This week's menus
Each day of the week offers a menu aimed at a different aspect of meal planning. There's a family meal, a kids' menu aimed at younger tastes, a heat-and-eat meal that recycles leftovers, a budget meal that employs a cost- cutting strategy, a meatless or "less meat" dish for people who may not be strict vegetarians but are trying to cut down on meat, an express meal that requires little or no preparation, and an entertaining menu that's quick.
Sunday/Express
Take it easy and present a deli buffet to the family today, including sliced roast beef, sliced ham, German potato salad, coleslaw, pickled beets, a variety of mustards, low-fat mayonnaise, pickles, and a basket of kaiser rolls and rye bread. Finish with fresh fruit for dessert.
Plan ahead: Purchase enough ham for Monday. Dice to save time.
Tip: Trim visible fat from meat to cut fat and calories.
Monday/Budget
You'll be in a cost-cutting mode with Creamy Chowder (see recipe). Serve with spinach salad and multigrain rolls. Cookies are a low-cost dessert.
Tuesday/Meatless
Creamy and delicious, Cheesy Baked Ziti also is rich in vitamins A and C, calcium and fiber (see recipe). Serve it with mixed greens and garlic bread. Fresh fruit provides a happy ending to a nutritious story.
Wednesday/Kids
Teach your angels patience and bring out the slow cooker for Tortilla Soup (see recipe). When the soup is almost ready, help the children prepare grilled cheese sandwiches. Teach them to use reduced-fat cheese slices, and cooking spray on the grill side of the bread rather than margarine or butter. Add a green salad. When the kids finish preparing their sandwiches, help them make instant butterscotch pudding with skim milk.
Plan ahead: If time permits, prepare Cranberry Relish for Thursday and refrigerate.
Thursday/Family
Who wants to cause a riot by changing the traditional Thanksgiving dinner menu of turkey, dressing, gravy, potatoes and a favorite holiday green vegetable? Not me. But this year we're adding Spicy Cranberry Relish for a teensy-weensy change.
In a food processor, combine 1 (12-ounce) package fresh cranberries, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 medium jalapeno pepper (quartered), 1 scallion, 1 teaspoon dried cilantro and 1/4 teaspoon cumin. Process until mixture is coarsely chopped. Refrigerate for 4 hours to allow flavors to blend. Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired.
Dinner rolls are a must. We'll also be having a store-bought pumpkin pie with light whipped cream at our feast. Come on down!
Plan ahead: Save all those valuable leftovers for future meals.
Friday/Heat and Eat
No one will recognize leftovers in Turkey Stir-Fry (see recipe). Serve the colorful combination over rice. Add leftover cranberry relish and crusty bread. Surely you saved some leftover pumpkin pie for dessert.
Saturday/Entertaining
For a complete change of pace from turkey, serve Beef Kebabs au Poivre to your remaining holiday guests (see recipe). Serve with baked potatoes and Green Beans With Shallots. Cook 1 3/4 pounds fresh green beans in boiling water 10 minutes or until crisp-tender (or prepare two 10-ounce packages frozen beans according to directions); drain. In a medium saucepan, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil until hot; add 2 minced shallots and saute 3 minutes or until tender. Add green beans, 1 tablespoon water, 1/2 teaspoon salt and / teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring, 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Add sourdough bread and complete the meal with light sorbet.
Shopping List
What you'll need for this week's menus (consult recipes for exact amounts)
Sunday
sliced roast beef
ham (to slice and to dice)
German potato salad
coleslaw
jar of pickled beets
a variety of mustards
low-fat mayonnaise
pickles
kaiser rolls
rye bread
fresh fruit
Monday
vegetable oil
garlic
dried thyme
canned cream-style corn
potato
fat-free chicken broth
jar of roasted red peppers
scallions
plain low-fat yogurt
cornstarch
fresh spinach
multigrain rolls
cookies
Tuesday
cooking spray
ziti pasta
onion
garlic
canned diced tomatoes
low-fat ricotta cheese
reduced-fat shredded mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese
skim milk
Italian parsley
fresh or dried basil
pepper
salt
salad greens
garlic bread
fresh fruit
Wednesday
boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
frozen corn
onion
garlic
fat-free chicken broth
canned tomato puree
canned diced tomatoes and green chilies
salt
chili powder
cumin
cayenne and black pepper
bay leaf
corn tortillas
cilantro (optional)
reduced-fat cheese slices
cooking spray
bread
salad greens
instant butterscotch pudding
skim milk
Thursday
turkey
ingredients for dressing and gravy
potatoes
green vegetable
fresh cranberries
sugar
jalapeno pepper
scallion
dried cilantro
cumin
fresh cilantro (optional)
dinner rolls
pumpkin pie
light whipped cream
Friday
soy sauce
ketchup
white-wine vinegar
sugar
fat-free chicken broth
cornstarch
vegetable oil
red onion
sweet potato
fresh broccoli
red bell pepper
rice
crusty bread
Saturday
well-trimmed, boneless sirloin steak
dry red wine
olive oil
coarse-grain mustard
red-wine vinegar
garlic
sugar
peppercorns
baking potatoes
fresh or frozen green beans
olive oil
shallots
salt
pepper
