Menu Monday: 87 Cents A Pound!!!

I have a lot of chicken at my house this week. If you did not get yours, run to Albertson's today because it's the last day for the sale (they also have a deal where you can get Quaker cereal and granola bars for a buck a box if you buy 5 which is no sweat at our house). It's with the skin and bone but I just cut the breast meat out and boil the bones for soup.
(PLEASE NOTE: If you commonly read in google reader, it will not show changes made to a post by the administrator. Many times I come back and add or fix things on here so you may want to click to the actual blog. I'm bad at that)
So, my brain has been on chicken.


I have two dishes to share with you today. A while back we had the one pictured below. It was easy and refreshingly different than our normal fare.

Italian Chicken Cacciatore

3 Chicken boneless, skinless breasts cut in half lengthwise to thin (or beat the tar out of a whole one if you like)

1 can Italian stewed tomatoes (or regular and add your teaspoon of Italian seasoning and some garlic powder which I'd add anyway)

1 pkg sliced mushrooms (Italian ones are better)

1/2 cup halved kamalata olives

1/2 white or red onion sliced

2 cloves garlic crushed or chopped

2 Tbs. Capers (optional)

2 Tbs. or a big splash of cooking Sherry or a dry white wine

salt and pepper to taste

Fresh parsley to top

EVOO

In a nonstick pan coat with EVOO for one min and put in chicken. Cook about 5 minutes on each side or longer depending on thickness. Remove meat. Add remaining ingredients to pan except parsley and let come to a good simmer. Do not cover. (If you feel this is a little dry for your taste, add 1/2 to 1 cup chicken stock but you will really want to simmer it down or you will have soup) Simmer on low until veggies are tender. Season to taste. Return meat to mixture to rewarm.

Serve over brown or white rice or even a favorite pasta. Top with fresh parsley.

This week we will be doing this recipe however which I don't have a picture for. It is way too easy and gets way too much undeserving praise at the dinner table. You just need to pick up one of these at your Costco or a smaller version at your supermarket. McCormick's Grill Mates: Montreal Chicken.

Again, I take about 3 Chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)and half them lengthwise (this just discourages waste in our family and helps us milk out our meat into more appropriate portions...it also allows more flavor with a thinner meat).

I just dust them top and bottom with this puppy right here above. I put them in my cast iron skillet with olive oil on the bottom of the pan. Roast them at 400* for about a half an hour turning them once.

I serve this simply with roasted red potatoes (cut in wedges, add onion and red pepper if I have it) that cook right in there with the meat, and cool tossed salad.

The seasoning and the roasting make for a tender, flavored and juicy chicken dish, and it's so simple.

Oh, and don't forget to make a great pot of sun tea!