Sunday: Family
Impress the family with your own BROILED LAMB CHOPS. On the side, you'll further make a good impression with creamy MASHED POTATO BAKE. Add GREEN PEAS WITH CUCUMBERS. Cook frozen petite green peas as usual; drain, then stir in 1 cup diced seedless cucumber, 1 tablespoon butter, 1/2 teaspoon dried dill and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt.
Add WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. Colorful CHERRY PIE CUPS are an easy dessert.
Plan
Save enough Mashed Potato Bake and Cherry Pie Cups for Monday.
Shopping List
lamb chops, baking potatoes, skim milk, reduced-fat cream cheese, reduced-fat sour cream, parsley flakes, garlic powder, coarse salt, nutmeg, cooking spray, 50 percent reduced-fat cheddar cheese, bacon, frozen petite green peas, cucumber, butter, dried dill, whole-grain rolls, refrigerated piecrusts, canned light cherry pie filling.
MASHED POTATO BAKE
Servings: Makes 14 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: about 45 minutes, plus bacon
- 4 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 1/2 cup hot skim milk
- 1 (8-ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese
- 1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
- 2 teaspoons parsley flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 6 ounces 50 percent reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
Cook potatoes in boiling water about 15 minutes or until tender; drain. Combine cooked potatoes, milk, cream cheese, sour cream, parsley flakes, garlic powder, salt and nutmeg. Beat with an electric mixer on medium-high until potatoes are fairly smooth and creamy. Spoon mixture into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and bacon. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until hot.
Per serving: 213 calories, 10 grams protein, 9 grams fat (36 percent calories from fat), 5.3 grams saturated fat, 25 grams carbohydrate, 30 milligrams cholesterol, 272 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber.
CHERRY PIE CUPS
Servings: Makes 12 cups
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 14 to 18 minutes
- 2 refrigerated piecrusts (from 2-crust box), softened as directed
- 1 (21-ounce) can light cherry pie filling
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Unroll crusts on work surface. With 3 1/2- or 4-inch round cutter, cut 6 rounds from each crust; discard scraps. Fit rounds into 12 ungreased regular-size muffin cups, pressing in gently. Spoon about 2 tablespoons pie filling into each crust-lined cup. Bake 14 to 18 minutes or until edges are golden-brown and filling is bubbly.
Per cup: 136 calories, 1 gram protein, 7 grams fat (47 percent calories from fat), 3.1 grams saturated fat, 17 grams carbohydrate, 3 milligrams cholesterol, 153 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.
Monday: Express
For a quick meal, buy a HAM STEAK and prepare it according to package directions. Accompany the ham with leftover MASHED POTATO BAKE, GREEN BEANS and CRUSTY BREAD. Enjoy the leftover CHERRY PIE CUPS for dessert.
Shopping List
ham steak, green beans, crusty bread.
Tuesday: Budget
Make low-cost CREAMY CHICKEN DIJON for dinner. Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium and cook 4 (5- to 6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts 3 minutes per side or until browned. Mix together 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can less-sodium, less-fat condensed cream of celery soup, 2/3 cup water, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; spoon over chicken. Heat to boil. Cover and cook over low 5 minutes or until chicken registers 165 degrees.
Serve with RICE, FRESH BROCCOLI and WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. For dessert, PEACHES are light.
Shopping List
canola oil, boneless, skinless chicken breasts, canned less-sodium, less-fat condensed cream of celery soup, Dijon mustard, pepper, rice, fresh broccoli, whole-grain rolls, peaches.
Wednesday: Meatless
For a no-meat night, use your slow cooker for VEGETABLE SOUP WITH CHEESE. In a 4-quart or larger slow cooker, combine 1 (15-ounce) can cream-style corn, 4 quartered red potatoes, 1/2 cup shredded carrots, 1/2 cup chopped onion, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 2 (14-ounce) cans unsalted vegetable broth; mix well. Cook on high 4 hours or on low 6 to 8 hours. Ladle into bowls and garnish with shredded 50 percent reduced-fat cheddar cheese.
Serve with EGG SALAD SANDWICHES with lettuce and sliced tomatoes on whole-grain toast. FRESH PINEAPPLE is good for dessert.
Shopping List
canned cream-style corn, red potatoes, shredded carrots, onion, dried minced onion, pepper, unsalted vegetable broth, 50 percent reduced-fat cheddar cheese, egg salad, lettuce, tomatoes, whole-grain bread, fresh pineapple.
Thursday: Kids
See how fast you can make SLOPPY JOES for the kids in your pressure cooker. In the cooker, heat 1 teaspoon canola oil on medium. Cook 1 large chopped onion and 1 chopped green bell pepper for 3 minutes. Add 2 cloves minced garlic and 1 pound lean ground beef. Cook 3 minutes and drain grease. Add 3/4 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce; mix well. Lock lid in place; on high heat, bring to high pressure. Reduce heat just enough to maintain high pressure and cook 6 minutes. Turn off heat. Allow pressure to come down naturally, about 10 minutes. Tip lid away from your face and remove. Spoon mixture on toasted whole-grain hamburger buns and serve with OVEN FRIES (frozen). Halve CHERRY TOMATOES and serve with RANCH DIP. ORANGE SECTIONS are a good dessert.
Plan
Save enough sloppy Joe mix for Friday.
Shopping List
canola oil, onion, green bell pepper, garlic, lean ground beef, barbecue sauce, whole-grain hamburger buns, frozen oven fries, cherry tomatoes, ranch dip, oranges.
Friday: Heat and Eat
Serve the leftover SLOPPY JOES over split, toasted CORNBREAD (from a mix), along with deli BEAN SOUP. Add deli COLESLAW. For dessert, keep it light with PLUMS.
Shopping List
cornbread mix, deli bean soup, deli coleslaw, plums.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
Your guests will welcome MUSTARD-CRUSTED SALMON for dinner tonight. Serve with SUGAR SNAP PEAS and COUSCOUS. Add a SPINACH SALAD and BAGUETTES.
For a showstopper dessert, serve MAPLE-SAUCED PEARS. In a 4-quart or larger slow cooker, place 6 peeled and cored pears upright.
Meanwhile, mix together 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, 1/3 cup maple-flavored syrup, 1 tablespoon melted butter or margarine, 1 teaspoon orange zest and 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger. Pour over pears. Cover and cook on high 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until tender. Remove pears; place upright in serving dish. Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice; stir into sauce in cooker. Cover and cook on high 10 minutes or until thickened. Spoon over pears.
Tip
Your guests will welcome MUSTARD-CRUSTED SALMON for dinner tonight. Serve with SUGAR SNAP PEAS and COUSCOUS. Add a SPINACH SALAD and BAGUETTES.
For a showstopper dessert, serve MAPLE-SAUCED PEARS. In a 4-quart or larger slow cooker, place 6 peeled and cored pears upright.
Meanwhile, mix together 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, 1/3 cup maple-flavored syrup, 1 tablespoon melted butter or margarine, 1 teaspoon orange zest and 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger. Pour over pears. Cover and cook on high 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until tender. Remove pears; place upright in serving dish. Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice; stir into sauce in cooker. Cover and cook on high 10 minutes or until thickened. Spoon over pears.
Shopping List
cooking spray, center-cut salmon fillets, coarse salt, freshly ground black pepper, reduced-fat sour cream, coarse-grained mustard, lemons, sugar snap peas, couscous, fresh spinach, baguettes, fresh pears, brown sugar, maple-flavored syrup, butter or margarine, oranges, ground ginger, cornstarch.
MUSTARD-CRUSTED SALMON
Servings: Makes 4 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 to 12 minutes
- 1 1/4 pounds center-cut salmon fillets, cut into 4 portions
- Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
- 2 tablespoons coarse-grained mustard
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- Lemon wedges
Heat broiler. Line broiler pan with foil, then coat with cooking spray. Place salmon, skin-side down, on pan. Season with salt and pepper. Combine sour cream, mustard and lemon juice. Spread evenly over salmon. Broil 5 inches from heat for 10 to 12 minutes or until salmon is opaque in center. Serve with lemon wedges.
Per serving: 216 calories, 30 grams protein, 8 grams fat (37 percent calories from fat), 2.3 grams saturated fat, 1 gram carbohydrate, 74 milligrams cholesterol, 298 milligrams sodium, no fiber.