Sunday: Family
Be prepared for heaps of praise from the family with this GARLIC-ROSEMARY CHICKEN, a French classic. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Remove and discard giblets and neck from a 5- to 6-pound roasting chicken; trim excess fat. Starting at neck cavity, including drumsticks, loosen skin with your fingers. Place several sprigs of fresh rosemary and crushed garlic cloves under skin of breast and drumsticks. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under.
Place chicken, breast-side up, on broiler pan. Insert meat thermometer into meaty part of thigh, not touching bone. Bake 30 minutes; reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 1 hour 15 minutes more or until thermometer registers 165 degrees. Remove from oven, tent with foil and let stand 10 minutes.
Slice chicken, discard skin and serve with your own OVEN-BROWNED POTATOES. Add fresh BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH LEMON. Steam the sprouts, then toss with some olive oil, fresh lemon juice and coarse salt and pepper to taste. Add DINNER ROLLS. For dessert, buy a YELLOW LAYER CAKE.
Plan
Save enough chicken and cake for Monday.
Shopping List
roasting chicken, fresh rosemary, garlic, potatoes, fresh Brussels sprouts, olive oil, lemon, coarse salt, pepper, dinner rolls, yellow layer cake.
Monday: Heat and Eat
Turn Sunday's leftover chicken into ASIAN CHICKEN WITH VEGETABLES AND NOODLES. Serve with MIXED GREENS and WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. Slice leftover CAKE for dessert.
Shopping List
no-yolk thin noodles, packaged fresh matchstick or shredded carrots, fresh broccoli, sweet and spicy or citrus stir-fry sauce, canned mandarin oranges, salad greens, whole-grain rolls.
Tuesday: Kids
Treat the kids to CHILI PIZZA. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Brown 1/2 pound each ground turkey breast and lean ground beef in a nonstick skillet on medium 6 minutes or until no longer pink; drain. Stir in 1 (1.25-ounce) packet less-sodium chili seasoning mix, 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can no-salt-added stewed tomatoes and 1 (15-ounce) can rinsed reduced-sodium pinto beans; cook 8 minutes on medium or until heated. Arrange 8 fat-free burrito-size tortillas in a circle on a 12-inch pizza pan, overlapping edges where necessary. Spoon ground meat mixture onto tortillas. Top with 1 cup 50 percent reduced-fat shredded cheese. Bake 5 to 8 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Slice into wedges and serve with DELI CARROT-RAISIN SALAD. How about ANIMAL CRACKERS and PEACHES for dessert?
Shopping List
ground turkey breast, lean ground beef, packet less-sodium chili seasoning mix, canned no-salt-added stewed tomatoes, canned reduced-sodium pinto beans, fat-free burrito-size tortillas, 50 percent reduced-fat shredded cheese, deli carrot-raisin salad, animal crackers, peaches.
Wednesday: Meatless
Skip the meat and enjoy LINGUINE WITH PARSLEY AND PARMESAN for an easy meal. Serve with a ROMAINE SALAD and GARLIC BREAD. Scoop fat-free STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM for dessert.
Plan
Save enough ice cream for Saturday.
Shopping List
linguine, butter, onion, garlic, reduced-fat sour cream, pepper, fresh parsley, parmesan cheese, romaine, garlic bread, fat-free strawberry ice cream.
Thursday: Express
Call it a HERO, GRINDER, SUBMARINE or POOR BOY, and it's still a great sandwich no matter where you live. Split a small loaf of French or Italian bread. Spread bottom with deli coleslaw and add a variety of sliced deli meats. Then layer cheese, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes and whatever else the cook is in the mood for. Serve your masterpiece with deli POTATO SALAD. PEARS are dessert.
Plan
Save enough coleslaw for Friday.
Shopping List
French or Italian bread loaf, deli coleslaw, any sliced deli meats, any sliced cheese, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, any other toppings, deli potato salad, pears.
Friday: Budget
Save money and enjoy CATFISH ALLISON from friend and former food editor of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Susan Puckett. She takes us on a tour of the Delta area in Mississippi in her new book "Eat Drink Delta." Serve the dollar-stretcher with HASH-BROWNED POTATOES (frozen) and leftover COLESLAW. With catfish, you must have CORNBREAD. For dessert, make instant VANILLA PUDDING with skim milk.
Shopping List
parmesan cheese, butter, low-fat mayonnaise, green onions, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, catfish fillets, cooking spray, frozen hash-browned potatoes, cornbread, instant vanilla pudding, skim milk.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
Serve your guests BRAISED PORK MEDALLIONS WITH APPLES, a perfect fall entree. Slice 1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin into 8 slices and season on both sides with 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. Heat 1 teaspoon canola oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high. Brown pork on both sides, remove from pan and set aside. To skillet, add 1 small chopped onion and 1 large cored and coarsely chopped apple; cook 6 minutes or until soft. Add 1/2 cup apple cider or apple juice to skillet. Reduce heat to low. Return pork to skillet, cover and simmer 5 minutes.
Serve with BROWN RICE and SUGAR SNAP PEAS. Add WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. For dessert, spoon frozen or fresh STRAWBERRIES over leftover ICE CREAM.
Shopping List
pork tenderloin, pepper, pumpkin pie spice, canola oil, onion, apple, apple cider or apple juice, brown rice, sugar snap peas, whole-grain rolls, frozen or fresh strawberries.