Menu March 26-30

Sara Here - I have no excuse for being late today with the menu and shopping list. In fact, my three boys are visiting with their grandparents this weekend, so I am alone, in the peace and quiet. I think I am not so unaccustomed to it that when I sat with my morning coffee, I zoned out, and just realized I have been sitting that way for two hours. But I am back, so lets get on with the menu.....

Monday: Baked Honey Mustard Chicken Drumsticks with Green Bean Tomato Salad

For Chicken:
12 Skinless Chicken Drumsticks
1/4 Cup Liquid Honey
2 Tbsp Cider Vinegar
2 Tbsp Grainy Dijon Mustard
1 Tsp minced Garlic
1 tsp dried Herbs de Province (in spice aisle)
1/4 Tsp each salt and fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Arrange drumsticks in pan in a single layer.

Whisk together remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Spoon sauce evenly over chicken. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove pan from oven and baste chicken with the sauce (tilting the pan to one side helps!) Return chicken to oven and bake an additional 20 to 25 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink in the centre.

Arrange chicken on a serving platter and spoon sauce over chicken. Serve hot.
*Recipe from Eat, Shrink and Be Merry by Janet and Greta Podleski

While Chicken is in last 10 minutes of baking, prepare Green Beans and Tomatoes:
3 Cups Trimmed Fresh Green Beans
2 Plum Tomatoes, cut into thin wedges
1/4 Cup Kraft Signature Sundried Tomato and Oregano Dressing
2 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Basil (I have used a sprinkle of dry when I cant find fresh)

Place green beans, tomatoes and dressing in a microwaveable bowl. Cover.
Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes or until heated through, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir in basil. Serve.

Tuesday: Penne with Basil and Pine Nuts (I figure we still have ingredients and we have to buy basil, so I will slip this one in again for this week):

Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper
1 lb Penne
1/3 Cup Pine Nuts
6 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Cup Bread Crumbs
3 Cloves Garlic
1 Cup Dry White Wine
1/4 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes
1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese (freshly grated)
2/3 Cup Fresh Basil Leaves, slivered

Cook the pasta according to package instructions.

Prepare the sauce. In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, toast pine nuts, stirring often until fragrant and golden (about 2 minutes). Transfer to a small bowl. Add 1 tbsp of oil to the pan, add the bread crumbs and toss until toasted and golden, 1-2 minutes. Add to the bowl with the pine nuts and stir to mix. Reduce the heat to medium and add 1 tbsp of oil to the pan. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the wine and the red pepper flakes, bring to a boil and simmer until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes.

Add the hot pasta along with the remaining 4 tbsp of oil to the wine sauce on the pan and turn pasta to coat. Add the bread crumb mixture, the cheese, the basil and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
From Simple Suppers by Williams-Sonoma

Wednesday: Ginger Chicken with Green Onions and Rice

1 1/2 lb Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast Halves
Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper
3 Tbsp Peanut or Canola Oil
4 Cloves Garlic, Minced
3 Tbsp Ginger, Minced
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
2 tsp lemon Zest
4 Green Onions, Thinly Sliced
2/3 Cup Chicken Broth
2 Tbsp Asian Fish Sauce
2 Tbsp Fresh Mint, Chopped
Rice

Prepare Rice according to package.

Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper. In a wok or a large frying pan over high heat, warm the oil. Add the chicken and stir-fry until golden and nearly cooked through, 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, lemon juice, lemon zest and half the green onions and stir fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the broth and fish sauce to the pan. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer until the chicken is opaque throughout and the sauce is slightly reduced, 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining green onions and mint and serve with rice.
*From Simple Suppers by Williams-Sonoma

Thursday: Herbed Turkey Meatballs With Mash Potato and Broccoli

6 Medium Potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 Tbsp unsalted Butter
4 Tbsp milk

1 Head Broccoli, Washed and Florets cut into bite size pieces

1Tbsp Unsalted Butter
1/2 Cup Yellow Onion, finely Chopped
1 Small Rib of Celery, Chopped
1 lb Ground Turkey
1 Cup Bread Crumbs
1 Egg
2 Tbsp Fresh Oregano (Use less if using dry)
Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper
2/3 Cup Orange Juice
1 Cup Fresh or Frozen Cranberries
1 /4 Cup Sugar

Put Potatoes on oil.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet. In a large frying pan, over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and the celery and saute until soft, about 4-5 minutes. Spoon into a bowl and let cool, and set the frying pan aside. Add the turkey, bread crumbs, egg, oregano and a 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper to the cooled onion mixture. Mix gently and thoroughly with hands. Shape mixture into 12 meatballs and arrange on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake the meatballs until opaque throughout, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the orange juice, cranberries and sugar in the frying pan and place over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring often, until the juice comes to a boil and the cranberries begin to pop, 2-3 minutes.

Peirce potato with fork. When tender, drain. Add 1 Tbsp of butter and 4 Tbsp milk. Mash. Add salt to taste.

Steam broccoli until tender-crisp.

Serve together with Cranberry sauce on top of meatballs.
*Meatball Recipe from Simple Suppers by Williams-Sonoma

Friday: Double Cheeseburgers with Sweet Potato Fries

1 Bag Frozen Sweet Potato Fries
1 lb Ground Beef
1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
2 Tsp chili-garlic sauce
1/2 Tsp salt
1/2 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan
1/2 Cup of grated cheddar, or feta, or thin slices of brie.
4 Hamburger buns
Burger Toppings as you like.

Prepare sweet potato fries as recommended on package.

Crumble meat into a bowl. Add Worcestershire sauce, chili-garlic sauce, salt and Parmesan cheese. Using your hands gently mix together and pat into 8 think patties. Scatter cheddar (or other cheese) over 4 patties, top with remaining patties and press together to seal. Gently pat down burgers, and to prevent puffing int he middle, use thumb to make a shallow depression in the middle of each. Heat pan with oil and cook evenly, about 7b minutes on each side.

Top how you like it, serve with fries.
*Burger recipe from Chatelaine Magazine