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Menu Plan for the week of March 29, 2013: Wednesday's Recipes

Chicken Breasts with Bacon and Mushrooms
Garlic Oven Fries
Carrots with Butter and Chives

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

      We have the first herbs growing in the garden.  Spring is coming, slowly.

Sautéed Chicken Breasts with Bacon and Mushrooms                    Time:  30 minutes
    One cannot go wrong with mushrooms and bacon.... A bit decadent, perhaps, but life is for living. My bacon is very lean, so I have to sauté it in oil.  Use it or not, as needed.

2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
4oz (120gr) mushrooms
2oz (60gr) bacon    2 - 3 slices
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup (4oz, 125ml) white wine
1 tsp cornstarch (maizena) dissolved in 1 tbs water

Roughly chop onion. Mince garlic.  Clean and thickly slice mushrooms.  Roughly chop bacon. 
Heat olive oil in medium skillet over medium heat.  Add bacon, onion, garlic, and sauté 5 minutes.  Add mushrooms and sauté 5 minutes longer.  Move onion/mushrooms to the sides of the pan. Add chicken breasts and brown lightly on both sides, about 7 minutes total.  Add white wine, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until chicken is done, 10 - 15 minutes longer.
Remove chicken to a plate. Increase heat under skillet. Add cornstarch mixture to mushroom bacon sauce, stirring until thickened.  Spoon over chicken and serve.

Garlic Oven Fries                                                 Preparation and cooking time:   35 minutes 
     Cut in wedges, tossed with garlic and paprika, these oven fries are a flavorful and healthy alternative to traditional Fries.

2 medium potatoes, about 12oz (350gr)
4 tsp olive oil
2 tsp white balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
salt - sea salt is good  optional

Slice potatoes the long way - a large potato into 8 wedges and small ones into 6.  Put oil, vinegar, garlic and paprika into a large bowl and mix well.  Add potatoes and toss, coating thoroughly.  Arrange potatoes on baking sheet with rim (I use my trusty, round pizza pan).  Bake at 400F for 30 minutes. You can turn once if you like to fuss but I usually don't bother.  When done remove from pan and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper if you choose (I don't) and serve.  These will stay hot for awhile so a 5 or 10 minute delay is okay.

Carrots with Butter and Chives                     Preparation and cooking time: 25 minutes  
    These are delicious in the spring when the chives start coming up - as well as the rest of the summer.  If you don't have access to fresh chives, substitute dried.

2 - 3 carrots, depending on size
1/4 cup (2oz, 60ml) chicken or beef stock
1 tbs butter
2 tbs snipped chives  (Substitute 1 tbs dried or other herb of choice)

Peel carrots, cut into sticks.  Put carrots into a small saucepan or skillet.  Add stock, cover and bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Reduce heat and let simmer until done, 10 - 15 minutes.  Drain any remaining liquid from pan.  Add chives and butter, stir well to coat and heat through.  Remove from heat, add pepper if you like and serve.

Cooking schedule: 35 minutes Assemble all food, utensils and serving dishes Utensils: measuring cups, spoons, knives, large skillet with lid, baking sheet, small skillet with lid Turn oven on, 400F (200C) Wash potatoes, cut Mix oil, vinegar, garlic, paprika Add potatoes, toss to coat Lay potatoes on baking sheet, bake Roughly chop onion; mince garlic Chop bacon Sauté bacon, garlic, onion Clean, slice mushrooms Add mushrooms to bacon/onion, sauté

Peel, cut carrots Move veg to side of skillet, brown chicken Put carrots, stock, in small skillet Cover, simmer Turn chicken Dissolve cornstarch in water Add white wine to chicken, cover, simmer Snip chives      Pause while stuff cooks Drain carrots Remove chicken to plate, increase heat Add butter, chives to carrots Thicken mushroom sauce, spoon over chicken Remove potatoes; Serve

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By Katie Zeller

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