Advertisement This Chicken with Caramelized Onions (see recipe) is just right for a fall family meal. Serve it with rice, green beans and a mized green salad. Add whole-wheat rolls. The dessert, chocolate malt ice cream cake, will make everyone happy. Arrange 8 frozen ice cream sandwiches, long sides touching, on a serving plate. Spread an even layer of light chocolate whipped cream over top. Scatter with 1/3 cup chopped malted milk balls. Repeat layers twice, garnishing top with a few whole malt balls. Freeze 6 hours until firm. Slice and serve. (Adapted from Woman’s Day magazine.)
PLAN AHEAD: Save enough cake for Tuesday.
Express Monday
For a quick meal, try Baked Beef, Bean and Corn Quesadillas (see recipe). Serve with sliced avocado topped with sour cream. Enjoy fresh pineapple for dessert.
B<>Meatless Tuesday
You certainly won’t miss meat with tonight’s Penne Rustica for dinner. Cook 8 ounces penne pasta according to directions; drain. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil on medium until hot; add 1/3 cup chopped onion and cook 4 minutes, or until onion is softened; stir occasionally. Stir in 1 clove minced garlic; cook 30 seconds. Stir in 1/4 cup chopped, well-drained sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil and 1/4 cup dry white wine. Bring to boil. Stir in 1 (10-ounce) container refrigerated light Alfredo sauce (such as Butoni or another brand) and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes or until heated through. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon dried or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil. Toss sauce with hot penne and garnish with freshly grated parmesan cheese. Serve with a spinach salad and garlic bread. How about the leftover ice cream cake for dessert?
Budget Wednesday
We really liked this economical, moist Italian Meatloaf (see recipe, page 2B). Serve it with mashed potatoes, frozen tiny green peas and multigrain brea. Plums are an easy dessert.
PLAN AHEAD: Save enough meatloaf for Thursday.
Heat and Eat Thursday
You’ll have Basil-Tomato Spaghetti ready in no time. Crumble the leftover meatloaf and add to a jar of basil-tomato pasta sauce. Heat and serve over spaghetti. Serve with a lettuce wedge and Italian bread. For dessert, red and green grapes are easy.
SHOPPING LIST: jar basil-tomato pasta sauce, spaghetti, lettuce, Italian bread, red and green grapes.
Kids Friday
Kids will love making Crazy Critter Bagel Sandwiches for a single-serve pizza meal. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Spread 1 tablespoon pizza sauce over 8 split bagels. Sprinkle each half with 1 tablespoon shredded Mozzarella cheese. Arrange some of these toppings (sliced pepperoni, Canadian-style bacon, sliced mushrooms, sliced ripe olives, chopped zucchini and chopped red bell pepper) on sandwiches to look like “critters.” Sprinkle with more cheese. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 5 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Serve with celery sticks. Keep up the kid-theme with Fudgsicles for dessert.
Entertaining Saturday
Serve your guests your own grilled salmon. Jazz up the flavor with this Cucmber-Sour Cream Sauce. In a small bowl, combine 1 cup fat-free sour cream, 1 medium peeled, seeded and chopped cucumber, 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, 1 teaspoon lime zest and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Serve with roasted red potatoes and buttered fresh-sliced zucchini. Add baguettes.
For dessert, a fruit parfait is as pretty as it is delicious. Drain 21/2 cups fat-free vanilla yogurt in a white paper towel-lined strainer placed over a bowl for 2 hours. (Remember “curds and whey”? This is it!) Place the curds (solids) in a bowl and discard whey (liquid). Stir 5 tablespoons peach spreadable fruit into the solids. Place half the yogurt mixture into 4 stemmed dessert dishes. Top with light whipped cream. Mix together 1 peeled chopped apple and 1 peeled chopped pear; spoon half fruit mixture into the 4 dishes on top of whipped cream. Sprinkle each dish with 11/2 teaspoons chopped toasted walnuts. Repeat layers once. Garnish with more whipped cream and a maraschino cherry.
Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by e-mail: menuplanner@mindspring.com. The Menu Planner is also accessible at www.7daymenuplanner.com.
THE RECIPES
Chicken with Caramelized Onions
4 (4- to 5-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts (see note)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup sliced onion
1/3 cup seedless raspberry jam
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon bottled minced ginger
1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium until hot. Add onion and cook 4 minutes. Add chicken; cook 8 minutes, turning once or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove onion and chicken from skillet. Add jam, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger and rosemary; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk. Return chicken mixture to skillet; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve immediately.
Note: Avoid chicken that has been “enhanced” with “salt,” “sodium,” “broth” or “brine” as indicated on the label.
Makes 4 servings.
Per serving: 221 calories, 27 grams protein, 4 grams fat (15 percent calories from fat), 0.7 grams saturated fat, 19 grams carbohydrate, 66 milligrams cholesterol, 317 milligrams sodium, no fiber.
Baked Beef, Bean and Corn Quesadillas
1 pound 95 percent lean ground beef
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup salsa
1/2 cup rinsed canned black beans
1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed and drained
8 fat-free (6- to 7-inch) flour tortillas
3/4 cup shredded 50 percent reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a large nonstick skillet on medium, cook beef 8 minutes or until no longer pink; drain. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in salsa, beans and corn; cook and stir 4 or 5 minutes or until thickened and heated through.
Coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Arrange 4 tortillas on baking sheet, overlapping slightly, if necessary. Sprinkle with half of cheese. Spoon beef mixture evenly over cheese; top with remaining cheese and 4 tortillas. Coat top tortillas with cooking spray. Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until quesadillas are lightly browned and edges are crisp. Remove from oven; cut into wedges and serve.
Makes 4 servings.
Per serving: 457 calories, 38 grams protein, 13 grams fat (26 percent calories from fat), 5.6 grams saturated fat, 46 grams carbohydrate, 74 milligrams cholesterol, 814 milligrams sodium, 4 grams fiber.
Italian Meatloaf
2 pounds 95 percent lean ground beef
1 (141/2-ounce) can drained diced tomatoes with basil, oregano and garlic
1/3 cup no-salt-added or regular marinara sauce
1/3 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon dried or 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 lightly beaten egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place beef in a large bowl; add tomatoes, marinara sauce, breadcrumbs, basil, egg and salt and pepper. Mix until just combined; do not overmix. Shape into a 9-by-5-inch loaf; place on a wire rack (coated with cooking spray) in a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake 1 hour. Top with cheese and bake 10 more minutes or 160 degrees internal temperature. Remove from oven; tent with foil and let stand 5 minutes before slicing. (Adapted from Southern Living magazine.)
Makes 8 servings.
Per serving: 225 calories, 29 grams protein, 8 grams fat (33 percent calories from fat), 3.4 grams saturated fat, 10 grams carbohydrate, 93 milligrams cholesterol, 639 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber
