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Menu Plan for Winter I: Week 11, Day 5

Sautéed Chicken Breasts / Lemon & Capers
Lemon Garlic Basmati Rice
Peas with Parmesan

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

      Lemon is the theme in this dinner, both with the chicken and the rice. Not a lot of chopping or cutting, and no long cooking: an easy dinner!

Sautéed Chicken Breasts with Lemon & Capers

Total time: 30 minutes
     Chicken breasts, bathed in a light lemon and caper sauce, are always a refreshing main course

 Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
• 1 medium onion
• 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) chicken stock
• 2 tbs capers
• 1 lemon
• 1 tbs cornstarch (maizena) dissolved in 1 tbs water
• 1 tbs olive oil

 Instructions:

• Peel and slice onion.
• Slice lemon, discarding ends, and remove pips.
• Heat oil in nonstick skillet. Add onion and sauté until tender, 7 - 8 minutes.
• Move onion to sides of pan and add chicken breasts.  Sauté until light brown, about 5 minutes per side.
• Add chicken stock and capers.
• Arrange lemon slices on top of chicken breasts.  If you have too many slices just put directly in the stock.
• Cover, reduce heat and let simmer about 10 minutes, until chicken is done.
• To finish:
• Dissolve cornstarch in water.
• Remove chicken and lemon slices to a plate and cover with the lid from the pan.
• Turn heat up and when stock is boiling add cornstarch mixture, stirring until thickened.
• Serve chicken with lemon-caper sauce on the side.

Lemon Garlic Basmati Rice

Total time: 20 minutes 
     A bit of garlic, lemon and thyme adds a subtle hint of flavor to the Basmati that works perfectly with grilled or braised meats....  Especially those with a hint of lemon...

 Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (3.3oz, 95gr) Basmati rice
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tsp butter
• 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) chicken stock
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tbs lemon juice

 Instructions:

• Mince garlic.
• Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
• Add garlic and sauté briefly, 1 - 2 minutes.
• Add rice and sauté, stirring for 2 - 3 minutes.
• Add stock, thyme and lemon juice.  Cover and cook for length of time on package.
• When done fluff with a fork and serve. 

Peas with Parmesan

Total time: 15 minutes
    I try to keep prepared, canned and frozen food to a minimum, but some foods, like peas, I think are actually better frozen; as well as difficult to get fresh.  And easy is nice....

 Ingredients: 

• 8oz (240gr) fresh or frozen peas
• 1/4 cups chicken stock
• 2 tbs grated Parmesan

 Instructions:

• Put peas and stock into a small saucepan, cover and simmer until peas are hot and tender, about 10 minutes.
• Uncover, add sprinkle with Parmesan, stir and serve.

Cooking schedule: 30 minutes Assemble all food, utensils and serving dishes Utensils: measuring cups, spoons, knives, medium nonstick skillet with lid, 2 small saucepans with lids Slice onion, sauté Mince garlic Add chicken to onions, brown Sauté garlic for rice Add rice, sauté Add stock, lemon, herbs, to rice, cover, simmer

Turn chicken Slice lemon Add stock, capers, lemon to chicken, cover, simmer Put peas, stock in saucepan, cook Grate Parmesan Dissolve cornstarch in water    Pause while stuff cooks Remove chicken and lemon Thicken sauce Finish peas Fluff rice, Serve

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By Katie Zeller

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