Sunday: Family
Gather the family for an Easter celebration and serve a spiral-sliced HAM. To accompany the ham, make RED POTATO SALAD and add BROCCOLI SALAD from the deli for an easy meal. Add MIXED GREENS and BISCUITS. For dessert, APPLE TARTS are perfect.
Plan
Save enough ham, broccoli salad and tarts for Monday.
Shopping List
spiral-sliced ham, small red potatoes, low-fat mayonnaise, whole milk, prepared horseradish, lemons, coarse salt, black pepper, green onions, broccoli salad, mixed greens, biscuits, apple tarts.
RED POTATO SALAD
Servings: makes 10 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: less than 15 minutes
- 2 1/2 pounds small red potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
- 1/3 cup low-fat mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal and divided
Cook potatoes in a large pot with enough water to cover them; bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 10 to 12 minutes or until fork-tender. Meanwhile, in a large bowl with a wire whisk, mix mayonnaise, milk, horseradish, lemon juice, salt and pepper until blended. Reserve 1 tablespoon onions and stir the rest into dressing. Drain potatoes. Add hot potatoes to dressing bowl, gently stirring with rubber spatula to combine. Serve, or cover and refrigerate. Sprinkle with reserved onions when ready to serve.
Per serving: 109 calories, 3 grams protein, 1 gram fat (7 percent calories from fat), 0.1 gram saturated fat, 23 grams carbohydrate, 1 milligram cholesterol, 298 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber.
Monday: Heat and Eat
Make HAM SANDWICHES ON RYE tonight. Spread the bread with coarse-grain mustard and add Swiss cheese. Grill the sandwiches if you like. Follow the directions on the package and prepare SLICED POLENTA for a side dish. Add the leftover BROCCOLI SALAD. Warm the leftover TARTS for dessert.
Shopping List
rye bread, coarse-grain mustard, Swiss cheese, polenta.
Tuesday: Kids
Help the kids make EDUCATION SOUP for a learning supper. Add 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach (thawed) to canned alphabet soup, along with unsalted chicken broth and any vegetables lingering in the refrigerator. Heat the soup and serve it with TOASTED CHEESE SANDWICHES. Munch on CELERY STICKS stuffed with reduced-fat CREAM CHEESE alongside. For dessert, halve some KIWIS and scoop the fruit with a spoon.
Shopping List
frozen chopped spinach, canned alphabet soup, unsalted chicken broth, ingredients for toasted cheese sandwiches, celery, reduced-fat cream cheese, kiwis.
Wednesday: Budget
BEEF WITH MUSHROOMS AND RED WINE GRAVY will become a favorite at your house just as it is at ours. Serve it over no-yolk EGG NOODLES and garnish with chopped fresh PARSLEY. Add FRESH BROCCOLI and WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. PEARS are good for dessert.
Plan
Save some beef and mushrooms for Thursday.
Shopping List
well-trimmed beef stew meat, onions, sliced fresh cremini (or other) mushrooms, packaged beefy onion soup mix, cornstarch, coarse salt, pepper, dry red wine, no-yolk egg noodles, fresh parsley, fresh broccoli, whole-grain rolls, pears.
BEEF WITH MUSHROOMS AND RED WINE GRAVY
Servings: makes 6 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 8 to 9 hours on low; 4 to 5 hours on high
- 1 1/2 pounds well-trimmed beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 medium onions, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
- 1 (8-ounce) package fresh cremini (or other) mushrooms, sliced
- 1 (1.1-ounce) packet beefy onion soup mix
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- Coarse salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- 1 1/2 cups dry red wine
Place beef, onions and mushrooms in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker. Add dry soup mix. Sprinkle with cornstarch, salt and pepper. Pour wine over all. Cover and cook on low 8 to 9 hours or high 4 to 5 hours. Stir well before serving.
Per serving: 232 calories, 23 grams protein, 8 grams fat (32 percent calories from fat), 3.1 grams saturated fat, 12 grams carbohydrate, 71 milligrams cholesterol, 367 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.
Thursday:
Friday: Meatless
EGG SALAD SANDWICHES have always been one of my favorites, especially when they are on whole-grain toast with lettuce and tomatoes. Make your own or buy the egg salad. Add a PICKLE or two and OLIVES on the side. Serve with BAKED CHIPS. CHOCOLATE PUDDING made with 1 PERCENT MILK and topped with LIGHT WHIPPED CREAM is a good dessert.
Shopping List
egg salad, whole-grain bread, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, olives, baked chips, chocolate pudding mix, 1 percent milk, light whipped cream.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
SALMON IN FOIL PACKETS WITH MANGOES, CARROTS AND PEAS is company-worthy. Serve with ORZO and a BIBB LETTUCE SALAD. Top the leftover VANILLA ICE CREAM with BLUEBERRIES.
Shopping List
salmon fillets, coarse salt, pepper, mango, carrots, sugar snap peas, soy sauce, butter, orzo, bibb lettuce, blueberries.
SALMON IN FOIL PACKETS WITH MANGOES, CARROTS AND PEAS
Servings: makes 4 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 to 20 minutes
- 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets, skin removed
- Coarse salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- 1 (1-pound) mango, peeled, pitted and diced
- 1 cup (about 4 ounces) matchstick cut carrots
- 1 cup (about 4 ounces) sugar snap peas, stems and strings removed
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter, cut into 4 pieces
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut 8 (12-inch) squares of heavy-duty foil. Pat salmon dry and season with salt and pepper. Place 1 piece of salmon on 1 piece of cut foil. Divide and top each with diced mango, carrots and peas. Pour soy sauce, divided, on top of salmon and veggies; top each with 1 piece of butter. Place second piece of foil over salmon and veggies. Fold foil pieces together around all four sides, creating approximately a 7-inch square. Place on rimmed baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on desired doneness of salmon.
Per serving: 321 calories, 38 grams protein, 11 grams fat (30 percent calories from fat), 3.3 grams saturated fat, 17 grams carbohydrate, 87 milligrams cholesterol, 275 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber.