Sunday: Family
For a special family meal, serve STEAK AU POIVRE WITH MUSHROOM SAUCE, along with MASHED POTATOES, STEAMED FRESH ZUCCHINI and DINNER ROLLS. Make or buy a PEACH COBBLER for dessert and top it with a dab of VANILLA ICE CREAM.
Plan
Save 2 steaks and prepare 3 extra cups mashed potatoes for Monday.
Shopping List
boneless steaks (your choice), coarse salt, cracked black pepper, butter, olive oil, sliced fresh mushrooms, shallots, dried thyme, dry vermouth or white wine or unsalted chicken broth, potatoes to mash, fresh zucchini, dinner rolls, peach cobbler, vanilla ice cream.
STEAK AU POIVRE WITH MUSHROOM SAUCE
Servings: makes 4 servings, plus 2 extra steaks
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 6 to 14 minutes for steaks; less than 10 minutes for sauce
- 6 (6- to 8-ounce), 3/4-inch-thick boneless steaks (your choice)
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt, divided
- 2 teaspoons cracked black pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 12 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
- 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 cup dry vermouth or white wine (or unsalted chicken broth)
Sprinkle half the salt and all the pepper over the steaks. In a large skillet, heat butter and olive oil on medium. Add steaks; cook over medium heat 6 to 14 minutes, turning once or twice (depending on type) for medium-rare to medium. Remove steak to a platter; cover to keep warm. To same skillet, add mushrooms, shallots, thyme and remaining salt; cook and stir over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until mushrooms are golden. Add vermouth, wine or broth, deglazing pan; simmer to reduce liquid to half. Spoon sauce over 4 steaks. Reserve 2 steaks for later.
Per serving: 334 calories, 39 grams protein, 14 grams fat (39 percent calories from fat), 5.3 grams saturated fat, 7 grams carbohydrate, 106 milligrams cholesterol, 528 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.
Monday: Heat and Eat
Use leftover steak for BEEF AND POTATO QUESADILLAS. Chop 2 leftover steaks; set aside. Combine leftover mashed potatoes, 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. Microwave on high (100 percent power) for 3 minutes or until hot. Add steak and mix well. Divide mixture and spread on half of 4 (10-inch) fat-free flour tortillas to within 1/2 inch of edge. Sprinkle each tortilla with 1/4 cup shredded Mexican-blend cheese. Fold over and coat both sides with cooking spray. Heat a large nonstick skillet on medium-high; add 2 tortillas (coated side down) and cook 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until golden and crispy. Repeat with 2 more quesadillas.
Serve with your favorite SALSA, along with deli CARROT SALAD. Fresh BLUEBERRIES are your dessert.
Plan
Save enough carrot salad for Friday. Cook Tuesday's rice tonight.
Shopping List
red bell pepper, garlic powder, fat-free flour tortillas, shredded Mexican-blend cheese, cooking spray, salsa, deli carrot salad, blueberries.
Tuesday: Budget
Control food costs with FRIED RICE. Heat 1 tablespoon peanut oil in large nonstick skillet or wok on medium-high. Add 1 clove minced garlic; stir-fry 30 seconds. Add 1 cup (about 4 ounces) thinly sliced napa cabbage, 3/4 cup fresh or frozen peas (thawed) and 1/3 cup diced ham (or other cooked meat). Stir-fry 30 seconds. Add 4 cups chilled cooked rice, 1/3 cup sliced green onions and 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce. Stir-fry 2 minutes. Push rice to one side of skillet. Pour in 3 lightly beaten eggs. Cook, without stirring, for 30 seconds. Continue stir-frying by combining eggs with rice mixture, until eggs are thickened and no visible liquid egg remains. Spoon onto serving platter and garnish with sliced onion tops.
Serve with a SPINACH SALAD and SESAME BREAD STICKS. Enjoy APRICOTS for dessert.
Shopping List
peanut oil, garlic, napa cabbage, fresh or frozen peas, diced ham or other cooked meat, rice, green onions, low-sodium soy sauce, eggs, fresh spinach, sesame bread sticks, apricots.
Wednesday: Express
For a quick meal, make deli SEAFOOD SALAD SANDWICHES on WHOLE-WHEAT ENGLISH MUFFINS, topped with LETTUCE. Serve with TOMATO BASIL SOUP and CRACKERS. Slice WATERMELON for dessert.
Shopping List
deli seafood salad, whole-wheat English muffins, lettuce, tomato basil soup, crackers, watermelon.
Thursday: Meatless
"Yum, yum, good!" will be the response to ONION PIE. Serve with STEAMED FRESH BROCCOLI and SLICED TOMATOES. Cool off with a small serving of STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM for dessert.
Plan
Save enough ice cream for Friday.
Shopping List
refrigerated piecrust, butter, sweet onion (such as Vidalia), packaged reduced-fat cream cheese, egg, 1 percent milk, coarse salt, hot sauce, fresh broccoli, tomatoes, strawberry ice cream.
ONION PIE
Servings: makes 6 wedges
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes; standing time: 10 minutes
- 1 refrigerated piecrust (from a 15-ounce package)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 cups chopped sweet onion (such as Vidalia)
- 1 (8-ounce) package softened reduced-fat cream cheese
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup 1 percent milk
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- Dash of hot sauce
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place crust in a 9-inch pie plate as directed; set aside. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet on medium. Add onion; cook 5 to 7 minutes or until softened, but not browned, stirring occasionally. Spoon onion into pie crust. In a medium bowl, beat cheese and egg with electric mixer until smooth. Blend in milk, salt and hot sauce. Pour mixture over onion. Bake 45 minutes or until set. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Per wedge: 298 calories, 8 grams protein, 20 grams fat (60 percent calories from fat), 11 grams saturated fat, 23 grams carbohydrate, 68 milligrams cholesterol, 547 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.
Friday: Kids
Bring on KIWIFRUIT PEANUT BUTTER WRAPS for kids' night. For 1 serving: Spread a small fat-free flour tortilla with peanut butter. Top the nearest half of the tortilla with about 2 tablespoons of whipped cream cheese and diced kiwifruit. Roll up like a burrito and enjoy. Serve with leftover CARROT SALAD. OATMEAL COOKIES are dessert.
Shopping List
small fat-free tortillas, peanut butter, whipped cream cheese, kiwifruit, oatmeal cookies.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
It's simple, and it's good: two reasons to invite friends for SPANISH CHICEN SKILLET. Serve with BROWN RICE, fresh GREEN BEANS, MIXED SALAD GREENS and SOURDOUGH BREAD. Buy a CHEESECAKE and top with FRESH RASPBERRIES for dessert.
Shopping List
flour, paprika, garlic powder, coarse salt, thyme, pepper, boneless skinless chicken breasts, olive oil, green bell pepper, onion, canned no-salt-added diced tomatoes, no-salt-added chicken broth, crushed red pepper, brown rice, fresh green beans, mixed salad greens, sourdough bread, cheesecake, fresh raspberries.
SPANISH CHICKEN SKILLET
Servings: makes 6 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: less than 30 minutes
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 6 (5- to 6-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
- 1 large onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1/2 cup no-salt-added chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
In a pie plate, mix together flour, paprika, garlic powder, salt, thyme and pepper. Coat chicken with 2 tablespoons of mixture, reserving the rest. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes per side or until browned. Remove from skillet; cover to keep warm. Add bell pepper and onion; cook and stir 8 minutes or until softened. Stir in tomatoes, broth and remaining flour mixture. Bring to boil, stirring frequently. Add red pepper. Return chicken and accumulated liquid to skillet. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
Per serving: 261 calories, 32 grams protein, 8 grams fat (30 percent calories from fat), 1.5 grams saturated fat, 13 grams carbohydrate, 91 milligrams cholesterol, 506 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.