Family Sunday Prepare juicy oven-fried buttermilk chicken (see recipe) for family day. Pair the chicken with mashed potatoes, green peas, a spinach salad and whole-wheat rolls. For dessert, drizzle chocolate sauce over frozen fat-free or regular pound cake.

Plan ahead: Save enough chocolate sauce for Monday. Save enough pound cake for Saturday.

Shopping list: Skinless chicken drumsticks, cayenne pepper, bay leaf, hot sauce, buttermilk, flour, salt, black pepper, butter, potatoes to mash, green peas, fresh spinach, whole-wheat rolls, chocolate sauce, frozen fat-free or regular pound cake.

Kids Monday Treat the kids to turkey burgers on whole-wheat buns. Serve them with frozen oven fries. Add fresh steamed carrots tossed with a little peach preserves. For dessert, top fat-free vanilla ice cream with leftover chocolate sauce.

Plan ahead: Save enough ice cream for Thursday and Saturday.

Shopping list: Turkey burgers, whole-wheat buns, frozen oven fries, carrots, peach preserves, fat-free vanilla ice cream.

Budget Tuesday Orzo and beef stuffed peppers (see recipe) will make everyone happy. Serve the colorful entree with fresh zucchini, mixed greens and multigrain rolls. Peaches are an easy dessert.

Shopping list: Any bell peppers, orzo, lean ground beef, onion, fennel seeds, dried oregano, canned diced tomatoes with garlic, part-skim mozzarella, fresh zucchini, salad greens, multigrain rolls, peaches.

Express Wednesday You can get tortellini and vegetable pasta on the table in a hurry. Cook your favorite refrigerated tortellini according to package directions. During the last 3 minutes of cooking, add broccoli florets; drain. Toss with sliced red bell peppers, sliced red onion, pitted Kalamata olives, chopped parsley and a vinaigrette dressing. (Adapted from Woman’s Day magazine.) Add a packaged Caesar salad, garlic bread and fresh plums for dessert.

Shopping list: Refrigerated tortellini, broccoli florets, red bell peppers, red onion, Kalamata olives, parsley, vinaigrette dressing, packaged Caesar salad, garlic bread, fresh plums.

Meatless Thursday You won’t miss the meat in this flavor-packed barbecue chili (see recipe). Add a lettuce wedge and cornbread (from a mix). Finish with leftover ice cream with fresh strawberries.

Plan ahead: Save enough chili for Friday.

Shopping list: Canned kidney beans, canned pinto beans, onion, green bell pepper, chili powder, cumin, canned diced no-salt-added tomatoes, fresh jalapeno pepper, vegetable broth, frozen corn, package frozen meatless soy crumbles, barbecue sauce, garnishes (if desired): fresh cilantro, shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese, reduced-fat sour cream; lettuce, cornbread mix, fresh strawberries.

Heat and Eat Friday Make it fast tonight with chili burritos. Heat the leftover chili and spoon it into warmed tortillas. Roll, eat and enjoy! Serve them with sliced avocados and Mexican rice. Add pears for dessert.

Shopping list: Fat-free burrito-size flour tortillas, avocados, Mexican rice, pears.

Easy Entertaining Saturday Invite friends for lamb chops with lemon-thyme-mustard butter. In a small bowl, mash together 3 tablespoons soft-

ened butter, 3/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest (yellow part only) andnteaspoon freshly ground black pepper until well-mixed. Refrigerate.

Broil 8 trimmed (1 1/2 to 2 inches thick) loin lamb chops 8 minutes on the first side; turn and broil 3 to 5 minutes on the other side for medium-rare. Transfer to serving plates; top each chop with a dab of flavored butter. (Adapted from Fine Cooking magazine.) Serve with parsley buttered potatoes, green beans and baguettes.

For dessert, make mango shortcake. Top leftover pound cake with sliced mangoes, leftover vanilla ice cream and toasted sliced almonds. Garnish with a fresh mint leaf if desired.

Shopping list: Butter, Dijon mustard, fresh thyme, lemon, black pepper, loin lamb chops, parsley, potatoes, green beans, baguettes, mangoes, sliced almonds, fresh mint if desired.

The Recipes

Oven-Fried Buttermilk Chicken

Preparation time: 10 minutes;

refrigeration time: 2 hours to overnight

Cooking time: 40 minutes

8 skinless chicken drumsticks (about 1 3/4 to 2 pounds)

1 to 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon hot sauce

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 teaspoons butter

In resealable plastic bag, combine cayenne pepper, bay leaf, hot sauce and buttermilk; seal and mix well. Add chicken; turn to coat. Refrigerate 2 hours to overnight, turning occasionally. When ready to cook, heat oven to 400 degrees. Remove chicken; discard buttermilk mixture; pat chicken dry with paper towels.

In another resealable plastic bag, combine flour, salt and pepper. Add chicken in batches; shake bag to coat and remove excess flour. Put butter in 9-by-13-inch baking dish, lined with nonstick foil and place in oven. When butter is melted and dish is hot, add chicken. Bake 20 minutes. Lower temperature to 350 degrees, turn chicken and cook another 20 minutes or until cooked through (180 degrees). Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Serve immediately. Makes 8 drumsticks.

Per drumstick: 137 calories, 15 grams protein, 6 grams fat (38 percent calories from fat), 1.9 grams saturated fat, 5 grams carbohydrate, 53 milligrams cholesterol, 139 milligrams sodium, no fiber.

Orzo and Beef Stuffed Peppers

Preparation time: 10 minutes;

standing time: 2 minutes

Cooking time: about 15 minutes, plus orzo

4 large bell peppers (any color), halved lengthwise through stem, seeded

1/2 cup orzo

8 ounces lean ground beef

1 cup chopped onion

2 teaspoons fennel seeds

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 (14.5-ounce) can undrained diced tomatoes with garlic

1/2 cup diced part-skim mozzarella

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Turn peppers cut-side down in a baking dish; cover and microwave on high (100 percent power) 4 minutes. Let stand 2 minutes; drain. Meanwhile, cook orzo according to directions; drain. In a large nonstick skillet on medium, cook beef, onion, fennel and oregano 6 minutes or until beef is browned and onion is softened. To skillet, add orzo, tomatoes and mozzarella; toss to mix. Fill peppers; bake 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: 267 calories, 21 grams protein, 6 grams fat (20 percent calories from fat), 2.7 grams saturated fat, 33 grams carbohydrate, 40 milligrams cholesterol, 369 milligrams sodium, 5 grams fiber.

Barbecue Chili

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 6 1/2 hours on low

2 (15.5-ounce) cans rinsed kidney beans

2 (15.5-ounce) cans rinsed pinto beans

1 large chopped onion

1 medium chopped green bell pepper

3 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon cumin

1 (14.5-ounce) can drained diced no-salt-added tomatoes

1 small, diced fresh jalapeno pepper (green part only)

1/3 cup vegetable broth

1 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed

1 (12-ounce) package frozen meatless soy crumbles

3/4 cup barbecue sauce

Garnishes: fresh cilantro, shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese, reduced-fat sour cream

In a 4-quart or larger slow cooker, mix together both beans, onion, bell pepper, chili powder, cumin, tomatoes, jalapeno pepper and broth. Cover and cook on low 6 hours. Remove cover; mash beans with a potato masher until liquid has thickened slightly. Stir in corn, soy crumbles and barbecue sauce; cook 30 more minutes on low or until heated through.

Serve immediately; garnish as desired. Makes about 14 cups. (Adapted from Family Circle magazine.)

Per cup: 209 calories, 14 grams protein, 2 grams fat (7 percent calories from fat), 0.1 gram saturated fat, 35 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 475 milligrams sodium, 10 grams fiber.