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Menu Plan for the week of August 16, 2013:  Tuesday's Recipes

Grilled Chicken Breasts / Lemon, Fresh Herbs
Pasta with Avocado and Greek Olives
Tomato Cucumber Salad

Cooking time:  30 minutes for menu      Cooking schedule: see below for instructions

       Half the avocado in the pasta - the other half tomorrow.  To store avocado: remove pit and lay, cut side down on a plate, refrigerate.  I used 2 different heirloom tomatoes for the salad.

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Lemon and  Fresh Herbs

Total time: 30 minutes
    You can use any combination of herbs you have: more of some and less of others, just try for 4 tbs total.  Cook the chicken a little slower, over indirect heat, to keep them moist and not burn the herbs... too much...
You could use skin-on chicken breasts or thighs and stuff the marinade under the skin.  Cooking time would be longer if they were also bone-in.

 Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 4 tbs lemon juice, fresh if possible
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tbs fresh snipped chives
• 1 tbs fresh snipped parsley
• 1 tbs fresh snipped basil
• 1 tbs fresh snipped tarragon

 Instructions:

• In small bowl whisk together oil and lemon juice. 
• Mince garlic, snip herbs and whisk into lemon and oil. 
• Put chicken in shallow glass baking dish and spoon marinade over.  Let marinate 15 - 30 minutes.
• Cook on barbecue grill over indirect heat 15 - 20 minutes or on baking sheet in oven (400F) for 25 - 30 minutes or until done. 
• Baste with herbs and lemon after turning, then cover for 5 minutes. 
• When done (knife poked in and juices run clear) remove from heat and serve.

Pasta with Avocado and Greek Olives

Total time: 25 minutes
      Olives, avocado and a bit of Greek yogurt make a quick, simple salad side dish.

 Ingredients:

• 1 cup (3.3oz, 95gr) dried pasta
• 1/2 ripe avocado
• 1/3 cup (3oz (90gr) Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup black, dry-cured Greek olives substitute any other olive

 Instructions:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. 
• Drain.  Do not rinse.
• Cut avocado into small cubes. 
• Pit olives, if needed, and cut in half. 
• Combine yogurt and pasta; stir well to combine. 
• Add avocado, olives, stir gently and serve.

Tomato Cucumber Salad

Total time: 10 minutes
   Pretty and flavorful salad, with the best of the season!

 Ingredients:

• 2 garden ripened tomatoes
• 1 small cucumber
• fresh basil leaves
• Tarragon White Wine Vinaigrette:
• 1/2 tsp Dijon-style mustard
• 1 tbs tarragon white wine vinegar
• 2 tbs good olive oil

 Instructions:

• Peel and slice cucumber, about 1/8" (1/4cm) thick. 
• Slice tomatoes. 
• Vinaigrette: 
• Combine mustard and vinegar in a small bowl. 
• Slowly whisk in olive oil.
• To finish:
• Arrange tomatoes, cucumber and basil nicely on large plate. Drizzle with vinaigrette and serve.

Cooking schedule: 30 minutes Assemble all food, utensils and serving dishes Utensils: measuring cups, spoons, knives, small bowl (used 2X), whisk, pot and colander for pasta, dish for marinating, barbecue grill, plate Put water on high heat for pasta Snip herbs Make marinade for chicken, spoon over, set aside Peel, slice cucumber Slice tomatoes Make Vinaigrette Pit, slice olives

Start to cook pasta Start to cook chicken     Pause while everything cooks Arrange tomatoes, cucumbers, basil on platter Drizzle Vinaigrette, set aside Turn chicken Cube avocado Drain pasta Combine yogurt, pasta Add avocado, olives Remove chicken, slice Serve all

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By Katie Zeller

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