7-day menu planner

12/ 10 FAMILY SUNDAY

Family day is a terrific day to serve Sheet Pan Roasted Chicken and Winter Vegetables (see recipe). Serve the combo entree with a spinach salad and dinner rolls. Make or buy apple crisp for dessert.

Plan ahead: Save enough chicken and apple crisp for Monday.

12/ 11 HEAT-AND-EAT MONDAY

Use the leftovers for Chicken, Black Beans and Corn Salad Wrap. Mix cooked shredded chicken with some rinsed canned corn, reduced-sodium black beans, shredded lettuce and salsa. Serve rolled up in warm wholegrain tortillas. Add sliced avocado alongside. Scoop the leftover crisp for dessert.

12/ 12 KIDS TUESDAY

Wrap it up again tonight because the kids will love Easy Beef Roll-Ups. Spread 6 (6- or 7-inch) whole-grain tortillas with chive-and-onion cream cheese (or plain reduced-fat cream cheese), slices of deli roast beef, shredded lettuce and thin slices of tomato. Roll and cut into 3 pieces. Add carrot salad. For dessert, make chocolate pudding with 1 percent milk, stirring in tiny marshmallows and sliced bananas for a kid’s kind of dessert.

12/ 13 BUDGET WEDNESDAY

Try Cajun Meatloaf With Roasted Sweet Potatoes (see recipe) for a low-cost dinner. Serve with peas and carrots (frozen) and cornbread (from mix). For dessert, fresh pears are in season.

12/ 14 MEATLESS THURSDAY

Your no-meat dinner of Pasta Puttanesca With Mixed Olives and Walnuts (see recipe) is a flavorful way to skip meat. Alongside, add an arugula salad and whole-grain rolls. A little strawberry ice cream is dessert.

Plan ahead: Save enough ice cream for Saturday.

12/ 15 EXPRESS FRIDAY

Try Oven-Baked Open-Faced Turkey Reuben Sandwiches tonight. Heat a rimmed baking sheet to 450 degrees in the oven. Bring 1/3 cup cider vinegar and 2 tablespoons sugar to a boil in a large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Stir to dissolve sugar; add 1 (16-ounce) bag coleslaw mix; cover and cook, tossing occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes or until coleslaw is tender. Remove lid; simmer 1 to 2 minutes or until liquid has evaporated. Combine 3 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise and 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard in a small bowl. Coat each of 8 slices of rye bread with cooking spray; divide and spread mayonnaise mixture on each slice. Divide and layer 8 slices Swiss cheese, coleslaw and 1 pound thinly sliced turkey on bread slices. Gently compress each sandwich; transfer to heated baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes or until toasted on bottom. Serve with sweet potato chips.

For dessert, enjoy fresh pineapple.

12/ 16 EASY ENTERTAINING SATURDAY

Sauteed Scallops make a great meal for guests as well as the host, thanks to the flavor and the simplicity. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add 1 pound bay scallops and cook 1 to 2 minutes or until opaque throughout. Stir in 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon chopped flatleaf parsley, 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Serve over rice. Garnish with fresh parsley. Add steamed zucchini, a Boston lettuce salad and baguettes. Top the leftover ice cream with warm fudge sauce for dessert.