Menu - Week of March 2, 2009

I love March in Texas!  This weather is so crazy. Hot one day.  Cold the next.  You can have a day with a high temperature of 80 and it will still be 39 degrees at night.  That type of weather makes it hard to plan a menu.   I don't like to eat heavy food when it's hot out and I don't like to eat salad or something too light when it's cold out.   This week in preparation to make a menu, I have looked through the pantry and freezer and found that I have frozen chicken, frozen shrimp, frozen cooked salmon, and lots of noodles, plus magnificent leftovers from last night's cookout.  We also have two nights that we won't be home for dinner.  I have to make do with what is in the house already because my husband went to the grocery store this weekend and used up all my grocery money budgeted for the week already. 

Here is what I am thinking for this week:

• Monday - Hamburgers (from cookout leftovers), Beans, Canteloupe, and Grapes
  
• Tuesday - Hot dogs (from cookout leftovers), Carrots with dip, Pineapple
  
• Wednesday - Fish Tacos (with the frozen cooked salmon), Pico de Gallo, Rice, Edamame
  
• Thursday - PTA Meeting - Dinner at the meeting.
  
• Friday - Mexican Dinner Night at a friend's house; I am bringing shrimp ceviche and rice pudding.  I will make extra rice to stir-fry it for dinner tomorrow.
  
• Saturday - We are going to be at Explore UT all day so we need something quick for dinner.  Stir-fry rice, Cauliflower, Apple Slices
  
• Sunday -  Savory Chicken Sunday Supper, Steamed Broccoli, Cauliflower, and Carrots, Mangos
  

Pico de Gallo

This is a type of chunky salsa that is usually served over fajitas and fish tacos.   

1 tomato, cored, seeded, and diced

1/2 an onion,  diced 

1 serrano pepper, minced (seeded, if you don't like it hot)

1/2 small bunch of cilantro, chopped

juice of 3 limes

salt to taste

Mix all in glass bowl.  Let sit for a 10 minutes.  Enjoy!

Savory Chicken Sunday Supper (from 365 Easy One-Dish Meals)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 broiler-fryer chicken, cut into pieces, skinned

1 medium onion, chopped

1 garlic, minced

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

4 large red potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (you can use whatever potatoes you have in your pantry)

1/2 cup long grain rice

4 cups chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon  marjoram

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1. In a 5-quart Dutch oven, heat oil until hot over medium-high heat.  Add chicken and cook, turning once, until golden on both sides, 8 to 10 minutes.  Drain off any fat.

2. Add onion, garlic, green pepper, and carrots.  Cook, stirring often, until onions are soft, 2-3 minutes.

3. Stir in potatoes, rice, broth, marjoram, salt, and pepper.  Heat to boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until rice and potatoes are tender, 20-25 minutes.  Let stand covered, 5 minutes, before serving.

Enjoy!