Sunday: Family
Enjoy the family gathering and put BRAISED BEEF WITH MUSHROOMS AND BARLEY on the menu. Serve with a ROMAINE SALAD and WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. Enjoy CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE for dessert.
Plan
Save enough beef and cake for Monday.
Shopping List
canola oil, boneless beef chuck roast (arm, blade or shoulder), coarse salt, pepper, cremini or white mushrooms, onion, garlic, unsalted beef broth, bay leaf, pearl barley, frozen green peas, romaine, whole-grain rolls, chocolate layer cake.
BRAISED BEEF WITH MUSHROOMS AND BARLEY
Servings: makes 8 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 hours
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 (3-pound) boneless beef chuck roast (arm, blade or shoulder), trimmed
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 8 ounces medium halved cremini or white mushrooms
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 large garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 1/4 cups unsalted beef broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 cup medium pearl barley (see Note)
- 1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
Heat oil on medium in a Dutch oven. Add beef; brown evenly; remove from pan. Season with salt and pepper. In same pan, add mushrooms, onion and garlic. Cook and stir 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Add beef, broth and bay leaf. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours. Add barley. Cover and continue simmering 45 to 60 minutes or until beef and barley are tender. Remove beef to cutting board; keep warm. Discard bay leaf. Add peas to barley mixture. Cook and stir 3 minutes or until heated through. Cut beef into thin slices; serve with barley mixture.
Per serving: 285 calories, 36 grams protein, 9 grams fat (28 percent calories from fat), 2.7 grams saturated fat, 15 grams carbohydrate, 65 milligrams cholesterol, 333 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber.
Monday: Heat and Eat
Make good use of leftovers and prepare BEEF-AND-ONION SOUP. In a large nonstick skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter and cook 1 large chopped onion 4 minutes; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons flour, mix well and continue cooking 5 more minutes or until onions are softened. In another pan, heat 3 (14-ounce) cans unsalted beef broth. Add onions and 2 cups chopped cooked (leftover) beef to broth. Heat through. When ready to serve, ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle shredded Swiss cheese into each bowl. Serve with MIXED GREENS and CRUSTY BREAD. Bring out the leftover CAKE for dessert.
Shopping List
butter, onion, flour, unsalted beef broth, shredded Swiss cheese, mixed greens, crusty bread.
Tuesday: Kids
These CHICKEN TACOS are just the incentive the kids need to get their homework done before dinner. Serve with canned vegetarian REFRIED BEANS. Encourage your angels to dip CARROT STICKS into RANCH DRESSING for some crunch and vitamin A. Serve PINEAPPLE CHUNKS for dessert.
Shopping List
boneless skinless chicken breasts, mild barbecue sauce, no-salt-added canned corn, coarse salt, corn tortillas, lettuce, shredded reduced-fat Mexican-blend cheese, canned vegetarian refried beans, carrots, ranch dressing, pineapple chunks.
CHICKEN TACOS
Servings: makes 12 tacos
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: about 10 minutes
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 3/4 cup mild barbecue sauce, divided
- 1 (11-ounce) can no-salt-added corn, rinsed
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
- 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
- 1 small head lettuce, shredded
- 4 ounces shredded reduced-fat Mexican-blend cheese
Heat broiler. Brush chicken with 1/2 cup barbecue sauce. Broil chicken for 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Meanwhile, heat corn according to directions. Cut chicken into 1/2-inch-thick slices. In a medium bowl, mix chicken with remaining 1/4 cup barbecue sauce, corn and salt; keep warm. Warm tortillas according to directions. Top tortillas with lettuce and chicken mixture; garnish with cheese. Fold and serve.
Per taco: 164 calories, 16 grams protein, 4 grams fat (21 percent calories from fat), 1.6 grams saturated fat, 15 grams carbohydrate, 41 milligrams cholesterol, 254 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.
Wednesday: Budget
Tonight's PIZZA WITH BEEF AND MUSHROOMS is a great way to save a little dough. Heat broiler; line broiler pan with foil. In a large nonstick skillet, cook 1/2 pound lean ground beef and 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions over medium-high heat about 5 minutes; drain. Slice a 1-pound loaf French bread in half lengthwise and place, cut side up, on broiler pan. Spread 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste evenly over the two halves. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano. Top with beef-onion mixture and 1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms. Drizzle with 1/4 cup reduced-fat Italian dressing, an additional 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano and 1/2 cup reduced-fat mozzarella cheese. Broil 6 inches from heat 2 minutes or until cheese is melted. Cut into slices and serve. Add an ITALIAN SALAD. Make instant BUTTERSCOTCH PUDDING with 1 PERCENT MILK for dessert.
Shopping List
lean ground beef, green onions, French bread, tomato paste, dried oregano, fresh sliced mushrooms, reduced-fat Italian dressing, reduced-fat mozzarella cheese, Italian salad, instant butterscotch pudding, 1 percent milk.
Thursday: Express
Make it quick tonight with TURKEY NOODLE DINNER. Cook 12 ounces no-yolk noodles according to directions; drain. In a large saucepan, combine cooked noodles with 1 (15-ounce) can turkey stew (such as Dinty Moore or another brand), 1 (10-ounce) package thawed and drained frozen chopped broccoli, 1/2 cup 1 percent milk, 1 (4-ounce) can drained mushrooms, 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese and 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice. Heat thoroughly and serve. Add a packaged CAESAR SALAD and SOURDOUGH BREAD. Buy RUGELACH for dessert.
Shopping List
no-yolk noodles, canned turkey stew (such as Dinty Moore or another brand), frozen chopped broccoli, 1 percent milk, canned mushrooms, parmesan cheese, lemon, packaged Caesar salad, sourdough bread, rugelach.
Friday: Meatless
Enjoy the chewy texture of FETA-SPINACH RICE BAKE. Serve with MIXED GREENS and WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. Serve PEACHES for dessert.
Shopping List
unsalted vegetable broth, brown rice, cooking spray, onion, red bell pepper, frozen chopped spinach, feta cheese, 1 percent milk, eggs, parmesan cheese, mixed greens, whole-grain rolls, peaches.
FETA-SPINACH RICE BAKE
Servings: makes 4 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: about 70 minutes (includes time for rice)
- 2 cups unsalted vegetable broth
- 1 cup brown rice
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 4 ounces feta cheese, finely chopped
- 1 cup 1 percent milk
- 3 slightly beaten egg whites
- 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (1 ounce)
In a medium saucepan, bring broth to a boil over high heat. Stir in rice; reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 35 minutes or until tender and broth is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with fork. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 2 1/2-quart shallow baking dish with cooking spray. Heat a large nonstick skillet to medium. Add onion and pepper and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until softened. Remove from heat. Stir in spinach, feta and cooked rice. Spoon into prepared baking dish and spread evenly. In a medium bowl, mix milk and eggs. Pour evenly over spinach mixture. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes or until set and bubbling around edges.
Per serving: 389 calories, 21 grams protein, 11 grams fat (25 percent calories from fat), 6.2 grams saturated fat, 54 grams carbohydrate, 35 milligrams cholesterol, 707 milligrams sodium, 8 grams fiber.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
Invite guests for ASIAN-STYLE BAKED FLOUNDER tonight. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Arrange 4 (6-ounce) flounder fillets in centers of 4 (15-by-12-inch) pieces of foil. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 2 tablespoons seasoned or regular rice vinegar; divide and spoon over flounder along with 2 large sliced green onions (white part only). Fold foil into packets. Place on baking sheet and bake 8 minutes. Place each packet on a dinner plate; open packets (away from your face) and garnish with sliced green onions (green part). Serve with JASMINE RICE and fresh BROCCOLINI. Add CRUSTY BREAD. Buy FRUIT TARTS for dessert.
Shopping List
flounder fillets, soy sauce, seasoned or regular rice vinegar, green onions, jasmine rice, broccolini, crusty bread, fruit tarts.