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Easy Entertaining Sunday Surprise your cupcake with steakhouse beef and pepper stir-fry for a simple but romantic little dinner. In a small bowl, mix together 2 cups low-sodium beef broth, 3 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce andz teaspoon garlic powder until smooth. Stir-fry 1 pound boneless beef sirloin steak (b-inch thick, cut into thin strips) in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high 3 minutes or until well-browned. Add 2 red bell peppers (cut into thin strips) and cook 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Reduce heat to medium. Stir broth mixture and add to skillet; cook 4 minutes or until the mixture boils and thickens, stirring constantly. Serve it over rice and add broccoli spears and bread sticks alongside. Add chocolate layer cake with fat-free strawberry ice cream and call it sweets for the sweet.

Plan ahead: Save enough cake for Tuesday and enough ice cream for Saturday.

Shopping list: Low-sodium beef broth, cornstarch, low-sodium soy sauce, garlic powder, boneless beef sirloin steak, red bell peppers, rice, broccoli, bread sticks, chocolate layer cake, fat-free strawberry ice cream.

Budget Monday You won’t break the bank with this economical and tasty turkey meatloaf (see recipe). Serve it with mashed potatoes, baby carrots tossed with peach preserves and whole-wheat rolls. Pears are dessert.

Plan ahead: Save enough meatloaf and mashed potatoes for Tuesday.

Shopping list: Ground turkey breast, skim milk, Worcestershire sauce, dry sage, salt, ground mustard, pepper, garlic, egg, whole-wheat bread, onion, ketchup, barbecue sauce or salsa, potatoes to mash, baby carrots, peach preserves, whole-wheat rolls, pears.

Heat and Eat Tuesday Which is better, meatloaf or meatloaf sandwiches? You can enjoy the latter tonight using whole-wheat bread. Spread with low-fat mayonnaise. Layer the bread with meatloaf slices and top with a lettuce leaf. Serve with potato patties using the leftover mashed potatoes. Add an egg to the potatoes; mix well and form into patties. Coat top and bottom with a little flour; pan-fry them in some canola oil until browned on both sides and heated through. Serve with a spinach salad. Leftover cake makes a good dessert.

Shopping list: Wholewheat bread, low-fat mayonnaise, lettuce, egg, flour, canola oil, fresh spinach.

Meatless Wednesday Chipotle black bean chili (see recipe) will hit the spot on a cold night. Serve with a packaged Caesar salad and cornbread (from a mix). For dessert, try orange and grapefruit sections.

Plan ahead: Save enough chili for Friday.

Shopping list: Olive oil, onion, garlic, chili powder, chipotle chili powder, salt, canned black beans, no-salt-added diced tomatoes, canned diced green chilies, reduced-fat sour cream, cilantro, packaged Caesar salad, cornbread mix, orange and grapefruit sections.

Kids Thursday Happy face pizza is a kid-pleaser. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Top a 12-inch ready-to-bake pizza crust withzcup pizza sauce; sprinkle shredded 50 percent reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese. Arrange 14 slices pepperoni to resemble a smiling face (3 for eyes and nose and the rest for the mouth). Bake 10 to 14 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Serve with celery sticks. For dessert, make instant chocolate pudding with 1 percent milk and stir in some miniature marshmallows.

Shopping list: Ready-to-bake pizza crust, pizza sauce, 50 percent reduced-fat cheddar cheese, pepperoni, celery sticks, instant chocolate pudding, 1 percent milk, miniature marshmallows.

Express Friday For a fast meal, serve the leftover chili over quick-cooking brown rice. Add a packaged green salad and baked tortilla chips. Munch on sliced apples for dessert.

Shopping list: Quick-cooking brown rice, packaged green salad, baked tortilla chips, apples.

Easy Entertaining Saturday Invite friends for Tuscan-style chicken (see recipe). Serve the chicken with Italian beans. Heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil on medium in a medium saucepan. Add 5 cloves crushed garlic; stir inzcup roasted red peppers (cut into v-inch slices),2 (19-ounce) cans rinsed cannellini beans, vcup dry white wine, zte 1/2 1/3 poon zte 1/2 1/3 poon Italian seasoning, v teaspoon each coarse salt and pepper. Cook 8 to 10 minutes or until heated through. Stir in 6 leaves sliced basil.

Serve with an arugula salad and Italian bread. Enjoy leftover ice cream with chocolate wafer cookies for dessert.

Shopping list: Extra-virgin olive oil, chicken cutlets, coarse salt, pepper, dry white wine, package baby spinach, crimini mushrooms, canned Italianstyle diced tomatoes, sliced fresh mozzarella cheese, garlic, roasted red peppers, canned cannellini beans, Italian seasoning, fresh basil, arugula, Italian bread, chocolate wafer cookies.

The Recipes

Turkey Meatloaf

Makes 8 servings

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour and 10 minutes;

standing time: 5 minutes

1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey breast

1 cup skim milk

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon dry sage

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1 egg

3 slices whole-wheat bread (crusts removed), torn into small pieces

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup ketchup, barbecue sauce or salsa

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl mix all ingredients except ketchup or other topping. Evenly spread the mixture into a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Before putting meatloaf into oven, spread with ketchup, barbecue sauce or salsa. Bake uncovered 1 hour 10 minutes or until thermometer in center registers 165 degrees. Remove from oven; tent with foil. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 8 slices.

Per serving: 144 calories, 21g protein, 2g fat (10 percent calories from fat), 0.4g saturated fat, 11g carbohydrate, 71mg cholesterol, 367mg sodium, 1g fiber.

Chipotle Black Bean Chili

Makes about 7 cups

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: Less than 20 minutes

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 cup finely chopped onion

6 cloves minced garlic

1 tablespoon chili powder

3/4 to 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 (15-ounce) cans rinsed black beans

2 (14.5-ounce) cans undrained no-salt-added diced tomatoes

1 (4-ounce) can drained diced green chilies

Reduced-fat sour cream and cilantro, if desired

Heat oil in a large saucepan on medium-high. Add onion and garlic; cook 3 minutes or until softened. Add chili powder, chipotle chili powder, salt, beans, tomatoes and green chilies; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes. Ladle into individual bowls. Garnish with sour cream and cilantro if desired. (Adapted from Southern Living magazine.)

Per cup: 143 calories, 7g protein, 1g fat (9 percent calories from fat), 0.1g saturated fat, 26g carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 425mg sodium, 8g fiber.

Tuscan-Style Chicken

Makes 4 servings

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: About 10 minutes;

standing time: 2 minutes

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

4 boneless chicken cutlets (about 1 pound)

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 (5-or 6-ounce) package baby spinach

1 cup sliced crimini mushrooms

1 (14.5-ounce) can drained Italian-style diced tomatoes

4 ounces sliced fresh mozzarella cheese

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high; season chicken with salt and pepper, and add chicken to skillet; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until browned; reduce heat to medium-low. Turn and push chicken to one side. Add wine, spinach, mushrooms and tomatoes to other side of skillet. Cover and cook 6 minutes or until heated throughout. Remove from heat. Top chicken with cheese slices; cover skillet and let stand 2 minutes or until cheese melts. To serve: Spoon spinach mixture onto 4 serving plates; top with chicken. (Adapted from Publix Supermarket recipe.)

Per serving: 288 calories, 33g protein, 11g fat (36 percent calories from fat), 4.8g saturated fat, 10g carbohydrate, 89mg cholesterol, 492mg sodium, 3g fiber.

menuplanner@mindspring.com

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