SUNDAY: Put a little spice in family day with Chipotle-Roasted Chicken With Potatoes (see recipe). Serve the flavor-enriched chicken with green beans. Add a bibb lettuce salad and crusty bread. Slice angel food cake and top it with sliced peaches and whipped cream for dessert.
Plan ahead: Save two chicken breasts and enough cake for Monday; save enough peaches for Wednesday.
MONDAY: Use the leftovers for Chicken Tacos. Heat and shred the leftover chicken breasts for the taco filling; spoon into warmed taco shells. Top the filling with salsa verde, shredded lettuce and sour cream. Alongside, add canned pinto beans. Slice the leftover cake for dessert.
TUESDAY: Treat your buckaroos to Bison Cheeseburgers with their favorite fixin's on whole-grain buns. (Or you can use lean ground beef.) Serve the burgers with oven fries. For a fun dessert, ice cream sandwiches are perfect.
WEDNESDAY: Make a quick dinner of Corned Beef Hash and Steamed Eggs. Spread 2 (15-ounce) cans of corned beef hash in a large nonstick skillet and cook 8 to 10 minutes on medium or until hot. Using the back of a large spoon, make four indentions into the hash. Break 1 egg into a cup and slip it into an indention in the hash. Repeat with 3 more eggs. Sprinkle eggs with coarse salt and pepper. Cover and cook 5 to 8 minutes or until eggs are set and cooked to desired doneness. Serve with pickled beets, a packaged green salad and rye bread. Leftover peaches are a simple dessert.
THURSDAY: There's no need to sacrifice flavor for economy, as you'll see in this Southwestern Chili (see recipe). Serve the low-cost dish with a lettuce wedge and cornbread muffins. How about plums for dessert?
FRIDAY: For a no-meat meal, Couscous With Peppers and Olives (see recipe) hit the spot at our house. Serve with a spinach salad with sliced hard-cooked eggs and flatbread. Red and green grapes are dessert.
SATURDAY: Invite friends for Shrimp Scampi Skillet. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil on medium-high. Add 2 1/2 pounds large shrimp with tails (peeled and deveined). Cook 2 minutes or until shrimp are pink on one side. Turn; add 6 cloves garlic (minced); cook, stirring, 2 to 3 minutes more or until shrimp are opaque throughout. Season with coarse salt and pepper to taste; stir, adding 2 thinly sliced green onions, 2 tablespoons minced parsley, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice and 1/4 cup dry white wine. Stir together and serve immediately (adapted from Mr. and Mrs. Sunday's Suppers, Lorraine Wallace; Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015). Serve the shrimp over orzo along with Citrus Marinated Tomato Salad. In a medium bowl, combine 1/4 cup Italian dressing with 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest (yellow part only). Add 1 pound ripe diced tomatoes (about 2 1/2 cups); toss gently and let stand 15 minutes. Add sourdough bread. Buy fruit tarts for dessert.
THE RECIPES
Chipotle-Roasted Chicken With Potatoes
1 1/2 teaspoons chipotle chile pepper seasoning
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 1/2 pounds medium red potatoes (quartered)
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 teaspoons packed light brown sugar
6 (5- to 6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine chipotle chile pepper seasoning, paprika, oregano, garlic powder, salt and cumin; mix well.
In a large bowl, toss potatoes with oil and 1 teaspoon of spice mixture. Mix brown sugar with remaining spice mixture; set aside.
Cover a large baking sheet with nonstick foil. Rub spice mixture on both sides of chicken pieces. Arrange chicken on one half of baking sheet. Arrange potatoes in single layer on other half of baking sheet. Loosely cover chicken and potatoes with foil and bake 35 to 40 minutes; remove foil. Turn and rearrange potatoes. Bake, uncovered, 20 minutes, or until chicken is 165 degrees and potatoes are tender.
Makes 6 servings of chicken; 4 servings of potatoes.
Nutrition information: Each chicken breast contains approximately 170 calories, 30 g protein, 4 g fat, 2 g carbohydrate, 91 mg cholesterol, 301 mg sodium and no fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 0.
Nutrition information: Each serving of potatoes contains approximately 163 calories, 4 g protein, 4 g fat, 30 g carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 61 mg sodium and 4 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 2.
Southwestern Chili
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 pound chicken tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium red or green bell pepper, chopped
4 teaspoons chile powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup dry red wine or lower-sodium beef broth
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can Great Northern beans, with liquid
1 cup frozen corn
Coarse salt to taste
In a large saucepan, heat oil on medium-high. Cook chicken, onion and bell pepper 7 to 8 minutes or until liquid evaporates. Add chile powder, cumin and garlic powder. Cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds or until aromatic. Stir in wine or broth, tomatoes and juice, black beans, Great Northern beans, corn and salt to taste. Bring mixture to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.
Makes 61/2 cups.
Nutrition information: Each cup (prepared with red wine, no-salt added tomatoes and reduced-sodium beans) contains approximately 278 calories, 23 g protein, 5 g fat, 34 g carbohydrate, 45 mg cholesterol, 143 mg sodium and 9 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 2 1/2.
Couscous With Peppers and Olives
2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, halved, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces (see note)
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, cut into 12 wedges
6 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon PLUS 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided use
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, divided use
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 1/2 cups water
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon curry powder
10 ounces couscous (about 11/2 cups)
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup halved kalamata olives
Heat oven to 425 degrees.
Combine squash, bell pepper, onion, garlic, 1 tablespoon oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and the pepper in a roasting pan; toss to coat. Spread in a single layer. Roast, turning once, 25 minutes or until vegetables are lightly browned and tender.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, bring water, remaining 1 teaspoon oil, cumin, curry powder and remaining salt to boil. Stir in couscous and raisins. Remove from heat, cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with fork; stir in roasted vegetables and olives and serve.
Makes 6 servings.
Note: Many supermarkets offer butternut squash already peeled and cut.
Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 369 calories, 9 g protein, 7 g fat, 71 g carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 371 mg sodium and 7 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 5.
Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by email:
susan@7daymenu.com
Food on 04/29/2015