7day menu planner

SUNDAY: Make family day special with Steak With Spicy Balsamic Glaze (see recipe) for dinner. Serve the tender beef dish with brown rice and a spinach salad, garnished with sliced peaches, and whole-grain rolls on the side. Buy a lemon meringue pie for dessert.

Plan ahead: Save enough pie for Tuesday.

MONDAY: Calcium-rich Pizza Squares are the star attraction for the kids tonight. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Press 1 (13.5-ounce) can refrigerated pizza dough into a 10-by-15inch jellyroll pan. Bake 12 minutes; remove from oven and spread with 1 cup partskim ricotta cheese. Top with 2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, 2 ounces sliced pepperoni, 2 plum tomatoes (sliced), 1 small yellow bell pepper (sliced) and 1 teaspoon dried oregano. Return to oven and bake 6 minutes or until cheese melts. Cut into 10 squares and serve. Add a carrot salad and serve pears for dessert.

TUESDAY: We didn’t miss the meat with all the flavor in these Huevos Rancheros. In a 10-inch nonstick skillet, mix 2 (15- to 19-ounce) cans black beans (rinsed), 1½ cups salsa and ⅓ cup water. Heat to boiling on medium-high, stirring frequently. Break 1 egg into a custard cup and slip into skillet on top of bean mixture; repeat immediately with 3 more eggs. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 5 minutes or until eggs are cooked to desired firmness. To serve: Sprinkle bean mixture and eggs with shredded pepper jack cheese and chopped fresh cilantro. Serve with warm corn tortillas and sliced avocado on shredded lettuce. Serve leftover pie for dessert. WEDNESDAY: Make a quick meal tonight of empanadas (frozen) and Spanish rice (packaged), along with packaged salad greens. Keep dessert simple with plums. THURSDAY: Here’s another really good Turkey Chili (see recipe) to add to your collection of favorites. Serve with a romaine salad and whole-grain rolls. Kiwi is good for dessert.

Plan ahead: Save enough chili for Friday.

FRIDAY: Chili always tastes best to me the next night, so leftover chili goes well over split and toasted cornbread muffins. Serve with a red-tipped lettuce salad. Try peaches for dessert. SATURDAY: Jambalaya (see recipe) is a company dish. Serve it with mixed greens and a baguette. For dessert, bread pudding (buy or make), topped with your bourbon sauce, will be divine.

THE RECIPES Steak With Spicy Balsamic Glaze

1 pound boneless beef top sirloin steak, about 1 inch thick, trimmed of fat ½ cup water ½ cup apple cider ¼ cup less-sodium Worcestershire sauce ¼ cup balsamic vinegar ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper ¼ teaspoon coarse salt Black pepper to taste

¼ cup honey

Place steak in a resealable plastic bag. Add water, cider, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar and red pepper. Seal bag, turning to coat meat. Let stand 20 minutes; turn to coat again. Heat a large skillet coated with cooking spray on medium. Remove beef from marinade, reserving marinade. Season steak with coarse salt and pepper. Cook 8 to 15 minutes for medium-rare to medium doneness, turning once. Remove steak from skillet; keep warm. Add marinade and honey to skillet; whisk to combine. Bring to boiling; boil gently, uncovered, 7 minutes or until reduced to ⅓ cup. Serve glaze with steak.

Makes 4 servings. Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 234 calories, 21 g protein, 4 g fat, 28 g carbohydrate, 56 mg cholesterol, 239 mg sodium and no fiber.

Carbohydrate choices: 2. Recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Skillet Meals edited by Jan Miller

Turkey Chili

2 tablespoons canola oil 1½ cups chopped onion 1 tablespoon roasted minced

garlic (see note)

1¼ pounds ground turkey

breast

1 (1.25-ounce) packet chili

seasoning

2 (16-ounce) cans chili beans,

undrained

1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained

1 (8-ounce) can no-salt-added

tomato sauce

In a Dutch oven, heat oil on medium-high. Add onion and garlic; cook 6 minutes or until browned. Reduce heat to medium; add turkey and cook 5 to 7 minutes or until no longer pink. Mix in chili seasoning mix, beans, tomatoes and green chilies and tomato sauce. Bring to boil; reduce heat to low and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve immediately.

Makes 8 cups.

Note: In my supermarket, the roasted minced garlic is with the produce.

Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 260 calories, 24 g protein, 5 g fat, 27 g carbohydrate, 48 mg cholesterol, 562 mg sodium and 7 g fiber.

Carbohydrate choices: 2.

Jambalaya

1 teaspoon olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped

½ cup chopped celery 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 teaspoon dried basil Dash cayenne pepper 3 cloves garlic, minced

1 bay leaf

2 (14½-ounce) cans stewed

tomatoes, undrained 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning 6 ounces andouille sausage,

cut into ¼-inch slices 1 (2-ounce) jar diced

pimentos, drained

3 cups hot cooked rice ½ pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Heat oil in a Dutch oven on medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, tomato paste, basil, cayenne pepper, garlic, bay leaf, tomatoes, Cajun seasoning, sausage and pimentos; cook 7 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring frequently. Stir in rice and shrimp; cook 6 minutes or until shrimp are opaque. Makes 5 servings. Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 334 calories, 18 g protein, 11 g fat, 41 g carbohydrate, 94 mg cholesterol, 487 mg sodium and 4 g fiber.

Carbohydrate choices: 3.

Courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens Skillet Meals Steak With Spicy Balsamic Glaze