7day menu planner
SUNDAY: Try these Yellow Rice Crab Cakes (see recipe) for a special family meal. Alongside, make potato salad and add coleslaw and hush puppies. Buy a Boston cream pie for dessert. Plan ahead: Save some crab cakes and coleslaw for Monday and enough Boston cream pie for Tuesday. MONDAY: Celebrate Memorial Day with leftovers and make Crab Cake Sandwiches on English Muffins. Add tartar sauce, corn-on-the-cob and leftover coleslaw. How about chocolate chip cookies and a dollop of chocolate ice cream for dessert? TUESDAY: Cheese Ravioli With Mushrooms and Peas (see recipe) is a great no-meat dinner. Serve with a romaine salad and garlic bread. Leftover Boston cream pie makes a good dessert.
WEDNESDAY: The kids will be happy you are serving Broiled Honey-Sesame Chicken Tenders for dinner. Marinate chicken tenders in honey teriyaki marinade (from a jar) for 10 minutes, then roll in sesame seeds before broiling on a nonstick foil-lined baking sheet for 5 minutes or until cooked through. Serve with rice, green beans and whole-grain rolls. For dessert, kiwi is all you’ll want.
THURSDAY: Go Italian with Panini Caprese for dinner. Cut a 10- to 14-ounce olive oil and herb focaccia loaf (or another flavor) in half horizontally. On bottom half, arrange 8 ounces sliced fresh mozzarella cheese and sliced tomatoes. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon coarse salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Top with fresh basil leaves. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar. Cover with bread top; press down gently. Cut into wedges and serve. Add baked chips. For dessert, fresh pineapple is light.
FRIDAY: One of my favorite fast meals is Chicken-Stuffed Avocados. Add deli chicken salad and mix in some chopped walnuts and halved grapes. Spoon the mixture into halved avocados that have been coated with lemon juice. Garnish tops with paprika. Serve on mixed greens and add tomato wedges to the plates. Serve with oven fries and crusty bread. Enjoy fresh SATURDAY: blueberries Entertainfor dessert.guests with Pork Medallions With Blue Cheese-Chive Stuffing (see recipe). Serve with orzo tossed with a little olive oil and chopped fresh parsley, fresh asparagus, a bibb lettuce salad and baguettes. For dessert, top strawberry ice cream with fresh strawberries.
THE RECIPES Yellow Rice Crab Cakes
1 (6.9-ounce) package yellow rice (such as Zatarain’s or another brand) ½ cup finely chopped red bell pepper ¼ cup finely chopped onion 3 eggs
¼ cup all-purpose flour 1 pound lump crab meat
¼ cup finely chopped parsley 4 tablespoons butter, divided
Prepare rice as directed on package, adding bell pepper and onion with the rice. Cool slightly. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until chilled.
Beat eggs in a large bowl. Add rice mixture and flour; mix well. Add crab meat and parsley; gently mix until well blended. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until well chilled. Shape into 18 cakes, about ⅓ cup each. In a large nonstick skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter on medium. Cook cakes, 3 or 4 at a time, 6 minutes or until golden; turn once. Repeat with remaining butter and cakes. Makes 18 crab cakes. Nutrition information: Each cake contains approximately 104 calories, 8 g protein, 4 g fat, 10 g carbohydrate, 56 mg cholesterol, 269 mg sodium and no fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: ½.
Cheese Ravioli With Mushrooms and Peas
1 (24- to 25-ounce) bag frozen cheese-filled ravioli 1 tablespoon olive oil ¼ teaspoon garlic powder ½ cup chopped onion 1 (8-ounce) package fresh crimini mushrooms, sliced ½ cup frozen green peas ½ cup sun-dried tomato Alfredo sauce, or another kind of sauce ½ cup tomato basil pasta sauce 2 teaspoons basil pesto
Cook ravioli according to package directions.
Meanwhile, heat oil and garlic powder in a large skillet on medium-high. Add onion, mushrooms and peas. Cook 7 minutes or until onions are softened and mushrooms release their liquid. Stir in Alfredo sauce, pasta sauce and pesto; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until hot. Drain ravioli and add to skillet. Toss sauce over ravioli, stirring gently to coat. Heat 2 minutes, if necessary, and serve. Makes 5 servings. Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately: 366 calories, 12 g protein, 11 g fat, 44 g carbohydrate, 24 mg cholesterol, 580 mg sodium and 3 grams fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 3.
Pork Medallions With Blue Cheese-Chive Stuffing
1 pound pork tenderloin ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper 2 teaspoons olive oil 2 ounces crumbled blue
cheese (½ cup) 3 tablespoons finely snipped
fresh chives 1 tablespoon plain bread
crumbs
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Cut tenderloin into 1-inch slices. Flatten to ¾-inch thickness. Sprinkle with pepper.
Heat oil in a large skillet on medium-high. Add pork and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until brown, turning once. Transfer pork to a baking sheet covered with nonstick foil.
In a small bowl, mix together blue cheese, chives and bread crumbs, breaking cheese into fine crumbs. Top pork slices evenly with cheese mixture. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until internal temperature of pork is 145 degrees. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings. Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 201 calories, 27 g protein, 9 g fat, 2 g carbohydrate, 84 mg cholesterol, 270 mg sodium and no fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 0.