Sunday: Family
Serve the family your own ROAST CHICKEN (5 to 7 pounds). Alongside, try these easy POTATOES AU GRATIN: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Coat an 8-by-12-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Scrub and thinly slice 2 pounds red potatoes. Arrange half of the potatoes in dish; drizzle with 1 tablespoon (of 2 tablespoons) melted butter and season to taste with coarse salt and pepper. Top with 1/4 cup (of 1/2 cup total) shredded Gruyere cheese; repeat layers. Bring 1 cup 2% milk to a simmer; pour over potatoes. Coat top with cooking spray. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
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Add SLICED TOMATOES and CRUSTY ROLLS to the meal. Buy or make a PEACH COBBLER for dessert.
Plan
Save enough chicken and cobbler for Monday.
Shopping List
large chicken to roast, cooking spray, red potatoes, butter, coarse salt, pepper, Gruyere cheese, 2% milk, tomatoes, crusty rolls, peach cobbler.
Monday: Budget
You'll receive rave reviews on this economical RANCHO CHICKEN. Serve the flavorful casserole with a MIXED GREEN SALAD and extra TORTILLAS, if desired. Warm the leftover COBBLER for dessert.
Plan
Save enough Rancho Chicken and tortillas for Tuesday.
Shopping List
reduced-fat reduced-sodium condensed cream of mushroom and cream of chicken soups, canned diced tomatoes with green chiles, red bell pepper, onion, chili powder, black pepper, corn tortillas, shredded 50% reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese, tomatoes, green onions, mixed greens.
RANCHO CHICKEN
Servings: makes 8 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: about 50 minutes; standing time: 10 minutes
- 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can reduced-fat reduced-sodium condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can reduced-fat reduced-sodium cream of chicken soup
- 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles, with liquid
- 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 12 (6- to 7-inch) corn tortillas cut into bite-size strips
- 2 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 8 ounces shredded 50% reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
- Sliced tomatoes and sliced green onions for garnish
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine 2 soups, tomatoes with chiles and liquid, bell pepper, onion, chili powder and black pepper; mix well. Set aside. To assemble: Sprinkle about 1/3 of the tortilla strips over bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Layer half of the chicken over tortilla strips; continue with half the soup mixture, half the cheese and another 1/3 of tortilla strips. Layer with remaining chicken, soup mixture and tortilla strips. Bake, tightly covered with nonstick foil, 45 minutes or until bubbly around edges and center is hot. Increase heat to 400 degrees. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 4 to 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven. Top with sliced tomatoes and onions. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Per serving: 288 calories, 25 grams protein, 9 grams fat (29% calories from fat), 4.2 grams saturated fat, 28 grams carbohydrate, 56 milligrams cholesterol, 659 milligrams sodium, 4 grams fiber.
Tuesday: Heat and Eat
Sit back and relax, because dinner is ready as soon as you reheat the leftover RANCHO CHICKEN. Serve with a LETTUCE WEDGE and leftover TORTILLAS. Slice a WATERMELON for dessert.
Plan
Save enough watermelon for Wednesday.
Shopping List
lettuce, watermelon.
Wednesday: Express
Buy a fully cooked BEEF POT ROAST for an easy meal tonight. Serve with refrigerated (or your own) MASHED POTATOES and steamed FRESH ZUCCHINI. Add WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. Leftover WATERMELON is your dessert.
Shopping List
fully cooked beef pot roast, refrigerated mashed potatoes (or potatoes to mash), fresh zucchini, whole-grain rolls.
Thursday: Meatless
LENTIL SALAD makes a perfect no-meat dinner. Drizzle TOMATO WEDGES with balsamic vinaigrette and thinly sliced fresh basil to accompany the high-fiber entree. Add BREADSTICKS. For dessert, enjoy some summer NECTARINES.
Shopping List
lentils, coarse salt, bay leaves, cucumbers, celery, red onion, orange juice, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, reduced-fat feta cheese, tomatoes, balsamic vinaigrette, fresh basil, breadsticks, nectarines.
LENTIL SALAD
Servings: makes 8 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: lentils, about 20 minutes; chilling time: 2 to 6 hours
- 4 cups water
- 2 cups dried lentils
- 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
- 2 large bay leaves
- 2 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded and chopped
- 1 cup finely chopped celery
- 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup orange juice
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
Combine water, lentils, salt and bay leaves in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low; simmer 20 minutes or until lentils are tender. Drain; discard bay leaves. Combine the lentils, cucumbers, celery and onion in a medium bowl. Whisk together orange juice, vinegar and mustard. Add to lentil mixture. Cover and chill 2 to 6 hours. Garnish individual servings with feta cheese.
Per serving: 223 calories, 17 grams protein, 1 gram fat (5% calories from fat), 0.7 gram saturated fat, 39 grams carbohydrate, 3 milligrams cholesterol, 374 milligrams sodium, 8 grams fiber.
Friday: Kids
Lucky kids! BLACK BEAN PIZZAS are on the menu: Heat oven to 350 degrees. In medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup mild salsa, 1 1/2 cups rinsed canned reduced-sodium black beans, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro and 1/4 teaspoon cumin; mix well. Spread on 5 or 6 split whole-grain English muffin halves. Divide and top with 1 cup shredded 50% reduced-fat cheddar cheese. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until hot. Garnish with reduced-fat sour cream and guacamole.
Serve with BABY CARROTS and RED BELL PEPPER STRIPS with RANCH DRESSING for dipping. CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM with MARSHMALLOW TOPPING is a kid-friendly dessert.
Shopping List
mild salsa, canned reduced-sodium black beans, cilantro, cumin, whole-grain English muffins, shredded 50% reduced-fat cheddar cheese, reduced-fat sour cream, guacamole, baby carrots, red bell pepper, ranch dressing, chocolate ice cream, marshmallow topping.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
Start your entertaining evening with GAZPACHO. Follow the refreshing cold soup with BIBB LETTUCE AND CHICKEN SALAD WITH PEANUT DRESSING. Add GREEN BEANS and SOURDOUGH BREAD. Buy FRUIT TARTS for dessert.
Shopping List
gazpacho, seasoned rice vinegar, creamy peanut butter, fish sauce, vegetable oil, bibb lettuce, English cucumber, jar hot cherry peppers, cooked chicken, fresh mint, green beans, sourdough bread, fruit tarts.
BIBB LETTUCE AND CHICKEN SALAD WITH PEANUT DRESSING
Servings: makes 4 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: for the chicken
- Peanut dressing:
- 1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- Salad:
- 2 heads bibb lettuce (1 pound), leaves separated and torn
- 1 English cucumber, cut into 2-inch-long matchsticks
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced hot cherry peppers (from jar)
- 4 cups cooked chicken, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh mint, torn
For the dressing: Combine vinegar, peanut butter and fish sauce in a bowl. Microwave 15 seconds or until peanut butter has just softened. Add oil and whisk until smooth and fully combined.
For the salad: In a large bowl, toss lettuce, cucumber, cherry peppers and 3 tablespoons dressing together. Divide salad among 4 individual plates. Serve, topping individual portions with chicken. Drizzle with remaining dressing and sprinkle with mint.
(Adapted from "The Complete Salad Cookbook," America’s Test Kitchen.)
Per serving: 478 calories, 49 grams protein, 25 grams fat (48% calories from fat), 3.4 grams saturated fat, 13 grams carbohydrate, 119 milligrams cholesterol, 1026 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.