Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietician. She can be reached by email at menuplanner@mindspring.com. Look for Susan's new book, "The 7-Day Menu Planner for Dummies," in bookstores. The Menu Planner is also accessible at www.7daymenuplanner.com. Read Susan's blog at www.makingthemenu.com.
10/ 20 -- Family Sunday
Be prepared for heaps of praise from the family with this GARLIC-ROSEMARY CHICKEN, a French classic. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Remove and discard giblets and neck from a 5- to 6-pound roasting chicken; trim excess fat. Starting at neck cavity, including drumsticks, loosen skin with your fingers. Place several sprigs of fresh rosemary and crushed garlic cloves under skin of breast and drumsticks. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under.
Place chicken, breast-side up, on broiler pan. Insert meat thermometer into meaty part of thigh, not touching bone. Bake 30 minutes; reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 1 hour 15 minutes more or until thermometer registers 165 degrees. Remove from oven, tent with foil and let stand 10 minutes.
Slice chicken, discard skin and serve with your own OVEN-BROWNED POTATOES. Add fresh BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH LEMON. Steam the sprouts, then toss with some olive oil, fresh lemon juice and coarse salt and pepper to taste. Add DINNER ROLLS. For dessert, buy a YELLOW LAYER CAKE.
PLAN AHEAD: Save enough chicken and cake for Monday.
10/ 21 -- Heat-and-Eat Monday
Turn Sunday’s leftover chicken into ASIAN CHICKEN WITH VEGETABLES AND NOODLES (see recipe). Serve with MIXED GREENS and WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. Slice leftover CAKE for dessert.
10/ 22 -- Kids Tuesday
Treat the kids to CHILI PIZZA. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Brown 1/2 pound each ground turkey breast and lean ground beef in a nonstick skillet on medium 6 minutes or until no longer pink; drain. Stir in 1 (1.25-ounce) packet less-sodium chili seasoning mix, 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can no-salt-added stewed tomatoes and 1 (15-ounce) can rinsed reduced-sodium pinto beans; cook 8 minutes on medium or until heated. Arrange 8 fat-free burrito-size tortillas in a circle on a 12-inch pizza pan, overlapping edges where necessary. Spoon ground meat mixture onto tortillas. Top with 1 cup 50 percent reduced-fat shredded cheese. Bake 5 to 8 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Slice into wedges and serve with DELI CARROT-RAISIN SALAD. How about ANIMAL CRACKERS and PEACHES for dessert?
10/ 23 -- Meatless Wednesday
Skip the meat and enjoy LINGUINE WITH PARSLEY AND PARMESAN (see recipe) for an easy meal. Serve with a ROMAINE SALAD and GARLIC BREAD. Scoop fat-free STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM for dessert.
PLAN AHEAD: Save enough ice cream for Saturday.
10/ 24 -- Express Thursday
Call it a HERO, GRINDER, SUBMARINE or POOR BOY, and it’s still a great sandwich no matter where you live. Split a small loaf of French or Italian bread. Spread bottom with deli coleslaw and add a variety of sliced deli meats. Then layer cheese, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes and whatever else the cook is in the mood for. Serve your masterpiece with deli POTATO SALAD. PEARS are dessert.
PLAN AHEAD: Save enough coleslaw for Friday.
10/ 25 -- Budget Friday
Save money and enjoy CATFISH ALLISON (see recipe) from friend and former food editor of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Susan Puckett. She takes us on a tour of the Delta area in Mississippi in her new book “Eat Drink Delta.” Serve the dollar-stretcher with HASH-BROWNED POTATOES (frozen) and leftover COLESLAW. With catfish, you must have CORNBREAD. For dessert, make instant VANILLA PUDDING with skim milk.
10/ 26 -- Easy Entertaining Saturday
Serve your guests BRAISED PORK MEDALLIONS WITH APPLES, a perfect fall entree. Slice 1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin into 8 slices and season on both sides with 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. Heat 1 teaspoon canola oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high. Brown pork on both sides, remove from pan and set aside. To skillet, add 1 small chopped onion and 1 large cored and coarsely chopped apple; cook 6 minutes or until soft. Add 1/2 cup apple cider or apple juice to skillet. Reduce heat to low. Return pork to skillet, cover and simmer 5 minutes.
Serve with BROWN RICE and SUGAR SNAP PEAS. Add WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. For dessert, spoon frozen or fresh STRAWBERRIES over leftover ICE CREAM.
THE RECIPES
ASIAN CHICKEN WITH VEGETABLES AND NOODLES (Monday)
Makes 6 servings
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: less than 10 minutes
INGREDIENTS
8 ounces thin no-yolk noodles
1 (8-ounce) package fresh matchstick or shredded carrots
2 cups fresh broccoli florets
2 cups leftover chicken, shredded and cooked
1/2 cup sweet and spicy stir-fry sauce (or citrus, if desired)
1 (11-ounce) can mandarin oranges, undrained
Cook noodles according to directions; stir in carrots and broccoli. Cook 2 more minutes or until vegetables are softened; drain and return to pot. Add chicken, stir-fry sauce and oranges with juice and toss to mix. Serve immediately.
Per serving: 310 calories, 19 grams protein, 5 grams fat (15 percent calories from fat), 0.7 gram saturated fat, 47 grams carbohydrate, 47 milligrams cholesterol, 402 milligrams sodium, 4 grams fiber.
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LINGUINE WITH PARSLEY AND PARMESAN (Wednesday)
Makes 4 servings
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 4 minutes, plus linguine
INGREDIENTS
8 ounces linguine
1 teaspoon butter
1/3 cup onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, pressed
8 ounces reduced-fat sour cream
1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese
Cook linguine according to directions; drain and set aside. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt butter on medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook 4 minutes or until softened. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Then stir in sour cream, pepper and parsley. Toss mixture with linguine. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.
Per serving: 325 calories, 11 grams protein, 9 grams fat (26 percent calories from fat), 5.5 grams saturated fat, 48 grams carbohydrate, 33 milligrams cholesterol, 86 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.
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CATFISH ALLISON (Friday)
Makes 8 servings
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: less than 10 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
2 ounces softened butter
6 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
6 green onions, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Generous dash of Tabasco sauce
8 (6- to 8-ounce) catfish fillets
In a small bowl, stir together the cheese, butter, mayonnaise, onions, Worcestershire and Tabasco; set aside. Fill a wide, deep skillet with several inches of water. Bring to simmer on medium. Arrange catfish in single layer in water. Return water to gentle simmer and cook fillets 4 or 5 minutes or until they are opaque throughout and firm to the touch. Use a slotted spatula to gently lift fillets from water; place on paper towel-lined plate to drain.
Heat broiler. Arrange fillets in single layer in 9-by-13-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray (or in individual gratin dishes). Spread 2 tablespoons of butter mixture over each fillet. Broil 2 to 3 minutes or until tops are brown. Removed from oven; transfer to plates; spoon some of the pan juices over fillets. (Adapted from “Eat Drink Delta,” Susan Puckett; University of Georgia Press, 2013.)
Per serving: 282 calories, 32 grams protein, 14 grams fat (46 percent calories from fat), 6.6 grams saturated fat, 5 grams carbohydrate, 123 milligrams cholesterol, 389 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.
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