SUNDAY: Father's Day
Surprise dear old dad with a special meal of baked shrimp, corn and zucchini (see recipe). Serve the medley with a bowl of mixed greens and some sourdough bread. Buy a banana cream pie for dessert.
PLAN AHEAD: Save enough pie for Tuesday.
SHOPPING LIST: olive oil, garlic, dried thyme, coarse salt, zucchini, corn on the cob, uncooked shrimp, lemon, mixed greens, sourdough bread, banana cream pie.
MONDAY: Kids favorite
Children will come running for sloppy Joe pizza: Heat oven to 425 degrees. Heat a large nonstick skillet on medium. Cook 1 pound 93-95 percent lean ground beef 6 minutes or until no longer pink; drain. Stir in one package sloppy Joe seasoning mix, one (6-ounce) can tomato paste and 1 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1 cup frozen corn (thawed). Place one (12-inch) ready-to-heat pizza crust on a baking sheet. Spoon beef mixture over top. Sprinkle with 2 cups shredded colby-jack cheese. Bake 12-15 minutes until hot and cheese melts. Serve with celery sticks. Enjoy mangoes for dessert.
SHOPPING LIST: 93-95 percent lean ground beef, sloppy Joe seasoning mix, tomato paste, frozen corn, ready-to-heat pizza crust, shredded colby-jack cheese, celery, mangoes.
TUESDAY: Meatless meal
Skip meat for layered enchilada casserole: Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a 7-by-11-inch baking dish, spoon 1/2 cup fire-roasted diced tomatoes from one (28-ounce) can. Arrange three 6-inch corn tortillas (of 10 total) over tomatoes, overlapping slightly. (Tear tortillas to fit dish.) Sprinkle with 1/2 cup (of 2 cups total) shredded Monterey jack cheese; top with one-third of two (15-ounce) cans rinsed reduced-sodium black beans. Spread 1 cup more tomatoes over beans. Repeat layers twice, ending with tomatoes; sprinkle 1 cup cheese on top. Cover loosely with nonstick foil; bake 35 minutes or until bubbly.
Serve with a spinach salad. Slice the leftover pie for dessert.
SHOPPING LIST: canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes, corn tortillas, shredded Monterey jack cheese, canned reduced-sodium black beans, fresh spinach.
WEDNESDAY: Budget dining
We're always in the mood for chili, and this white chili (see recipe) is especially good. Serve it with a crisp lettuce wedge and cornbread (from mix). Lighten up with fresh strawberries for dessert.
PLAN AHEAD: Save enough chili and cornbread for Thursday.
SHOPPING LIST: boneless skinless chicken breast, flour, garlic, cumin, dried oregano, black pepper, white pepper, crushed red pepper, canned diced green chilies, fresh jalapeno peppers, dried navy beans, unsalted chicken broth, onion, coarse salt, pepper, cilantro, lettuce, cornbread mix, fresh strawberries.
THURSDAY: Heat and eat
Heat the leftover chili and serve it over rice. Add a green salad and leftover cornbread. Plums are a light dessert.
SHOPPING LIST: rice, salad greens, plums.
FRIDAY: Express cooking
A Louisiana chef created this muffuletta panini: Coat both sides of eight slices rustic or sourdough bread with cooking spray or softened butter. Layer 1 one slice provolone or mozzarella cheese over each of four of the slices; top with olive spread or tapenade, thinly sliced deli ham, mortadella, Genoa salami and another slice of cheese. Top with remaining four slices bread. Cook sandwiches in a preheated panini maker about 3 minutes or until golden and cheese is melted.
Serve with deli coleslaw. Slice a papaya for dessert.
TIP: Sandwiches may be cooked in a preheated ridged grill pan or skillet over medium heat. Place heavy skillet on top of sandwiches to flatten; cook 3 minutes. Turn; continue to cook 3-4 minutes or until golden.
SHOPPING LIST: rustic or sourdough bread, cooking spray or butter, provolone or mozzarella cheese, olive spread or tapenade, deli ham, mortadella, Genoa salami, deli coleslaw, papaya.
SATURDAY: Family entertaining
Serve the family easy chicken piccata (see recipe) with rice for dinner tonight. Add green beans with slivered almonds, a Caesar salad and crusty bread. Buy fruit tarts for dessert.
SHOPPING LIST: chicken breasts, olive oil, coarse salt, pepper, flour, white wine, unsalted chicken stock, lemons, capers, unsalted butter, parsley, rice, green beans, slivered almonds, Caesar salad, crusty bread, fruit tarts.
Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by email: [email protected]. Follow Susan on Twitter: @7DayMenu. The Menu Planner is also accessible at 7daymenuplanner.com. Read Susan's blog: makingthemenu.com. And check out Susan's book! "7-Day Menu Planner for Dummies" is on shelves now. Order yours on Amazon.com today!
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BAKED SHRIMP, CORN AND ZUCCHINI (Sunday)
Makes: 4 servings
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes; standing time: 5 minutes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon coarse salt
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1 1/2- to 2-inch chunks (about 3 cups)
4 ears corn on the cob, cut into 1 1/2- to 2-inch pieces
1 pound uncooked shrimp, shelled and deveined
8 thin slices lemon
Heat oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl, combine oil, garlic, thyme and salt. Add zucchini, corn and shrimp; toss. On each of four (14-by-18-inch) sheets of heavy-duty foil, place one-fourth of the shrimp mixture in center. Top with lemon slices. Bring long sides together and fold, leaving room for steam to circulate; seal ends. Place packets in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes; remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before opening. Serve immediately.
Per serving: 295 calories, 27 grams protein, 12 grams fat (36% calories from fat), 1.9 grams saturated fat, 23 grams carbohydrate, 183 milligrams cholesterol, 639 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber. Carb count: 1.5.
WHITE CHILI (Wednesday)
Makes: about 8 cups
Preparation time: about 15 minutes
Cooking time: 9-10 hours on low
1 (1-pound) boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 to 2 teaspoons black pepper
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
Pinch crushed red pepper
2 (4-ounce) cans chopped green chilies, drained
1/4 cup minced fresh jalapeno peppers
1 pound dried navy beans, rinsed
5 cups unsalted chicken broth, heated
3/4 cup chopped onion
Coarse salt and pepper to taste
6 ounces cilantro, chopped and divided
In a 4-quart or larger slow cooker, toss the chicken with the flour until evenly coated. In a small bowl, mix together the garlic, cumin, oregano and black, white and red peppers; add to slow cooker and mix well. Add the green chilies, jalapeno peppers, beans, hot broth and onion. Cover and cook on low 8 to 9 hours or until beans are tender. Salt and pepper to taste. Stir in half the cilantro. Ladle into bowls and garnish with remaining cilantro.
Per cup: 296 calories, 26 grams protein, 2 grams fat (8% calories from fat), 0.5 grams saturated fat, 41 grams carbohydrate, 36 milligrams cholesterol, 258 milligrams sodium, 15 grams fiber. Carb count: 3.
QUICK AND SIMPLE CHICKEN PICCATA (Saturday)
Makes: 4 servings
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: less than 15 minutes
2 chicken breasts (8-10 ounces each)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup flour
1 cup white wine
1/2 cup unsalted chicken stock
2 lemons, one juiced, one thinly sliced for garnish
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons chopped parsley
Place chicken on cutting board. Place hand flat on top of breast. Use a sharp knife to slice into one side of breast, starting at thicker end and ending at thin point. (Be careful not to cut all the way through to other side.) Open breast so it looks like a butterfly. Cover breast with plastic wrap and pound with meat pounder or rolling pin to create even thickness. Slice in half lengthwise to create two equal pieces of chicken breast. Repeat with second breast. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium high. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Coat chicken in flour, shaking off excess. Cook breasts 2 to 3 minutes per side, until chicken is browned. Transfer chicken to plate. (You may have to cook in batches to prevent crowding in skillet.) After removing chicken, add wine and bring to a boil, scraping browned bits from bottom of pan. When wine has reduced by half, add stock, lemon juice and capers. Return chicken to pan, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Transfer chicken to serving platter. Whisk butter and parsley into skillet sauce. Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with lemon slices.
Per serving: 325 calories, 26 grams protein, 16 grams fat (44% calories from fat), 5.3 grams saturated fat, 14 grams carbohydrate, 88 milligrams cholesterol, 509 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber. Carb count: 1.