There's good moo news to report. The price of milk - especially at Raley's - has dropped dramatically since early summer. I grabbed two gallons of non-fat Bayview brand for only $4.29. That's for TWO gallons, not one. Raley's price even beats Costco!
Recipe of the week - thanks to Sheila Kern - because both chicken breasts and pears are on sale. Get the chicken breasts at either Raley's ($1.88 a pound) or Safeway ($1.99 a pound). Pears are 49-cents a pound at Safeway.
Balsamic Chicken and Pears
Adapted from Tyson Foods recipes
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 pears, cored and thinly sliced
½ cup red onion, thinly sliced
3 t. olive oil
½ t. thyme
½ t. salt
¼ t. pepper
1 T. balsamic vinegar
Preheat oven to 450°F. Wash hands. Place pear and onion slices in a single layer in 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Combine oil, thyme, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. Spoon half of mixture over pears and onions. Cover dish tightly with foil; bake 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, place chicken in remaining mixture, turning to coat on all sides. Wash hands.
Uncover pear and onion slices; arrange chicken on top and drizzle with vinegar. Discard remaining oil mixture. Bake uncovered 20 minutes more or until chicken is done (internal temp 170°F).
When times are tough, we turn to meatloaf because it's easy, nutritious and relatively inexpensive. This recipe has two ingredients on sale this week at Safeway. Shop Saturday or Sunday and get the ground beef (80% lean) for $1.88 a pound. And use red bell pepper 99-cents a pound - instead of green).
Garden Vegetable Meatloaf
Adapted from Quaker Oats (www.quakeroats.com)
Ingredients
1 ½ pounds lean ground beef or turkey
¾ cup Quaker Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
¾ cup finely chopped onion
½ cup catsup
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 T. Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ t. salt
¼ t. black pepper
½ cup shredded carrot
2/3 cup finely chopped red or green bell pepper or combination of
3 T. finely chopped parsley
1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chilies
Preparation
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine first nine ingredients. Add carrots, peppers, and parsley. Mix lightly but thoroughly. Place meatloaf into a loaf pan.
Bake 50-55 minutes or until meatloaf is to medium doneness (160 degrees Fahrenheit for beef, 170 degrees Fahrenheit for turkey).
Spoon tomatoes into microwave-safe bowl; microwave covered on high until heated through. Slice meatloaf; top with tomatoes.
Here's a salad to go with the meatloaf or chicken. Broccoli is available at Raley's for $1.19 a pound or Safeway, 88-cents a pound.
Fresh Broccoli Salad
From Taste of Home (www.tasteofhome.com)
SERVINGS: 9
TIME: Prep/Total Time: 20 min.
Ingredients:
- 6 cups fresh broccoli florets
- 1 can (8 ounces) sliced water chestnuts, drained
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup chopped red onion
- 3/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
- 3/4 cup fat-free plain yogurt
- 1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 1-1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar
- 1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the broccoli, water chestnuts, cranberries and onion. In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, yogurt, sugar, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper. Pour over salad; toss to coat. Just before serving, sprinkle with almonds. Yield: 9 servings.
And, lastly, a tasty and low-cal zucchini dish. Zucchini is available at Safeway for 99-cents a pound;
Zucchini Oven Chips
From Cooking Light (www.cookinglight.com)
Yield
4 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup)
Ingredients
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fat-free milk
2 1/2 cups (1/4-inch-thick) slices zucchini (about 2 small)
cooking spray
Preparation
Preheat oven to 425°.
Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Place milk in a shallow bowl. Dip zucchini slices in milk, and dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Place coated slices on an ovenproof wire rack coated with cooking spray; place rack on a baking sheet. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes or until browned and crisp. Serve immediately.
About Comments
Reader comments on Sacbee.com are the opinions of the writer, not The Sacramento Bee. If you see an objectionable comment, click the "report abuse" button below it. We will delete comments containing inappropriate links, obscenities, hate speech, and personal attacks. Flagrant or repeat violators will be banned. See more about comments here.