The Simple Life at Home

Hey, I'm feeling pretty good!! I've gotten a home-cooked dinner on the table two nights in a row!! Not bad considering I'm still not sure how to work the oven in our new home. I did get it lit yesterday (with the help of Hubby) so that I could roast some potatoes and carrots to go with my pot roast in the crockpot. And today I made Bezella, one of Hubby's favorites. That's a stovetop recipe, so it was easy.

Apparently I need to push in the oven control to release the gas, then wave a match inside a slot on the bottom of the oven, then slowly release the oven control once it gets lit. Sounds simple, right? Well, I'm sure it would be if, upon lighting, a huge fireball didn't erupt and singe my hands! Then today, I cut my finger chopping tomatoes and just an hour later sliced into my thumb. Did ya know that thumbs bleed? Alot? There was blood everywhere - in the sink, on the floor, on the window, on the stove - everywhere. I was so relieved that I had sent the kids out to walk Snow just a couple of minutes before - they would have panicked.

Anyway, on to the menus. I know that it's only Sunday afternoon for most of you, but I'm used to doing my posts the night before when the house is quiet and I can actually, you know, think. I'll just have to link up later when Laura puts up her Menu Plan Monday post.

Here's what we'll be having this week:

Monday - Chicken Parmesan, Caesar salad and steamed veggies

Tuesday - Beef Stir Fry and rice

Wednesday - Bow Tie Pasta, garlic bread and salad

Thursday - Rosemary & Lime Chicken (recipe below), rice, and salad

Friday - Arabic Meatloaf (recipe below) and a chopped salad

Rosemary & Lime Chicken

1/3 cup vegetable oil
2.5-3 lbs. chicken, cut into serving size pieces (I use boneless breasts)
1/2 cup chicken broth
grated rind and juice of one 1 large lime
2 cloves minced garlic
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary, crumbled
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper

Heat oil in heavy skillet over moderately high heat. Add chicken and cook, uncovered, turning once or twice until well browned, about 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Cover, reduce heat to moderate low and simmer for 25 minutes. Skim fat from pan juices and service chicken with natural gravy. Simple and delicious!!

Arabic Meatloaf

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 bunch (a little less is ok) of finely chopped parsley
1 large finely chopped onion
1 tsp. allspice
salt to taste
thinly sliced potatoes (approx. 3 or 4, depending on size)
thinly sliced tomatoes (approx. 3 or 4, depending on size)
2 onions, thinly sliced into rings
Salt (I use sea salt) to taste

Mix first five ingredients well and spread about 3/4"thick into a large baking pan (9x12 works well). Cover with a layer of thinly sliced potatoes, overlapping slightly. Top that layer with a layer of tomatoes and then a layer of the onions. Sprinkle with salt. Bake at 375 degrees for one hour.