Week 26 Meal Plan

Don't you just love summertime? One of my favorite, favorite things about summer is all the fresh, yummy fruits and vegetables that come in season. We've got local corn stands up and running (yes, my lunch yesterday was 3.5 ears of corn and half an apple). My parents' garden is looking wonderful (and they're kind to let us share in the bounty until we move). Now we just need to sit back and wait for Allred's peaches to come out. I will be buying them by the boxful in the coming weeks; oh how I can't wait!

This week I'm excited to enjoy some of the yummy, fresh produce in my meal plan. Mmmm.


Wednesday
Bruschetta, Corn on the Cob, Green Salad

Thursday
Macaroni and Cheese, Broccoli, Fruit Salad

Friday- Breakfast for dinner!
Breakfast Burritos, Hashbrowns, Fruit

Saturday
Go out. I think we actually will go out this week! Hello, Five Guys!

Sunday
Amber's Minestrone Soup, Green Salad, Garlic Bread (or Homemade Rolls?)

Monday
Teriyaki Chicken, Rice, Zucchini, Edamame

Tuesday
Leftovers

Check out the grocery list here.

Week 26 Grocery List

This week I'll be shopping at Maceys. Yes, I know Smith's is doing their coupon doubling this week, but I can't stand to spend all the time preparing a gazillion coupons, just to find out that they've run out of nearly every good deal I wanted to buy. There are too many crazy coupon ladies who line up before the store opens and clear out the store, and by golly, it's 8:00 a.m. so I've already missed the boat. Whew.

Ingredients for Week 26 Dinners
I will be purchasing:
1 dozen ears of corn
3 zucchini
fresh basil
2 tomatoes
1 head garlic
broccoli
1 onion
1 stalk celery
1 carrot
fresh parsley
1 bag spinach
1 head lettuce
fruit
1 loaf baguette bread
milk
eggs
2 c vegetable broth

I will be using from my pantry:
2-3 chicken breasts
3/4 c mozzarella (optional)
6-8 oz cheddar or Colby Jack cheese
1 lb elbow macaroni
rice
tortillas
1/4 c shell pasta
frozen edamame
frozen hash browns
1 (15 oz) red kidney beans
1 (15 oz) white or great northern beans
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
salsa
teriyaki sauce
lemon juice
vinegar
olive oil
butter
flour
garlic powder
minced onion
dried basil
oregano
thyme
salt
pepper
sesame seeds (optional)
ingredients for homemade rolls

Bruschetta, Corn on the Cob, Green Salad

This is my favorite bruschetta recipe EVER. When my husband and I were in college, we'd make this on Friday nights while we watched movies. It made for a pretty big date night, I tell you. We would always cook a half a batch at first, thinking we'd save some in the fridge for Saturday. But slowly, we'd bake a little more . . . and then a little more . . . until it was all gone.

Technically, this bruschetta's an appetizer. However, I think if you've got fresh, local corn on the cob, that's practically a meal in and of itself. In fact, last weekend my parents surprised us with babysitting not only our child but also Grandpa so we could get out on a date. It was the first day of Harward's corn stands being open, so my family was having Corn Night. Their full menu for the night was this: corn on the cob, wheat bread, watermelon. Every person ate at least 3 (or 4, or 5) ears of corn, including the toddler.

This is my version of Corn Night.

Rachelle's Favorite Bruschetta
adapted from Taste of Home magazine
1 to 2 tomatoes
1 clove garlic
1 zucchini
1/4 c fresh basil, torn
1 T olive oil
1 t vinegar
1 t lemon juice
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
garlic powder, to taste
3/4 c shredded mozzarella (optional)
1 loaf baguette bread
additional olive oil (optional)

Seed and chop tomatoes. Mince garlic. Finely chop zucchini, discarding center seedy section. In a medium bowl, mix together tomatoes through mozzarella (all ingredients except bread). Let sit 10 minutes on the counter or up to 4 hours in the fridge. Slice baguette into this slices, about a half inch thick. Place bread slices on a cookie sheet and lightly brush with additional oil, if desired. Broil for about 1 minute, until just barely golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, transfer tomato mixture onto bread slices. Broil again until tomato is hot, edges of bread are toasted, and/or cheese is melted. Serve hot.


Corn and Salad
1 dozen ears corn, shucked and washed
1 big green salad

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add half the ears of corn and boil for 6 minutes. Remove with tongs and serve hot. Repeat the process with the second half of the corn when you've finished eating the first batch (that way you'll always have hot corn!). I like to top my corn lightly with butter (like less than 1 teaspoon per ear), sprinkle with salt, and then go heavy on the pepper.

Serve with a big green salad.

Macaroni and Cheese, Green Salad, Peas

I love this macaroni recipe. It is ultimate comfort food, straight from my childhood. My husband likes to jazz it up by using different cheeses and throwing in chopped ham and lots of spices to the white sauce. Sometimes we start with the basic recipe and then split it in half, making it a competition to see who can make the best macaroni in their own casserole dish. Ahh, the joys of married life.


Macaroni and Cheese
From my mom, who got it from her mom.

1 lb elbow macaroni
3 T butter
3 T flour
2 1/2 c milk
2 T minced onion
salt
pepper
pinch of basil
6-8 oz Cheddar or Colby Jack cheese, grated


Preheat oven to 350. Fill a large pot with water; bring to a boil. Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter on low heat. Stir in flour and cook about a minute. Whisk in milk and bring to high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens. Add in minced onion, basil, and plenty of salt and pepper to taste. In a greased casserole dish, toss pasta, white sauce, and about half the cheese. Top with remaining cheese. Cover with foil.

Bake, covered, for 15-25 minutes (the longer you bake, the drier the end product; I prefer a shorter cooking time). Uncover and bake 10 minutes more, or until cheese is completely melted.
OR
If you want your macaroni more like the one at Noodles & Co., skip the oven all together and just dish individual servings into bowls. Top with cheese while it's all still hot, and maybe even cover your bowls with some foil to help the cheese melt for a minute or two.


Sides
Prepare green salad.

Microwave frozen peas. Season with salt and pepper.

Teriyaki Chicken, Rice, Zucchini, Edamame

I have some prepared sauces on hand in the fridge for busy nights. I think it's always worth picking up a teriyaki sauce or marinade if you see them on sale at the grocery store.


Teriyaki Chicken
2-3 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 T butter
1/4 to 1/3 c teriyaki sauce
1 T corn starch, as needed

Coat a skillet with cooking spray and heat on medium-high heat. Add chicken and saute until almost cooked through. Add butter and cook a couple minutes more, until chicken is barely browned. Add teriyaki sauce and heat through. (If your teriyaki sauce is the super thin kind, mix a little cornstarch with a splash of water and add to the pan. Boil for about a minute, or until sauce starts to thicken. Add more cornstarch as needed.)


Rice and Veggies
1 c rice
1 zucchini
2 to 3 T teriyaki sauce, or other Asian sauce
sesame seeds (optional)
frozen edamame

Prepare rice according to package directions.

Cut zucchini into thin circles. Saute with cooking spray until tender and somewhat translucent. Top with desired sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Microwave frozen edamame.

Breakfast Burritos, Hashbrowns, Fruit

4 eggs
4 egg whites
2 T milk
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper

4 tortillas

toppings, such as:
cheese
salsa
tomatoes
green onions
etc.

frozen hashbrowns

fruit of your choice


In a medium bowl, beat eggs, eggwhites, milk, salt, and pepper. Heat a pan to medium-heat, coated with cooking spray. Add egg mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until eggs are set. Fill tortillas with eggs and any desired toppings. Wrap up burrito style.

Prepare hashbrowns according to package directions.

Amber's Minestrone Soup, Green Salad, Garlic Bread

Let Me Plan Dinner reader Amber submitted this minestrone recipe, a yummy Olive Garden knock-off she found at Recipe Zaar. I'll be serving it with a green salad and garlic bread. Too bad we don't have those Olive Garden bread sticks, too...

Here is the recipe from Recipe Zaar, scaled down to 4 servings.

1 1/2 T olive oil
1/2 c minced white onion (about 1/2 small onion)
1/4 c chopped zucchini
1/4 c frozen cut italian green beans
2 T minced celery (about 1/4 stalk)
2 t minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
2 c vegetable broth (Swanson is good *note: Do not use chicken broth*)
1 (15 oz) cans red kidney beans, drained
1 (15 oz) cans small white beans or great northern beans, drained
1/2 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
1/4 c carrots, julienned or shredded
1 T minced fresh parsley
3/4 t dried oregano
3/4 t salt
1/4 t ground black pepper
1/4 t dried thyme
1 1/2 c hot water
2 c fresh baby spinach
1/4 c small shell pasta

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot. Saute onion, celery, garlic, green beans, and zucchini in the oil for 5 minutes or until onions begin to turn translucent. Add vegetable broth to pot, plus trained tomatoes, beans, carrot, hot water, and spices. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Add spinach leaves and pasta and cook for an additional 20 minutes or until desired consistency.

*Holy cow, this was the best minestrone soup I have ever, ever tasted. The seasonings and veggies in this dish are just PERFECT. I thought the beans got plenty overcooked, but then again I had to make this in the morning, refrigerate all day, and then reheat at night due to scheduling constraints. I think this one is worth making the full 8-serving recipe and having again in a couple nights. Yum, yum, yum.

Week 25 Meal Plan

I'm in the mood for new dinners! This week I've got 4 new recipes that I've never posted before. Yum!

Wednesday
Taco Salad, Onion Rice, Fruit

Thursday
Marinated Salmon, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli

Friday
Bruschetta Chicken, Corn on the Cob, Grilled Veggies

Saturday
Go out

Sunday
Chicken Cacciatore, Rice, Green Salad, Peas

Monday
Leftovers (Spaghetti topped with leftover Bruschetta Chicken, perhaps?)

Tuesday
Chicken Cacciatore Quesadillas, Green Salad, Corn

Week 25 Grocery List

Ingredients for Week 25 Dinners
I will be purchasing:
2 heads lettuce
fruit
1 inch piece ginger
2 tomatoes
1/4 c fresh basil (you can use dried)
8 ears corn
1 (10 oz) can beef consomme soup
1 (10 oz) can tomato soup
sour cream
optional: 1 onion
optional: 1 green pepper
optional: 1 can mushrooms


I will be using from my pantry:
1 lb ground beef
8 chicken breasts
orange juice
1/2 c mozzarella cheese
1 c cheese (like Colby Jack)
rice
8 tortillas
1 (14 oz) can Ranch style beans, or 1 can black beans
1 (10 oz) can Campbell's French Onion soup
optional: 1 (14 oz) can Great Northern beans
salsa
Ranch dressing
Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette dressing (or use Italian dressing)
soy sauce
1 pkg taco seasoning
butter
oil
brown sugar
lemon pepper
garlic powder
garlic salt
sage
oregano
celery salt
bay leaf
frozen peas
frozen corn

Taco Salad, Onion Rice, Fruit

Taco Salad
1 lb ground beef
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 can Ranch style beans, not rinsed
or 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
tortilla chips or Fritos
1 head lettuce, chopped
Ranch dressing
any other taco toppings (cheese, tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, etc)

Brown ground beef and drain. Add taco seasoning according to package directions. Add beans. Remove from heat. Build taco salads by layering chips, taco meat, lettuce, and any other toppings as desired. Top with Ranch dressing.


Onion Rice
1 c rice
1 (10 oz) can Campbell's French Onion soup
1 c water
1 T butter

Throw all ingredients in a rice cooker and cook.

Marinated Salmon, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli

This salmon recipe is adapted from one I found on AllRecipes. I'm going to serve this salmon with steamed broccoli and garlic mashed potatoes.

Marinated Salmon
1/3 c brown sugar
2 t lemon pepper
1 t garlic powder
1/3 c soy sauce
1 T oil
1 inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
1/3 c orange juice
1 lb salmon fillets

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine all but orange juice and salmon. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat; stir in orange juice. Reserve a small amount to be used as sauce. Place salmon and remaining marinade into a resealable plastic bag. Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight. Preheat broiler. Place fish in a foil lined pan and discard marinade. Broil fish skin side up for 2 minutes. Pull off skin with tongs. Baste with reserved sauce. Return to oven and broil 2 minutes more. Turn fish and broil until fish flakes easily, about 4 minutes. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

Bruschetta Chicken, Corn on the Cob, Grilled Veggies

I got this recipe from Kraft Food and Family magazine.

Bruschetta Chicken
1/4 c Kraft Sun-Dried Tomato Viniagrette dressing, divided (I think this is discontinued. Use Italian dressing if you can't find it.)
4 small chicken breasts
1 tomato, finely chopped
1/2 c shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 c chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp dried basil

Place a large sheet of heavy-duty foil over half of grill grate; preheat grill to medium. Pour 2 Tbsp dressing over chicken in a resealable bag. Marinate 10 minutes in the fridge. Remove chicken and discard marinade. Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, cheese, basil, and remaining 2 Tbsp dressing. Grill chicken on uncovered side of the grill 6 minutes. Turn chicken over; place cooked side up on foil on grill. Top evenly with tomato mixture. Close lid. Grill an additional 8 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

*If you don't have a grill, you can easily bake the chicken in the oven at 425 for about 20 minutes, or until cooked through. Just place the tomato mixture on the chicken halfway through baking.

Chicken Cacciatore, Rice, Green Salad, Peas

This recipe for chicken cacciatore is one of the staples at my parents' house. Growing up, I probably had this for Sunday dinner about a million times. We always loved the flavorful sauce, but I'll admit I've never tried the recipe with the vegetables. (We were all sooooooo picky growing up, I hate to say.)

I'll be saving a little less than half of the chicken to make Chicken Cacciatore Quesadillas in a couple days.

Chicken Cacciatore
4 chicken breasts, cut into thirds
1 (10 oz) can beef consomme soup
1 (10 oz) can tomato soup
3/4 t sage
1/2 t oregano
1/2 t salt
1/2 t garlic salt
1/4 t celery salt
1 bay leaf
1 green pepper, chopped (optional)
1 small onion, chopped (optional)
1 can mushrooms (optional)

Place chicken in a greased 9x13 pan. Simmer all other ingredients for 20 minutes. Pour sauce over chicken. Bake, covered with foil, for 2 hours at 350. Remove foil during the last 15-20 minutes or so of the baking time.

Note: You can also bake this for about 3 1/2 hours at 250. . . Perfect for putting in the oven before church.



Sides
1 1/2 c rice
green salad
frozen peas

Cook rice according to package directions. Prepare green salad. Microwave frozen corn.

Chicken Cacciatore Quesadillas, Green Salad, Corn

Obviously, to make this meal you need to have made Chicken Cacciatore previously. Haven't done that? Then check out the recipe here.

This interesting combination of Italian and Mexican flavors came together when my family was on vacation and we were trying desperately to come up with something good for lunch. Some people were making quesadillas, others were eating leftover chicken cacciatore, and by some happy accident the two were put together. Some picky sisters of mine were quite skeptical about the unorthodox combination, but everyone was won over on their first bite. Feel free to vary the mixture by including leftover rice, extra sauce, or different beans.


Chicken Cacciatore Quesadillas
1 to 2 chicken breasts cooked in chicken cacciatore sauce
1 (14.5 oz) can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained (optional)
8 tortillas
1 c grated cheese (I like Colby Jack)
salsa
sour cream

Remove chicken breasts from sauce (saving sauce) and shred in a small bowl. Add white beans if desired. Slowly add sauce until chicken/beans are coated and moist, but not too saucy to be runny. Heat a large pan to medium heat. Place one tortilla and top with 1/4 cup cheese and 1/4 of the chicken mixture. Top with a second tortilla. Heat until the first tortilla is golden brown. Flip and heat until second tortilla is golden brown and cheese is melted. Remove to a plate and cut into wedges. Repeat to make 3 more quesadillas. Serve quesadillas passing salsa and sour cream at the table.


I'll be serving these quesadillas with:
green salad
corn

Week 24 Meal Plan

This week I am trying to use up a bunch of stuff in my freezer. Maceys is having a sale on chicken, so I want to clear out some room for what I buy. And, ok, I'm really craving popsicles.

Clearing out the freezer just seems like a good practice every now and again. So what are you waiting for? Go see what you need to eat up!


Wednesday
Frozen Pizza (I know, I know. I got a bunch for like $.17 once. It's high time to start eating them.)

Thursday - Trying Something New!
Bistro Chicken, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Green Salad

Friday
Creamy Italian Chicken, Broccoli, Cauliflower

Saturday
Go Out

Sunday
Roast Beef, Roasted Potatoes, Steamed Carrots

Monday
Sweet Pork Burritos, Rice and Beans, Corn

Tuesday
Leftovers

Week 24 Grocery List

This week I'll be shopping at Maceys, with a quick stop to Sunflower Farmers Market for a few items.

Ingredients for Week 24 Dinners
I will be purchasing:
7-10 red potatoes
1 head lettuce
3-4 potatoes
baby carrots
1 onion
broccoli
cauliflower


I will be using from my pantry (Brace yourselves. . .):
4 chicken breasts
2 lbs beef pot roast
2 lbs pork
about 6 slices Swiss cheese (or try Provalone)
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese
shredded cheese
frozen corn
1 lb fettucine noodles
8-10 tortillas
rice
1 (14 oz) can petite diced tomatoes
1 (10 oz) can Campbell's French onion soup
1 cup chicken broth
1 (10 oz) can cream of chicken soup
1 (10 oz) can green enchilada sauce
1 (14 oz) can black beans
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (14 oz) can refried beans
optional: 1 (6 oz) can diced green chiles
brown sugar
olive oil
1 pkg Lipton onion soup
1 envelope Italian dressing mix
minced onion
chili powder
cumin
Italian seasoning

Bistro Chicken, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Green Salad

This chicken recipe comes from This Week For Dinner, a beautiful and amazing blog I discovered recently after having started Let Me Plan Dinner. I know I'm not up to the likes of Jane Maynard as a blogger and a cook, but maybe one day!

I'll be serving the chicken with garlic mashed potatoes and green salad. Here is the recipe copied from Jane's blog:

Bistro Chicken
From Jen Schulte
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I usually do two, but the amount of sauce could handle probably 4-6 breasts)
- 1/2 cup chopped onions
- 14-oz can diced tomatoes (I get petite diced)
- Italian seasoning (or a few shakes of oregano, basil, parsley and garlic powder)
- 1 can Campbell’s French Onion soup
- Swiss cheese, sliced

I cut my chicken breasts into thirds and pound them thin before browning, but the recipe didn’t originally call for that. Brown the chicken breasts in a medium-high skillet in oil or butter. Remove and place in casserole dish.

Cook onions in skillet for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, Italian seasoning, french onion soup and cook together to reduce liquid for 5 minutes. Pour sauce over chicken in the casserole dish, top with Swiss cheese and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

I like to serve with garlic mashed potatoes.

Addendum after comments have come in: the last few times I’ve made it I haven’t used the entire can of french onion soup. I put all the broth in, but I only put maybe half of the onions from the can in. for me, it’s the right balance. the first time I made it, though, I followed the recipe to a “t” and we still liked it, so feel free to modify or not according to your tastes!

Week 23 Meal Plan

How are you feeling about cooking in the summertime?

I'll admit I'm losing a little steam. I don't want to cook a new dinner every night; I want to be outside playing with my son in the park!

So instead of planning 6 meals a week, I've been planning 5 and eating leftovers an extra time. The good thing about having a stocked pantry is that I can always cook up something easy from my freezer or food storage if leftovers just aren't sounding good enough one night. If you really wanted to cut down on your cooking time, you could choose 3 or 4 meals a week, cook double portions of each, and eat leftovers half the time. Do you have any other great tips for cutting down on cooking time? Please share!


Wednesday
Chicken Fiesta Salad, Tortilla Chips

Thursday
Orange Chicken, Rice, Broccoli, Cauliflower

Friday
Roast Chicken, Stuffing, Corn on the Cob, Baby Carrots

Saturday
Go Out

Sunday
Neapolitan Baked Ziti, Green Salad, Peas

Monday
Something to use up the rest of the roast chicken. I'm considering:
Ramen Veggie Stirfry
White Chicken Chili
Honey Lime Enchiladas
Sweet Pork Burritos (substituting chicken for the pork, obviously)
I've got all the basic ingredients for these dishes on hand, so I don't need to pick up anything extra at the store except some vegetables to serve on the side.

Tuesday
Leftovers

Week 23 Grocery List-- with Prices!

I'll be shopping at Maceys today. I love shopping at Maceys!

Ingredients for Week 23 Dinners
I will be purchasing:
1 head lettuce ($1.49)
1 bunch green onions ($.50)
1 tomato ($.22)
1 orange($.51)
broccoli($.87)
cauliflower ($.41)
1 onion ($.49)
4-5 leaves basil (I'm using them from my garden. You could probably use dried if you wanted)
corn on the cob ($.80)
baby carrots ($1.29)
milk ($1.98)
mozzarella (8 oz shredded $1.50)
1 (11 oz) can Mexican-style corn ($.79)
extra veggies for Monday's meal ($1.28)

In total, I spent $12.61 on this week's dinners. Here is the approximate breakdown:

Chicken Fiesta Salad, Tortilla Chips $2.75
Orange Chicken, Rice, Broccoli, Cauliflower $2.04
Roast Chicken, Stuffing, Corn on the Cob, Baby Carrots $2.09
Neapolitan Baked Ziti, Green Salad, Peas $3.97
Ramen Veggie Stirfry or something else on Monday $1.28

I will be using from my pantry:
1 whole chicken
4-5 chicken breasts
cheese
Parmesan cheese
sour cream
6 garlic cloves
ginger
1 lb ziti pasta
rice
tortilla chips
1 box stuffing or other instant side dish
1 (28 oz) can whole tomatoes (or crushed or diced)
1 (15 0z) can black beans
1 (14 oz) can chicken broth
salsa
lemon juice
rice vinegar
soy sauce
oil
butter
flour
cornstarch
1 (1.27 oz) pkg fajita seasoning
red pepper flakes
bay leaf
nutmeg
rosemary
salt and pepper

I will be stocking up on:
chicken breasts (2.91 lbs @ $1.59/lb = $4.63)
2 Western Family salad dressing ($.78 each = $1.56)
6 Western Family enchilada sauce ($.68 each = $4.08)
4 Betty Crocker berry muffin mix pouches ($.48 each = $1.92)
15 string cheese ($.20 each = $3.00)

Chicken Fiesta Salad, Tortilla Chips

I got this salad recipe from my sister-in-law Robin. I love how it uses all these yummy ingredients from my pantry but feels so much more summery as a salad.

2 chicken breasts
1 (1.27 oz) pkg fajita seasoning, divided
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (11 oz) can Mexican-style corn, drained
3/4 c salsa
1 head lettuce, chopped or 1 (10 oz) bag mixed salad greens
3 green onions, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
shredded cheese, if desired
sour cream, if desired
additional salsa, if desired
tortilla chips


Cut chicken into thin strips. Rub chicken with half the fajita seasoning, then saute in cooking spray until cooked through. Set aside. In medium saucepan, mix beans, corn and salsa. Slowly add the remaining fajita seasoning to taste. Heat over medium heat until warm. Prepare salad by tossing the lettuce, green onions and tomato. Top salad with chicken and dress with bean/corn mixture. Serve with cheese, sour cream and salsa. Serve with tortilla chips

Orange Chicken, Rice, Broccoli, Cauliflower

This orange chicken recipe is adapted from AllRecipes.

Asian Orange Chicken
1 1/2 c water
1/4 c lemon juice
1/3 c rice vinegar
2 1/2 T soy sauce
2 T orange juice
1 T orange zest
1/4 c brown sugar
1/2 t minced ginger
1/2 t minced garlic
2 T chopped green onion
1/4 t red pepper flakes
2-3 chicken breasts, cut into chunks
1 T oil
3 T cornstarch

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring to boil the first 11 ingredients (water through red pepper flakes). Remove from heat and cool. In a resealable plastic bag, add 1 cup sauce and the chicken. Seal bag and refrigerate 2 hours to overnight. Reserve the rest of the sauce in a container and refrigerate until ready to use. When ready to cook, heat the oil in a large skillet. Cook the chicken, discarding marinade from the plastic bag. Once the chicken is cooked, add the reserved sauce. Cook over medium heat for a few minutes. Mix together cornstarch with 2 T water; stir into sauce. Simmer about 5 minutes, or until thickened. Serve chicken and sauce over cooked rice.


Rice and Veggies
1 c rice
broccoli florets
cauliflower florets

Cook rice according to package directions.

Steam broccoli and cauliflower until tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Neapolitan Baked Ziti, Green Salad, Peas

This Neapolitan Baked Ziti recipe is adapted from Rachael Ray. It's a big hit around our house. Unfortunately, it doesn't photograph well.

If you're looking for a one-pot meal, this is NOT it! You may feel like you're running a three ring circus during the prep phase, but once you get the pan in the oven, you'll have a nice amount of time to do the dishes, throw together your sides, set the table, and bask in the delicious aroma filling your kitchen!

1 lb ziti pasta
1 T olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 28-oz can whole tomatoes (I've now decided I prefer using crushed tomatoes- much simpler.)
4 to 5 leaves basil, torn (or shake in some dry basil)
salt and pepper to taste
2 T butter
2 T flour
1 3/4 C milk
1 bay leaf
dash nutmeg
1/2 c shredded mozzarella
1/4 c Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Boil a large pot of water and cook the ziti just shy of al dente. Drain thoroughly.

While the pasta cooks, start the red sauce. Place a medium saucepan over medium-high heat with the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and smash them into small pieces with a potato masher or back of a spoon. Add the basil and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a bubble and simmer 15 minutes.

Once the red sauce is simmering, start the white sauce. Place a medium saucepan over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the flour, stir to combine and cook for about a minute. Whisk in the milk, add the bay leaf, and season with some salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Bring to a bubble, then turn the heat down to low and gently simmer, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and discard.

Combine the cooked ziti with the red sauce in the pasta pot, then transfer it to a greased 7x11 baking dish. Top with the white sauce. Sprinkle with the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes.