7 Day Menu Planner

Serve with mashed potatoes, gravy, fresh asparagus and biscuits. Buy a chocolate layer cake for dessert.

Plan ahead: Save enough chicken and cake for Monday.

5/ 22

Heat-and-Eat Monday

How about Mixed Greens tossed with Chicken Bites for dinner tonight? Toss leftover chicken (cut into bite-size pieces) with bagged salad greens and a bottled Asian-style salad dressing. Add crusty rolls. For dessert, slice the leftover cake and top it with fresh strawberries.

Plan ahead: Save enough strawberries for Tuesday.

5/ 23

Kids Tuesday

I was skeptical when I tried Baked Ziti (see recipe) in the slow cooker, but it worked just fine and has a mild flavor that should please the kiddos. Serve it with a deli carrot salad and soft rolls. Top leftover strawberries with light whipped cream for dessert.

5/ 24

Express Wednesday

Make a Ham and Cheese Salad for a quick meal. In a large bowl, combine a (10-ounce) bag of baby spinach leaves, 4 cups bagged coleslaw mix, 10 ounces ham and 4 ounces 50 percent light cheddar cheese (both cut into matchstick-sized pieces) and 1 Gala apple (cut into thin wedges). Add 1/3 to 1/2 cup bottled honey Dijon dressing. Toss to mix and coat. Serve with crackers. Keep it simple and enjoy peaches for dessert.

5/ 25

Meatless Thursday

Forget having any leftovers with Smoky Gouda and Brown Rice Casserole (see recipe) for dinner. Serve it with mixed greens and whole-grain rolls. Plums are an easy dessert.

5/ 26

Budget Friday

Saving money is easy with this full-flavored Cappellini With Sausage. Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a Dutch oven on medium-high; add 3/4 to 1 pound sweet Italian sausage (cut into 1/2-inch slices) and cook 3 to 4 minutes, turning sausage as it browns. Add 1 large chopped onion and 2 cloves minced garlic; cook 2 or 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Add 2 (14-ounce) cans unsalted chicken broth and 1/4 cup water; cover and bring to boil. Add 8 ounces capellini pasta (broken in half) and cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add 1 (10-ounce) bag coarsely chopped fresh spinach and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, stirring into pasta and sauce. Cook 2 or 3 more minutes, or until pasta is al dente and spinach is wilted. Stir in 1/2 cup half-and-half. Serve immediately. Add a lettuce wedge and garlic bread. Pears make a quick dessert.

5/ 27

Easy Entertaining Saturday

Impress your guests with Pecan-Crusted Fish Fillets (see recipe). Serve it with roasted red poatoes, fresh broccoli, a Boston lettuce salad and crusty bread. For dessert, raspberry sorbet and butter cookies are easy.

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THE RECIPES

Baked Ziti (Tuesday)

12 ounces lean ground beef

1 small onion, chopped

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

4 3/4 cups red pasta sauce

2 cups reduced-fat ricotta cheese

1 1/4 cups part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

8 ounces uncooked ziti pasta

Heat a large nonstick skillet on medium-high. Add beef and onion; cook 7 minutes or until beef is no longer pink; drain. Stir in Italian seasoning, salt and pasta sauce. Mix well and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, 3/4 cup mozzarella and the parmesan. Spoon 2 cups meat sauce into a 4-quart or larger slow cooker; top with 1 1/2 cups ziti. Drop half the cheese mixture, by rounded tablespoons, over ziti; spread to cover ziti using the back of spoon. Layer with 2 cups meat sauce, the remaining ziti and remaining cheese mixture. Top with remaining meat sauce, completely covering all the ziti and cheese mixture. Cover with lid. Cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours, or until ziti is tender. Carefully remove lid to allow steam to escape. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella; let stand 10 minutes or until cheese melts. Serves 8.

Per serving: 367 calories (percent calories from fat, 32), 26 grams protein, 35 grams carbohydrate, 2 grams fiber, 13 grams fat (6.2 grams saturated fat), 61 milligrams cholesterol, 544 milligrams sodium.

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Smoky Gouda and Brown Rice Casserole (Thursday)

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/2 cup finely chopped shallots

2 cups sliced fresh crimini or white mushrooms

3 cups hot cooked brown rice

1 (5- to 7-ounce) bag fresh baby spinach leaves

1 cup shredded smoked gouda or smoked cheddar cheese, divided

1/2 cup half-and-half

Coarse salt and pepper to taste

Heat broiler. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high. Add shallots and mushrooms; cook 6 minutes or until tender. Add hot rice, spinach, 2/3 cup cheese, half-and-half, and salt and pepper to taste; stir until cheese melts and mixture is heated through. Spoon into an 8-by-8-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle remaining cheese over top. Broil 2 minutes or until cheese melts and serve. Serves 4.

Per serving: 364 calories (percent calories from fat, 40), 14 grams protein, 41 grams carbohydrate, 4 grams fiber, 16 grams fat (7.7 grams saturated fat), 43 milligrams cholesterol, 284 milligrams sodium.

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Pecan-Crusted Fish Fillets (Saturday)

4 (4- to 6-ounce) pieces sole, orange roughy, walleye or other delicate- to medium-textured fish (about 1/2-inch thick, skin removed)

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 cup finely chopped pecans

1/4 cup unseasoned panko crumbs

2 teaspoons lemon zest

1 egg

1 tablespoon milk

2 tablespoons canola oil

Lemon wedges

Sprinkle both sides of fish with salt and pepper. In shallow dish, mix pecans, bread crumbs and zest. In another shallow dish, beat egg and milk with fork or whisk until blended. Dip fish into egg mixture, then coat well with pecan mixture, pressing lightly into fish. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil on medium. Add fish; reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 6 to 10 minutes, carefully turning once, until fish is opaque throughout and is browned. Serve with lemon wedges. (Adapted from “Betty Crocker: Fresh From the Freezer,” Grace Wells and Cathy Swanson, senior editors; Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016.) Serves 4.

Per serving: 336 calories (percent calories from fat, 64), 25 grams protein, 5 grams carbohydrate, 2 grams fiber, 24 grams fat (2.5 grams saturated fat), 101 milligrams cholesterol, 356 milligrams sodium.