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/Entertaining
As you gear up for your Thanksgiving Day feast, make this Sunday a casual day for your guests and prepare hamburgers your own way. Dress them up with a Mushroom and Onion Topping (see recipe). To serve: On each plate, place two slices of toasted Italian bread. Top with hamburger and then mushroom mixture. Serve with roasted red potatoes and homemade or store-bought coleslaw. A store-bought cheesecake with fruit topping is an easy dessert.
Plan ahead: Save leftover cheesecake for Tuesday.
Monday/Kids
Expect the children at the table early tonight for Crunchy Chicken Wraps (see recipe). Accompany the wraps with canned pinto beans topped with salsa. For dessert, let the kids make peanut butter cookies from a mix.
Plan ahead: Save the leftover cookies for Wednesday.
Tuesday/Meatless
No one will want meat for dinner with Tortellini Soup With Peas. In a large pot, bring 8 cups vegetable broth to a boil. Add 1 pound frozen vegetable- or cheese-stuffed tortellini and boil gently, uncovered, until cooked through and tender or about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in 3 sliced scallions (white part and 4 inches of green) and 1 (10-ounce) package thawed petite green peas. Simmer about 5 minutes or until peas are hot. Serve immediately with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Add a green salad and crusty Italian bread. Leftover cheesecake is an easy dessert.
Plan ahead: Save leftover soup for Wednesday.
Wednesday/Express
Dinner will be fast tonight with grilled cheese sandwiches on sun-dried tomato bread. Use reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese. Serve the sandwiches with leftover soup. For dessert, leftover cookies will go well with sliced peaches.
Tip: If you're short on soup, add 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can of reduced-sodium chicken broth as an extender.
Thursday/Holiday
Our family always goes for the traditional roasted turkey with dressing and gravy for our family feast. We always have lots of homemade mashed potatoes and fresh cranberry relish. We're having a lighter Green Bean Casserole (see recipe) this year. San Antonio resident Becky Crabb always makes us a mean Pumpkin Chiffon Pie (see recipe). I know; I'm her daughter-in-law. Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours.
Plan ahead: You know the drill - save all your leftovers!
Friday/Heat and Eat
Here's the best part of tonight's meal: You cooked it yesterday, and it's just as delicious as yesterday's meal. Enjoy an open-faced turkey sandwich on dense white bread with gravy and mashed potatoes. Heat the leftover green bean casserole. Bring on the leftover pie, if you have any.
Saturday/Budget
Sherried Turkey Casserole (see recipe) is a delicious way to save money and use leftover turkey. Serve with a mixed green salad and crusty bread. It's time for a light dessert, and fresh fruit is a good choice.
Tip: For the casserole, look for a calcium-enriched rice for a calcium boost.
Shopping List
What you'll need for this week's menus (consult recipes for exact amounts)
Sunday
lean ground beef
cooking spray
olive oil
onion
sliced mushrooms
salt
pepper
fresh parsley
Italian bread
red potatoes
coleslaw or ingredients to make your own
cheesecake
fruit topping
Monday
frozen chicken nuggets
chili sauce
soy sauce
flour tortillas
lettuce
carrots
tomatoes
canned pinto beans
salsa
peanut butter cookie mix
Tuesday
vegetable broth
frozen vegetable- or cheese-stuffed tortellini
scallions
frozen petite green peas
Parmesan cheese
salad greens
Italian bread
Wednesday
sun-dried tomato bread
reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese
peaches
Thursday
turkey
ingredients for dressing and gravy
potatoes to mash
1 percent milk (for potatoes and for pie)
ingredients for cranberry relish
cooking spray
red onion
fine dry bread crumbs
vegetable oil
lean bacon
reduced-fat condensed cream of mushroom soup
fat-free yogurt
liquid smoke
canned mushrooms
frozen French-cut green beans
ready-made deep-dish pie crust
unflavored gelatin
eggs
sugar
canned pumpkin
salt
cinnamon
nutmeg
light whipped cream
Friday
dense white bread
Saturday
reduced-fat condensed cream of celery soup
skim milk
Parmesan cheese
dry sherry
rice
green bell pepper
diced pimentos
paprika
salad greens
crusty bread
fresh fruit
Mushroom and Onion Topping (Sunday)
Makes 4 servings
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
cooking spray
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1/4 teaspoon each: salt and pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (reserve 1 tablespoon)
In a large, nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, heat oil; add onion and cook until softened or about 5 minutes. Stir in mushrooms, salt and pepper. Cook over high heat, stirring often, until mushrooms are tender or about 5 minutes. Stir in fresh parsley (reserve 1 tablespoon). Top with reserved parsley.
Per serving: 57 calories, 2 grams protein, 3 grams fat (37 percent calories from fat), 0.4 grams saturated fat, 8 grams carbohydrate, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 152 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.
Crunchy Chicken Wraps (Monday)
Makes 8 wraps
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: time to cook the chicken
1 (13.5-ounce) package of frozen chicken nuggets
1 cup chili sauce
3 tablespoons soy sauce
8 (10-inch) flour tortillas, warmed
1 cup each: shredded lettuce and shredded carrots
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
Prepare chicken according to directions. In a small bowl, combine chili sauce with soy sauce and mix well. Spread 2 to 3 tablespoons chili sauce mixture over each tortilla, then evenly add lettuce and carrots. Finish with tomatoes and chicken. Roll tightly and serve.
Per serving: 349 calories, 13 grams protein, 12 grams fat (31% calories from fat), 2.8 grams saturated fat, 48 grams carbohydrate, 28 milligrams cholesterol, 1,292 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber.
Becky Crabb's Pumpkin Chiffon Pie (Thursday)
Makes 8 servings
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: time to cook pie shell; chilling time: 3 hours
1 ready-made 9-inch deep-dish pie crust
1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
3 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar, divided
1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin
1/2 cup 1 percent milk
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon each: cinnamon and nutmeg
light whipped cream for garnish
Bake pie crust according to directions. Set aside. In a small bowl, dissolve gelatin in water. In a medium bowl, slightly beat 3 egg yolks; add 1/2 cup sugar and continue beating until well mixed or about 1 minute. Add pumpkin, milk, 1/4 teaspoon salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cook mixture over hot water about 20 minutes or until thick. Stir in gelatin mixture and cool. Beat egg whites with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. When pumpkin mixture begins to set, stir in remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Fold in egg whites. Spoon into pie shell; chill about 3 hours. Top each slice with dollops of light whipped cream.
Per serving: 276 calories, 5 grams protein, 8 grams fat (27 percent calories from fat), 2.7 grams saturated fat, 47 grams carbohydrate, 80 milligrams cholesterol, 389 milligrams sodium, 4 grams fiber.
Green Bean Casserole (Thursday)
Makes 8 servings
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: about 1 hour
cooking spray
1 cup chopped red onions
3/4 cup fine dried bread crumbs
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
4 slices thin, lean bacon
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can reduced-fat condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup fat-free plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 (4-ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained
3 (9-ounce) packages frozen French-cut green beans, completely thawed
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and a cookie sheet with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, combine onions, bread crumbs and oil. Spread on cookie sheet and coat with cooking spray. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and set aside.
Meanwhile, cook bacon; cool and crumble. In a large bowl, mix together soup, yogurt, liquid smoke and mushrooms. Stir in beans and bacon. Spoon into baking dish; top with onion mixture. Bake about 45 minutes or until bubbly.
Per serving: 142 calories, 6 grams protein, 5 grams fat (28 percent calories from fat), 1.2 grams saturated fat, 21 grams carbohydrate, 5 milligrams cholesterol, 468 milligrams sodium, 4 grams fiber.
Sherried Turkey Casserole (Saturday)
Makes 6 servings
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: about 10 minutes plus time to cook the rice
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can reduced-fat condensed cream of celery soup
1 cup skim milk
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons dry sherry
3 cups hot cooked rice (1 cup uncooked)
1 cup cooked turkey, diced
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 (2-ounce) jar diced pimentos
paprika for garnish
In a large skillet, combine soup, milk, cheese and sherry. Cook over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes. Add rice, turkey, pepper and pimentos. Continue to cook until thoroughly heated or about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with paprika before serving.
Per serving: 215 calories, 13 grams protein, 4 grams fat (17 percent calories from fat), 1.7 grams saturated fat, 30 grams carbohydrate, 24 milligrams cholesterol, 466 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.
Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by e-mail: menuplanneindspring.com.
Pub Date: 11/22/98