Sunday: Family
EGGS IN BACON-POTATO NESTS will thrill Mom on Mother's Day. Garnish the plate with ORANGE WEDGES and add BISCUITS and JAM to your meal.
Mom 'll love your SUGARED STRAWBERRIES for dessert. Rinse and dry 2 pints of strawberries; do not hull. Place strawberries in serving bowl. Place 2/3 cup vanilla yogurt and 2/3 cup loosely packed light brown sugar in separate bowls. Each person can dip strawberries into yogurt and then into sugar for dessert (no double-dipping, says Mom!).
Shopping List
cooking spray, precooked bacon, frozen shredded potatoes, fresh chives, coarse salt, pepper, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, eggs, oranges, biscuits, jam, fresh strawberries, vanilla yogurt, light brown sugar.
EGGS IN BACON-POTATO NESTS
Servings: makes 4 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 12 to 15 minutes; standing time: 5 minutes
- 8 slices precooked bacon
- 2 cups frozen shredded potatoes
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, plus more for garnish
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 4 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 4 large eggs
Place rack in lower third of oven and heat oven to 400 degrees. Coat four (6-ounce) oven-safe custard cups or similar ramekins with cooking spray. Arrange two strips bacon in an X pattern in each cup (ends may stick above cup). Place potatoes in medium bowl and microwave just until thawed, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add chives, salt and pepper and toss to combine. Press one-fourth of potato mixture over bottom and up sides of each bacon-lined cup. Add about 2 tablespoons of cheese to each cup. Break one egg into each cup and top with about 2 more tablespoons cheese. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until egg whites are nearly set (eggs will continue to cook while standing). Remove from oven and let stand for about 5 minutes; run knife around outside of each cup and slip eggs nests onto plates. Sprinkle with additional chives and serve.
Per serving: 305 calories, 18 grams protein, 17 grams fat (51% calories from fat), 8.6 grams saturated fat, 19 grams carbohydrate, 224 milligrams cholesterol, 561 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.
Monday: Meatless
Make an easy meal of STUFFED BAKED POTATOES with BROCCOLI AU GRATIN (from frozen) as the stuffing. Add SALAD GREENS and WHOLE-GRAIN ENGLISH MUFFINS. For dessert, make PISTACHIO PUDDING with 1% milk.
Plan
Bake extra potatoes and cook eggs and green beans for Tuesday.
Shopping List
potatoes to bake, frozen broccoli au gratin, salad greens, whole-grain English muffins, pistachio pudding mix, 1% milk.
Tuesday: Express
Tonight's TOMATO "SANDWICH" NICOISE is as colorful as it is easy. Cut 4 slices from each center of 2 large ripe tomatoes. On each of 4 plates, layer a tomato slice, a lettuce leaf, a red onion slice and 1/2 cup deli tuna salad; top with remaining tomato slices. Arrange 1/2 cup chilled cooked fresh green beans and 2 hard-cooked egg wedges on each plate. Drizzle olive oil over all. Serve with BAKED POTATO WEDGES (cut leftover baked potatoes into wedges, coat with cooking spray and bake at 425 degrees until hot) and add a BAGUETTE. VANILLA ICE CREAM is dessert.
Plan
Save enough ice cream for Thursday.
Shopping List
tomatoes, lettuce, red onion, deli tuna salad, fresh green beans, eggs, olive oil, cooking spray, baguette, vanilla ice cream.
Wednesday: Budget
Serving PICADILLO over BROWN RICE is an easy way to save some food dollars. STEAMED FRESH CARROTS add color to the plate, and WHOLE-GRAIN BREAD adds fiber. For dessert, PEARS will work just fine.
Plan
Save enough picadillo for Thursday; cook enough rice for Saturday.
Shopping List
olive oil, onion, garlic, chili powder, coarse salt, cinnamon, lean ground beef, ground turkey breast, frozen corn, sliced green olives with pimento, raisins, tomato paste, brown rice, fresh carrots, whole-grain bread, pears.
PICADILLO
Servings: makes 8 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: less than 15 minutes
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 pound ground turkey breast
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1/2 cup sliced green olives with pimento
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/3 cup water
In a large nonstick skillet, heat olive oil on medium. Add onion and garlic and cook 5 minutes. Stir in chili powder, salt and cinnamon. Cook and stir 30 seconds. Add beef and turkey; cook 5 minutes or until no longer pink; drain well. Add corn, olives, raisins, tomato paste and water; bring to a boil. Boil 1 minute to thicken slightly and serve.
Per serving: 139 calories, 15 grams protein, 5 grams fat (28% calories from fat), 0.9 gram saturated fat, 12 grams carbohydrate, 27 milligrams cholesterol, 389 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.
Thursday: Heat and Eat
Make PICADILLO TACOS with the leftovers. Just heat the picadillo and spoon into warmed taco shells. Add deli COLESLAW on the side. Leftover ICE CREAM with BLUEBERRIES makes a good dessert.
Shopping List
taco shells, deli coleslaw, blueberries.
Friday: Kids
Make the kids happy with SLOPPY BEEF AND BEANS. Heat a large nonstick skillet on medium and cook 1 pound lean ground beef and 1/2 cup finely chopped carrots 7 minutes or until beef is no longer pink; drain well. Stir in 2 tablespoons sloppy Joe seasoning mix and 1 (20-ounce) can pork and beans. Cook 2 minutes or until heated through. Serve on whole-grain hamburger buns. On the side, add steamed FRESH SPINACH and BAKED CHIPS. For dessert, have some fun baking slice-and-bake COOKIES (refrigerated).
Shopping List
lean ground beef, carrots, sloppy Joe seasoning mix, canned pork and beans, whole-grain hamburger buns, fresh spinach, baked chips, refrigerated slice-and-bake cookie dough.
Saturday: Entertain the Family
Dazzle your crew by serving them colorful CHICKEN CACCIATORE REVISITED. Serve the chicken-vegetable combo over leftover RICE. Alongside, serve FRESH BROCCOLI SPEARS, an ITALIAN SALAD and CRUSTY BREAD. LEMON MERINGUE PIE is a festive dessert.
Shopping List
olive oil, boneless skinless chicken breasts, fresh white mushrooms, green bell pepper, onion, garlic, tomatoes, coarse salt, dried oregano, black pepper, balsamic vinegar, fresh broccoli, Italian salad mix, crusty bread, lemon meringue pie.
CHICKEN CACCIATORE REVISITED
Servings: Makes 6 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: about 15 minutes
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 8 ounces fresh white mushrooms, halved or sliced
- 1 large green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 pounds tomatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Balsamic vinegar to taste
In a large nonstick skillet, heat olive oil on medium-high. Add chicken; cook and stir 5 minutes or until browned. Add mushrooms, bell pepper, onion and garlic; cook and stir 6 minutes or until mushrooms release liquid. Stir in tomatoes, salt, oregano and black pepper. Cook on low, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes or until tomatoes are heated through. Add a splash of balsamic vinegar and serve.
Per serving: 173 calories, 23 grams protein, 4 grams fat (23% calories from fat), 0.8 gram saturated fat, 11 grams carbohydrate, 61 milligrams cholesterol, 441 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber.