Week of March 16th - March 21st

Wow! I am a scatter brain these days! Without further ado, here is the schedule for the week:

Monday: Roast Chicken*, broccoli, & rice

Tuesday: Chicken Noodle Soup**

Wednesday: Baked Ziti

Thursday: Shorty's Dinner

Friday: Chicken Enchiladas

Saturday: Out to Dinner

*Baked Chicken? BAKED CHICKEN?! Is that scary to you? Don't be afraid. It's so, so, so easy & will become a family favorite. This is how I bake a chicken. To be fair and give credit where it's due - I found this in Mary Englebreit's Home Companion years ago. I always make two chickens for enough meat for additional meals or to take to someone who needs food (because that happens more often than I like to admit!) Here it is:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Assemble ingredients:
Two roasting chickens
Two lemons
Onion
Minced Garlic
Rosemary Sprigs (8)
salt
pepper
olive oil

Clean out chickens, pat dry with paper towel and fold wings back behind chicken (like they're "resting"). Cut lemons in half, squeeze over chicken, rub on skin, put lemon halves in chicken cavity. Lift skin on chicken breasts, rub minced garlic between skin and breast, place one sprig under skin of each breast and two in cavity. Drizzle olive oil over chicken, salt, and pepper.

Place chickens on their sides in roasting pan. Roast at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, place chickens on their backs, reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake for one hour or until juices run clear.

Once chicken is done, let it cool before handling, then cut into pieces. Remove meat from breasts.

**Chicken Noodle Soup. DON'T THROW AWAY THAT CHICKEN CARCASS!!! Oh it looks gross and like you should throw it in the garbage, but don't! Instead, put that pile of bones and meat in a stock pot with six cups of water, a couple carrots, a quartered onion, some celery, oregano or basil or thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and let simmer for two hours.

Strain broth and set aside bones. When cool enough, pick extra meat from bones, reserve for soup.

To make soup - place 1 cup carrots, 1 cup celery, 1/2 cup chopped onion, salt, and pepper in broth. Bring to boil and let cook for 10 minutes. Add 2 cups eggs noodles, boil for allotted time. Add chicken (2 cups), heat through, and serve.

Trust me - this isn't that hard & you will feel very thrifty & impressed with yourself!

Even after these two meals, you may still have meat left over. Use that for Chicken Enchiladas or Quesadillas or Gumbo or anything else that tickles your fancy!