRUSTY BREAD. Enjoy PEARS for dessert.
Shopping List
lentils, olive oil, celery, onion, garlic, unsalted vegetable broth, dried thyme, coarse salt, pepper, brown rice, red onion, red bell pepper, fresh cilantro, deli coleslaw, crusty bread, pears.