Less Muss, Less Fuss

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Day 1

Italian Style Grilled Chicken Download this recipe.

Ingredients: (serves 4-6)

8 ounces tomato sauce

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 cloves garlic, minced, divided

3 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1-1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

1 teaspoon olive or vegetable oil

3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts

In a small saucepan, combine tomato sauce, lemon juice and half of the garlic. Mix well. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium; simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and cool, then add the basil and set aside. While sauce is simmering, in a small bowl, combine the remaining garlic, lemon peel, and oil. Mix well. Place chicken in a glass or ceramic dish and rub with lemon peel mixture. Cover dish with plastic wrap and chill for about 30 minutes.

Preheat the grill. Place the chicken on the grill and cook for 8 minutes per side. Brush with the sauce and continue grilling for 4 to 5 minutes per side or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with the tip of a knife. This is only 5 grams of fat per serving and 408 calories. If you don't have fresh basil, you can add either fresh oregano in it's place or dried, but use half as much if it's dried.

Three Bean Salad Download this recipe.

Ingredients: (serves 6)

2 cups cut green beans-cooked fresh, or canned

1 1/2 cups canned garbanzo beans

2 cups canned kidney beans

2 tablespoons minced red onion

3/4 cup lowfat or fat free Italian salad dressing

Drain and rinse the canned beans. Toss together the other ingredients and season (lemon pepper goes excellent with this side dish) with salt and pepper to taste. Toss again and refrigerate several hours. Toss right before serving.

Banana Pineapple Pudding Treat Download this recipe.

Ingredients: (serves 6)

20, 2-1/2 inch chocolate graham crackers

2 small boxes banana instant pudding mix, sugar-free

1 1/3 cups non-fat dry milk powder

2 cups crushed pineapple, packed in fruit juice, undrained

1 cup water

2 cups sliced bananas(2 medium)

1 cup light frozen whipped topping

1 teaspoon coconut extract

2 tablespoons flaked coconut

2 tablespoons pecans -- chopped (1/2 oz.)

Evenly arrange 9 of the graham crackers in a 9"x9" cake pan. In a large bowl, combine 1 box of dry pudding mix, 2/3 cups of dry milk powder, 1 cup un-drained pineapple, and 1/2 cup water. Mix well using a wire whisk. Spread pudding mixture evenly over crackers. Evenly arrange banana slices over the pudding mixture. Arrange 9 graham crackers over bananas.

In the same bowl, combine remaining package of dry pudding mix, remaining 2/3 cup of dry milk powder, remaining 1 cup of undrained pineapple, and remaining 1/2 cup of water. Mix well with the whisk. Blend in the thawed whipped topping and the coconut extract. Spread mixture evenly over crackers. Crush remaining 2 graham crackers and evenly sprinkle crumbs over pudding mix. Sprinkle coconut and pecans over top. Cover and refrigerate at least two hours before serving.

Notes: You can use vanilla pudding, and plain graham crackers if you wish. I've also skipped the nuts and coconut because of picky kids.

Day 2

Shrimp Kebabs with Jalapeño-Lime Marinade Download this recipe.

Ingredients: (serves 4-6)

4 pounds large shrimp, peeled, de-veined, and butterflied

1 cup thawed orange juice concentrate, undiluted

2 teaspoons grated lime rind

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

1/2 cup honey

4 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 garlic cloves, minced

4 jalapeños, seeded and chopped

4 red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch cubes

Lime wedges (optional)

Cooking spray

Combine first 9 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal and marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes. Remove shrimp from bag, reserving marinade. Thread the shrimp, bell pepper cubes, and lime wedges (if desired) onto 12 skewers.

Prepare grill or broiler. Place skewers on grill rack or broiler pan coated with cooking spray; cook 4 minutes on each side or until shrimp are done, basting frequently with the marinade.

Note: You can substitute 3 pounds of skinned, boned chicken breast or pork tenderloin, cut into 1 inch cubes for the shrimp if preferred.

Add to this a big green salad, and your favorite yogurt ice-cream. Simple, easy, and perfect for summer!

Day 3

Sweet-and-Savory Burgers Download this recipe.

Ingredients: (serves 8)

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons corn syrup

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

2 green onions, thinly sliced

2 pounds ground beef

1/4 cup chili sauce

1/4 cup jalapeño jelly

8 hamburger buns

Toppings: grilled sweet onions, grilled pineapple slices

Stir together first 6 ingredients; pour into a shallow pan or baking dish. Shape beef into 8 patties; place in a single layer in marinade, turning to coat both sides. Cover and chill 4 hours. Drain, reserving the marinade.

Grill patties over medium-high heat (350° to 400°) 5 minutes on each side or until beef is no longer pink, brushing several times with reserved marinade. Stir together chili sauce and jelly. Serve patties on buns with chili sauce mixture and toppings.

Berry Delicious Summer Salad Download this recipe.

Ingredients: (serves 6-8)

8 cups mixed salad greens

2 cups fresh blueberries

1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola or blue cheese

1/4 cup chopped and toasted walnuts or pecans

Bottled vinaigrette

Toss together first 4 ingredients; drizzle with desired amount of vinaigrette, tossing gently to coat. Note: For testing purposes only, we used Newman's Own Light Raspberry & Walnut vinaigrette.

Blueberry Cobbler Download this recipe.

While variations abound, a traditional cobbler is a baked, deep-dish fruit dessert that's topped with a biscuit sprinkled with sugar to give it a bit of crunch and color.

Preheat oven to 350° (this dish serves up to 8)

Filling Ingredients:

6 cups fresh blueberries

1/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

teaspoon grated lemon rind

Topping Ingredients:

1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
5 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup fat-free sour cream
3 tablespoons 2% reduced-fat milk
1 teaspoon sugar

To prepare filling, combine first 4 ingredients in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish.

To prepare topping, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (flour through baking soda) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in sour cream to form a soft dough.

Drop dough by spoonfuls onto blueberry filling to form 8 dumplings. Brush dumplings with milk; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar. Place baking dish on a jelly roll pan. Bake at 350° for 50 minutes or until filling is bubbly and dumplings are lightly browned.

Blueberry Coconut Slush Download this recipe.

Yield: Makes 3 cups (about 2 servings)

In a blender, combine 1 cup pineapple sherbet or sorbet, 1 cup frozen blueberries, 3/4 cup canned reduced-fat coconut milk, and 1/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut. Whirl until smooth, add ice cubes to your liking (start with 1 cup), whirl again until a slushy consistency is achieved and pour into tall chilled glasses.

Day 4

Why not breakfast for dinner? Everyone loves the variety!

French Toast Bites Download this recipe.

We love this kid-friendly French toast. Regular French toast can be soggy in the middle, but bite-size cubes mean more crispy surface area.

Ingredients: (serves 6)

1 loaf (about 1 lb.) sturdy artisan-style bread

6 eggs

1 cup low-fat milk (1% or 2%)

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cut bread into 1-inch-thick slices. Trim crusts; cut bread into 1-inch cubes. In a bowl, beat eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon. Add 2 cups bread cubes and mix to saturate.

Lightly butter a 10- to 12-inch nonstick frying pan. Place pan over medium-high heat. Lift bread cubes from mixture, shaking off excess liquid. Add cubes to hot pan and cook (adjust heat if necessary), turning as needed, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Keep warm.

Repeat to soak and cook remaining cubes. Discard any remaining egg mixture.

Smothered-Covered Hash Browns Download this recipe.

Hint: Pressing down firmly on hash browns with a spatula will help keep them from falling apart.

Ingredients: (serves 8)

1 medium onion, diced

3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

1 (16-ounce) package frozen shredded hash browns, thawed

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

8 American cheese slices

Sauté onion in 1 tablespoon hot vegetable oil over medium heat 8 minutes or until tender. Stir together onion, hash browns, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Drop hash brown mixture into 3 1/2-inch rounds. Cook, in batches, 5 minutes on each side, or until lightly browned, adding remaining oil as necessary. Press down with a spatula to flatten; top each round with a cheese slice. Cook 5 minutes.

Vanilla Honey-Nut Smoothie Download this recipe.

Flaxseed boosts heart health and may enhance vision. You can find it in health-food stores already ground. Or grind whole flaxseed in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle. Store it in the refrigerator or freezer to keep it fresh. Enjoying this smoothie also helps you meet your daily calcium needs.

Ingredients: (serves 3)

2 cups vanilla low-fat frozen yogurt

1/2 cup vanilla soy milk

1/2 cup fat-free milk

1/3 cup cubed soft silken tofu

1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon ground flaxseed (optional)

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a blender; process until smooth. Sprinkle with flaxseed, if desired.

Day 5

Corn Soufflé Download this recipe.

Like a soufflé but less temperamental, this pudding can be served either straight from the oven or at room temperature. Don't worry if you can't find fresh corn; frozen kernels work just fine.

Ingredients: (serves 4-6)

1-1/2 tablespoons butter

1 onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1-1/4 pounds piece smoked ham, such as Black Forest, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

1 cup fresh (from about 2 ears) or frozen corn kernels

1-1/2 cups half-and-half

6 eggs

1-1/2 teaspoons sugar

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 pound Monterey jack, grated (about 1 cup)

Heat the oven to 350°. Butter an 8-by-12-inch baking dish or another shallow baking dish of about the same size. In a medium nonstick frying pan, melt the butter over moderately low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the bell peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are tender, about 5 minutes more. Stir in the ham, salt, and black pepper and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, combine the corn and half-and-half in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Add the eggs, sugar, and cayenne. Blend thoroughly.

Spoon the bell-pepper mixture into the prepared baking dish and then sprinkle the Monterey jack over the top. Pour the egg mixture over all. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the pudding comes out clean, about 40 minutes.

Variations: Omit the ham for a meatless version, or replace it with crumbled cooked chorizo for a spicier pudding.

Peach Iced Tea Download this recipe.

Yield: 3/4 gallon

3 (11.5-ounce) cans peach nectar

2 quarts brewed tea

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Stir together all ingredients; chill until ready to serve.

Lemonade Layer Cake Download this recipe.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Cake Ingredients: (serves up to 12)

1-1/3 cups granulated sugar

6 tablespoons butter, softened

1 tablespoon grated lemon rind

3 tablespoons thawed lemonade concentrate

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 large egg whites

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1-1/4 cups fat-free buttermilk

Cooking spray

Frosting Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
2 teaspoons thawed lemonade concentrate
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

To prepare cake, place first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 5 minutes). Add eggs and egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda; stir well with a whisk. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; beat well after each addition.

Pour batter into 2 (9-inch) round cake pans coated with cooking spray; sharply tap pans once on counter to remove air bubbles.

Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.

To prepare frosting, place 2 tablespoons butter and the next 4 ingredients (2 tablespoons butter through cream cheese) in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until fluffy. Add powdered sugar, and beat at low speed just until blended (do not overbeat). Chill 1 hour.

Place 1 cake layer on a plate; spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Store cake loosely covered in the refrigerator.