LITTLE ROCK — SUNDAY: Make it family time with Lamb Kebabs With Bacon and Cilantro (see recipe).
Serve the kebabs with orzo tossed with toasted pine nuts and a mixed-greens salad. For dessert, buy a coconut layer cake.
Plan ahead: Save two kebabs and leftover cake and prepare enough orzo for Monday.
MONDAY: Make Lamb Pitas tonight. Line whole-grain pitas with lettuce leaves. Dice and heat the leftover kebabs and mix with 2 cups cooked hot orzo and just enough chicken broth to moisten; stuff pitas with mixture. Serve with grated carrots and chopped dried apricots moistened with vanilla yogurt. Leftover cake works for dessert.
TUESDAY: Make it an easy meal with delicatessen Egg Salad Sandwiches on whole-grain toast. Add lettuce and tomato salad. For dessert, sprinkle toasted sliced almonds over orange sections.
WEDNESDAY: Make Baked Tacos for kids’ night. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with foil. In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil over medium.
Cook 12 ounces ground turkey breast until no longer pink; drain if necessary. Add 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans (rinsed), 1 cup mild salsa and 4 teaspoons taco seasoning.
Bring to boil, reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered 5 or 6 minutes, stirring and mashing some of the beans as you stir, until thickened. Spoon turkey mixture into center of 8 (6- or 7-inch) whole-grain tortillas.
Fold in half. Press down gently and place on prepared cookie sheet. Coat tortillas with cooking spray. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
Garnish with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sour cream and shredded Monterey Jack cheese. Serve with rice. Let the kids help prepare and layer instant chocolate and vanilla puddings in a tall dessert dish and call it Black and WhiteParfait.
THURSDAY: Soup is always a welcome meal, and this Cream of Carrot and Zucchini Soup (see recipe) is no exception.
Serve with grilled cheese sandwiches. (Use your favorite cheese.) Add a mixed-greens salad. For dessert, enjoy strawberry ice cream.
Plan ahead: Save enough ice cream for Saturday.
FRIDAY: Pinch a few pennies tonight and serve Spaghetti With Tuna and Spinach. Cook 12 ounces spaghetti according to package directions. Drain.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium heat. Cook 2 cups sliced onion, 4 garlic cloves (minced) and ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper 5 minutes or until softened.
Add 1 (14 ½ -ounce) can diced tomatoes and cook 5 more minutes. Gradually add 5 cups fresh baby spinach. Cook 2 minutes or until spinach wilts.
Add 1 (6-ounce) can waterpacked albacore tuna (drained and flaked). Season with coarse salt and pepper to taste.
Toss mixture with spaghetti and serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese, if desired.
Add a green salad and garlic bread. Serve fresh pineapple for dessert.
SATURDAY: It’s OK to show off for your guests tonight with this Turkey Scaloppine With Lemon Sauce (see recipe).
Alongside, offer Savory Rice.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add 1 clove garlic (minced) and cook 2 or 3 minutes. Add 3 cups cooked rice and cook until thoroughly heated (if chilled). Stir in 2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions, 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley and ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese; mix well. Serve with a Boston lettuce salad and baguettes.
For dessert, take it easy with leftover ice cream and butter cookies.
THE RECIPES Lamb Kebabs
With Bacon and Cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 ½ teaspoons paprika
1 ½ teaspoons ground black pepper 3 large cloves garlic, crushed 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons chicken broth 1 ½ pounds lamb, welltrimmed and cut in 1-inch cubes 12 whole white mushrooms 6 slices thick bacon, cut in 1-inch pieces 3 medium onions, quartered 4 bell peppers (red, green and/or yellow), cored and quartered, then cut into thirds Heat grill.
In a small bowl, combine cilantro, cumin, paprika, black pepper, garlic, oil and broth to make a paste. Rub paste onall sides of lamb. Start (and end) 6 metal skewers with mushrooms. Alternately thread the lamb, bacon, onions and bell peppers on separate skewers.
Grill 6 to 8 minutes for mediumrare to medium. Let kebabs stand 5 minutes before serving.
Makes 6 servings.
Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 322 calories, 30 g protein, 16 g fat, 14 g carbohydrate, 87 mg cholesterol, 390 mg sodium and 4 g fiber.
Cream of Carrot and Zucchini Soup 2 tablespoons butter 1 medium onion, thinly sliced 1 large clove garlic, chopped 5 large carrots, sliced 3 medium zucchini, sliced 4 cups vegetable broth,
divided use Sugar, optional Coarse salt and ground black
pepper ¾ cup heavy cream, divided
useIn a Dutch oven, heat butter on medium. Add onion; simmer on low 5 minutes or until softened but not browned. Add garlic. Divide onion mixture into two 2-quart pots. Add carrots to one pot; zucchini to other pot. Divide and stir in the broth.
Simmer on low until vegetables are very soft (30 minutes for carrots; 15 to 20 minutes for zucchini). Puree each pot separately with immersion blender. Add water as necessary to create a smooth texture with the desired consistency.
Add sugar as desired to carrot soup; season both pots to taste with salt and pepper. Divide and add cream to each pot;
bring to boil; remove from heat. Pour soups into individual bowls simultaneously from 2 measuring cups positioned on opposite sides of bowl. The separate mixtures will form a mosaic.
Makes 8 servings.
Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 144 calories, 3 g protein, 12 g fat, 9 g carbohydrate, 39 mg cholesterol, 83 mg sodium and 2 g fiber.
Adapted from Mastering the Artof Southern Cooking by Nathalie Dupree and Cynthia Graubart Turkey Scaloppine With Lemon Sauce 1 ¼ pounds turkey breast
cutlets◊cup all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon coarse salt ¼ teaspoon ground black
pepper 2 tablespoons butter, divided
use 1 tablespoon olive oil ½ cup dry white wine OR
chicken broth 3 tablespoons fresh lemon
juice 2 tablespoons chopped fresh
parsley 1 large clove garlic, crushed 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
and drained Fresh parsley sprigs and thinly
sliced lemons for garnish Place turkey between two pieces of plastic wrap and using a meat mallet or heavy skillet, flatten to an even thickness of ¼ -inch.
In a pie plate, combine flour, salt and pepper. Coat both sides of turkey with flour mixture;
shake off extra.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat until hot; melt 1 tablespoon butter with the oil. Cook turkey in batches 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove cutlets from skillet and keep warm. Add remaining butter, wine and juice and stir to deglaze pan, scraping up any browned bits.
Cook until thoroughly heated.
Stir in parsley, garlic and capers.
Arrange cutlets on serving platter; spoon sauce over cutlets.
Garnish with parsley and lemon.
Serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings.
Nutrition information: Each serving prepared with vegetable broth contains approximately 275 calories, 36 g protein, 10 g fat, 6 g carbohydrate, 103 mg cholesterol, 480 mg sodium and no fiber.
Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by email:
Food, Pages 36 on 02/27/2013