Sunday: Family
Take it easy with a packaged POT ROAST (fully cooked roast with gravy). Serve it with MASHED POTATOES and mix in some fresh snipped chives. Alongside, add ROASTED RATATOUILLE and CRUSTY ROLLS. For dessert, buy a BOSTON CREAM PIE.
Plan
Save enough roast, gravy, potatoes and pie for Monday.
Shopping List
packaged, fully cooked roast beef with gravy, potatoes to mash, fresh chives, fresh vegetables cut into chunks (such as eggplant, zucchini, red bell peppers and tomatoes), extra-virgin olive oil, coarse salt, black pepper, fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, garlic, balsamic vinegar, crusty rolls, Boston cream pie.
Monday: Heat and Eat
Make OPEN-FACE HOT ROAST BEEF SANDWICHES for dinner. Place the heated sliced beef on dense white bread and spoon hot gravy over it all. Heat the leftover POTATOES to accompany the easy meal. Add a LETTUCE WEDGE for some crunch. Slice the leftover PIE for dessert.
Shopping List
dense white bread, lettuce.
Tuesday: Express
Dinner will be on the table in no time with any refrigerated PASTA TORTELLINI. Spoon MARINARA SAUCE over the pasta and garnish with freshly grated parmesan cheese. Serve with a packaged MIXED GREENS SALAD and GARLIC BREAD. Fresh PINEAPPLE CHUNKS work for dessert.
Shopping List
any refrigerated pasta tortellini, marinara sauce, parmesan cheese, packaged mixed greens, garlic bread, fresh pineapple.
Wednesday: Meatless
You'll want PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM STEW in your permanent collection of favorites. Serve the flavor-loaded stew over no-yolk NOODLES. Add a ROMAINE SALAD and TOASTED CHEESE ITALIAN BREAD (place any shredded cheese on sliced Italian bread; broil until cheese melts). Instant BUTTERSCOTCH PUDDING, made with skim milk, is dessert.
Shopping List
cooking spray, onion, dried or fresh rosemary, olive oil, portobello mushrooms, whole white mushrooms, canned no-salt-added diced tomatoes, no-salt-added tomato paste, garlic, dry sherry or white wine vinegar, coarse salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, no-yolk noodles, romaine, any shredded cheese, Italian bread, instant butterscotch pudding, skim milk.
Thursday: Kids
The kids will have their hands and faces washed early for SPAGHETTI PIE. Serve with BUGS ON A LOG (celery sticks stuffed with cream cheese and topped with raisins) and SOFT ROLLS. APRICOTS are for dessert.
Shopping List
spaghetti, cooking spray, lean ground beef, ground turkey breast, coarse salt, pepper, no-salt-added tomato sauce, reduced-fat sour cream, green onions, reduced-fat cream cheese, 50 percent reduced-fat shredded sharp cheddar cheese, celery sticks, raisins, soft rolls, apricots.
Friday: Budget
Saving money is even better when the result is as good as TEX-MEX CHICKEN. In a Dutch oven on medium, combine 2 cups cooked chicken or 1 (12-ounce) can chicken breast, 1 (15-ounce) can rinsed reduced-sodium pinto beans, 1 (11-ounce) can drained Mexicorn, 2 cups salsa and 1 (14-ounce) can fat-free chicken broth. Heat through and ladle into bowls; garnish with a lime wedge. Serve with a SLICED AVOCADO SALAD and BAKED TORTILLA CHIPS. Nibble on SUGAR COOKIES for dessert.
Shopping List
cooked chicken or canned chicken breast, canned reduced-sodium pinto beans, canned Mexicorn, salsa, fat-free chicken broth, limes, avocado, lettuce (for salad), baked tortilla chips, sugar cookies.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
Serve your own GRILLED SHRIMP to your guests with HERBED POLENTA on the side. Bring 3 cups fat-free chicken broth and 1 tablespoon olive oil to a boil over medium-high heat. Gradually whisk in 1 cup yellow cornmeal, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and simmer, whisking often, 10 minutes or until polenta is thick. Remove from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese and 1 tablespoon each finely chopped fresh flatleaf parsley and fresh basil. Serve immediately.
Add a SPINACH SALAD and BAGUETTES. For dessert, make a RAINBOW PARFAIT by layering orange, lime and raspberry sherbets.
Shopping List
shrimp to grill, fat-free chicken broth, olive oil, yellow cornmeal, parmesan cheese, flatleaf parsley, fresh basil, fresh spinach, baguettes, orange, lime and raspberry sherbets.