Each day of the week offers a menu aimed at a different aspect of meal planning. There's a family or holiday meal, usually on Sunday, a kids' menu aimed at younger tastes, a heat-and-eat meal that recycles leftovers, a budget meal that employs a cost-cutting strat-egy, a meatless 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, usually the Saturday meal, that's quick but worthy of company.
Sunday/Family
Roast a whole turkey breast at 325 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes per pound or to 170 to 180 degrees internal temperature. Of course, you'll want gravy and homemade mashed potatoes. On the side, Braised Red Cabbage and Apples (see recipe) makes a colorful and flavorful addition. Add dinner rolls.
Plan ahead: Save leftover turkey for Monday and Tuesday; make four extra servings of mashed potatoes for Monday.
Monday/Heat and Eat
Use the Sunday leftovers and make open-faced turkey sandwiches with gravy on ciabatta or other dense white bread. Warm the leftover mashed potatoes. Serve with carrot salad.
Plan ahead: Shred an extra cup of carrots for Tuesday.
Tuesday/Express
Little kids and grown-up kids, too, will enjoy Turkey Ole Casserole (see recipe). Serve it with rice and a green salad. Someone might like some extra warmed tortillas. Fresh fruit is a light dessert.
Plan ahead: Cook 1 cup extra rice for Wednesday. Save half the Turkey Ole for Wednesday.
Tip: Substitute canned or cooked chicken for turkey if desired.
Wednesday/Kids
Put money in your pocket and time in your hands tonight when you warm the leftover Ole Casserole and serve it with canned pinto beans mixed with leftover rice. Heat, add a splash of hot sauce and garnish with chopped green onions. Make a sliced-avocado and grapefruit-section salad. Finish with cookies.
Thursday/Meatless
You'll like the flavorful Bow Tie Pasta with Feta and Zucchini (see recipe) and won't miss having meat.
Serve the pasta with a fresh spinach salad and crusty bread.
Friday/Budget
My widower father persuaded me to try Dinty Moore Beef Stew, one of his standbys. Always listening to my dad, I stretched the 40-ounce can ($3.29) with a can of drained, cooked potatoes, a microwaved package of frozen peas and carrots, 1/2 cup red wine, and 1 teaspoon each of dried marjoram and thyme.
I added a big green salad on the side and crusty bread for a complete meal.
Now, may I have my allowance, Pop?
Saturday/Entertaining
Sail away with your guests and enjoy Island Pork Chops (see recipe). Serve with Pineapple Salsa (see recipe).
Add rice pilaf along with sourdough bread.
For dessert, you could make your own or serve store-bought cheesecake and top with fresh berries.
Shopping List
What you'll need for this week's menus (consult recipes for exact amounts)
Sunday
turkey breast
gravy
potatoes
margarine
red onion
black pepper
red cabbage
dried apples
fresh or dried marjoram
lemon
dinner rolls
Monday
ciabatta or other dense white bread
ingredients for your own carrot salad, plus extra carrots
Tuesday
corn tortillas
onions
carrots
reduced-sodium chicken broth
reduced-fat cream of chicken soup
chili powder
cumin
canned chopped green chilies
shredded, reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese
rice
greens for salad
fresh fruit
Wednesday
canned pinto beans
hot sauce
green onions
avocado
grapefruit and dark green lettuce for salad
cookies
Thursday
bow tie pasta
olive oil
onions
garlic
zucchini
reduced-sodium chicken broth
cornstarch
crumbled feta cheese
kalamata olives
dried oregano
fresh spinach
crusty bread
Friday
Dinty Moore Beef Stew
canned potatoes
frozen peas and carrots
red wine
dried marjoram and thyme
greens for salad
crusty bread
Saturday
unsweetened pineapple juice
dry sherry
light brown sugar
fresh rosemary
garlic
boneless pork loin chops
fresh or canned, juice-packed pineapple
cilantro
red onion
cider vinegar
rice pilaf
sourdough bread
cheesecake
fresh berries
Pub Date: 5/03/98