Menu May 14 to 18

Happy Mother's Day! Hope all you Mom's get spoiled rotten out there. Perhaps someone is planning to cook for you on Sunday (fingers crossed!)

Hope you all enjoyed the veggie week Erika planned for us. It is great to get more veggies into our diets whenever we can and I love to learn to recipes to help do this. All that being said - meat is back this week. I have planned a night or two without meat I have to admit, but as per normal with my menus, meat plays a starring role most nights. I know in my heart of hearts I can never be a vegetarian. I love meat. Nothing better than a roast on a Sunday, a steak on the barbecue or the best burger in the world. Of course, we need to limit, so I do and enjoy a veggie meal done right (like they were last week.) But meat can never be gone forever for me. I am a neanderthal at heart.

Spring is here and I have tried to lighten up the menu this week as the sun shines longer and the warmth begins. Hope you enjoy.

Monday: Honey Mustard Chicken with Butter Bean, Tomato and Onion Salad
For the chicken:
8 chicken thighs
4 tbsp wholegrain mustard
4 tbsp clear honey
salt and ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Put the chicken in a single layer in a roasting pan.


Mix together the mustard and the honey, season with salt and ground black pepper to taste and brush the mixture all over the chicken thighs.

Cook for 25-30 minutes, brushing the chicken with the pan juices occasionally, until cooked through. (To check the chicken is cooked through, skewer it with a sharp knife; the juices should run clear.)

For the salad:
2 14oz cans lima beans, rinsed and drained
4 Plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 red onion, finely sliced
3 tbsp herb-infused olive oil
salt and ground black pepper

Mix together the beans, tomatoes and onion in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the oil.

Cover the bowl with cling film and chill for 20 minutes before serving.
* From Best Ever Three and Four Ingredient Cookbook by Jenny White and Joanna Farrow

Tuesday: Angel Hair Pasta with Roasted Bell Peppers and Basil Pesto
I like to serve this pasta with pan-fried scallops, however, if you are not into scallops, it is just as good without.

2 large red bell peppers
1 large yellow bell pepper
1 large orange bell pepper
1 1/2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp salt
8 oz uncooked angel hair pasta (capelli d'angelo)
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Fresh ground black pepper

Preheat broiler. Halve red, yellow and orange peppers. Remove stems and seeds. Place peppers cut-side down on non-slick baking sheet. Broil until blistered and charred. Transfer to large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 15 minutes. Peel off skins. Set 1 red pepper half aside. Cut remaining peppers into thin strips.

In food processor, puree reserved red pepper half, basil, olive oil, garlic and salt until smooth.

Meanwhile cook pasta according to package directions until tender but firm. Drain and return to pot. Add pepper strips and basil puree. Toss to combine. Serve sprinkled with parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper.
*From The Looneyspoons Collection by Janet and Greta Podleski


Wednesday: Grilled Chicken with Rice and Savory Summer Vegetables
4 boneless skinless chicken breast
1/4 cup sundried tomato and oregano dressing (divided)
1 zucchini cut into chunks
1 red pepper cut into chunks
1 cup chopped asparagus
1/2 red onion cut into chunks
Rice

Prepare rice according to package.

Preheat barbecue to medium-high heat. Brush the chicken with 2 tbsp of the dressing. Let stand 10 minutes.

Toss vegetables with remaining 2 tbsp of dressing. Place in grill basket (if you do not have a grill basket, you can get a disposable aluminum tray and poke holes in the bottom.)

Grill chicken until cooked through and vegetables are crisp tender, about 20 minutes.
*From What's Cooking Magazine

Thursday:Avocado Soup with Crusty Bread
Crusty Bread, sliced
2 large ripe avocados
1 1/4 cups sour cream
4 cups chicken stock
small bunch fresh cilantro (coriander)
1 lime
ground black pepper

Cut the avocados in half, remove the peel and lift out the stones. Chop the flesh coarsely and place in a food processor with 4 tbsp sour cream. Process until smooth.

Heat the chicken stock in a pan. When it is hot, but still below simmering point, stir in the rest of the sour cream.

Gradually stir the avocado mixture into the hot stock. Heat but do not let the mixture reach boiling point.

Cut lime in half. Squeeze generous amount into soup. Chop the cilantro. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle each portion with chopped cilantro and black pepper. Serve immediately with bread.
* From Best Ever Three and Four Ingredient Cookbook by Jenny White and Joanna Farrow


Friday: Chicken-Cheddar BBQ Burgers with Spicy Coleslaw and Fries
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp hot sauce (like Tabasco)
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 cup parsley leaves, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
Salt and fresh ground pepper
1/2 small red cabbage, halved, cored, then thinly sliced
1 red pepper, cored, seeded and thinly sliced
6 green onions, thinly sliced
2 lbs ground chicken
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
1/3 lb sharp cheddar cut into four inch dice
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 Hamburger rolls
Frozen fries

Prepare frozen fries as described on package.

For the spicy coleslaw:
In a bowl combine the mayo, hot sauce, lime juice, parsley, cilantro, salt and pepper. Add the sliced cabbage red bell peppers and half the green onions, stir to coat and reserve the slaw for topping the burgers.

In a mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken, bbq sauce, cheddar dice, reserved green onion, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly. Score the meat with your hand to mark fur equal portions. Form each portion into a 1 inch thick patty. Preheat non-stick skillet over medium heat. Drizzle olive oil over the patties and place them in skillet. Cook 5 to 6 minutes per side until patties are firm to the touch and cooked through.

While the burgers are cooking, toast the buns. Transfer the burgers to the bottoms of the buns, pile some coleslaw on top and the replace top of bun. Serve with fries.
* From 365: No Repeats by Rachel Ray