Sunday: Family
Go all out for the family and prepare GLAZED SAGE-ROASTED CHICKEN today. Serve the juicy bird with CREAMY RICE (toss hot cooked rice with reduced-fat sour cream and crumbled bacon). Add PETITE GREEN PEAS (from frozen) and a BAGUETTE. For dessert, top POUND CAKE (from frozen) with RASPBERRY SAUCE: In a blender, process 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen raspberries (thawed) with 2 teaspoons sugar. Strain and discard seeds. Chill 1 hour and spoon over cake.
Plan
Save enough chicken and raspberry sauce for Monday. Save enough cake for Wednesday.
Shopping List
roasting chicken, fresh sage, orange, canned apricot halves, orange juice concentrate, rice, reduced-fat sour cream, bacon, frozen petite green peas, baguette, frozen pound cake, frozen raspberries, sugar.
GLAZED SAGE-ROASTED CHICKEN
Servings: makes 10 servings from a 5-pound bird
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 2 to 2 1/2 hours; standing time: 20 minutes
- 1 (5- to 7-pound) roasting chicken, giblets removed
- 2 bunches fresh sage
- 1 orange, quartered
- 1 (15-ounce) can apricot halves
- 1/2 cup orange juice concentrate
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Carefully slide your hand between skin and breast meat of chicken to loosen skin. Place 1 bunch sage leaves under skin. Place second bunch sage leaves and orange quarters into cavity of chicken. Tuck wing tips under and tie legs with kitchen string. Place on rack in roasting pan. Roast 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until thickest part of thigh registers 165 degrees. Meanwhile, drain apricots; reserve 1 cup juice (see NOTE). Discard remaining juice or store for another use. Mix apricot juice with orange juice concentrate; 1 hour into cooking time, pour mixture over chicken. Place apricots around chicken and continue roasting. Remove pan from oven, cover chicken loosely with foil and let stand 20 minutes before carving. Remove apricot halves and serve with chicken; remove skin and skim fat from drippings before serving.
NOTE: If necessary, add water to apricot juice to measure 1 cup.
Per serving (light meat): 219 calories, 34 grams protein, 4 grams fat (16 percent calories from fat), 1.1 grams saturated fat, 11 grams carbohydrate, 90 milligrams cholesterol, 81 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.
Carb count: 0.5.
Per serving (dark meat): 215 calories, 26 grams protein, 7 grams fat (31 percent calories from fat), 1.9 grams saturated fat, 11 grams carbohydrate, 139 milligrams cholesterol, 110 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.
Monday: Budget
A good way to save money is to prepare CHICKEN AND POTATOES AU GRATIN using leftover chicken. On the side, HARVARD BEETS are good. Add a GREEN SALAD and SOURDOUGH BREAD. For dessert, spoon leftover RASPBERRY SAUCE over VANILLA ICE CREAM.
Plan
Save one casserole for Wednesday.
Shopping List
cooking spray, frozen hash-browned potatoes, canned condensed reduced-fat reduced-sodium cream of celery soup, reduced-fat sour cream, onion, 50% light sharp cheddar cheese, Harvard beets, salad greens, sourdough bread, vanilla ice cream.
CHICKEN AND POTATOES AU GRATIN
Servings: makes 8 servings (4 servings per casserole)
Prep time: less than 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
- 2 cups chopped or shredded cooked chicken
- 2 pounds frozen hash-browned potatoes, thawed
- 2 (10 3/4-ounce) cans condensed reduced-fat reduced-sodium cream of celery soup
- 1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cups shredded 50% light sharp cheddar cheese, divided
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat two 8-by-8-inch baking dishes with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine chicken, potatoes, soup, sour cream, onion and 1 cup cheese. Divide and spoon into baking dishes. Divide and sprinkle remaining cheese over each casserole. Cover and bake 40 minutes. Uncover and bake another 20 minutes or until cheese is browned. Serve one casserole; cover and refrigerate second dish for another meal.
Per serving: 318 calories, 23 grams protein, 12 grams fat (33 percent calories from fat), 6.3 grams saturated fat, 32 grams carbohydrate, 64 milligrams cholesterol, 495 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber.
Tuesday: Express
TACO NIGHT gets dinner on the table in a hurry. Buy some 90% lean ground beef, follow the directions on any reduced-sodium taco seasoning mix and fill your favorite taco shells with the mixture. Top the tacos with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes and diced avocados. Serve with vegetarian REFRIED BEANS. For dessert, make FLAN (from a mix).
Shopping List
90% lean ground beef, any reduced-sodium taco seasoning mix, taco shells, lettuce, tomatoes, avocados, vegetarian refried beans, flan mix.
Wednesday: Heat and Eat
Take a break. All you have to do tonight is reheat Monday's CHICKEN CASSEROLE and serve it with roasted fresh BRUSSELS SPROUTS. Add WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. Dessert is leftover CAKE with SLICED PEACHES.
Shopping List
fresh Brussels sprouts, whole-grain rolls, peaches.
Thursday: Kids
The kids always like SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS. Buy any meatballs and top the spaghetti with red pasta sauce. Sprinkle the combo with freshly grated PARMESAN CHEESE. Serve with GREEN BEANS and ITALIAN BREAD. Make instant CHOCOLATE PUDDING with 1% milk and stir in miniature marshmallows for a kid-pleaser.
Shopping List
any meatballs, spaghetti, red pasta sauce, parmesan cheese, green beans, Italian bread, instant chocolate pudding, 1% milk, miniature marshmallows.
Friday: Meatless
I never cared that EGG SALAD SANDWICHES were low-cost, because they're so delicious! Make your own and reduce the saturated fat by using more cooked egg whites than yolks, along with low-fat mayonnaise and coarse salt and pepper to taste. I always add a little sweet pickle relish, too. Spread the egg salad on toasted whole-grain bread and top with lettuce and sliced tomatoes. Serve with any NAVY BEAN SOUP. Fresh PINEAPPLE is good for dessert.
Shopping List
eggs, low-fat mayonnaise, coarse salt, pepper, sweet pickle relish, whole-grain bread, lettuce, tomatoes, navy bean soup, fresh pineapple.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
Prepare KOREAN GRILLED BEEF SKEWERS for your guests. Place the skewers on a bed of coleslaw mix for a pretty presentation. Add packaged LONG-GRAIN AND WILD RICE with SLICED SUMMER YELLOW SQUASH and CRUSTY BREAD.
For dessert, impress the crowd with VANILLA ORANGES with CHOCOLATE. Toss sliced and peeled oranges with sugar and a dash of pure vanilla extract. Scatter semisweet miniature chocolate chips on each serving.
Shopping List
top sirloin beef steak, hoisin sauce, creamy peanut butter, lime, crushed red pepper, coleslaw mix, long-grain and wild rice, summer yellow squash, crusty bread, oranges, sugar, pure vanilla extract, semisweet miniature chocolate chips.
KOREAN GRILLED BEEF SKEWERS
Prep time: 15 minutes; marinating time: 30 minutes to 2 hours
Cook time: less than 10 minutes
- 1 pound top sirloin beef steak, cut 1 inch thick
- 4 tablespoons hoisin sauce, divided
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1/4 cup water
Cut beef crosswise into 1/4-inch strips. Combine 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce and beef in medium bowl; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes to 2 hours. Meanwhile, combine remaining 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce, peanut butter, lime juice and crushed red pepper. Stir in water. Set aside. Soak eight 10-inch bamboo skewers in water 10 minutes; drain. Thread beef, weaving back and forth, onto each skewer. Place skewers on rack in broiler pan so surface of beef is 2 to 3 inches from heat. Broil 4 to 5 minutes for medium rare to medium, turning once. Serve with peanut sauce.
Per serving: 232 calories, 25 grams protein, 12 grams fat (46 percent calories from fat), 3 grams saturated fat, 7 grams carbohydrate, 56 milligrams cholesterol, 159 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.