For an easy family favorite, serve a baked turkey breast, dressing, gravy and these green beans with caramelized onions: In a large nonstick skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter on medium. Add one large sweet onion, quartered and sliced; cook 15 minutes. Stir occasionally until golden and tender. Meanwhile, cook 11/2 pounds trimmed fresh green beans 5-7 minutes in boiling water. Drain; return to pot. Reserve some of the onions for garnish. Add remaining onions to pot. Season with coarse salt and pepper; toss to coat. Transfer to serving dish. Garnish with reserved onions.

Add sourdough bread to this fine meal, and buy a coconut pie for a luscious dessert.

PLAN AHEAD: Save enough turkey for Monday; save enough pie for Tuesday.

SHOPPING LIST: turkey breast, dressing, gravy, butter, sweet onion, fresh green beans, coarse salt, pepper, sourdough bread, coconut pie.

Turn the leftover turkey into turkey reuben paninis. For one sandwich: Spread one side of each of two slices thinly sliced rye bread with 11/2 teaspoons of Thousand Island dressing total. Place one thin slice Swiss cheese, 1 tablespoon rinsed and drained refrigerated sauerkraut and 2 ounces leftover sliced turkey on the bread. Top with one more slice cheese and the other bread slice with dressed side down. Coat outside of sandwich with cooking spray. Heat a large nonstick skillet on medium-high. Add sandwiches; place a heavy skillet on top of sandwiches; press gently to flatten. Leaving heavy skillet, cook 2 minutes per side or until browned and cheese melts. Serve with oven fries (from frozen) and a mixed green salad. Enjoy tropical fruits for dessert.

SHOPPING LIST: thinly sliced rye bread, Thousand Island dressing, Swiss cheese, refrigerated sauerkraut, cooking spray, frozen oven fries, mixed greens, tropical fruits.

Economical and easy to prepare, sweet and spicy chicken thighs (see recipe) will be a hit. Serve with a lettuce wedge and whole-grain bread. For dessert, slice the leftover pie.

SHOPPING LIST: lower-sodium soy sauce, honey, spicy brown mustard, boneless skinless chicken thighs, whole-wheat couscous, unsalted chicken broth, frozen petite peas, coarse salt, pepper, lettuce, whole-grain bread.

Skip meat without missing it and enjoy lentil stew (see recipe). Add a spinach salad with egg wedges and crusty rolls. Make instant butterscotch pudding with 1 percent milk for dessert.

SHOPPING LIST: lentils, unsalted chicken broth, canola oil, cumin seeds, shallots, gold potato, fresh baby spinach, eggs, crusty rolls, instant butterscotch pudding mix, 1 percent milk.

Let the children try whole-grain chicken breast nuggets (from frozen). Serve the nuggets with sweet potato fries and a carrot salad for a meal loaded with vitamin A. Fresh pineapple spears are perfect for dessert.

SHOPPING LIST: whole-grain chicken breast nuggets, sweet potato fries, carrot salad, fresh pineapple spears.

Stop at the deli for a rotisserie chicken. Serve with quick brown rice and fresh broccoli. Add a packaged Caesar salad. Cupcakes are a terrific dessert.

SHOPPING LIST: rotisserie chicken, quick brown rice, fresh broccoli, packaged Caesar salad, cupcakes.

Serve a spectacular meal to your guests with marinated lamb chops with rosemary and garlic (see recipe) on the menu. Add rice and green beans, a Boston lettuce salad and a baguette alongside. For dessert, buy fruit tarts.

SHOPPING LIST: extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, fresh rosemary, lemons, coarse salt, pepper, lamb loin chops (1 inch thick) or lamb rib chops, rice, green beans, Boston lettuce, baguette, fruit tarts.

Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by email: [email protected] Follow Susan on Twitter: @7DayMenu. The Menu Planner is also accessible at 7daymenuplanner.com. Read Susan's blog: makingthemenu.com. And check out Susan's book! "7-Day Menu Planner for Dummies" is on shelves now. Order yours on Amazon.com today!

SWEET AND SPICY CHICKEN THIGHS (Tuesday)

Preparation time: less than 15 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes, plus couscous

6 boneless skinless chicken thighs, well-trimmed (about 1 1/2-2 pounds)

1/2 cup frozen petite peas, thawed

Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey and mustard. Place chicken in a 7-by-11-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Brush chicken with half the soy sauce mixture. Bake 15 minutes. Brush with remaining soy sauce mixture; bake 15 more minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Meanwhile, prepare couscous according to directions using chicken broth instead of water. Stir in the peas, salt and pepper. Serve chicken with couscous.

Per serving: 268 calories, 27 grams protein, 5 grams fat (18 percent calories from fat), 1.3 grams saturated fat, 27 grams carbohydrate, 107 milligrams cholesterol, 322 milligrams sodium, 4 grams fiber. Carb count: 2.

1 cup lentils, picked and rinsed

1 (10-ounce) gold potato, peeled and cubed

1 (5- or 6-ounce) package fresh baby spinach

In a 2-quart saucepan, combine lentils, broth and water. Bring to a boil on medium-high. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 15-20 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, in a large, deep, nonstick skillet, heat oil on medium. Add cumin seeds; cook 15-30 seconds or until fragrant, stirring. Add shallots; cook 3 minutes or until golden, stirring occasionally. Stir in potato and cook 3 minutes. Carefully pour lentil mixture into skillet; stir to combine. Cover and cook 10 minutes. Stir in spinach. Cook 2 minutes or until spinach is wilted; serve.

Per serving: 278 calories, 15 grams protein, 5 grams fat (15 percent calories from fat), 0.4 gram saturated fat, 45 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 102 milligrams sodium, 13 grams fiber. Carb count: 3.

MARINATED LAMB CHOPS WITH ROSEMARY AND GARLIC (Saturday)

Preparation time: 15 minutes; marinating time: 30 minutes to overnight

12 lamb loin chops (1 inch thick) or lamb rib chops

Combine the oil, garlic, rosemary, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Place lamb in a sealable bag; pour mixture over lamb, seal and marinate 30 minutes to overnight. Remove lamb from marinade and discard; pat chops dry before grilling.

Heat grill to 500 degrees and cook chops 4-6 minutes per side or until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. Let lamb rest 3 minutes before serving.

Per serving: 197 calories, 27 grams protein, 9 grams fat (42 percent calories from fat), 3.2 grams saturated fat, no carbohydrate, 87 milligrams cholesterol, 557 milligrams sodium, no fiber. Carb count: 0.

Print Headline: Marinated lamb chops make for easy entertaining

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