Weekly Menu -- 2/26 through 3/4

I think I'm a bit of a snoop when it comes to people's kitchens. I love to know what they're cooking and eating. I came upon a blog the other day and the lovely author had posted her weekly menu. Great idea! I even got a suggestion from it -- that's the plan I guess.

And since I'm a planner of menus, one month at a time, I thought I'd share my meal plans. Maybe someone else will get an idea. Since the birthday dinner on Monday is a six-thumbs-up meal, I've shared the recipes below. If you see something else you'd like a recipe for, just leave a comment and I'll e-mail you.

Monday (Birthday!!)
Lunch: Chipotle (the birthday boy's fav)
Dinner: Kung Pao Chicken, white rice, Chinese green bean, Blondie Brownies

Tuesday
Lunch: Chicken noodle soup
Dinner: Beef Stew, cornbread, leftover Blondies

Wednesday
Lunch: Bird's Nests
Dinner: Tacos, rice and refritos, cabbage, Applesauce Cake

Thursday
Lunch: Spaghettios
Dinner: Wedding Soup, Hearth Bread, salad, leftover Applesauce Cake

Friday
Lunch: tomato soup
Dinner: Salmon burgers on toasted English muffins, chips, Jello salad, Bread Pudding

Saturday
Lunch: Skyline Chili (Saturday regular)
Dinner: Homemade pizza (also Saturday regular)

Sunday
Lunch: Sausage gravy and biscuits, eggs
Dinner: Turkey, sweet potato souffle, green beans, rolls, Chocolate Cream Pie


Kung Pao Chicken
2 chicken breasts, cut into 1" cubes*
1 egg white
4 T cornstarch
2 T bean sauce
1 T Hoisin sauce
1 T chili paste w/garlic (Sechuan paste)
1½ t sugar
1 T dry sherry or rice wine
1 T red wine vinegar
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and flattened, or minced if you like
2 cups oil
1 cup raw shelled peanuts
12 - 16 dried red peppers**

Mix chicken, egg white, cornstarch and salt to taste. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Combine bean paste, hoisin sauce, chili paste, sugar, wine, vinegar and garlic – set aside. Heat the oil in wok until almost boiling, but not smoking. Turn off heat and add peanuts. Cook until light golden brown. Remove peanuts and reserve oil. ***Heat 1 c. of oil and add chicken mixture. Cook quickly until chicken is translucent. Do not brown. Remove chicken and drain all but 2 T. of oil. Add peppers and cook until dark – about 15 seconds. Add sauce, chicken and peanuts. Cook one minute. Serve over rice.

NOTES:
*I have never known whether this recipe is supposed to be for 2 breast halves or wholes. I use two whole breasts and I double everything else (for the batter and the sauce). It's a good sauce to chicken ratio, in my opinion, so I have a feeling that the recipe was intended for 2 halves.
**Also, I do not use all of the dried peppers, but mine are dried from my garden, so they're hotter than store-bought. I also have a five-year-old who has to eat it, so while the boys would love it really spicey, I keep it just slightly spicey with five home-grown dried peppers.
***Another change if you have a peanut allergy like we do. I skip the first step of cooking the nuts. I start at the by cooking the chicken, and then I serve it with some roasted peanuts on the side for those who want them.



Blondie Brownies
2 - 1/2 cups flour
1 t baking powder
1 t cinnamon (opt) *I use 1/4 t.
1/2 t salt
1 cup butter or marg.
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup brn. sugar
2 eggs
2/3 cup lt. cream
2 t vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips

Heat oven to 375. Combine dry ingredients. Cream butter with sugars. Beat in eggs. Add cream and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and stir until mosit. Add butterscotch and chocolate chips. Spread batter in greased and floured 13 x 9 pan. Bake 25 min. or until toothpick comes out almost clean.