SUNDAY: Make the family happy and serve them Oven-Fried Chicken for dinner. Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a shallow dish, mix together 1 1/4 cups Italian-seasoned bread crumbs and 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese. In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Pat dry 8 (4- to 6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts; brush both sides with mayonnaise mixture and coat in bread crumb mixture. Place on nonstick foil-lined baking sheet. Bake 20 to 23 minutes or until juices run clear. Serve with mashed potatoes, gravy, fresh asparagus and biscuits. Buy a chocolate layer cake for dessert.
Plan ahead: Save enough chicken and cake for Monday.
MONDAY: How about Mixed Greens With Chicken Bites for dinner tonight? Toss leftover chicken (cut into bite-size pieces) with bagged salad greens and a bottled Asian-style salad dressing. Add crusty rolls. For dessert, slice the leftover cake and top it with fresh strawberries.
Plan ahead: Save enough strawberries for Tuesday.
TUESDAY: I was skeptical when I tried Baked Ziti (see recipe) in the slow cooker, but it worked just fine and has a mild flavor that should please the kiddos. Serve it with a deli carrot salad and soft rolls. Top leftover strawberries with whipped cream for dessert.
WEDNESDAY: Make a Ham and Cheese Salad for a quick meal. In a large bowl, combine a (10-ounce) bag of baby spinach leaves, 4 cups bagged coleslaw mix, 10 ounces ham and 4 ounces cheddar cheese (both cut into matchstick-size pieces) and 1 Gala apple (cut into thin wedges). Add 1/3 to 1/2 cup bottled honey Dijon dressing. Toss to mix and coat. Serve with crackers. Keep it simple with peaches for dessert.
THURSDAY: Forget having any leftovers with Smoky Gouda and Brown Rice Casserole (see recipe) for dinner. Serve it with mixed greens and whole-grain rolls. Plums are an easy dessert.
FRIDAY: Saving money is easy with this full-flavored Cappellini With Sausage. Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a Dutch oven on medium-high; add 3/4 to 1 pound sweet Italian sausage (cut into 1/2-inch slices) and cook 3 to 4 minutes, turning sausage as it browns. Add 1 large onion (chopped) and 2 cloves garlic (minced); cook 2 or 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Add 2 (14-ounce) cans chicken broth and 1/4 cup water; cover and bring to boil. Add 8 ounces capellini pasta (broken in half) and cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add 1 (10-ounce) bag coarsely chopped fresh spinach and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, stirring into pasta and sauce. Cook 2 or 3 more minutes, or until pasta is al dente and spinach is wilted. Stir in 1/2 cup half-and-half. Serve immediately. Add a lettuce wedge and garlic bread. Pears make a quick dessert.
SATURDAY: Impress your guests with Pecan-Crusted Fish Filets (see recipe). Serve with roasted red potatoes, fresh broccoli, a Boston lettuce salad and crusty bread. For dessert, raspberry sorbet and butter cookies are easy.
THE RECIPES
Baked Ziti
12 ounces lean ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning blend
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
4 3/4 cups red pasta sauce
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 1/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided use
3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
8 ounces uncooked ziti pasta
Heat a large skillet on medium-high. Add beef and onion; cook 7 minutes or until beef is no longer pink; drain. Stir in Italian seasoning, salt and pasta sauce. Mix well and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, 3/4 cup mozzarella and the parmesan.
Spoon 2 cups meat sauce into a 4-quart or larger slow cooker; top with 11/2 cups ziti. Drop half the cheese mixture, by rounded tablespoons, over ziti; spread to cover ziti using the back of spoon. Layer with 2 cups meat sauce, the remaining ziti and remaining cheese mixture. Top with remaining meat sauce, completely covering all the ziti and cheese mixture. Cover with lid. Cook on low 6 to 7 hours or on high 4 to 5 hours, or until ziti is tender. Carefully remove lid to allow steam to escape. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella; let stand 10 minutes or until cheese melts.
Makes 8 servings.
Nutrition information: Each serving (prepared with skim-milk ricotta and part-skim milk mozzarella) contains approximately 367 calories, 26 g protein, 13 g fat, 35 g carbohydrate, 61 mg cholesterol, 544 mg sodium and 2 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 2 1/2.
Smoky Gouda and Brown Rice Casserole
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
2 cups sliced fresh crimini or white mushrooms
3 cups hot cooked brown rice
1 (5- to 7-ounce) bag fresh baby spinach leaves
1 cup shredded smoked gouda or smoked cheddar cheese, divided use
1/2 cup half-and-half
Coarse salt and pepper to taste
Heat broiler.
Heat oil in a large skillet on medium-high. Add shallots and mushrooms; cook 6 minutes or until tender. Add hot rice, spinach, 2/3 cup cheese, half-and-half, and salt and pepper to taste; stir until cheese melts and mixture is heated through. Spoon into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle remaining cheese over top. Broil 2 minutes or until cheese melts, then serve.
Makes 4 servings.
Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 364 calories, 14 g protein, 16 g fat, 41 g carbohydrate, 43 mg cholesterol, 284 mg sodium and 4 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 3.
Pecan-Crusted Fish Filets
4 (4- to 6-ounce) pieces sole, orange roughy, walleye or other delicate- to medium-textured fish (about 1/2-inch thick, skin removed)
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup unseasoned panko crumbs
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
2 tablespoons canola oil
Lemon wedges
Sprinkle both sides of fish with salt and pepper.
In a shallow dish, mix pecans, bread crumbs and zest.
In another shallow dish, beat egg and milk with fork or whisk until blended.
Dip fish into egg mixture, then coat well with pecan mixture, pressing lightly into fish.
In a large skillet, heat oil on medium. Add fish; reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 6 to 10 minutes, carefully turning once, until fish is opaque throughout and is browned. Serve with lemon wedges.
Makes 4 servings.
Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 336 calories, 25 g protein, 24 g fat, 5 g carbohydrate, 101 mg cholesterol, 356 mg sodium and 2 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 1.
Adapted from Betty Crocker: Fresh From the Freezer edited by Grace Wells and Cathy Swanson; Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016
Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by email:
susan@7daymenu.com
Food on 05/17/2017