7-day menu planner: Roast chicken, pork chops, catfish po'boys + more

Classic Roast Chicken
Classic Roast Chicken

SUNDAY: Gather the family for Classic Roast Chicken (see recipe) from Atlanta cookbook author Cynthia Graubart's new book, Sunday Suppers, which is full of easy, practical, delicious recipes. Serve the juicy bird with any macaroni and cheese and tiny green peas (from frozen). Add crusty rolls. For dessert, buy a blueberry cobbler.

Plan ahead: Save enough chicken and some cobbler for Monday.

MONDAY: Use the leftover chicken and make nontraditional Grilled Chicken and Provolone Cheese Sandwiches. Chop the leftover chicken and mix with 1/3 cup golden raisins, 1/4 cup thinly sliced celery and 1/3 cup mayonnaise. For each sandwich: Coat one side of 2 whole-grain bread slices with cooking spray. Turn 1 slice coated side down and add a thin slice of provolone cheese. Spread with some of the chicken mixture. Top with another thin slice of cheese and the remaining slice of bread (coated side up). Place in a thick skillet or griddle heated to medium; gently press down. Cook 3 to 4 minutes per side or until lightly browned. You should have enough filling for 6 sandwiches. Serve with carrot salad. Warm the leftover cobbler and top it with vanilla ice cream.

Plan ahead: Save enough ice cream for Tuesday.

TUESDAY: You'd think they might get tired of Spaghetti and Meatballs, but kids are often resistant to change. Make them happy and cook some spaghetti according to package directions, top it with their favorite red pasta sauce and buy or make your own meatballs. Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese for some adult appeal. Make a chopped lettuce salad and add crunchy bread sticks. Enjoy leftover ice cream with chocolate syrup for dessert.

WEDNESDAY: Crustless Vegetable Quiche has great flavor without any meat. Coat a 4-quart or larger slow cooker with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, beat 6 eggs with 2 tablespoons flour, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Whisk in 1 cup half-and-half and 1 cup low-fat milk. Stir in 3 cups of any chopped cooked vegetable, 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil, 1/2 cup grated gruyere, emmentaler, gouda or cheddar cheese (or a mixture) and 1/2 cup parmesan. Pour the mixture into the slow cooker. Sprinkle another 1/2 cup parmesan on top. Cover and cook on high 1 1/2 hours or until quiche is just set in center. Run a knife around the edge of the quiche, cut into wedges and serve hot. Add baked sweet potatoes, a romaine salad and whole-grain rolls. Enjoy fresh pears for dessert.

Plan ahead: Bake enough potatoes for Friday.

THURSDAY: Make tonight a soup-and-sandwich night. Buy deli roast beef sandwiches and jazz them up with horseradish sauce. Serve the sandwiches with heat-and-serve butternut squash soup (such as Campbell's or Progresso) for a big shot of vitamin A, and add a mixed green salad. For dessert, plums are simple.

FRIDAY: For an economical meal, serve Catfish Po' Boys (see recipe) tonight. Make sweet potato oven fries with leftover potatoes. Cut them into 3/4-inch wedges, coat with cooking spray and add coarse salt and black pepper to taste, then bake in a 425-degree oven 10 minutes or until hot. Serve with bell pepper sticks and olives. Try peaches for dessert.

SATURDAY: These Onion-and-Cherry-Glazed Pork Chops (see recipe) would please any guest. Serve with brown rice pilaf, green beans, a spinach salad and sourdough rolls. Lemon sorbet is just the right light dessert.

THE RECIPES

Classic Roast Chicken

2 teaspoons coarse salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 (4- to 5-pound) whole chicken

1 lemon, halved

1 sprig fresh rosemary

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix together salt and pepper.

Remove neck and giblets, if present, and reserve for later stock. Pat chicken dry. Sprinkle half salt mixture inside cavity of chicken. Place lemon and rosemary sprig inside cavity. Rub oil into skin; rub remaining salt mixture into skin. Tuck wings under if desired. Coat wire rack with cooking spray. Place rack on a shallow, rimmed baking pan. Place chicken on rack, breast side up. Bake 1 1/2 hours or until meat thermometer inserted into thigh registers 165 degrees. Remove from oven. Cover; let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

Makes 8 (3-ounce) servings.

Nutrition information: Each serving of white meat without skin contains approximately 129 calories, 24 g protein, 3 g fat, no carbohydrate, 73 mg cholesterol, 612 mg sodium and no fiber.

Nutrition information: Each serving of dark meat without skin contains approximately 135 calories, 22 g protein, 5 g fat, no carbohydrate, 108 mg cholesterol, 581 mg sodium and no fiber.

Carbohydrate choices: 0.

Catfish Po' Boys

1 egg, beaten

4 (4-ounce) catfish filets

1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

1 tablespoon canola oil

4 (4-inch) long rolls, split, or a long loaf cut into 4-inch pieces

1/4 cup prepared pesto sauce, divided use

8 roasted red pepper halves (from jar)

8 lettuce leaves

4 thin slices provolone cheese, halved

Pour egg into a shallow dish. Coat each fillet in egg, then sprinkle with bread crumbs.

In a large skillet, heat oil to medium-high. Cook filets, 2 at a time, 3 or 4 minutes per side or until golden and opaque in the center. Drain on paper towels.

Spread cut sides of rolls with pesto. On bottoms, layer red peppers, lettuce and provolone; top each with a catfish filet, cover with roll tops and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 505 calories, 34 g protein, 21 g fat, 44 g carbohydrate, 127 mg cholesterol, 949 mg sodium and 3 g fiber.

Carbohydrate choices: 3.

Onion-and-Cherry-Glazed Pork Chops

4 well-trimmed boneless pork chops (3/4 inch thick)

1/2 teaspoon garlic-pepper seasoning

3 teaspoons olive oil, divided use

2 small onions, sliced into thin rings

1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1/3 cup water

1/4 cup dried cherries

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Season chops with garlic-pepper seasoning.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large skillet to medium-high. Cook chops 6 to 8 minutes or until golden brown, turning once. Remove chops from skillet; keep warm. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook onions, covered, in remaining oil in the same skillet, 12 to 14 minutes or until onions are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in brown sugar. Increase heat to medium and cook 3 or 4 minutes more or until onions are lightly browned.

Meanwhile, stir together cornstarch, water, cherries and vinegar. Add to skillet; cook and stir until bubbly and slightly thickened. Add chops (and accumulated liquid) back to skillet and heat through; serve.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 330 calories, 35 g protein, 12 g fat, 18 g carbohydrate, 90 mg cholesterol, 126 mg sodium and 2 g fiber.

Carbohydrate choices: 1.

Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by email:

susan@7daymenu.com

Food on 02/21/2018

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