Menu Plan for Winter I: Week 2, Thursday

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Daily Recipes:

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 Thursday

Chicken with Onions, Bay and Thyme
Quinoa with Fried Onions
Butternut Squash with Browned Butter

Cooking time:  35 minutes for menu      Cooking schedule: see below for instructions

      This is one of our favorite ways of cooking chicken breasts, keeping them moist and tender.

Chicken with Onions, Bay and Thyme

Total time: 35 minutes
     We think of bay leaves as something that is used in tomato based dishes, but they have a wonderful flavor that marries well with thyme, and shines through in this simple dish.

Chicken with Onions, Bay and Thyme Ingredients:

 Instructions:

Quinoa with Fried Onions and Celery

Total time: 25 minutes 
   This near-perfect food of the Incas has slowly been gaining recognition in the culinary world. It cooks quickly and has a nutty flavor that goes with everything. It is normally ready to cook, but if not it will need to be rinsed first.  If you can't find it, substitute Basmati or Jasmine Rice.

Quinoa with Fried Onions and Celery Ingredients:

 Instructions:

Butternut Squash with Browned Butter

Total time: 25 minutes
     The salty Browned Butter is the perfect foil to the sweet squash.

Butternut Squash with Browned Butter Ingredients:

 Instructions:

Note:  To clean butternut squash first peel it, using a potato/vegetable peeler.  If it's large (typically) cut it in half between the 'neck' and 'bowl' ends.  Then cut those in half the 'long' way.  Scoop the seeds out of the round end and discard.  I use the neck end for uniform pieces and the bowl end for soups and smaller pieces.

Cooking schedule: 35 minutes
Assemble all food, utensils and serving dishes
Utensils: measuring cups, spoons, knives,
medium skillet with lid, medium saucepan with
steamer basket and lid, small saucepan with lid

Slice onion for chicken, sauté
Chop onion, celery for quinoa
Mince garlic
Add garlic to onions, sauté
Add chicken breasts, sauté
Cook quinoa
Peel squash, if needed, cut into cubes, steam
Turn chicken

Add thyme, bay, stock, wine, tomato to chicken
Stir well, cover, simmer
     Pause while it all cooks
Remove quinoa to bowl, cover to keep warm
Sauté onion, celery for quinoa
Dissolve cornstarch in stock
Remove butternut squash, cover to keep warm
Brown butter
Uncover chicken, remove bay, chicken, increase heat
Add cornstarch, stir until thickened
Spoon sauce over chicken
Finish squash, quinoa
Serve

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