Mon | Going meatless
Simple Bean and Pasta Parmesan Bake is a good go-to Monday dish. Preheat oven to 350. While a box of penne pasta is cooking, saute chopped onions and a garlic clove in olive oil. Add 2 cans diced tomatoes with herbs and a can of drained cannellini beans. Mix with drained pasta. Pour into casserole dish and sprinkle with a mixture of bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Bake until top is bubbly and brown, about 15 minutes. Serve with a green salad.
Tues | Right size, right taste
A new cookbook from the American Diabetes Association reminds us that portion size is important when you're watching what you eat. Caprese-Style Chicken Breasts (recipe below) might seem like a skimpy amount, but when you look at the calorie count, you'll say "heck yeah!"
Wed | Rotisserie chicken
Now that it's lighter longer, you can move dinner outside, maybe to a park or even the back yard. Do it before bugs and humidity descend. For your Weeknight Picnic, grab a rotisserie chicken and take it home to carve. Pack it up with grapes and strawberries, plus pasta or a cold rice salad and French bread. How about cranberry juice and club soda spritzers? Don't forget the sweets.
Thurs | Louie, Louie
Make Shrimp Louie salads tonight with frozen salad shrimp, thawed but ice cold. On a bed of iceberg, mound shrimp in the middle then surround with tomato wedges, cucumber and sliced hard-boiled eggs. Put the Thousand Island dressing on the side with a stack of saltines.
Fri | A toast to pork
Beer-Braised Pork Chops can be served over mashed potatoes or buttered noodles. Add a green veggie, too. To prepare 4 boneless, center-cut chops, melt butter in a large skillet. Brown both sides and remove. Add a package of sliced mushrooms, some chopped onion, a chopped garlic clove and salt. Cook for about 2 minutes. Mix in a cup of beer. Return chops to pan and simmer for about 8 minutes. They're done when the internal temperature is 160 degrees. Stir in chopped parsley before serving.
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