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Menu Plan for Winter I: Week 4, Thursday

Chicken with Mushrooms, Broccoli and Peppers
Fried Smashed Potatoes

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

    A stir-fry doesn't have to be Asian. Use the rest of the mushrooms here.

Chicken with Mushrooms, Broccoli and Peppers

Total time: 25 minutes
    Tarragon and capers are the main flavor components of this chicken dish. They give a Mediterranean taste to the peppers and broccoli.  It all cooks quickly, leaving the vegetables crisp-tender.

 Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
• 4oz (120gr) mushrooms
• 1 onion
• 1/2 green pepper
• 1/2 head broccoli
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tbs capers
• 3/4 cup (6oz, 120ml) white wine
• 1 tsp dried tarragon
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tbs tomato paste
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 tbs cornstarch (corn flour, maizena) dissolved in 2 tbs water

 Instructions:

• Roughly chop onion.
• Slice the green pepper into strips 1/4" (.6cm) wide.
• Cut broccoli into florets and peel and slice the stem. 
• Mince garlic.
• Trim and thickly slice mushrooms.
• Cut chicken into large bite-size pieces.
• Dissolve cornstarch in water.
• Heat oil in nonstick skillet.  Add onion and sauté 5 minutes.
• Add garlic, broccoli, mushrooms and pepper and sauté another 5 minutes.
• Add chicken and sauté until it's cooked on all sides.
• Add capers, herbs, wine, stock and tomato paste.
• Cover, reduce heat and cook another 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and broccoli is just tender
• Uncover, increase heat.
• Stir in cornstarch to thicken. 
• Serve over rice or with buttered potatoes.

Fried Smashed Potatoes

Total time: 35 minutes  
     Boiled potatoes, smashed and fried in butter and olive oil.... A bit of salt and pepper, nothing more...  These are meant to be rough, big chunks mixed with small bits, and brown. 

 Ingredients:

• 2 medium potatoes
• 2 tsp butter
• 2 tsp olive oil - optional

 Instructions:

• Cut potatoes into large chunks and cook in rapidly boiling water until tender, about 15 minutes. 
• Cover the pot to start, then partially remove to prevent boiling over.  When done, drain. 
• Heat butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add potatoes, and roughly smash down with the back of a large spoon or spatula.
• Leave, undisturbed, 5 - 7 minutes, until browning nicely.
• With spatula, lift up in sections, turn and smash down again. 
• Leave for 4 - 5 minutes and repeat. 
• Drizzle with olive oil if you like, and leave for 5 minutes longer. 
• Add salt and pepper, remove and serve. 

Cooking schedule: 35 minutes Assemble all food, utensils and serving dishes Utensils: measuring cups, spoons, knives, large skillet with lid, small saucepan with lid, medium skillet Cut potatoes, cook Chop onion Slice pepper Trim, cut broccoli Mince garlic Sauté onion Cut chicken breasts Trim, slice mushrooms

Add peppers, garlic, mushrooms, broccoli, sauté Add chicken, sauté Add capers, herbs, wine, stock, tomato paste Cover, simmer Drain potatoes Melt butter in medium skillet, add potatoes, smash    Pause while stuff cooks Turn potatoes, fry, drizzle oil if using Dissolve cornstarch in water Uncover chicken, increase heat Turn potatoes, fry Add cornstarch and thicken sauce Serve all

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By Katie Zeller

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