Memorial Day Barbeque

On the Menu:

Grilled Chicken with Avocado Salsa

Lime-Cilantro Quinoa Salad

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Fresh Cut Watermelon

Grilled Chicken with Avocado Salsa

I make this rub and keep it in a tightly lidded glass container in my pantry to use as needed.  It's a great spice mixture to have on hand.  Try it on chicken, fish, beef, or pork.  For best flavor, rub it on the meat the night before, but in a pinch, you can apply it just before the BBQ.

Rub:
1 cup kosher salt
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon allspice
2 tablespoons ground ancho chile
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon fresh ground pepper

Chicken:

If chicken breast is too thick, pound it to thin it for even cooking.  Rub chicken with spice mixture.  Let it sit in the refrigerator over night if possible.  Prepare Grill.  Grill chicken 6 minutes on each side or until done.  For additional flavor, place some applewood chips in a foil bowl, and place on the hot grill while grilling the meat.  Close the BBQ lid to keep in some of the smoked flavor.  Remove chicken from grill, top with avocado salsa.

Avocado Salsa:

1 cup diced roma tomatoes

2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 avocado, peeled and finely chopped

Combine all salsa ingredients in a bowl.  Toss.  Serve over chicken.

Cilantro-Lime Quinoa Salad

Salad: 

3 cups cooked quinoa (1 cup dry cooked with 2 cups chicken broth)

1 cup black beans

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 red bell pepper, chopped

Dressing:

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/8 teaspoon salt

Toss all salad ingredients together in a bowl.  In a separate small bowl, stir together all dressing ingredients.  Drizzle dressing over quinoa mixture.  Serve immediately or refrigerate for later use.

Strawberry & Spinach Salad

Salad ingredients:
Fresh sliced Strawberries
Fresh baby spinach
chopped walnuts, toasted

Poppy Seed Dressing:
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons minced onion
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon worcestershire

Toss all salad ingredients in a large bowl.  For dressing, combine all dressing ingredients in a blender.  Process until smooth.  Drizzle dressing on salad.  Save leftover dressing in refrigerator for a later use.

Yellow Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Our favorite yellow birthday cake.

Sometimes homemade cakes are disappointing....  too dry, too dense, too sweet, or they have bad texture and the flavor is lacking.   Not this one.  This cake is rich, moist and delicious, without being too heavy.  It's perfectly satisfying.

Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting (adapted from Cooking Light)

Cake:
1 Tbs flour
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 (8 ounce) carton reduced fat all natural sour cream (such as Daisy brand)
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350.
Coat bottom of a 13X9 inch baking pan with oil spray (do not coat sides of pan); line bottom of pan with wax paper.  Coat wax paper with oil spray; dust with 1 Tbs flour.  Set aside.

Combine 1/2 cup butter and sour cream in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk until well blended.  Add sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla.  Beat with a mixer at medium speed 3 minutes or until well blended.  Add eggs; beat 2 minutes or until well blended.

Lightly spool 2 cups flour into measuring cups; level with a knife.  Combine 2 cups flour, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, stirring well with a whisk.  Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition.  Pour batter into prepared pan.  Sharply tap pan once on counter to remove air bubbles.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan.  Carefully peel off wax paper; cool completely on wire rack.

Frosting:
1/2 cup (4 ounces) Neufchatel cheese
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup cocoa
1-2 Tablespoons milk
1/8 tsp salt
2 cups powdered sugar

Place cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 tsp vanilla in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until fluffy.  Add coca, milk, and 1/8 tsp salt; beat at low speed until well blended.  Gradually add powdered sugar.  beat at low speed until creamy.  Place cake on a serving platter and spread frosting over top and sides of cake.

Notes:  You can make this cake as directed, in two rounds for a layered cake, or double the recipe and make two 9X13 sheet cakes for a layered sheet cake.  This cake does not have a domed top so it is perfect for layer cakes.

***Because a pretty cake is worth nothing if it doesn't taste good :)

Wholesome Apple Pie

Simple, wholesome, apple pie a la mode.   The baked apples bring the rich sweet-tart flavor, the cinnamon enhances it, and the delicate, buttery, whole wheat crust wraps it all up into the perfect fruit-filled pastry.  Delicious!  We enjoyed it warm out of the oven with a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream.  

This apple pie is made up of only five ingredients; braeburn apples, cinnamon, freshly ground 100% whole wheat flour, butter, and salt.  No sugar or sweetener required!   Sound odd?  Not too odd.... the early English never added sugar to their apple pies.

Wholesome Apple Pie

Filling:
5-6 Braeburn apples, peeled, cored and sliced 1/4 inch thick ( you can also try Golden Delicious, or Pink Lady)
2-3 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt

Mix the above together in a bowl.

Pastry Crust:
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
7/8 cups butter, cold and diced into small pieces
1 teaspoon salt
5/6 tablespoons ice water

Combine the whole wheat flour and salt in a large bowl.  Cut in butter with a pastry blender. If butter does not cut in well with the pastry blender, use your clean hands to mix it in (I usually do this). Next, sprinkle 1 T of ice water on flour mixture, toss together with a fork for about 20 seconds.  Sprinkle on another tablespoon of water and toss again.  Continue until the dough can be gathered into a ball.  If you are used to making pastry dough with white flour and shortening, this will feel quite different.  You still don't want the dough to be too wet but it will feel more moist then a white flour dough.  When it can be gathered into a ball, divide it into 2 balls and roll out one of them into a pie shape.  Loosen the rolled dough from the surface with a flat spatula.  This dough is more fragile then white flour dough.  Do not try to fold it in half, instead, slide a thin cookie sheet or glass cutting board underneath it and then slip it off the cutting board on top of the pie pan.  Shape to the pie pan and trim the edges. 

Fill the pastry shell with the apple mixture.  

Roll out the top crust, then use the cutting board method to transfer it to the top of the pie.  Be sure to moisten the edges of the bottom crust first so that they adhere together well.  Crimp the sides together as desired.  Slice a few air vents on the top crust.

Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes.

This pie is deliciously flavored as is, but if your sweet tooth calls for it, you can add a little sugar to the apples, and also sprinkle some cinnamon-sugar on top of the pie before baking.

“Good apple pies are a considerable part of our domestic happiness.”
Jane Austen

"Thy breath is like the steame of apple-pyes." 
Robert Greene (1590) 'Arcadia'

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Everybody loves chicken noodle soup. It's made of humble ingredients like carrots, onions, celery, and chicken, yet there is no other food more deserving of it's fame. It is also the ultimate comfort food. So when my little girl was feeling ill and in need of some comforting, I simmered up a pot of this delicious soup! When she felt better and returned to school, she had only one request.... that I pack some in a thermos for her school lunch!  I now make this with fresh ground whole wheat flour, made from hard white winter wheat.


Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup:

1 tsp canola oil
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic, diced or pressed
1 1/2 cups of sliced carrots
3 stalks of celery, chopped
8 cups chicken stock (best if homemade but store bought will do- if using store broth, use low sodium)
2 tsp chicken base (bouillon paste) (if using store bought broth- use only 1 tsp and also add 1-2 cups of water if needed)
1 bay leaf
2 teaspons fresh thyme (or 1/2 tspt dried)
Salt and Pepper (no salt necessary if using store bought broth)
1 1/2 cups cooked chopped chicken (you can easily get cooked chicken breast by boiling 2-3 breasts in the 8 cups of stock/broth first)

Saute onions in oil for 4 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and cook for 45 seconds stirring constantly. Add broth and the remaineder of the ingredients. Cook over medium low heat for 1-2 hours.

Noodles:
2 Cups flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/4-1/3 cup of milk.

Combine the flour, salt, egg and milk. Mix until it forms a sticky ball. Flour a work surface and roll out the dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut noodles with a pizza cutter to desired length and width. Add the noodles a few at a time to the simmering soup. Be sure to keep them separated while adding them until they are cooked. They only take about 30 seconds to cook.

If you haven't made noodles before don't let it scare you. Anyone can do it and it really is a sinch. You just mix 4 ingredients together, roll it out, cut it into noodles, then add it to the soup.

Entertaining Menu

This is a fabulous entertaining menu for a large group! It is flavorful, relatively easy to prepare and presents beautifully. We prepared and served 60-70 servings for an elegant Christmas Dinner just last week.

Appetizer:
Bruschetta with Sliced Baguettes

Main Menu:
Roasted Chicken with Capers, Olives and Plums
Rosemary Roasted Red Poatoes
Mixed Spring Greens with Cucumber, Carrots and Onions
Homemade salad dressings: vinaigrette & creamy buttermilk

Dessert: (we were outside at this point)
Hot Chocolate and Wasail
Biscotti

The flavors in this dish are rich and elegant, yet it is easy to prepare: all the prep work for the chicken is done the previous day, and left to marinate overnight... making the day of your party more relaxing. AND if you are scared of the dried plums... please don't be! After roasting with all the other ingredients they meld in graceously and add the perfect touch to the dish. If your guest don't want to try them... they can just scoot them aside (as a garnish) and still enjoy the rest of the dish. The chicken comes out moist and flavorful, the roasted plums are smooth in your mouth, and the olives and capers lend that earthy note that balances it all out. The sauce is so delicious that you'll want some bread on the side to soak up the last drops on your plate.

Chicken with Capers, Olives and Plums

adapted from The Silver Palate Cookbook (Marbella Chicken)

This recipe can be made with all breast, all thighs and legs, or a mixture of the three, depending on your taste preferences and budget. Serve it with the rosemary roasted red potatoes or something that can soak up the sauce like polenta, orzo, angel hair pasta, or mashed potatoes.

1 (12-ounce) package pitted, bite-size dried plums
1 (4 ounce) jar capers
1 (0.5-ounce) bottle dried oregano
6 bay leaves
1 garlic bulb, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
1 1/2 cups pimento-stuffed olives
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
2 teaspoons pepper
8 pounds mixed chicken pieces
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup dry white wine (or substitute: ½ c white grape juice and ½ c chicken broth)
Garnish each plate with a sprig of parsley

Combine first 10 ingredients in a large bowl. Add chicken pieces, turning to coat well; cover and chill for at least 8 hours (overnight is best), turning chicken occasionally.
Arrange chicken in a single layer in one sheet pan or two 13- x 9-inch baking pan(s). Pour marinade evenly over chicken, and sprinkle evenly with brown sugar; pour wine (or wine substitute) around pieces.
Bake at 350° for 50 minutes to 1 hour, basting frequently. When done, it should be between 170-180 degrees and the juices should run clear.
Remove chicken, dried plums, olives, and capers from the sheet pan and place into a serving dish. Drizzle with pan juices. Garnish with parsley.

Rosemary Roasted Red Potatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 pounds small red potatoes, quartered into ½ inch pieces (about 8 cups)
2 garlic cloves minced (or 2 tsp bottled minced garlic)
2 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss potatoes, oil, garlic and rosemary on a rimmed metal baking sheet. Spread out potatoes in a single layer; season with salt and pepper. Roast, stirring once halfway through cooking, until potatoes are golden brown and crisp outside and tender inside, about 35 minutes.

Tomato Bruschetta

I really love this bruschetta. You can make it the day before, and let it sit in the fridge so that the flavors mary well. It is best served with warmed Naan bread for dipping, but the traditional sliced baguette works well too. Be sure to consistantly petite-dice the tomatoes. It really makes a difference in presentation and with the ease of scooping it up on your bread. Best served at room temperature.

I made some and took it with us on our last camping trip. It was the perfect "sit around the campfire" snack. If you do this, wrap your Naan bread in foil and toss it on to hot coals in your fire pit for a few minutes until warmed.

Next time I make it I will have to take some pictures!

6 roma tomatoes, petite chopped

1/2 c sundried tomatoes, packed in oil, chopped
2-3 cloves minced garlic
2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 c fresh basil, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/4 c finely chopped red onion

Combine all the ingredients. It is best if it can sit in the fridge for at least a few hours or over night.

Vinaigrette
Yield: 6 tablespoons (serving size: 1 1/2 tablespoons)

1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped shallots
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Combine vinegar, shallots, salt, Dijon mustard, and pepper. Gradually add olive oil, stirring until incorporated.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Bacon Pasta

A few days ago my friend, Christina Dickerson, brought me some butternut squash as a gift, fresh from her uncles garden. I love butternut squash! It is sweet, rich and buttery. It's never stringy or grainy, but has such a smooth and fine texture perfect for roasting in the oven, pureeing into soups or making into biscuits. It has truely earned its rank as "champion of the squash".

If you enjoy butternut squash too, try this delicious comfort-food dish. In this recipe, the sweeteness of the butternut squash pairs well with the smokey, salty bacon. The flavor combination is exquisite and the pasta brings it all home. Serve it with a big spinach salad and some fresh-cut watermelon. Next time I'd substitute whole wheat pasta.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Bacon Pasta
(adapted from Cooking Light)

3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups (1-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash
Cooking spray
6 sweet hickory-smoked bacon slices
1 cup diced red onion
8 ounces uncooked mini penne (tube-shaped pasta)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups 1% milk
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded reduced fat provolone cheese
2/3 cup (3 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
Preheat oven to 425°.

Combine 1/4 teaspoon salt, rosemary, and pepper. Place squash on a foil-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with salt mixture. Bake at 425° for 20 minutes or until tender and lightly browned. Increase oven temperature to 450°.

Cook the bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 1 1/2 teaspoons drippings in pan; crumble bacon. Increase heat to medium-high. Add onions to pan; sauté 8 minutes or until tender. Combine squash mixture, bacon, and shallots; set aside.

Cook pasta according to the package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain well.

Combine flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly with a whisk; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add provolone and 1/3 c pamesan cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Add pasta to cheese mixture, tossing well to combine. Spoon pasta mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray; top with squash mixture. Sprinkle evenly with 1/3 C Parmesan cheese. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until cheese melts and begins to brown.

Coconut Milk Cupcakes

Coconut milk has been on my mind lately, well, atleast when I think about cooking. I blame it on the bowl of butternut squash soup I had at Cafe Coco's in Kaua'i last week... it was deliciously rich, made with fresh local coconut milk and a sprinkle of curry. It's odd because I never liked coconut as a kid--not candy bars, cake, or even granola bars with just a hint of coconut flavoring. I probably never tried coconut milk. Now, I love the flavor and richness that coconut milk brings to a recipe-- in sweets, stir-fries, rice, or soup. Coconut milk has earned a rotation spot in my pantry.

These cupcakes could be mistaken for a rich basic white cupcake.... they don't flaunt the coconut flavor... just the moisture and richness that the coconut milk lends. Try this recipe even if you have an aversion to coconut.

Coconut Milk Cupcakes
2 1/4 cups flour
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 2/3 cups sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°.

Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

Combine 2 1/4 cups flour, baking powder, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Place sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (for about 5 minutes). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in vanilla.

Pour batter into lined cupcake tins. Sharply tap the pans once on countertop to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350°until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool cupcakes. Frost with cream cheese icing. Top with chopped toasted macadamia nuts, turbinado sugar or our favorite... strawberry slices.

I usually wing it for icing...

Cream Cheese icing:

Put 1/2 a block of Neuffchatel cheese in a mixing bowl. Add 1 Tbs softened butter. Beat with a mixer. Add powdered sugar to desired consistancy. If it gets too thick, just keep mixing. It will usually soften up again. Mix in 1 1/2 tsps vanilla.

Note: Find coconut milk in the Asian food aisle of your grocery store.

Yogurt-Cheese Snickerdoodles

I created this recipe to bring to my sister's baby shower, and it has since become a favorite! The yogurt cheese works wonders here. It lends moisture and tenderness to the crumb and adds to the distinctive tang found in these well-loved cinnamon-and-sugar cookies. Amy tried out the recipe last week and her teenage son said, "These are the best cookies I've ever had!".



Yogurt Cheese Snickerdoodles
1 C whole wheat flour
1 2/3 c all purpouse flour
2 tsp cream of tarter
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
5 Tbs butter
¾ C plain nonfat yogurt
1 ½ c sugar
1 egg
2 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla

3 tbs sugar
1 Tbs Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.

Make the yogurt cheese:
Spread out yogurt on top of layered paper towels on your counter. Put a few paper-towels on top as well. Let the liquid from the yogurt soak into the paper towels until the yogurt turns into a thicker, more cheese like consistency. It will resemble a soft cream cheese that you can peel away from the paper towels. Replace the wet towels with dry ones as needed until the consistancy is achieved.

Make the cookies:
Whisk together the dry ingredients (flours-salt) in a medium bowl, set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter, yogurt cheese, and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the egg and egg whites, one at a time beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Gradually mix in the flour mixture. DO NOT OVERMIX. Chill dough in the freezer for 30 mins. Ball up the dough and coat each cookie in cinnamon-and-sugar, place on a cookie sheet, coated with cooking spray, and flatten with the palm of your hand. Bake for 10 mins or until done. Becareful not to over-cook them!




Additional Tips:
Reduced-fat cookie doughs are more delicate then their fattier counterparts, so you need to take some precautions when mixing. If you over mix, the gluten will develop and the cookies will be tough instead of tender. When it comes time to add the dry ingredients, I usually put the mixer aside, and mix it with a big wooden spoon.

Do not over bake... or your cookies will have a tough outer crust!

I like to double the recipe and freeze the dough in a large zip-lock bag. Then, when we have a craving for some of these yummy morsels-- it's a sinch! Take it out of the freezer, ball it up, coat it with cinnamon and sugar, place them on the cookie sheet, flatten and bake! Yum! (You could also freeze the dough unbaked, pre-rolled, and flattened on a cookie sheet. Then scoop them up and put them in a zip-lock bag and return them to the freezer until that craving comes again.)

My beautiful daughter enjoying a snickerdoodle.

Cheddar Chicken and Corn Chowder

I know it's the end of March, but I just had to slip one more soup in before heading into the soup-less summer. This one is a crowd pleaser. It has a rich flavor and a smooth texture, with intermittent bites of tender chicken, sweet corn and potatoes . My 8-year-old daughter even asked to take some in her thermos to school for lunch the next day. Serve this with a big Spinach and Orange Salad and some whole grain rolls.



Cheddar Chicken and Corn Chowder

2 bacon slices
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup diced red bell pepper
2 garlic clove, minced
4 ½ cups fat-free chicken broth
1 ¾ cups diced red potato
2 ¼ cups frozen corn
½ cup flour
2 cups 2% low-fat milk
¾ cup shredded sharp or extra sharp cheddar cheese
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
Cook bacon in a large pot over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; crumble. Set aside. Add the chicken, onion, bell pepper, and garlic to drippings in pan; sauté 5 minutes. Add broth and potato, and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until potato is tender. Add corn; stir well.
Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Place four in a bowl. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended; add to the soup. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer 15 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently. Stir in the cheddar cheese, salt and black pepper. Top with the crumbled bacon. Yield: 7 servings (serving size 1 ½ cups)

Hominy and Bean Chili

Sometimes dinner-time can sneak up on you. Next time it does, try making this chili. All of the ingredients can be kept on-hand and it comes together REALLY quickly. Pair it with cornbread, and you can put it all together while the cornbread is in the oven! I like this chili becuase it's fast, easy and the flavor is just right. The chili powder is not too overwhelming, the tomatoes lend just enough sweetness, and the hominy are a welcomed treat. Even my non-chili-loving-husband gave it a thumbs up! Not bad for dinner on a whim.





Hominy and Bean Chili (adapted from Cooking Light)

1/2 pound extra lean hamburger (optional)
2 teaspoons vegetable oil (do not use oil if adding meat)
2 large cloves of garlic, minced (or 2 tsps. bottled minced garlic)
3 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (15.5-ounce) can white hominy, drained
1 (15-ounce) can red beans, drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added stewed tomatoes, undrained and chopped

Toppings:
cilantro
diced tomatos
minced white onion
monterey jack cheese
low-fat sour cream

Preparation
(If using meat in the chili: First, brown the meat, adding the garlic at the last minute. Then add the rest the ingredients as stated below.)

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Stir in chili powder and next 5 ingredients (chili powder through stewed tomatoes); bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes.

Serves 4 (1 1/4 servings)

Serve it with your favorite cornbread (or try the recipe below), and some cut up fruit or a green salad.
Buttermilk Cornbread

1 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
6 tablespoon sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
Preparation
Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir together egg and next 2 ingredients; add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Pour batter into 8x8 pan coated with cooking spray.
Bake at 450° for 20 minutes or until golden.

Oat Bran Muffins- An After-School Snack

I mixed up a batch of these before picking-up the kids from school, and brought them along with me. They devoured them! And asked for more! Often oat or wheat bran muffins are way too loaded with other "healthful ingredients", that they become as a dense health-bar and they lose some of their appeal. These muffins are simple and pure and.... kid-approved!



Oat Bran Muffins

1 1/2 C oat bran
1 1/2 C flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 C sugar
1 1/2 C low fat buttermilk
3 Tbs canola oil
3 eggs

Preheat oven to 350. Line a muffin pan with paper liners.

Whisk together the dry ingredients(bran through sugar) in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, and eggs. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix just until wet. Do not over mix. If desired, add blueberries and gently fold in without overmixing.

Fill the muffin cups. Bake 12-16 minutes, until set and golden.

Makes 18 muffins.


Add blueberries to the mix and your kids will love them even more. If you have a favorite bran muffin recipe please share it!

Roasted Mediterranean Chicken

This dish is great roasted in your oven at home or in the "dutch" over hot coals out in the woods. When camping, I serve it with a ceasar salad, fire-roasted butternut squash, and garlic bread. My husband teases me that we should be roasting hot dogs instead, but he never complains when the food is hot and ready! This is also a great meal to bring to a friend or neighbor in need. It has that "make-ahead" appeal; you can make it early, clean up your mess, then toss it in the oven about 45 minutes before dinner!


This is a pre-roasted picture. It smelled too good to stop and take a picture of it after it was done! There's nothing like good food on a campout.

Roasted Mediterranean Chicken

1 1/4 cups reduced fat refrigerated Alfredo Sauce (I know a "cheater" ingredient!!) Don't use the bottled stuff.
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 garlic cloves, crushed

4 (4-ounce) skinned, boned chicken breast halves
8 small red potatoes (about 1 pound)
4 plum tomatoes, quartered
1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained
10 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
12 large pitted ripe olives, quartered
Rosemary sprigs (optional)

Preheat oven to 450°.

Combine first 6 ingredients. Arrange chicken in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Brush 3/4 cup sauce mixture over chicken. Arrange potatoes, tomatoes, artichokes, and 10 garlic cloves around chicken. Brush vegetables with 1/3 cup sauce mixture. Sprinkle with chopped rosemary and olives. Bake at 450° for 20 minutes. Brush chicken and vegetables with remaining sauce mixture; bake an ad-ditional 25 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Garnish with rosemary sprigs, if desired.Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and 1 1/2 cups vegetables)