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Menu Plan for Spring II: Week 11, Thursday

Golden Chicken Breasts
Brown Rice and Beans, Oriental Style

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

     Red beans and rice with a twist and a chicken breast with a kick: easy summer cooking. Look for quick cooking brown rice, be patient or substitute Basmati.

Golden Chicken Breasts, Grilled

Total time: 30 minutes
   When you are marinating any sort of meat it helps to poke a fork into it, then turn the meat several times to soak up the marinade.  The orange marmalade and sherry give the chicken sweetness, while the ginger and garlic add some heat.

 Ingredients:

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Marinade:
• 3 tbs soy sauce
• 3 tbs orange marmalade
• 3 tbs dry sherry
• 1/4 tsp powdered or 1 tsp fresh, chopped ginger
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder - or 2 cloves minced

 Instructions:

• In small bowl mix all ingredients for marinade. 
• Put chicken breasts in shallow baking dish (or something with sides) and pour marinade over. 
• Let marinate for 15 minutes.  
• Cook on barbecue grill for 12 - 15 minutes or until done.  Test by taking a peak - stick a knife in the center and see if it is still pink - if it is, cook another 5 minutes. 
• Or can be baked in 400F oven for 20 - 25 minutes or until done - test. 
• Remove and serve, sliced if you like.

Brown Rice and Beans, Oriental Style

Total time: 25 minutes
    Sauté onions and celery, add red kidney beans (or any color/type of bean) and cooked, brown rice for a nutritious side dish, full of vitamins and fiber.  Use  quick-cooking brown rice to save time.  Flavored with soy sauce, sherry and Balsamic vinegar, this gives 'Beans and Rice' a whole new meaning!

 Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (3.3oz, 95gr) quick-cooking brown rice
• 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) chicken stock
• 1 3/4 cup (15oz, 450gr) red kidney beans
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 rib celery   optional
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tbs Balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbs dry sherry
• 2 tsp soy sauce

 Instructions:

• Cook rice in chicken stock, 15 minutes, or until done (check package directions).
• Thinly slice onion and celery.
• Mince garlic. 
• Open, drain and rinse beans. 
• Heat oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat.
• Add paprika, onions and celery and sauté until tender, 6 - 8 minutes.
• Add garlic and sauté 2 minutes longer. 
• Add beans, vinegar, sherry and soy sauce.  Heat through. 
• Cover and reduce heat to keep warm. 
• When rice is done, stir into beans and serve.

Cooking schedule: 30 minutes Assemble all ingredients and utensils Utensils: measuring cups, spoons, knives, small bowl, marinating dish, small saucepan, lid, medium skillet Mix marinade, spoon over chicken Light/turn on barbecue grill Start to cook rice Start to cook chicken

Slice onion, celery Sauté paprika, onion, celery Mince garlic, add to onion Turn chicken Open, drain, rinse beans Add beans, vinegar, sherry, soy sauce to skillet Heat through When rice is done, stir into beans When chicken is done, remove, slice, Serve

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By Katie Zeller

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