Sunday dinners are my way of connecting with family and friends. They provide an opportunity to catch up and make those you care about feel special. It’s easy and fun to do. Some days I have the time and energy to make everything from scratch, but there are Sundays when I am tired and I need short cuts. This week’s meal is quick, but as you will see the result are fabulous!! No one will ever know you only spent 30 minutes in the kitchen preparing…. It’s our secret! 🙂
A family favorite from childhood, this chicken and rice dish is still a hit and I am pretty happy to say that it’s healthy, too….. Simple ingredients takes only minutes to prepare and leaves your guests singing you praises….. What could be better? Below you will find everything you need to put your dinner together. I’ve included the ingredients for the entire meal in the grocery bag. I tend to use organic whenever possible, but please use whatever works best for you. Let’s get started.
THE MEAL/MENU – Teriyaki Chicken, Brown Rice, Broccoli, Asian Cashew Chopped Salad and an Apple Tart w/Vanilla Ice Cream for dessert.
Grocery Bag (estimated cost for this meal is: $–)
- 4 to 6 organic chicken breasts, boned and skinned. I buy mine at Costco. You cannot beat the price ($5.99 lb)
- 1 bottle of low sodium soya sauce (you may also use coconut aminos)
- 1 T fresh garlic (2-3 cloves) minced for rice (you may substitute garlic powder)
- 1 T fresh garlic (2-3 cloves) minced for chicken (you may substitute garlic powder)
- 1 T sugar
- 1 lemon
- 1 cup brown or white rice ( mix them)
- 2 cans low sodium Beef Consume soup
- ¼ cup butter (one cube is generally ½ cup so you only need half a cube; cut into four sections for easy blending)
- Bunch of broccoli or your veggie of choice
- Taylor Farms Asian Cashew Chopped Salad – Costco carries this, too ($7.99)
- I add a ¼ cup extra cashews
- Pie crust – Trader Joe’s has a great premade one in their freezer section ($1.99)
- 4 Granny Smith apples
- ¼ cup butter – cut while it’s cold into pieces a bit smaller than a dice
- ½ cup sugar + 1t cinnamon mixed together
- Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream (just a little to top the warm apple galette)
Beverages – I always filled water glasses at my table. In addition, I would go with a white wine for this dinner menu. I like Sauvignon Blanc, which tends to be crisp in flavor and can include citrus, melon, tropical & floral notes. I like Hanna, Joel Gott, Matua, Kim Crawford…. to name a few. Trader Joe’s and Costco both have a nice selection and I can always find a bottle under $15. A non-alcoholic option would be sprinkling lime with a twist of lime. You can add a little ginger beer to it for more flavor. Ginger beer contains no alcohol. I garnish it with a lime slice.
Preparation (start with rice because it takes longer to cook)
Rice
- 1 cup brown or white rice ( mix them)
- 2 cans low sodium Beef Consume soup
- 1 T fresh garlic (2-3 cloves) minced for rice (you may substitute garlic powder)
- ¼ cup butter (one cube is generally ½ cup so you only need half a cube; cut into four sections for easy blending)
In oven-proof covered baking dish, add rice, consume soup and garlic, blend. Add butter. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 ½ hrs.
Chicken
- 4 to 6 organic chicken breasts, boned and skinned. I buy mine at Costco. You cannot beat the price ($5.99 lb).
- 1 bottle of low sodium soya sauce (you may also use coconut aminos)
- 1 T fresh garlic (2-3 cloves) minced for chicken (you may substitute garlic powder)
- 1 T sugar
- 1 lemon
Use a oven-safe baking dish that has at least a 1” edge (a bit higher is preferable from a mess standpoint)
Place your chicken into the dish and cover with soya sauce or coconut aminos ( coconut aminos are healthier and are gluten free)
Sprinkle chicken with sugar and garlic powder.
Squeeze lemon juice over chicken.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 mins, turning every 10 minutes until done (chicken should have an internal temp of 165).
Salad (should be prepared 10-20 mins prior to eating)
- Asian Cashew Chopped Salad – Costco carries this, too ($7.99)
- I add a ¼ cup extra cashews
- Prepare salad by emptying ingredients into a bowl, add in extra cashews, if desired, and mix.
Dessert
- Pie crust – Trader Joe’s has a great premade one in their freezer section ($1.99)
- 4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
- ¼ cup butter – cut while it’s cold into pieces a bit smaller than a dice
- ½ cup sugar + 1t cinnamon mixed together
Peel apples (potato peeler works great), cut in half and then slice. Mix in bowl with sugar/cinnamon mixture.
Place your pie crust on a large cookie sheet, about 10”x14” (I line mine with parchment paper for easy removal after baking).
Arrange apple slices in a single layer on the crust, leaving approximately a 2” clear border all the way around.
Evenly place small pieces of the butter on top of the apples.
Fold clear edge up over apples.
Bake at 450 degrees for 45 minutes.
Top with a little whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
THE TABLE
- Chargers – Cost Plus
- Plates and platters – Target
- Runner and napkins – Target
- Glassware – Cost Plus
- Flatware – Costco
- Candles – Michael’s
- Flowers – Trader Joe’s
- Pumpkins – Home Goods
- Vase – Hobby Lobby
Setting your table is easy. Plate is your home base and your build around that. Forks go to the left. If you are going to use more than one fork, you put the one you will use first on the outside and work toward your plate. To the right of your plate you will put your knife (blade ALWAYS faces towards the plate so that no one cuts themselves accidentally), then your spoon. Glasses all go about the knife and spoon. Pictures reflect this set up.
PLAYLIST
FLOWERS and TABLE DECOR
I tend to by all my flowers from Trader Joe’s. They have great prices and a nice selection. The floral on my table here cost $2.50. You can use any vase. The one here is from Hobby Lobby and cost $6.00. I found the wooden pumpkins at Home Goods last year on clearance, but I saw them this year. They varied in price from $10 – $20.