March menus: slow-cooked ribs from the oven, quick skewered chicken on the barbecue, nutritious cookies for breakfast - recipes

Sunset, March, 1989

Slow-cooked ribs ftom the oven, quick skewered chicken on the barbecue, nutritious cookies for breakfast

The ebbing of winter and the promise of spring make it difficult to plan menus in March. We've split the choices. The first is a warming, substantial, slow-cooked oven meal. The second is a lighter, grillcooked dinner, which goes together quickly for the occasional warm evening.

Breakfast comes from a jar full of chunky, wholesome, fruit-laden cookies that make hand-held substitutes for cereal.

Rib supper ftom the oven

When you expect to be home for a 3-hour stretch, be a lazy cook. Tuck meaty country-style pork ribs and sauerkraut in to bake. Add potatoes later, then cook the greens in the roasting juices, making a one-dish meal for hearty appetites.

Country-style Ribs with Sauerkraut,

New Potatoes, and Mustard Greens

Applesauce

Hot Fudge Ice Cream Sundaes

Gamay Milk

Add potatoes to pan after ribs have cooked 1-1/2 hours. Buy or make applesauce. Warm fudge sauce, homemade or purchased, to flow over ice cream.

Country-style Ribs with Sauerkraut,

New Potatoes, and Mustard Greens

1 large can (27 oz.) sauerkraut, drained

3 pounds country-style pork ribs

1 tablespoon coarse-ground pepper

8 small thin-skinned potatoes (about 1-1/2-in. diameter; about 1 lb. total), scrubbed

About 1 pound mustard greens

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

Pour sauerkraut into a colander and rinse with cool, running water; let drain. In a 10- by 14-inch roasting pan, evenly spread sauerkraut. Lay ribs on sauerkraut down the center of the pan; sprinkle with pepper. Tightly cover pan with foil. Bake in a 375[deg] oven for 1-1/2 hours.

Remove foil, turn ribs over, and tuck the potatoes into sauerkraut around the ribs. Bake, uncovered, until ribs are browned and meat and potatoes are very tender when pierced, about 50 minutes.

Meanwhile, rinse mustard greens. Cut or tear off tough stems and discard. Cut into strips about 1/2 inch wide.

With a slotted spoon, gently transfer ribs, potatoes, and sauerkraut to a platter; keep warm. Set pan with juices over mediumhigh heat; add mustard greens and horseradish. Stir until greens are limp and a darker green. Spoon greens and juices into a bowl, or alongside ribs. Makes 4 servings. Iris Harris, Carmel, Calif

Per serving: 611 caL; 31 g protein; 41 g fat; 31 g carbo.; 549 mg sodium; 117 mg chol.

Quick chicken barbecue

Small chunks of chicken breast, skewered, cook fast on the barbecue. To save time, buy boned and skinned breasts.

Chicken-on-a-Stick with Couscous

Cumin-Garlic Yogurt Sauce

Cucumber and Carrot Slices

Sliced Pineapple Butter Cookies

Chardonnay Sparkling Water

The quickest route is to first season the chicken, then heat the barbecue. Next, make the yogurt sauce, and skewer the chicken while bringing broth to boil for the couscous. This tiny pasta doesn't need cooking; it warms and swells in hot broth. Then, as the chicken grills, slice the vegetables and fruit.

Chicken-on-a-Stick with Couscous

1 1/4 pounds boned and skinned chicken breasts

1/3 cup lemon juice

1/3 cup olive or salad oil

1/4 cup dry white wine

6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed 2 dry bay leaves, crumbled Couscous (recipe follows)

Salt and pepper

Rinse chicken, pat dry, and cut into about 3/4-inch chunks. In a bowl, combine chicken, lemon juice, oil, wine, garlic, and bay leaves; mix to blend ingredients. Cover and chill 15 minutes to 4 hours.

Lift meat from marinade; reserve marinade. Divide meat into 8 equal portions. Thread each portion on a slender skewer (you'll need 8, each at least 6 in. long). Lay skewered chicken on a grill 4 to 6 inches above a solid bed of medium-hot coals (you should be able to hold your hand at grill level only 3 to 4 seconds). Cook chicken, basting with marinade and turning as needed, until meat is lightly browned and no longer pink in center of thickest piece (cut to test), about 10 minutes. Place 2 skewers of chicken on each dinner plate. Serve with couscous and salt and pepper to taste. Makes 4 servings.-Amy McClure, Bozeman, Mont.

Per serving : 531 cal; 43g protein; 15 g fat; 55 g carbo.; 168 mg sodium; 90 mg chol.

Couscous. In a 2- to 3-quart pan over high heat, bring to a boil 2-1/2 cups regularstrength chicken broth and 1 tablespoon butter or margarine, Stir in 10 ounces (1-2/3 cups) couscous. Cover and remove from heat; let stand until liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup sliced green onion and pepper to taste. You can cover couscous and keep warm up to 15 minutes; stir with a fork and serve.

Cumin-Garlic Yogurt Sauce 1-1/2 cups unflavored yogurt

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro (coriander)

1 clove garlic, minced or pressed

1 teaspoon cumin seed

In a bowl, mix together yogurt, cilantro, garlic, and cumin seed. Cover and refrigerate at least 15 minutes or until next day Makes about 1-1/2 cups.

Per tablespoon: 9.4 cal.; 0.7 g protein; 0.2 g fat; 1 g carbo.; 10 mg sodium; 0.8 mg chol.