7-day menu planner

9/3 FAMILY SUNDAY

Enjoy the island flavors of Warm Caribbean Chicken and Rice

SaladWithAlmonds (see recipe). Serve the filling salad with lemon poppy seed muffins.

Make blueberry pie for dessert. Bake a frozen pie shell according to directions; cool. Combine 1 (16-ounce) jar blueberry jam or spread and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon; microwave on high for 1 minute or until mixture liquefies. Stir in 2 cups fresh blueberries. Spoon mixture into shell. Chill; slice and garnish with light whipped cream and serve. Plan ahead: Make an extra pie for Monday (Labor Day).

9/4 EASYENTERTAINING MONDAY

Celebrate Labor Day with Cedar Plank Salmon (see recipe). Serve with It’s Purple! Potato

Salad. In a medium saucepan, add 2 pounds purple (or mixture of red, gold and purple) potatoes to cold, salted water; bring to boil and cook about 15 minutes or until forktender, but not mushy. Drain, rinse in cold water and cut into bite-size pieces. Place warm potatoes in a large bowl; toss with 1 medium diced red onion, 2 chopped celery ribs, 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill and 1/4 cup chopped parsley. In another bowl, stir together1/2 cup low-fat mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon celery seed, 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar and juice of 1 lemon. Add coarse salt and pepper to taste. Toss gently to mix. (Adapted from Food Network star Tyler Florence.) Add coleslaw. Dessert is leftover pie.

Plan ahead: Save enough salmon and potato salad forTuesday and enough coleslaw forThursday.

9/5 HEAT-AND-EATTUESDAY

No one will mind eating leftover Cold Salmon OverSalad Greens

tonight. Toss with a dill dressing and add the leftover potato salad on the side. Top fresh peaches with vanilla ice cream for dessert.

Plan ahead: Save enough peaches forWednesday.

9/6 KIDSWEDNESDAY The kids can help prepare your Spaghetti andMeat Sauce for dinner. Add a chopped lettuce salad and soft rolls. Enjoy the leftover peaches for dessert. 9/7 EXPRESSTHURSDAY

With the speed ofWonderWoman, you’ll have ReubenWraps on the table. Spread burrito-size tortillas with reduced-fat or regular Russian dressing. Top with leftover coleslaw, thinly sliced deli corned beef and Swiss cheese. Roll, halve and eat. Serve with mixed salad greens.

Chilled watermelon is dessert.

9/8 MEATLESSFRIDAY

Enjoy wonderful summer tomatoes and serve No-CookTomato

Sauce over Lentil Pasta (or othervegetable pasta). In a large bowl, coarsely chop 6 of the best medium-size fresh tomatoes you can find. Add 2 large cloves minced garlic, 1/4 cup ribbon cut basil leaves, 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon chopped chives and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar. Mix to coat tomatoes in oil. Cover; marinate at room temperature for 4 hours. Serve over cooked lentil pasta. Garnish with more basil and Parmesan if desired. cucumbers Deviled slicedeggs add some extra protein, and add some crunch.

Crusty bread is for sopping up the great juice from the sauce. Keep it fresh with figs for dessert.

9/9 EASYENTERTAINING SATURDAY

This Baked Grouper (see recipe) was a hit with our guests. Serve it with corn-on-the-cob and a Caprese salad. On a large platter, arrange tomato and fresh mozzarella slices and fresh basil leaves, alternating and overlapping them. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Season with coarse salt and pepper. Add sourdough bread. For dessert,

prepare fresh fruit parfait with prosecco. Cut 1 cantaloupe in half and remove seeds. With a melon baller, scoop melon into small balls and place in a bowl. Add 1 cup each blueberries, raspberries and blackberries and toss gently. To serve, spoon fruit into stemmed dessert dishes. Pour prosecco over fruit. Garnish with mint sprigs.