Seven-day menu planner

Add RICE and GREEN BEANS along with DINNER ROLLS to your meal. Buy or make APPLE COBBLER for dessert.

PLAN AHEAD: Save enough apple cobbler for Monday.

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Meatless Monday

You’ll never miss meat with POLENTA WITH RED PEPPERS (see recipe) on the menu. Serve the flavor-packed recipe with a SPINACH SALAD garnished with thinly sliced red onion and sliced hard-cooked eggs. Add WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. Warm the leftover COBBLER for dessert and top it with fat-free VANILLA ICE CREAM.

PLAN AHEAD: Save enough ice cream for Thursday.

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Express Tuesday

Pick up some deli SOUP for an easy meal. Serve it with GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICHES. Add a packaged GREEN SALAD. For dessert, PEARS are perfect.

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Budget Wednesday

Pile up the savings with this SEA SHELL CASSEROLE. Cook 12 ounces medium seashell pasta according to directions; drain and set aside. In a large nonstick skillet, cook 1 pound lean ground beef on medium with 1 tablespoon minced garlic and 1/2 teaspoon onion powder for 5 minutes or until no longer pink; drain well. Add 3 to 3 1/2 cups red pasta sauce and cook 4 minutes. Add cooked pasta and continue to cook 5 minutes or until heated through. Garnish with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Serve with a MIXED GREEN SALAD and ITALIAN BREAD. For dessert, try SLICED PEACHES.

PLAN AHEAD: Save enough casserole for Friday.

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Kids Thursday

Let the kids pick their favorite PIZZA tonight. Serve it with CELERY STICKS AND DIP. Top leftover ICE CREAM with CHOCOLATE SAUCE.

PLAN AHEAD: Save enough chocolate sauce for Friday.

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Heat-and-Eat Friday

Heat the leftover SEA SHELL CASSEROLE for a quick meal. Add a ROMAINE SALAD and GARLIC BREAD on the side. Buy TAPIOCA PUDDING for dessert and drizzle it with leftover chocolate sauce.

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Easy Entertaining Saturday

For your guests, prepare PORK CHOPS WITH DIJON SAUCE (see recipe). Serve the chops with frozen O’BRIEN POTATOES, FRESH BROCCOLI SPEARS (drizzle fresh lemon juice over the broccoli), BIBB LETTUCE and BAGUETTES. For dessert, you will understand why Cathy Weichert of Mound, Minn., was a 2013 finalist in the Pillsbury Bake-Off with her ORANGE CARDAMOM BLUEBERRY CROSTATA (see recipe).

THE RECIPES

POLENTA WITH RED PEPPERS (Monday)

Makes 4 servings

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: about 30 minutes, plus 10 minutes cooking for peppers; 15 minutes standing time

INGREDIENTS

3 large red bell peppers

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes with liquid

1 (16- or 18-ounce) tube ready-to-slice polenta, cut into 12 slices

1 1/2 cups shredded fontina cheese (5 ounces)

Chopped fresh basil for garnish

Heat broiler. Cut peppers in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 10 minutes or until blackened. Place in a resealable plastic bag and let stand 15 minutes. Peel peppers and cut into strips.

Meanwhile, heat oven to 350 degrees. Drain tomatoes; reserve juice. Heat a large nonstick skillet on medium-low; add tomatoes. Cook 1 minute. Gradually add tomato liquid; simmer 1 minute. Add pepper strips and cook 5 minutes; remove from heat.

Spread 1/4 cup of the sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange polenta slices over sauce; spread remaining pepper sauce over polenta slices. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 25 minutes. Garnish with basil if desired. (Adapted from Cooking Light magazine.)

Per serving: 300 calories, 14 grams protein, 13 grams fat (40 percent calories from fat), 7.8 grams saturated fat, 29 grams carbohydrate, 47 milligrams cholesterol, 642 milligrams sodium, 4 grams fiber.

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PORK CHOPS IN DIJON SAUCE (Saturday)

Makes 4 servings

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: about 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

4 (6-ounce) bone-in center-cut pork chops (about 3/4-inch thick)

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 1/2 cups fat-free chicken broth or dry white wine

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

Sprinkle pork chops with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add pork chops; cook 3 minutes per side or until browned. Remove pork chops from skillet; cover to keep warm. To skillet, add broth or wine, honey and mustard; bring to boil and cook 3 minutes. Add reserved pork; reduce heat and simmer 12 minutes, turning after 6 minutes. Serve pork with sauce.

Per serving: 345 calories, 33 grams protein, 12 grams fat (32 percent calories from fat), 2.9 grams saturated fat, 26 grams carbohydrate, 100 milligrams cholesterol, 817 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.

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ORANGE CARDAMOM BLUEBERRY CROSTATA (Saturday)

Makes 8 servings

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Baking time: 17 to 23 minutes; cooling time: at least 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 refrigerated pie crust, softened as directed

1/2 cup orange marmalade

2 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen, thawed and drained)

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon coarse white sparkling sugar (see NOTE) or regular white sugar

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a 15-by-10-inch rimmed baking pan with parchment paper. Unroll pie crust in pan. In medium bowl, mix marmalade, flour and cardamom. Carefully fold in berries. Spoon mixture over crust to within 2 inches of edge. Fold edge of crust over filling, pleating crust as necessary. In small bowl, beat egg yolk with 2 tablespoons water. Lightly brush crust edge with egg mixture; sprinkle with sugar. Bake 17 to 23 minutes or until crust in golden and filling is bubbly. Cool at least 30 minutes before serving. (Adapted from Pillsbury Bake-Off 100 Winning Recipes, 2013.)

NOTE: Sparkling sugar is a decoration used on cakes or cookies. It is large sugar crystals that can be colored.

Per serving: 199 calories, 2 grams protein, 8 grams fat (33 percent calories from fat), 3.2 grams saturated fat, 34 grams carbohydrate, 26 milligrams cholesterol, 151 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.