Family Sunday Make Cornmeal Chicken with Casera Sauce (see recipe below) for a special family day meal. Serve it with everyone’s favorite, Mashed Potatoes. Add steamed Zucchini, deli Coleslaw and Dinner Rolls. Buy a Lemon Meringue Pie for dessert

Plan ahead: Save enough pie for Monday.

Shopping list: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, yellow cornmeal, salt, chili powder, dried oregano, butter, canola oil, tomato, onion, garlic, canned jalapeno pepper, cilantro, lemon, potatoes to mash, zucchini, deli coleslaw, dinner rolls, lemon meringue pie.

Express Monday Mushroom-Onion Turkey Burgers will make a quick meal. Combine 1 packet mushroom-onion soup mix with 1 pound ground turkey breast and 2 teaspoons canola oil. Shape into patties. Pan fry in a little oil until no longer pink. Serve on Whole-Wheat Buns along with Lettuce, Tomatoes, Pickles, low-fat Mayonnaise and Dijon Mustard. Add Baked Chips on the side. Slice the leftover Pie for dessert.

Shopping list: Packet mushroom-onion soup mix, ground turkey breast, canola oil, whole-wheat buns, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, low-fat mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, baked chips.

Budget Tuesday Save a few greenbacks with delicious Cranberry Chipotle Beef. Cut a medium onion into wedges and place in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker. Top with a well-trimmed, 2-to 2 1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck pot roast. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons minced garlic andvteaspoon each salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine 1 (16-ounce) can cranberry sauce and 1 to 2 teaspoons finely chopped canned chipotle chile peppers in adobo sauce; mix well and pour over beef mixture. Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours. (Adapted from “Better Homes and Gardens Budget Meals,” Wiley Publishing, $19.95.) Serve the beef over Brown Rice and add Mixed Greens and Crusty Rolls on the side. For dessert, enjoy Pears.

Plan ahead: Save enough beef for Wednesday.

Shopping list: Onion, boneless beef chuck pot roast, garlic, salt, pepper, canned cranberry sauce, canned chipotle chile peppers in adobo sauce, brown rice, salad greens, crusty rolls, pears.

Heat and eat Wednesday You can make Beef Wraps for a quick dinner. Heat and shred the leftover beef. Place it in warm fat-free flour tortillas and top with reduced-fat sour cream and some salsa, and roll. Serve with frozen Oven Fries, Dill Pickles and Carrot Salad. Strawberries are a good dessert.

Plan ahead: Save enough strawberries for Thursday and enough carrot salad for Friday.

Shopping list: Fat-free flour tortillas, reduced-fat sour cream, salsa, frozen oven fries, dill pickles, carrot salad, strawberries.

Meatless Thursday Enjoy hearty Pesto Pizza for a no-meat dinner. Heat oven to 475 degrees. Place whole-wheat tortillas on a baking sheet. Spread with pesto. Top with sliced tomatoes, shredded part-skim mozzarella and spoonfuls of reduced-fat ricotta cheese. Bake about 10 minutes or until cheese melts. Serve Golden Butternut Squash

Soup (such as Campbell’s V-8 Soup) for a boost in Vitamin A. Top instant Chocolate Pudding with leftover Strawberries for dessert.

Shopping list: Whole-wheat tortillas, pesto, tomatoes, shredded part-skim mozzarella, reduced-fat ricotta, golden butternut squash soup, instant chocolate pudding.

Kids’ Friday Here’s another version of a kid-favorite, Cheesy Meximac (see recipe). Serve it with leftover Carrot Salad and Bread Sticks.

Let the kids help prepare Phyllo Peanut Butter Cups for dessert. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place 1 (1.9-ounce) box (15 each) phyllo shells on it. Place 1 miniature peanut butter cup (from a 12-ounce bag) in each shell. Bake 5 minutes or until chocolate softens. With a small metal spatula or knife, flatten and even out chocolate in phyllo cups. Let stand at room temperature until cooled. Top each cup with light whipped cream. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts if desired. (Adapted from Woman’s Day magazine.)

Plan ahead: Save enough peanut butter cups for Saturday.

Tip: Give the extra peanut butter cups to a very thin friend.

Shopping list: Cooking spray, whole-wheat rotini pasta, green onions, butter, flour, 1 percent milk, pepper, reduced-fat pepper jack cheese, canned Mexican-flavored corn, bread sticks, box phyllo shells, miniature peanut butter cups, light whipped cream, chopped peanuts if desired.

Easy entertaining Saturday Serve your guests Spicy Cod (see recipe) tonight. Alongside, add packaged Long Grain and Wild Rice, steamed fresh Broccoli, a Spinach Salad and Baguettes. For dessert, enjoy the leftover Peanut Butter Cups with fat-free Vanilla Ice Cream.

Shopping list: Cod or other medium-firm fish fillets, cornmeal, salt, garlic powder, dried oregano, cayenne pepper, black pepper, eggs, butter, packaged long grain and wild rice, fresh broccoli, fresh spinach, baguettes, fat-free vanilla ice cream.

The Recipes

Cornmeal Chicken with Casera Sauce

4 (5-to 6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts (see Note)

2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon canola oil

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Flatten chicken to an even thickness. In a shallow bowl, combine cornmeal, salt, chili powder and oregano. Coat chicken in mixture. Place butter and oil in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish in oven until butter is melted. Place chicken, meaty side down, in dish. Bake 30 minutes; turn. Cook 20 to 30 more minutes or until thickest piece is 170 degrees. Prepare Casera Sauce (below) by combining all ingredients. Serve with chicken.

Note: Avoid chicken that has been “enhanced” with “salt,” “sodium,” “broth” or “brine” as indicated on the label.

For the Casera Sauce:

Combine in a bowl and serve:

1 cup finely chopped tomato

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 small clove crushed garlic

1 canned, rinsed, seeded, finely chopped jalapeno pepper

2 teaspoons finely chopped cilantro

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano.

Makes 4 servings.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time:about 1 hour.

Per serving: 229 calories, 33 grams protein, 8 grams fat

(34 percent calories from fat), 2.6 grams saturated fat, 4 grams carbohydrate, 90 milligrams

cholesterol, 261 milligrams sodium, no fiber.

Cheesy Meximac

1 (16-ounce) package whole-wheat rotini pasta

2 sliced green onions

1 tablespoon each butter and flour

1 1/2 cups 1 percent milk

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 (16-ounce) package reduced-fat pepper jack cheese

1 (10-ounce) can drained Mexican-flavored corn

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Cook rotini 5 minutes; add onions and cook 2 more minutes. Drain; set aside. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually add milk, whisking constantly until smooth. Stir in pepper; bring to a simmer. Simmer 4 minutes; remove from heat. Add half the cheese to milk mixture; whisk until smooth. Stir in corn, then combine in large bowl with pasta and onions. Pour half into prepared dish; top with half the remaining cheese. Repeat layer. Bake 25 minutes. Cool slightly before serving. Makes 8 servings. (Adapted from Family Circle magazine.)

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: about 30 minutes, plus pasta.

Per serving: 429 calories, 27 grams protein, 13 grams

fat (27 percent calories from fat), 7.4 grams saturated fat, 53 grams carbohydrate, 37 milligrams cholesterol, 504 milligrams sodium, 8 grams fiber.

Spicy Cod

1 1/2 pounds cod or other medium-firm fish fillets ( 1/2 -inch thick)

1/2 cup cornmeal

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup egg whites

1 tablespoon melted butter

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking pan with nonstick foil. Cut fillets into 2-by-4-inch pieces. Mix remaining ingredients (except eggs and butter) in a pie plate. Place eggs in another pie plate. Dip fillets into eggs then into cornmeal mixture, shaking off excess coating. Place on baking dish. Drizzle butter over fillets. Bake 9 to 10 minutes, turning once, until golden brown. Makes 6 servings.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 9 to 10 minutes.

Per serving: 163 calories, 23 grams protein, 3 grams fat

(17 percent calories from fat), 1.4 grams saturated fat, 10 grams carbohydrate, 54 milligrams cholesterol, 206 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.