Sunday: Family
Sweeten up family time with HONEY-DILL CHICKEN on the menu. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. In a small bowl, combine 1/3 cup honey and 1/3 cup Dijon mustard. Stir in 1 teaspoon freshly grated orange peel and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill. Cut 1 (2 1/2- to 3-pound) chicken into quarters. Place skin side down on baking sheet. Brush sauce on top of chicken; coat well and turn. Gently pull back skin and coat with sauce. Replace skin and brush with remaining sauce. Bake 30 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Serve with TWO-POTATO FRIES: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with nonstick foil. Cut 3/4 pound of Yukon gold and 3/4 pound of sweet potatoes into lengthwise wedges (about 8 wedges per potato). Place in a large bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon canola oil, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, and coarse salt and pepper to taste. Spread potatoes on baking sheet and bake 25 minutes; turn and bake 10 to 15 minutes longer or until tender.
Add GREEN BEANS and WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. Top ANGEL FOOD CAKE with STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM for dessert.
Plan
Save enough ice cream for Tuesday.
Shopping List
honey, Dijon mustard, orange, fresh dill, whole chicken or chicken quarters, Yukon gold and sweet potatoes, canola oil, paprika, coarse salt, pepper, green beans, whole-grain rolls, angel food cake, strawberry ice cream.
Monday: Kids
Everyone can help make CHEESY PIZZA POCKETS for dinner tonight. Serve with a CHOPPED LETTUCE SALAD. For dessert, let the kids be in charge of ready-to-bake CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES.
Shopping List
lean ground beef, onion, coarse salt, pepper, part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese, pizza sauce, flour, refrigerated pizza crust, lettuce, ready-to-bake chocolate chip cookies.
CHEESY PIZZA POCKETS
Servings: makes 6 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 18 to 22 minutes
- 3/4 pound lean ground beef
- 1/3 cup chopped onion
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup (2 ounces) part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup pizza sauce
- Flour as needed
- 1 (10-ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust
Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a large nonstick skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes or until beef is no longer pink; drain well. Season with salt and pepper; stir in cheese and sauce. On a lightly floured surface, unroll pizza dough; cut into 6 sections. Divide and spoon filling into center of each section. Bring together 4 corners of each rectangular section, pinching to seal. Loosely close straight edges of dough to form pockets. (It's not necessary to seal edges completely.) Carefully transfer to ungreased baking sheet. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until golden; serve.
Per serving: 259 calories, 18 grams protein, 9 grams fat (32 percent calories from fat), 3 grams saturated fat, 25 grams carbohydrate, 39 milligrams cholesterol, 551 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.
Tuesday: Meatless
We're crazy about inexpensive, high-flavor PORTABELLA BURGERS. Just brush the big mushrooms with a little olive oil and broil them 3 to 5 minutes per side. Serve them on toasted kaiser rolls spread with low-fat mayonnaise. For a change, sprinkle grated mozzarella over the "burgers." Add lettuce if desired. Serve with POPPY SEED NOODLES on the side. (Cook no-yolk noodles and toss with butter and poppy seeds.) Add fresh BROCCOLI. Why not have leftover ICE CREAM for dessert?
Shopping List
whole portabella mushrooms, olive oil, kaiser rolls, low-fat mayonnaise, grated mozzarella, lettuce if desired, no-yolk noodles, butter, poppy seeds, fresh broccoli.
Wednesday: Budget
Pretend you're Irish and enjoy LAMB WITH POMEGRANATE AND CILANTRO-MINT SAUCE for dinner. Add COUSCOUS, a ROMAINE SALAD and WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. Make instant LEMON PUDDING (with 1 PERCENT MILK) for dessert.
Plan
Save enough stew for Thursday.
Shopping List
ground turmeric, coarse salt, lamb shanks, onions, unsalted beef stock, fresh mint, cilantro, extra-virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, garlic, pomegranate arils, couscous, romaine, whole-grain rolls, instant lemon pudding, 1 percent milk.
LAMB WITH POMEGRANATE AND CILANTRO-MINT SAUCE
Servings: makes 6 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 7 to 8 hours on low
- 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt, divided
- 3 (20-ounce) lamb shanks, trimmed
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 1/3 cup unsalted beef stock
- 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
- 1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
- 2 tablespoon hot water
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 cup pomegranate arils
Sprinkle turmeric and 1 teaspoon salt evenly over lamb. Place lamb, thick meaty side down, in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Add the onions and stock. Cover; cook on low 7 to 8 hours or until lamb is tender. Place mint and cilantro in a food processor; pour water over the herbs. Add oil, vinegar, garlic and remaining salt; process 20 seconds or until smooth. Transfer lamb and onion to a platter; discard cooking liquid in cooker. Remove lamb meat from bones; discard bones. Drizzle herb mixture over lamb and sprinkle with arils. (Adapted from "Everyday Slow Cooker," Oxmoor House.)
Per serving: 360 calories, 41 grams protein, 18 grams fat (44 percent calories from fat), 4.2 grams saturated fat, 8 grams carbohydrate, 125 milligrams cholesterol, 614 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.
Thursday: Heat and Eat
Warm the leftover LAMB STEW for a quick meal. Serve it with RICE. Add a GREEN SALAD and SOURDOUGH BREAD. Finish with PINEAPPLE CHUNKS garnished with toasted COCONUT.
Shopping List
rice, salad greens, sourdough bread, pineapple chunks, coconut.
Friday: Express
So what if you're caught in traffic? Dinner will still be quick tonight with CORNY CLAM CHOWDER on the menu. Prepare 2 (10 3/4-ounce) cans condensed Manhattan clam chowder (the red one) according to directions. Add 1 (11-ounce) can drained Mexican-style corn; heat and eat. Serve with GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICHES on PUMPERNICKEL BREAD. Add DILL PICKLES. For dessert, halve KIWIFRUIT and eat it with a spoon.
Shopping List
condensed Manhattan clam chowder, canned Mexican-style corn, cheese, pumpernickel bread, dill pickles, kiwifruit.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
Make guests feel welcome when you serve ROASTED SALMON WITH RED POTATOES for dinner tonight. Add steamed fresh SUGAR SNAP PEAS, a RED-TIPPED LETTUCE SALAD sprinkled with crumbled GORGONZOLA CHEESE, and WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS.
HOT BANANAS WITH TOASTED PECANS are a special dessert: Heat oven to 450 degrees. Coat a jelly-roll pan with nonstick foil. In a small bowl, combine 1/3 cup light brown sugar, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon butter and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Cut 4 large ripe, firm bananas in half lengthwise. Place bananas cut sides up on pan. Bake 4 minutes. Drizzle sugar mixture evenly over bananas and sprinkle with 1/4 cup toasted pecans. Bake 3 more minutes. Cut each banana piece into thirds crosswise. Serve with VANILLA ICE CREAM. Drizzle extra sauce over ice cream.
Shopping List
canola oil, orange, white wine vinegar, fresh dill, capers, red potatoes, salmon fillets, fresh sugar snap peas, red-tipped lettuce, crumbled gorgonzola cheese, whole-grain rolls, light brown sugar, lemon, butter, cinnamon, bananas, pecans, vanilla ice cream.
ROASTED SALMON WITH RED POTATOES
Servings: Makes 4 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: about 35 minutes
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
- 1 tablespoon capers, drained
- 12 small red potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds)
- 4 (5- or 6-ounce) salmon fillets, skin removed
Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, combine oil, juice, vinegar, orange peel, dill and capers; whisk to blend. Place potatoes in a large bowl; add 2 tablespoons of the just-prepared vinaigrette and toss to coat. Arrange potatoes in a single layer in a 15-by-10-inch baking pan covered with nonstick foil. Bake 20 minutes. Push potatoes to the sides of pan. Spread each fillet with about 2 tablespoons vinaigrette and arrange in center of pan. Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until fish is opaque throughout and potatoes are tender. Transfer salmon and potatoes to a serving platter and serve immediately. Drizzle with any remaining vinaigrette.
Per serving: 406 calories, 33 grams protein, 17 grams fat (38 percent calories from fat), 2 grams saturated fat, 29 grams carbohydrate, 66 milligrams cholesterol, 203 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber.