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Pecan-Crusted Salmon With Brussels Sprouts
(Courtesy of American Pecan Promotion Board)
Pecan-Crusted Salmon With Brussels Sprouts (Courtesy of American Pecan Promotion Board)


A week's worth of quick, healthful meals for budget-minded families

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 ¼ cups Italian breadcrumbs and ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese. In a medium bowl, combine ½ cup mayonnaise, ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning, ½ teaspoon coarse salt and ¼ teaspoon ground red (cayenne) pepper. Use paper towels to pat dry 8 (4- to 6-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breasts and brush both sides with mayonnaise mixture; coat in breadcrumb mixture. (Discard leftover coating.) Place on nonstick foil-lined baking sheet. Bake 20 to 23 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Serve with your mashed potatoes, gravy, steamed fresh asparagus and biscuits. Buy a chocolate layer cake for dessert.

Plan ahead: Save enough chicken and cake for Monday.

MONDAY: How about a Mixed Green Salad with Chicken Bites for dinner tonight? Cut leftover chicken into bite-size pieces and toss with packaged mixed greens and any 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, kid-pleasing flavor. Serve it with a deli carrot salad and soft rolls. Top leftover strawberries with light whipped cream for dessert.

WEDNESDAY: Make a Ham and Cheese Salad for a quick meal: In a large bowl, combine 1 (10-ounce) package baby spinach leaves, 4 cups packaged coleslaw mix, 10 ounces ham (cut into matchstick-size pieces), 4 ounces cheddar cheese (cut into matchstick-size pieces) and 1 Gala apple (cut into thin wedges). Add ⅓ to ½ cup honey-Dijon dressing. Toss to mix and coat. Serve with crackers. Keep it simple and enjoy 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 Capellini With Sausage: Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a Dutch oven on medium-high heat. Add ¾ to 1 pound sweet Italian sausage (cut into ½ inch slices); cook 3 to 4 minutes, turning it 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 unsalted chicken broth and ¼ cup water; cover and bring to a boil. Add 8 ounces capellini pasta (broken in half) and cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add 1 (10-ounce) package fresh spinach (coarsely chopped) and ¼ teaspoon pepper, stirring into pasta and sauce. Cook 2 or 3 more minutes until pasta is al dente and spinach is wilted. Stir in ½ cup of half-and-half. Serve immediately. Serve with a lettuce wedge and garlic bread. Pears make a quick dessert.

SATURDAY: Impress your guests with Pecan-Crusted Salmon With Brussels Sprouts (see recipe). Serve it with long-grain and wild rice, 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
  • ½ teaspoon coarse salt
  • 4 ¾ cups red pasta sauce
  • 2 cups part-skim milk ricotta cheese
  • 1 ¼ cups part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided use
  • ¾ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 8 ounces uncooked ziti pasta

Heat a large nonstick skillet on medium-high. Add beef and onion; cook 7 minutes or until 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, ¾ cup mozzarella and the parmesan. Spoon 2 cups meat sauce into a 4-quart or larger slow cooker; top with 1 ½ 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, 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 for 6 to 7 hours, or high 4 to 5 hours or until ziti is tender. Carefully remove lid to allow steam to escape. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup mozzarella; let stand 10 minutes or until cheese melts.

Makes 8 servings.

Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 414 calories, 26 g protein, 17 g fat, 38 g carbohydrate, 61 mg cholesterol, 790 mg sodium and 3 g fiber.

Carbohydrate choices: 2 ½

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Smoky Gouda and Brown Rice Casserole

  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • ½ cup finely chopped shallots
  • 2 cups sliced fresh cremini or white mushrooms
  • 3 cups hot cooked brown rice
  • 1 (5- to 7-ounce) package fresh baby spinach leaves
  • 1 cup shredded smoked gouda or smoked cheddar cheese, divided use
  • ½ cup half-and-half
  • Coarse salt and ground black pepper to taste

Heat broiler. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high. Add shallots and mushrooms; cook 6 minutes or until tender. Add hot rice, spinach, ⅔ cup cheese, half-and-half, salt and pepper; stir until cheese melts and mixture is heated through. Spoon into an 8-by-8-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle remaining cheese over top. Broil 2 minutes or until cheese melts.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 385 calories, 15 g protein, 16 g fat, 47 g carbohydrate, 43 mg cholesterol, 289 mg sodium and 4 g fiber.

Carbohydrate choices: 3

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Pecan-Crusted Salmon With Brussels Sprouts

  • 1/3 cup chopped pecans
  • 4 (4- to 6-ounce) skinless salmon filets
  • 1 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided use
  • 1 pound brussels sprouts, halved
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ½ cup pecan halves
  • 1 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons honey

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

Place pecan pieces in a wide, shallow dish.

Season salmon with salt and pepper and brush top side with about 2 teaspoons oil. Press salmon filets, top side down, into chopped pecans to coat. Arrange salmon in the center of baking sheet.

In a medium bowl, combine brussels sprouts, remaining oil, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, pecan halves and salt and pepper to taste. Toss to combine, then transfer to sheet pan in a single layer, not touching salmon. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until brussels sprouts are fork-tender and salmon is cooked through.

While salmon is baking: In a medium saucepan, bring balsamic vinegar to a boil. Continue to boil, stirring, about 10 minutes or until reduced by half. Remove from heat, stir in honey and allow to cool until ready to serve. Drizzle glaze over salmon and brussels sprouts just before serving.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 475 calories, 29 g protein, 25 g fat, 38 g carbohydrate, 53 mg cholesterol, 371 mg sodium and 6 g fiber.

Carbohydrate choices: 2 ½

Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by email: susan@7daymenu.com

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