7 day menu planner
SUNDAY: Balsamic Onion Mocha Flank Steak (see recipe) is just what the family ordered for today. Prepare your own green beans to go with the roast. Add a romaine salad and whole-grain rolls. For a special dessert, slice coconut cake. Plan ahead: Save enough steak for Monday. Save enough cake for Tuesday.
MONDAY: Make Steak Tacos tonight. For the sauce: In a small bowl, combine 1 cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro and 2 teaspoons adobo sauce from canned chipotle peppers; mix well, cover and refrigerate. For filling: Cut leftover steak into thin slices and then into strips. Stir-fry 1 medium red bell pepper and 1 onion, each thinly sliced, about 4 minutes. Add steak; stir-fry 1 minute or until hot. Spoon meat and vegetables into warm tortillas. Top with sauce, roll and eat. Serve with pinto beans. Tropical fruit (such as pineapple, mango, papaya or bananas) is dessert.
TUESDAY: Skip meat tonight and try this Potato-Vegetable Frittata (see recipe). Serve with a spinach salad and toasted English muffins. For dessert, enjoy leftover cake.
WEDNESDAY: Chili With Beans (see recipe) is always an economical meal. Spoon it over cornbread cut into squares. Top the chili with sour cream. Serve with mixed greens. Fresh pineapple chunks are good for dessert.
THURSDAY: Treat the kids to Chix Stix. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Brush all sides of 1 pound of chicken tenders with mayonnaise and then dip and coat all sides in 1 cup panko (use seasoned crumbs, if you prefer). Place on a foil-lined baking sheet; bake 15 minutes or until golden. Make a dip from 1 part low-fat mayonnaise and 1 part honey mustard sauce. Serve with potato nuggets (such as tater tots) and tiny green peas (from frozen). Add soft rolls. For dessert, munch on peanut butter cookies.
FRIDAY: Choose your favorite frozen vegetable lasagna and add mixed greens for tonight’s dinner. Garlic bread goes well on the side. Buy tapioca pudding for dessert.
SATURDAY: Invite guests for Maple-Glazed Salmon. Heat broiler. Sprinkle 6 (5- to 6-ounce) salmon filets evenly with coarse salt. In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter on medium. Add salmon, skin side up; cook 2 minutes. Place salmon, skin side down, on broiler rack coated with cooking spray; place rack in broiler pan lined with foil and brush salmon with 2 tablespoons maple syrup. Broil 5 inches from heat, 5 to 7 minutes or until syrup caramelizes. Brush with 2 more tablespoons syrup;
sprinkle with 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives. Serve with jasmine rice and sugar snap peas. Add a Boston lettuce salad and baguettes. For dessert, buy a key lime pie.