I used anchovy paste (in a tube - a few squirts to taste)
This was an interesting & different way to have a "salad'
I served it tonight with Pizza made from cheater crust from Whole Foods. I definitely will make this again.
I originally saw this recipe in the Washington Post a week of so ago - lost the paper and found it online.
Grilled Romaine With Walnuts, Parmesan and Anchovy Dressing

4 anchovy fillets

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup olive oil

3 teaspoons lemon juice

3 (6-ounce) hearts of romaine

2/3 cup chopped, toasted walnuts

1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano

In a mortar and pestle or a blender, purée the anchovy fillets, garlic and salt. Slowly add the olive oil in a stream, stirring or puréeing constantly to make a creamy sauce. Stir in the lemon juice; taste and add more lemon juice or salt if necessary. Set aside.

Prepare a wood fire or heat a grill pan over medium-high heat until hot. Split the hearts of romaine in half lengthwise, leaving them attached at the base. Brush both sides of each half with the anchovy sauce and then grill over a wood fire or in a grill pan until the leaves sizzle and begin to look a little frazzled, about 2 minutes on each side. They probably won’t brown much.

Remove the cooked romaine to individual serving plates, cut-side up.

Sprinkle with chopped walnuts and spoon over some more dressing. Use a vegetable peeler to shave Parmigiano-Reggiano in thin sheets over top. Serve immediately.

Yield: 6 servings

Nutrition information per serving: 174 cal, 16 g total fat, (3 g saturated), 5 mg chol, 5 g carbo, 3 g pro, 117 mg sodium, 3 g dietary fiber

Our Aldi's had a really good price on fresh strawberries this week so we've been eating them like they're going out of style. Hot buttered biscuits with strawberries for breakfast....yum, yum. Again and again....once for supper!

I also made Suzzanne's (Chickens in the road) recipe for:

Strawberies & Cream Coffee Cake

2 C. AP flour
2 teas. baking powder
1/3 C. sugar
1/4 teas. cream of tartar
1/4 teas. salt
1/2 C. shortening , butter or lard (I used butter)
1 C. strawberries, chopped
3/4 C. milk
4 oz. cream cheese
4 oz. strawberry jam

Note: To use a baking mix, replace first 5 ingredients with 2 C. baking mix, adding a T. of sugar.

Place first 5 ingredients (or 2 C. baking mix, plus sugar) in a large bowl and cut in the shortening, butter or lard with a pastry cutter.

Mix in strawberries.

Add milk.

Place dough on a floured surface. Sprinkle more flour on top and roll into an approximately 12 x 6 rectangle.

Spread cream cheese down the center, then top with jam.

Make cuts, about an inch and a half apart, all along both long sides.

Criss-cross cut strips of dough over the top.

Pinch ends to seal.

Transfer to a greased baking or casserole pan. (If you're planning to take this somewhere you might want to use the casserole pan) I use two big spatulas to move.

Bake in a 375-degree oven for 25 minutes or 'til nicely browned.

Powdered Sugar Icing:

Combine 1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar, 1/4 teas. vanilla and enough milk (one to two teas.) for drizzling consistency.

Make long, lovely slices. Perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner and midnight snacks. Don't tell anyone you made it and you can have the whole thing.!!

If you visit her blog, she gives a pictorial for the steps along with interesting comments about the entire procedure.

I can only imagine what AnnT and others coud do with this recipe...and post pictures to boot!

jude

When I got married, I always served salad with anchovies. Finally my new DH said he didn't like anchovies. I thought that was blasphemy!! I started using anchovy paste in the dressing. After a few weeks he said, "Funny, I know you didn't put anchovies in this salad but I still get the taste of anchovies". I finally won him over.

I was out of chili sauce to use as my glaze on meatloaf. I googled and found this recipe and will never go back.

Heinz Chili Sauce
This is Top Secret's version of Heinz's Premium Chili Sauce.
35 min : 5 min prep

1 cup

1 cup tomato puree or ketchup
 1/3 cup light corn syrup
 1/4 cup white balsamic
 2 teaspoons dried onion flakes
 2 teaspoons brown sugar
 1 teaspoon salt
 1 teaspoon lemon juice
 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1. Whisk all the ingredients together in a small saucepan.
2. Place over medium heat.
3. When mixture begins to bubble reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Cover and cool.
5. Refrigerate when cooled.

I made a few tweaks.

When I got married, I always served salad with anchovies. Finally my new DH said he didn't like anchovies. I thought that was blasphemy!! I started using anchovy paste in the dressing. After a few weeks he said, "Funny, I know you didn't put anchovies in this salad but I still get the taste of anchovies". I finally won him over.

I was out of chili sauce to use as my glaze on meatloaf. I googled and found this recipe and will never go back.

Heinz Chili Sauce
This is Top Secret's version of Heinz's Premium Chili Sauce.
35 min : 5 min prep

1 cup

1 cup tomato puree or ketchup
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup white balsamic
2 teaspoons dried onion flakes
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1. Whisk all the ingredients together in a small saucepan.
2. Place over medium heat.
3. When mixture begins to bubble reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Cover and cool.
5. Refrigerate when cooled.

I made a few tweaks.

Mustangs, that was worth seeing twice. ;) I made two briskets this year for Passover: One Ashkenazi and one easy going. For the Ashkenazi one, I had to go from scratch and used one of the recipes with sugar because I always heard that it was the sugar in the coke and chili sauce that makes the coke recipe so good--it breaks down the tissues or something.

The sugar recipe was delicious, but it was way too sweet. I also adjusted the temperature for my brand new oven, but it was a bit overcooked. I shouldn't have sliced it an hour before serving and put back in as instructed. The company enjoyed it. One guy said, yum, barbecue style, which it wasn't--that was the sugar. I've always said that I like dinner better than sweets, though if I'm tired I go looking for sugar. I was super exhausted, and the leftovers of what my mother called "candied beef" trumped candy, cookies, cake and all the other goodies that holidays bring. I wouldn't make it again, but I might make a BBQ sauce based on it. It was kind of addicting.

The second one was just the standard coke recipe (pan to fit the meat, score the fat lightly, fat side up, spread with Heinz chili sauce, sprinkle with Knorr onion soup mix, and pour on a can of caffeine free sugar in coke). I cooked it a little lower for part of the time, based on the experience with the first one, and it came out just right. It's great to have a recipe for the sauce, however, so that I can mkae it kosher for Ashkenazis too (substituting simple syrup for the corn).

Of course, my new recipe had to be fattening and decadent and high in fat and sugar, and absolutely delicious. I made homemade tiramisu, and just ignored the brandy, I left it out completely and didn't substitute anything else because I don't like brandy, it said it was optional and I didn't have any anyway.

TIRAMISU

Espresso Syrup:

WATER, 1/3 cup
SUGAR, 1/2 cup
ESPRESSO, 2/3 cup strong brewed
ITALIAN OR DOMESTIC BRANDY, 1/4 cup, optional

Mascarpone Filling:
HEAVY WHIPPING CREAM, 1-1/2 cups
SUGAR, 1/3 cup
VANILLA EXTRACT, 2 teaspoons
MASCARPONE CHEESE, 1 pound, softened to room temperature

SAVOIARDI (LADYFINGERS), 1/2 pound, imported or domestic ladyfingers, or sliced sponge cake
COCOA POWDER
Syrup
1. Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan.
2. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar.
3. Remove from heat, cool.
4. Add coffee and optional brandy.
Filling
1. Whip cream with sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form.
2. Fold cream into softened mascarpone.

Assembly
1. Place a layer of the savoiardi, ladyfingers or sponge cake slices in the bottom of a shallow 2-quart baking dish or gratin dish.
2. Sprinkle with half the syrup.
3. Spread with half the filling.
4. Repeat with remaining savoiardi, syrup and filling, spreading the top smooth, using a metal spatula.
5. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before serving.
6. Immediately before serving place cocoa in a fine strainer and shake a light coating on.

This was good enough that I sent all the leftovers home with Amanda, I didn't dare keep them in the house!

Annie

This was really good!

Mexican Chicken

Ingredients

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves*
1 (20 ounce) jar salsa*
1 large red bell pepper, chopped*
2 tablespoons ground cumin*
2 tablespoons lemon juice*
2 tablespoons chili powder*
3 cloves crushed garlic*
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
Arrange the chicken pieces in a 3 quart casserole dish or a 9x13 inch baking dish. Combine the salsa, red bell pepper, cumin, lemon juice, chili powder and garlic. Pour the mixture over the chicken. Pour the black beans on top and cover. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Serve with rice if desired.

I used a 16 oz jar of Tostito's Mild Salsa and cooked it on low in the crock pot all day. Was a bit dry when I got home, so added a cup of water and plopped 1/2 a block of cream cheese on top.

I could have added one more cup of water. Next time I'll cut the cumin and chili in half. Was even better on warm flour tortillas the next day.

Another one we just tried that will be on the menu regularly now:

Salisbury Steak

1 lb Lean Ground Beef
1/3 Cup Bread Crumbs or Cracker Crumbs
½ tsp Salt
¼ tsp Pepper
1 Egg
Small Onion Sliced (I use half) (Optional)
1 Can Condensed Beef Broth
1 4oz Can Sliced Mushrooms (Drained)
2 T. Cornstarch
2T Water
1 Packet Brown Gravy Mix or 1 Jar/Can Brown Gravy

Mix First 5 ingredients together and shape into ovals about ¾ inches thick. Cook patties in a skillet turning once until brown. Add onion, mushrooms and beef broth. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove patties to a casserole dish and keep warm. Heat mixture until boiling. Mix water and cornstarch together to make a paste. Add to boiling mixture with a wire whisk and whisk until gravy begins to thicken. I dont think the gravy is hearty enough for me so I also add 1 packet of brown or mushroom gravy prepared according to package directions and add to the beef broth gravy. I then pour the gravy over the patties in the casserole dish and bake at 350 until bubbly.
Serve with rice, mashed potatoes or noodles.

I added a big spoonful of chopped garlic and 1/2 a chopped onion to the ground beef mixture. Used 1/2 a sliced onion and FRESH mushrooms for the gravy. Next time, I'll double the gravy. Oh, and I didn't bake them. I browned the patties in electric skillet, set aside, sauteed the mushrooms and onions and made the gravy, then put the patties back in the pan with the gravy, covered and simmered for just a few minutes until the patties were done.

I had to make something fast for a fundraiser, so I tried these, subbing cayenne for the Insanity Sauce. Nice afterburn....

By wynnebaer/ Group Recipes

Insane Rice Krispie Treats

* 1/2 cup butter
* 1 cup brown sugar
* 1/2 cup honey
* 1 tsp. vanilla
* 2 tbls. unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1/8 tsp. Dave's Insanity Sauce (I used 3/4 tsp. cayenne - consensus was to use 1 tsp. next time)
* 8 cups Rice Krispies

1. Put all ingredients except Rice Krispies into a large saucepan
2. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly
3. Let boil for 1 minute
4. Remove from heat
5. Mix in Rice Krispies
6. Spread out onto greased cookie sheet
7. Cool
8. Cut into squares

This is what I specifically buy anchovy paste for: grilled swordfish. Just rub anchovy paste on both sides of fresh swordfish steaks and grill as usual. Gives them a great flavor and so easy!

So here is my new recipe. I got it somewhere off the internet - can't remember where. If someone here posted it - please speak up and take credit! It's wonderful.

I had a large piece of pork loin and wanted to try my new oval crockpot. I put the pork in the crockpot (some salt & pepper) - cooked the pork on low until it was tender - drained the fat, added the sauce and pulled it apart in the sauce. It's my new favorite for BBQ. I can't tolerate smokey flavors since going through chemo, for some reason, so have been making my own sauces.

BBQ Sauce for Crockpot Pulled Pork

1 Cup ketchup
1 Cup chicken stock
1⁄4 Cup apple cider vinegar
1 Onion, chopped
3 Cloves freshly minced garlic
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 Tablespoons molasses
2 Tablespoon dry ground mustard
1 Teaspoon cayenne
Mix together in a sauce pan and heat to simmer. Simmer 20 minutes and let cool.

seagrass

Anchovy paste on swordfish - I will definitely try it! Thanks.
A tip for cooking pork loin - cover with strong (don't gag) leftover coffee, some green pepper and onion, s / p and garlic powder (probably my only use for garlic powder) - then cook long and slow - crockpot is perfect. Then remove, shred with 2 forks & add to the barbecue sauce. I have been making it this way for 20 years - read it in a Barbecue Cook Off Cookbook.

Thanks for the tip about the coffee and the pork loin - I'll definitely try that! My brother rubs his prime rib roasts with ground coffee (and probably other stuff) and cooks them in his green "egg". Boy - do they come out good!

I made Chase's Penne Calabrese (with a few changes).

Penne Calabrese

2 pounds Italian sausage -- Sliced In 1/4 Inch pieces
4 cups plum tomatoes -- Peeled And crushed
1 sweet red pepper -- sliced
1 sweet yellow pepper -- sliced
1 jalapeno -- sliced thinly
1 1/2 pound penne
olive oil
Grated Parmesan

Combine all ingredients except olive oil and penne. Cook over lowheat for 2 - 3 hours. Cook the penne and drain, toss with the olive oil.
Toss penne with the sauce and serve with gated Parmesan.
My changes were minor -- I took the Italian sausage out of its casing and sliced it about 3/4" and browned them a little. I also added a sliced medium onion and a diced clove of garlic and fried them a little, too, in a little olive oil. I, also, changed the 4 cups of plum tomatoes to one 28 oz. can of whole tomatoes and one 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes.
I served this with a wedge of lettuce and the Pioneer Woman's ranch dressing, roasted cherry tomatoes with basil and garlic oil, and my company herb bread. My sister-in- law and brother-in-law thought I was a real superstar and the menu was really very easy.

Thank You, Chase, for a great recipe -- I know I will be making this often.

My honey requested spicy chicken tacos, just like taco bell. I never ever, ever eat at taco bell so I had no clue. I chose a recipe from eating well and we both liked it.

Spicy Chicken Tacos
Eating Well

8 corn tortillas
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat and cut into thin strips
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1 large onion, sliced
1 large green bell pepper, seeded and sliced
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 cup prepared hot salsa, plus more for garnish
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Sliced scallions, chopped fresh tomatoes and reduced-fat sour cream, for garnish

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Wrap tortillas in foil and bake until heated through, 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, season chicken with salt. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large heavy skillet over high heat until very hot. Add chicken and cook, stirring until browned on all sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
3. Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil to skillet. Add onion and cook, stirring, until they start to brown around the edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Add bell pepper, garlic, jalapeño and cumin. Cook, stirring, until peppers are bright green but still crisp, 2 to 3 minutes more.
4. Stir in salsa and reserved chicken. Cook, stirring, until chicken is heated through, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro. Spoon into warmed tortillas and garnish with scallions, tomatoes and sour cream.

Nutrition
Per serving (without garnishes): 303 calories; 6 g fat (1 g sat, 2 g mono); 66 mg cholesterol; 32 g carbohydrates; 1 g added sugars; 31 g protein; 5 g fiber; 421 mg sodium; 533 mg potassium.

Haven't been much in the mood for cooking lately but did try a couple of recipes this week and both were good.

Blonde Brownies (adapted from Allrecipes)

2 c. sifted flour
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. soda
1/2 t. salt (omitted)
1 c. walnuts (omitted)
2/3 c. butter
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons vanilla
1 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.

Sift flour & measure out 2 cups. Add baking powder, soda & salt. Sift again. Add nuts. Mix well & set aside.

Melt butter. Add brown sugar & mix well. Cool slightly.

Add eggs (beaten) and vanilla. Blend well. Add flour mixture, a little at a time, beating well.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Spread in 9 x 13 greased pan. Bake for 30 minutes.

[With new recipes, I generally omit nuts just because they're kinda' expensive & I don't want to waste them in case the recipe doesn't turn out. When I make these again, I will definitely include the walnuts & cut the am't of chocolate chips back to about 3/4 c.]

Caribbean Style Chicken [Adapted from Good Housekeeping Best Chicken Dishes]

1 T. vegetable oil
1/2 small onion, grated
2 T. brown sugar
2 T. chili sauce (substituted ketchup)
1 T. lime juice
1 1/2 t. Sriracha sauce
1/2 t. allspice
1/2 t. thyme
4 small skinless chicken breast halves (about 1#) each cut
into 8 pieces
Bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 20 minutes or so.

Heat oil in small saucepan. Add onion & cook 2 minutes. Stir in brown sugar, chili sauce, lime juice, allspice & thyme. Heat to boiling, boil for one minute. Set aside to cool. [I added a tablespoon or so of water--just looked a little dry.]

Prepare chicken & add to cooked sauce mixture. Toss to even coat the chicken pieces. Refrigerate for 2 hours or more.

When ready to cook, thread chicken pieces onto soaked bamboo skewers, leaving a little space between pieces. Grill. Turn halfway thru cooking & baste w/ any leftover sauce.

Served this with roasted sweet potatoes, rice & steamed asparagus.

[I just knew that I had chili sauce on hand only to discover that I was out. Thus the ketchup substitution. Original recipe called for 1/4 t. cayenne but, when I decided to add Sriracha to make up for the missing chili sauce, decided to omit the cayenne. As it turned out, the sauce was pretty mild & the cayenne would have been a good addition. I like spicy so YMMV. Anyhoo, it was a good recipe & a bit different twist on my usual chicken dishes. Will be making it again soon.]

Glad you liked it Paprikash, it's a favourite of ours.

You know, now that you mention it, I'm sure I put garlic in mine too even though the recipe doesn't say so. I'll add that to my notes.

I also use my homemade herbed tomato sauce instead of the canned tomatoes. Another time you may want to add some chopped fresh basil, parsley and oregano to the sauce. But add it near the end of the cooking time, maybe with about a half hour to go.

Now how about sharing that cherry tomato recipe!

Thanks, Chase -- I will add basil and parsley next time. I usually have fresh basil and I always have a vase of parsley. The cherry tomatoes I added to my lettuce wedges were embarrassingly easy to make. I had bought basil oil and garlic oil from a food specialty store, so all I did was coat the cherry tomatoes in both oils, sprinkle them with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, and roast them in a 400° oven for about 10 minutes. I don't think my in-laws have ever had roasted tomatoes -- you would have thought I had invented the wheel.........

Oh Paprikash, I was thinking the cherry tomatoes were a side. Added to the salad is brilliant!

I have a girls weekend coming up and I'm going to make your cherry tomatoes with grilled Romaine.!

Thanks!

The strawberry crops were in last month; strawberries are plentiful and cheap here so I was eager to use up several flats of berries. I made freezer jam among other things but still had berries. I came across a recipe for Strawberry Upside Down Cake and thought my strawberry loving GBs would like it. It was a hit.

Fresh Strawberry Upside Down Cake
3cups crushed fresh strawberries
1 (6 ounce) package strawberry flavored gelatin mix
3 cups miniature marshmallows
1 (18 ounce) package yellow or strawberry cake mix

Spray pan well with non-stick spray.

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees.

Prepared cake mix as directed on package.

Spread crushed strawberries on the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan. Evenly sprinkle strawberries with the dry gelatin powder, and top with mini marshmallows.

Prepare the cake mix as directed on the package, and pour on top of the marshmallows. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 to 50 minutes. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the pan to loosen the sides, and turn the cake out onto a serving tray. Store cake in the refrigerator.

*I used Betty Crocker Supermoist Strawberry Cake Mix.

*MASH the strawberries. The juice has to be released or there's nothing to break down the gelatin and you get a very unpleasant texture on the top of your cake. If your strawberries aren't very juicy, sprinkle a little sugar on them before mashing and let them set for an hour or so - the juice will come out.

*I served with homemade whipped cream and whole strawberries.

*The marshmallows basically disappear into the cake; you'd never guess there were three cups of marshmallow in there.

Cathy, that reminds me of a strawberry rhubarb cake I made years ago. Same principle, but no marshmallows. I think it was just chopped rhubarb and strawberry jello...no actual berries. It was good....hmmmm...my rhubarb's coming up...

I made a quinoa risotto (quinotto?). No recipe, though. I searched recipes and decided to just go for it. It was really good. Interesting texture (Thankyou Jessy for turning me on to quinoa!).

Here's the non-recipe:

-Saute 3 cloves chopped garlic in a little butter/olive oil.
-Dump in a cup of quinoa and toast a bit.
-Add 1/2 c. white wine, some sliced mushrooms, and simmer until absorbed.
-Add 1 1/2 -2 c. vegie broth a little at a time (I used vegie soup base). Simmer until quinoa is done.
-At the end: 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, a dash of truffle oil, some pepper and a couple of tablespoons of cream. Also tossed in some leftover steamed asparagus.

Yum.

Tonight I finally got around to making Ann's Pork Chili Verde. Don't know why I waited so log, it was truly a snap to make! And delicious, too!

I was looking for Lori's Black Bean Salad recipe but could not find it. What I did find was this one from Cooking Light, originally posted by Caboodle. YUM is all I can say! It was the perfect side for the pork!

All-Purpose Southwestern Corn and Black Bean Salad
This recipe makes 12 servings and keeps in the refrigerator up to 5 days. It's quite versatile--add shredded chicken and serve tortillas on the side to make it a main-dish salad. Or serve it as a dip with baked tortilla chips, a side for burgers or grilled chicken, or a salad on a bed of lettuce.
Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

SALAD:
1 pound dried black beans
11 1/2 cups water, divided
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups fresh corn kernels
2 cups chopped seeded tomato
1 cup finely chopped Vidalia or other sweet onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup chopped green bell pepper

DRESSING:
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (about 3 limes)
1 tablespoon chili powder
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons honey
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

To prepare salad, sort and wash the beans. Combine beans and 5 1/2 cups water in a 6-quart pressure cooker. Close lid securely; bring to high pressure over high heat. Adjust heat to medium or level needed to maintain high pressure; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; place cooker under cold running water. Remove lid. Drain beans; rinse with cold water. Drain and cool.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in cooker over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and 2 garlic cloves; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add beans and 6 cups water. Close lid securely; bring to high pressure over high heat. Adjust heat to medium or level needed to maintain high pressure, and cook 12 minutes. Remove from heat; place cooker under cold running water. Remove lid. Drain bean mixture; rinse with cold water. Drain and cool. Combine bean mixture, corn, tomato, onion, and bell peppers in a large bowl.

To prepare dressing, combine juice and next 7 ingredients (juice through jalapeños), stirring with a whisk. Stir in cilantro. Pour dressing over bean mixture; stir gently to combine. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

CALORIES 216 (21% from fat); FAT 5g (sat 0.7g,mono 3g,poly 0.8g); IRON 2.8mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 65mg; CARBOHYDRATE 35.7g; SODIUM 408mg; PROTEIN 10g; FIBER 8g

Cooking Light, MAY 2004

Linda

Tonight I made these from The Novice Chef's blog. They are excellent! I didn't use cilantro or the Serrano peppers. Also, if you freeze them, don't put any cheese on top till after you've taken them out and baked them for most of the time given. I learned the hard way with my frozen beef enchiladas that the cheese on top gets burnt before the enchilada is through cooking.

Salsa Verde Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

You will need:
4 boneless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
12 tortillas, small fajita size
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack
1/2 medium onion, diced (cook ahead in the sauce)

Sauce:
2 Tbsp butter (I used olive oil)
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
2 Serranos, seeded, diced (reduce to 1 if youre not a fan of spicy food)
1 Jalapeno, seeded, minced
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups sour cream
16 oz jar of Ortega Medium Salsa Verde
1 & 1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350. Melt butter over medium-high heat. Saute Serranos and Jalapenos until soft and then add the garlic, cooking for 1 minute. Stir in the flour and let cook 1-2 minutes. Whisk in the chicken broth until smooth and let cook until bubbly. Stir in the sour cream, salsa, cumin, cayenne, salt, pepper, garlic powder and cilantro until the sauce is smooth. Remove from heat.

Spray/grease a 9×13 baking dish. Add 1 cup of sauce to the bottom of the pan. Add chicken, cheese, and chopped onion to the center of each tortilla and roll, placing seam-side down in the dish. Pour the sauce over the enchiladas, top with leftover cheese, and bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until top is brown and bubbling.

To freeze: Cook the sauce and cool completely (I do it quickly using an ice water bath). Assemble the enchiladas in portion-friendly dishes and wrap well with plastic wrap or foil. To cook thawed, bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes (or to an internal temperature of 165). To cook straight from the freezer, increase the baking time to 45-55 minutes.

Yields: 12-15 enchiladas

Beth

Made another chicken dish from my Good Housekeeping Best Chicken Dishes cookbook tonight. It was a big hit with the guys. Here's my adaptation:

Sticky Drumsticks

1/2 c. apricot preserves*
1/4 c. teriyaki sauce
1 t. cornstarch
1 t. rice wine vinegar
Slosh of sherry
Red Pepper flakes, to suit
Sriracha sauce to suit
12 medium chicken drumsticks--about 3 pounds--skin removed
(I used a whole cut-up fryer)

Preheat oven to 425. In large bowl, with wire whisk, mix apricot preserves, teriyaki sauce, cornstarch, vinegar, sherry, red pepper flakes & Sriracha until well blended. Add chicken pieces, tossing to coat.

Spoon chicken & sauce into 15 1/2" x 10 1/2" jelly roll pan. Bake 15 minutes. Remove chicken from oven; with pastry brush, brush chicken w/ sauce in pan. Cook chicken 15-20 minutes longer. (About 40 minutes total cooking time for the fryer pieces.)

Remove chicken from oven; brush w/ sauce. Allow chicken to cool on jell roll pan 10 minutes before serving, spooning sauce over servings.

*I emptied a partially full jar of apricot preserves that I had on hand. I'm guessing there was 2/3-3/4 cup of preserves.

(Served this w/ rice & spooned some of the sauce over the rice.)

Guys requested that I make this one again!

Hey Folks --

Tonight I made Mark Bittman's quick Chicken Tagine with Chickpeas and Apricots -- just published in the NY Times about a week ago. It was really delicious -- packed a lot of flavor in for not a lot of work. My main changes were I replaced the diced tomatoes with about a cup of tomato puree (which was open in the fridge), and added 1 tsp of turmeric and some cayenne. This was a real winner...

Emily

Oooh -- meant to add that I didn't include the cinnamon because I don't like it in savory foods, and the dish was still delicious without it.
Em

I've been in such a cooking rut, I can't thank you all enough for inspiring me!

angelaid,
I tried the Mexican Chicken, it's a keeper. I used Newman's Lime Tequila salsa (darn kids ate the last jar of homemade), one can of black beans and one can of Chipotle White Corn. I served it over brown rice and topped it with a little shredded Mexican Cheese mix. The family loved it! Thanks.

magothyrivergirl,
Last night I made a 1/2 recipe of the Grilled Romaine, It's definite winner! I can't wait to serve this to our friends. I left out the walnuts and the salt and added the zest from the lemon and a tsp. aged balsamic vinegar to the dressing. (If I didn't have aged balsamic, I'd use regular balsamic and a little brown sugar.) OMG I was in heaven! Thank you!

Yippee Spring is sprung. I can't wait for vegetables from the garden. Asparagus soon, lettuce and kohlrabi are up. Planted peas last weekend and still have a few packages in the freezer from last season. Yum!

Many thanks to Kathleen li for this yummy crab spread. I got some jumbo lump crab meat and tried this. Absolutely the best crab recipe I've tried in years! Thank again, Kathleen!

Crab Spread

1/2 lb crab meat
8 oz cream cheese
1 small onion, minced
1 heaping teaspoon horseradish, or to taste
3 TBS cream or 1/2 and 1/2
juice of a half lemon
pepper

Mix all together. Spread into greased casserole. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon or slivered almonds. Bake till it bubbles and browns lightly. 350 deg.
Allow to sit a few mins before serving on crackers.

Ci_lantro - thanks for posting those chicken recipes! I've been looking for new & fresh ideas and now I have a few to try.

Wondering: do you think I could sub orange marmalade for the apricot preserves on the Sticky Drumsticks?

Pat--I don't know why you couldn't sub orange marmalade. In fact, I'm pretty sure that I've made a similar recipe that used OM. Plum preserves would be good, too, I would think.

Thanks for your quick reply. I have TWO jars of orange marmalade and no clue why I bought them! At least I can use part of one now.

I get email from Allrecipes.com almost daily with links to recipes. One of the links was for cupcakes. I had a bout of insomnia Mon. night/Tues. morning, so baked these. Love the texture of the cake. I didn't make the frosting recipe here, though. I made a different one and added lemon zest & lemon oil to it. Also added a couple of drops of lemon oil to the cupcakes in addition to the zest.

LEMON CREAM CUPCAKES

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp. grated lemon zest
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups sour cream

FROSTING:
3 Tblsp. butter or margarine, softened
2-1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 Tblsp. lemon juice
3/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. grated lemon zest
1 Tblsp. milk

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add lemon zest and vanilla; mix well. Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream (batter will be thick). Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups with 1/4 cup of batter. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. For frosting, cream butter and sugar in a small mixing bowl. Add lemon juice, vanilla, lemon zest and milk; beat until smooth. Frost cupcakes.

Recipe from Taste of Home. Submitted by Ruth Ann Stelfox of Raymond, Alberta.

It was a raw, cold, rainy, icky day here and I was just craving a hot soup for lunch. I wanted something quick to eat before I went food shopping (you know how that goes, shopping when one is hungry is NEVER a good idea LOL), but the pantry and fridge were pretty bare. I managed to find a few tasty things and put together the following. I wrote it as I was making it, so hopefully I didn;t miss anything. Hope you have a chance to try it

Southwestern Sweet Potato Soup
makes 2 generous bowls or 3 mugs

1 tsp oil
½ medium onion chopped
1 large Sweet Potato, cubed in ½ inch cubes
1/2 tsp cumin
2 cups chicken stock
1 tsp chopped canned chipotle in adobo (or to taste)
2 tbsp heavy cream

Heat a heavy bottom saucepan over medium heat, add the oil and onion and sauté until it begins to soften. Add the sweet potato cubes and continue to sauté for 5 more minutes. Add the cumin and sauté for 1 minute.
Add the chicken stock and simmer for 15 20 minutes until the sweet potatoes are very tender.
Add the chipotle and blend until smooth with a stick blender. Add cream and serve.

Hey folks --

In case anyone's like me and is starting to get inundated with rhubarb, I just made a great new recipe... Its rhubarb, roasted with wine, sugar, and a vanilla bean. HEAVEN! I just ate it straight out of the pan, but it would be perfect over pound cake or yogurt...

Em

Tried this tonight, from the May *Sunset* magazine. Kept thinking to myself we should stop eating it so I can take a picture. Nope, it was really that good--no one (including me) wanted to stop for a food photo. Very fresh tasting and delicious!

Thai-Style Jicama Salad

1 large jicama, peeled and julienned (a medium jicama works fine)
1 large carrot, peeled and julienned
2 stalks celery, sliced thinly
1/4 C fresh mint, chopped
1/4 C fresh cilantro, chopped
2 serrano chiles, minced (I used one big chile & removed the seeds/pith)
1/2 lb cleaned and cooked shrimp (I used a pound)
6 T fresh lime juice (I didn't measure, just used the juice from 2 big limes)
2 T sugar
2 T Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce (also called nam pla or nuoc mam)
1/3 C chopped salted peanuts

Put jicama and carrots in a bowl. Add celery, mint, cilantro, chiles and shrimp and toss to combine.

In a small bowl, mix lime juice, sugar, fish sauce and stir until sugar dissolves, then pour this over the salad, toss to coat, and serve with chopped peanuts on top.

It's a keeper in our house!

Here's one I threw together yesterday. It makes a rich, flavourful dish, perfect for cold days.

Serves 2:

500 grams lamb shanks on the bone
1 medium onion, sliced thin
3 carrots, coarsely julienned
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
2 large potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 can of beer (lager)
2 tbs butter
1 tbs sweet paprika powder
1 tsp coriander
4 cloves of garlic (or to taste), minced
salt and pepper to taste
Accent to taste (optional)

Melt the butter in a frying pan (or do what I do: use a cast-iron dutch oven, so you don't need to transfer the stew to an oven-proof dish.) Fry the onion and garlic in the butter until the onion pieces are golden, remove from the pan and brown the meat pieces. Put meat and onion into an oven-proof dish, add the vegetables and the beer and seasonings. Bake in a moderate oven (350°F/180°C) for about 1 hour. Adjust the seasoning, then bake for about 15 minutes more without the lid, to reduce and thicken the sauce.

Serve with rice or freshly baked bread and salad.

I'm glad I read through the whole string first -- mine is the same as fearlessm's! We loved it, too. I'm going to post it here for everyone's convenience, and also to note that Bittman said (not that anyone here needs permission!) to vary it as desired: rice, couscous, quinoa instead of bulgar; cilantro (ick) instead of parsley; other dried fruits instead of apricots, etc. I'll also submit another really good new one we loved this month. Both of these will be on the menu often.

I used figs because I was low on apricots, and I increased the amount of tomatoes. I used six or more thighs, but only used about 1 1/2 times the other ingredients, which was PLENTY.

Chickpea Tagine With Chicken and Apricots
The Minimalist: An Expedited Tagine (NYT April 14, 2010)
Time: About 45 minutes Yield: 4 servings.
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 skinless chicken thighs
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots (or figs, or any dried fruit)
1 cup (I like more) chopped tomato (fresh or canned or boxed, with juice)
2 cups cooked or canned chickpeas, drained, with the liquid reserved
1 to 2 cups chicken or other stock, bean liquid, or water, or more as needed
1/2 cup bulgur (or couscous, rice, etc.)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish.

1. Put oil in a large, deep pot over medium-high heat. When oil is shimmering, add chicken and brown well on both sides; remove from pan and set aside. Reduce heat to medium, add onion to the pan and cook until soft, about 5 minutes; add garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, dried apricots and tomato. Cook and stir just long enough to loosen any brown bits from bottom of pan.
2. Add chickpeas and 1 cup of stock or bean liquid to the pan and turn heat back to medium-high. When mixture reaches a gentle bubble, return chicken to the pan. Cover pot, turn heat to low and cook, checking occasionally to make sure the mixture is bubbling gently, for about 15 minutes or until tomatoes break down and flavors begin to meld. Stir in bulgur, adding more stock if necessary so that the mixture is covered with about an inch of liquid. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Cover and cook until the chicken and bulgur are both done, about 10 to 15 minutes. Taste, adjust the seasonings and serve in bowls (I didn't; just all in one big bowl. It's not too runny to eat on plates) garnished with parsley.

***

This salad tastes fantastic, looks very colorful, and keeps really well. It would be great for a potluck. Recipe said it's best room temperature, but I loved the leftovers cold at least as much.

It was reprinted in the Columbus Dispatch in January, I think, from Mustard Seed Market &Cafe Natural Foods Cookbook by Bev Shaffer.

Wheat berry salad with curry vinaigrette

Ingredients for the Curry Vinaigrette:

5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 tablespoon. packed freshly grated ginger (about a 1-inch piece grated)

1 large garlic clove, minced or pressed

1 teaspoon sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Ingredients for the Wheat Berry Salad:

8 cups water

1 1/2 cups whole-grain wheat berries

3 teaspoons red wine vinegar

1 lb. red beets, washed, stems and roots cut off

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 cup finely diced red onion

4 celery stalks, cut in 1/4-inch thick slices

1/2 cup dried cranberries or dried tart cherries

1/2 teaspoon. ground cinnamon

1/2 cup toasted, coarsely chopped pecans

Directions for the Curry Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, curry powder, ginger, garlic, salt and pepper. Add the oil in a slow steady stream, whisking to blend and form an emulsion. Set aside until ready to use.

Makes about 1 cup.

Directions for the wheat berry salad: In a large saucepan, combine the 8 cups of water with the wheat berries and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for 35 minutes, until the wheat berries are tender but still chewy. Drain the wheat berries in a colander, then place them into a large bowl. Pour the vinegar over the hot wheat berries and toss, coating evenly. Seat aside to cool to room temperature.

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Halve the beets, cutting them into roughly the same size. Toss with the olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and place cut side down on a baking pan lined with foil. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, until soft when pierced with a fork.

When the beets are roasted, remove the pan from the oven and set aside just until the beets are cool enough to handle. Using a small paring knife or your fingers, peel the skin off the beets, and then cube the beets into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside in a glass bowl until ready to use.

Toss the onion, celery, dried cranberries or cherries, and cinnamon into the bowl with the wheat berries. Pour the Curry Vinaigrette over the salad, tossing gently to combine. Just before serving, add the pecans and the beets. For best flavor, serve at room temperature.

Makes 6 or more servings (It made a LOT more than that).

Tried a new crockpot recipe today. It's really flavorful, but next time I'd increase the veggies, and maybe add some potatoes or other vegs, too. Using canned beans and frozen meatballs it went together really quickly. Of course homemade meatballs would be better, and dried beans are also an option.

Meatball Cassoulet
Source: BH&G Slow Cooker Meals

Ingredients
2 15-ounce cans Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained (I only had one can)
2 cups tomato juice (I used V8)
12-ounce package frozen cooked Italian meatballs, thawed
8 ounces cooked smoked turkey sausage or Polish sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 cup finely chopped carrot
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Directions
1. In a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker, combine beans, tomato juice, meatballs, sausage, carrot, celery, onion, Worcestershire sauce, basil, oregano, and paprika.

2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 9 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 4-1/2 hours. Makes 4 or 5 servings.

Linda

I just made the cornmeal blueberry breakfast cake from this month's Bon Appetit. It has ricotta and yogurt, so it's nice and moist and it makes a huge cake, in a 10 inch springform pan.

It was yummy. I liked it, Elery liked it, my boss liked it and Cooper liked it. Pancho liked it but spit out the blueberries. Goofy dog...

Blueberry Cornmeal Cake
12 servings
by Huckleberry Bakery and Cafe, Santa Monica, CA

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon honey
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/3 cup plain yogurt
3 cups fresh blueberries
special equipment
10-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides

Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray 10-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with nonstick spray. Whisk flour and next 3 ingredients in medium bowl. Whisk oil, eggs, vanilla, and honey in another medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter, 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in large bowl until creamy. With mixer running on medium speed, gradually add egg mixture; beat to blend. Beat in flour mixture just to blend. Add ricotta and yogurt; beat on low speed just to blend. Pour half of batter into prepared pan. Scatter 1 1/2 cups blueberries over. Spoon remaining batter over in dollops, then spread to cover blueberries. Scatter remaining blueberries over. Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon sugar over.

Bake cake until top is golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack.

This was only slightly sweet, very moist and I'll definitely make it again.

Annie

I tried this one this week and It definitely was a winner at my house.

I substituted Dried Italian dressing instead of the one mentioned and olive oil instead of butter since I have to cook completely dairy free and used chicken tenders to cut down the cooking time.

Ingredients (6 servings)

* 6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
* 1 (1 ounce) package cheese and garlic dry salad dressing mix
* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 cup butter
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place chicken in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. In a small bowl, combine the dry salad dressing mix, flour, salt, butter or margarine and lemon juice. Mix together, then brush mixture evenly over the top of the chicken breasts. Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes or until tender.

I served it with Veggie rice pilaff.

I tried this this week and it's a keeper.
Next time, I'm going to try it with tenderized round steak

PORK CHOPS IN MUSHROOM GRAVY (serves 2)
Two 1" thick loin pork chops
2 TBL flour
1 tsp paprika
Salt & pepper
1 TBL vegetable oil
1 small onion, minced (Or omit)
1/2 green bell pepper, minced
6-8 mushrooms, chopped
1 cup milk
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Remove excess fat from edge of chops. Combine flour, paprika, salt & pepper; dredge chops in flour mixture. Set aside the remaining flour mixture. Brown chops in oil & remove to shallow casserole. Add onion, green pepper & mushrooms to skillet; saute until soft. Add reserved flour mixture & cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Blend in milk & cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Stir in lemon juice. Pour sauce over chops; cover & bake in a preheated 350° oven for 50-60 minutes. Remove cover & bake 10 more minutes.
Note; Double the ingredients for the gravy. I did not remove the cover and bake for the extra 10 minutes.
Also, try with beef

Made this last week and served over egg noodles. DH loved it. I used chicken tenders (about 1lb 3oz), 1 cup broth/1 cup wine, less artichokes and less rosemary (1/2 t). Also baked for 40 min instead of 50.

ARTICHOKE CHICKEN
Published in Taste of Home June/July 1993, p25
8 Servings Prep: 15 min. Bake: 50 min.

Ingredients

* 8 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 2 jars (6 ounces each) marinated quartered artichoke hearts, drained
* 1 jar (4-1/2 ounces) whole mushrooms, drained
* 1/2 cup chopped onion
* 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
* 1-1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* 2 cups chicken broth or 1 cup broth and 1 cup dry white wine
* Hot cooked noodles
* Minced fresh parsley

Directions

In a large skillet, brown chicken in butter. Remove chicken to an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Arrange artichokes and mushrooms on top of chicken; set aside.

Saute onion in pan juices until crisp-tender. Combine the flour, rosemary, salt and pepper. Stir into pan until blended. Add chicken broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Remove from the heat and spoon over chicken.

Cover and bake at 350° for 50 to 60 minutes or until a meat
thermometer reads 170°. Arrange noodles on a serving platter; top with chicken and sauce. Sprinkle with parsley.
* Yield: 8 servings.