Sunday: Family
That wonderful aroma coming from the kitchen is ROASTED CHICKEN WITH FRUIT COMPOTE. Serve the roaster with LEMONY SWEET POTATOES. Bake the sweet potatoes in a 350-degree oven about 45 minutes or until tender. Mix some butter, fresh lemon juice and lemon zest together and add to split potatoes. Serve with GREEN PEAS (from frozen), MIXED GREENS and CRUSTY ROLLS. Buy a BOSTON CREAM PIE for dessert.
Plan
Save enough chicken and pie for Monday.
Shopping List
roasting chicken, canola oil, coarse salt, pepper, red or green apples, red or green pears, green onions, dried apricots, pitted prunes, apple cider or juice, unsalted chicken broth, cloves, lemons, sweet potatoes, butter, frozen green peas, mixed greens, crusty rolls, Boston cream pie.
ROASTED CHICKEN WITH FRUIT COMPOTE
Servings: makes 11 to 15 servings
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 2 1/2 hours; standing time: 10 to 15 minutes
- 1 (5- to 7-pound) roasting chicken
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- Coarse salt and pepper to taste
- 2 red or green apples, cored and cut into wedges
- 2 red or green ripe pears, cored and cut into wedges
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1/2 cup dried apricots
- 1/2 cup pitted prunes
- 1/2 cup apple cider or juice
- 1/2 cup unsalted chicken broth
- 10 cloves
- 1 lemon
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Remove giblets from chicken. Place breast-side up in roasting pan. Rub skin with oil and season inside and outside with salt and pepper. Cover with foil. Roast 45 minutes. Remove foil and roast 30 minutes. Meanwhile, combine apples, pears, green onions, apricots, prunes, cider or juice, broth and cloves. Cut 6 strips of peel (yellow part only) from lemon, each about 3 inches long; add to apple mixture. Arrange apple mixture around roaster in pan. Roast, stirring fruit and basting occasionally, 75 minutes or until internal temperature of thigh is 165 degrees. Remove chicken from pan; cover and let stand 10 to 15 minutes. Discard lemon peel and cloves. Remove fruit to serving platter. Skim fat from pan juices. Serve chicken with fruit and pan juices. Remove skin before eating.
Per serving (3 ounces cooked) white meat without skin: 140 calories, 26 grams protein, 3 grams fat (21 percent calories from fat), 0.9 gram saturated fat, no carbohydrate, 72 milligrams cholesterol, 63 milligrams sodium, no fiber.
Carb count: 0.
Per serving (3 ounces cooked) dark meat without skin: 151 calories, 20 grams protein, 7 grams fat (44 percent calories from fat), 1.9 grams saturated fat, no carbohydrate, 115 milligrams cholesterol, 74 milligrams sodium, no fiber.
Carb count: 0.
Per serving fruit compote: 86 calories, 1 gram protein, 2 grams fat (14 calories from fat), no saturated fat, 19 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 42 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber.
Monday: Heat and Eat
Use those chicken leftovers for TERIYAKI CHICKEN AND EDAMAME RICE BOWLS. Serve with a crisp LETTUCE WEDGE and WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. Slice the leftover PIE for dessert.
Shopping List
canola oil, frozen edamame, red bell pepper, bottled teriyaki sauce, long-grain brown rice, cilantro, lettuce, whole-grain rolls.
TERIYAKI CHICKEN AND EDAMAME RICE BOWLS
Servings: makes 4 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: about 10 minutes
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 (10-ounce) package frozen edamame, thawed
- 1 small red bell pepper, chopped
- 2/3 cup bottled teriyaki sauce
- 3 cups long-grain brown rice, cooked
- 2 cups chopped cooked chicken
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high. Add edamame, bell pepper and teriyaki sauce. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring constantly for 30 seconds. Add rice, chicken and cilantro; stir until well-mixed and heated throughout. Serve warm.
Per serving: 471 calories, 33 grams protein, 12 grams fat (24 percent calories from fat), 1.8 grams saturated fat, 55 grams carbohydrate, 77 milligrams cholesterol, 1,140 milligrams sodium, 6 grams fiber.
Tuesday: Express
Try your favorite BRATWURST tonight. We like them best grilled and served on crusty rolls. Slather spicy brown mustard and some chopped onions on top. Buy deli GERMAN POTATO SALAD to accompany the brats. You'll want a light dessert, so CHUNKY APPLESAUCE is just right.
Shopping List
bratwurst, crusty rolls, spicy brown mustard, onion, deli German potato salad, chunky applesauce.
Wednesday: Meatless
The texture resembles meat, so PHILABELLA CHEESE "STEAK" SANDWICHES could fool you. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high. Add 4 large thinly sliced portabella mushroom caps and 4 cups thin onion wedges. Cook and stir 8 minutes or until browned; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Remove and discard some of the soft part of 4 split hoagie rolls; lightly toast rolls. Place a slice of low-fat cheese and some mushroom mixture on bottom half of each roll, dividing evenly. Cover with tops. Serve with a MIXED GREEN SALAD. Scoop VANILLA ICE CREAM and drizzle it with STRAWBERRY SAUCE for dessert.
Plan
Save enough ice cream for Saturday.
Shopping List
olive oil, portabella mushroom caps, onions, coarse salt, pepper, hoagie rolls, low-fat cheese slices, mixed greens, vanilla ice cream, strawberry sauce.
Thursday: Kids
Make mild-flavored MEXICAN LASAGNA for the kids. Serve with CHOPPED LETTUCE and SOFT ROLLS. For dessert, PLUMS are easy.
Plan
Save enough lasagna for Friday.
Shopping List
chili powder, cumin, coarse salt, canned Mexican-style stewed tomatoes, reduced-fat sour cream, canned chopped green chilies, flour tortillas, canned chicken breast, canned reduced-sodium pinto beans, 50% light cheddar cheese, green onions if desired, sliced black olives if desired, lettuce, soft rolls, plums.
MEXICAN LASAGNA
Servings: makes 12 servings
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 35 to 40 minutes; standing time: 15 minutes
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans Mexican-style stewed tomatoes, lightly drained and chopped
- 16 ounces reduced-fat sour cream
- 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chilies, drained
- 6 or 7 (8-inch) flour tortillas
- 2 (10- to 12-ounce) cans chicken breast, drained (or 3 cups shredded cooked chicken)
- 1 (15-ounce) can reduced-sodium pinto beans, rinsed
- 4 ounces 50% light shredded cheddar cheese
- Sliced green onions and sliced black olives for garnish, if desired
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix chili powder, cumin, salt and tomatoes. Separately mix sour cream and chilies. Spread 1/2 cup tomato mixture in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Arrange 2 tortillas over tomatoes to cover bottom; tear tortillas to cover any gaps. Top with half the sour cream mixture, half the chicken, half the beans, 1 cup tomato mixture and 1/3 cup cheese. Repeat layers, ending with tortillas and tomato mixture. Sprinkle remaining cheese around edge. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes. Garnish with green onions and olives if desired.
Per serving: 233 calories, 17 grams protein, 7 grams fat (28 percent calories from fat), 4.3 grams saturated fat, 25 grams carbohydrate, 44 milligrams cholesterol, 829 milligrams sodium, 4 grams fiber.
Friday: Budget
Save money and time by heating the leftover LASAGNA tonight. Garnish with sliced JALAPENO PICKLES. Serve with an ITALIAN SALAD. For dessert, FRESH PINEAPPLE sprinkled with TOASTED COCONUT is good.
Plan
Save some toasted coconut for Saturday.
Shopping List
jalapeno pickles, Italian salad, fresh pineapple, coconut.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
Invite guests for GRILLED LAMB LOIN CHOPS WITH SIX SPICES. Bring 4 lamb loin chops to room temperature (at least 30 minutes). In spice or coffee grinder, grind 1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds, 1 tablespoon fennel seeds, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, 1 1/2 teaspoons black peppercorns, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt and 1 bay leaf until fine. Sprinkle spice rub over loin chops. Heat grill to medium-high. Grill chops about 4 to 6 minutes per side or to 145 degrees for medium-rare. Be careful not to burn spice rub. Let chops stand lightly covered at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve with GRILLED FINGERLING POTATOES and GREEN BEANS. Add a BIBB LETTUCE SALAD and a BAGUETTE. For dessert, top leftover ICE CREAM with leftover TOASTED COCONUT.
Shopping List
lamb loin chops, whole coriander seeds, fennel seeds, fresh thyme, black peppercorns, coarse salt, bay leaf, fingerling potatoes, green beans, bibb lettuce, baguette.