the gals are coming, the gals are coming!!!!!!

This is a pretty fun week for me---2 of my sisters in law are coming to Chicago for girl's week! So the eating we do may not actually follow this menu exactly, but I will say there will be PLENTY of good eats!!! For now, this is what I have scheduled:

*Monday: General Tso's Chicken and Brown Rice

*Tuesday: Soy Glazed Salmon with Garlic Mashed Potatoes (I know I just made these a couple weeks ago, but Ryder LOVED them, and they are super easy!!!)

*Wednesday: Leftovers

*Thursday: "Cobb" theme--delicious (and beautiful) Turkey Cobb Salad, and corn on the cobb with bread (I like to buy a yummy baguette, and dip it in a mixture of a good olive oil and some parmesan cheese--You can also add some salt & pepper or balsamic vinegar)

*Friday: Giordano's! A MUST when visiting Chicago

*Saturday: Oatmeal Pancakes (see recipe below) with Buttermilk Syrup for breakfast, and dinner downtown

*Sunday: Chicken Fajitas, Cilantro/lime rice (see recipes below) and Guacamole (I didn't end up making any last weekend, so today is the day!!!)


OATMEAL PANCAKES

-1 c. rolled Oats
-1 3/4 c. buttermilk
-2/3 c. chopped pecans
-1 c. pure maple syrup
-1 c. all purpose flour
-3 TBLSP firmly packed light brown sugar
-2 tsp. baking soda
-pinch of salt
-1 egg, lightly beaten
-4 TBLSP unsalted butter, melted
-1/2 c. low-fat plain or vanilla yogurt

In a large bowl, combine oats and buttermilk and let stand for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, tast the pecans over medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant and lightly browned, about 5 mins. (*DO THIS ONLY IF YOU ARE MAKING THE PECAN MAPLE SYRUP* OR YOU CAN MAKE THE BUTTERMILK SYRUP...they are both completely SCRUMPTIOUS :) Remove from heat. Pour maple syrup into saucepan (mixture will bubble), stir well, cover to keep warm and set aside.
In a small bowl, stir together flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Add to soaked oats then stir in eggs and 2 TBLSP melted butter. Mix well.
In frying pan over med./high heat, heat remaining 2 TBLSP butter. Ladle butter into pan (forming pancakes). Cook until golden brown.
Top each pancake with syrup and a spoonful of yogurt (or I like to add some chopped strawberries... :)


CHICKEN FAJITAS

Marinade:
-1/4 c. oil
-1/2 c. vinegar
-4 cloves garlic, minced
-1 jalepeno pepper, finely chopped
-2 TBLSP snipped cilantro
-2 tsp. salt
-1 tsp. ground cumin

-2 whole chicken breasts, skinned, boned and cut into strips
-1 red pepper, 1green pepper, 1 yellow pepper (all cut into strips)
-1 purple onion (cut into strips)
-flour tortillas

Mix marinade; separate into two bowls. Add chicken to 1/2 of the marinade in one bowl, and peppers and onions in the other. Marinate 30 minutes at room temperature, or 2-24 hours in refrigerator.
Cook peppers until tender-crisp in fry pan. Remove and then cook chicken until done. Add peppers and heat through. Serve with warm tortillas, salsa and guacamole.


CILANTRO-LIME RICE

-2 TBLSP butter
-1 1/4 c. rice
-2 1/4 c. chicken broth
-3/4 tsp. salt
-pepper
-juice and zest of 1 large or 2 small limes
-2 TBLSP chopped cilantro
-1/4 tsp. cumin

In cooking pot, melt butter with rice, add liquid and other ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook for 20 minutes.