Here's one..I really liked it..

Banana Crunch Cake
From King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking

Cake batter

1 cup oat flour
1 cup whole wheat flour, traditional or white whole wheat
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup packed light or dark brown sugar (I used raw sugar.)
2 large eggs
1 cup mashed bananas
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup mini-chocolate chips(I omitted, not so keen on chocolate in my banana stuff.)

Crunch topping

3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/3 cup packed light or dark brown sugar(I used cane sugar)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
2 TBSP unsalted butter, melted

Grease and flour an 8-inch square pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To make the cake batter:

Whisk together the flours, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.

Cream together the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, stopping to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl between additions. Mix in half the dry ingredients until moistened, then mix in the bananas, yogurt and vanilla. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then add the remaining dry ingredients and chocolate chips, mixing until evenly moistened. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.

To make the topping:

Combine the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a small mixing bowl until well blended. Stir in the melted butter until the moisture forms large crumbs. Sprinkle the topping over the batter in the pan.

Bake until the edges pull away from the pan and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and place on a rack to cool for 20 minutes before serving warm. Or cool completely for later use.

Well even tho I made this last night, I am reporting on it today....so there! LOL

I really liked this salad, served it as a side to chicken enchiladas. The only thing I would change is to reduce the olive oil in the dressing and add some red or white wine vinegar. It needed a little more "kick". I'll definitely make it again!

Buenos Aires Hearts of Palm Salad
Source Rachael Ray mag

One 14-ounce can hearts of palm, thinly sliced
1 tomato, thinly sliced
1 hass avocado, quartered and thinly sliced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Salt and pepper

Directions:
1.On a platter, arrange the hearts of palm, tomato and avocado in a single, overlapping layer. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, orange juice and lime juice; season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the dressing over the salad.

Linda

Not exactly a new recipe, but kind-of. I was craving a tex-mex style burrito...you know, the kind you eat out of hand with paper wrapped around it. Sadly, (or not, depending on the way you look at it) the restaurants around here all serve burritos on a plate with some kind of wet sauce and often with a thin layer of cheese. Great, but not what I was craving, and I didn't want one from Taco Bell!

I made the ATK's version of Taco meat, Mexican rice and Refried Beans, and put it all together for my own version of a burrito. With a thin layer of each and a bit of shredded Monterey Jack between each layer and a dollop of sour cream, I was ''Good to Go''. Once I made the burritos, they went in the microwave for a bit to melt the cheese and reheat everything. While I was at it, I made 8 more burritos for the freezer, so the next time I have a craving, I can satisfy it!

Refried Beans

1/2 cup chicken broth
2 (15.5 ounces each) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 T. light olive oil
4 strips bacon, minced
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 jalapeno chile, minced; seeds and ribs removed
1 poblano chile, minced; seeds and ribs removed
1/4 t. salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t. ground cumin

Reserve one cup of beans. Pulse the beans and chicken broth in the food processor until smooth, about 15 seconds. Add remaining beans and process until slightly chunky, about ten 1-second pulses.

Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until fat has rendered and pork is well browned, about 10-15 minutes. Transfer pork to a paper towel with a slotted spoon and set aside. There should be about 2 T. fat left in the skillet.

Increase the heat to medium-high; add onion, chiles and salt. Cook the beans, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cumin; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add beans and stir until thoroughly combined. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until beans are thick and creamy, about 5 minutes.

Makes 3 cups

Beef Tacos

1 T. vegetable oil
1 onion, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 T. chili powder
1 t. cumin
1 t. coriander
t. oregano
¼ t. cayenne pepper
Salt
1 pound (90 percent lean) ground beef
½ cup smooth canned tomato sauce
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon light brown sugar

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, spices and 1 teaspoon salt and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir in the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato sauce, broth, vinegar, and sugar and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Season the mixture with salt to taste.

Mexican Rice

2 medium tomatoes, cored and quartered
1 onion, quartered, peeled and trimmed
½ cup vegetable oil
2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed and drained
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 jalapeno chilies, stemmed, seeded and minced
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Salt
Pepper
Lime wedges (for serving)

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Puree the tomatoes and onion in a food processor until smooth. There will be 2 cups puree (if necessary, spoon off any excess to measure only 2 cups).

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the rice and sauté, stirring frequently, until light golden, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the garlic and two-thirds of the minced jalapenos. Cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Stir in the pureed tomato mixture, broth, tomato paste, and 1-1/2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil. Cover and bake until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, 30 to 35 minutes, stirring well after 15 minutes.

Fluff the rice with a fork. Fold in the remaining jalapenos. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste; serve, passing the lime wedges separately.

Terri, your cake sounds good, and just right for summer!

Linda, what a good idea! I may be trying that very soon.

To heat frozen burritos, put the paper wrapped burrito in the microwave on the defrost cycle for 5 minutes; turn over and add 5 more minutes. Cut the burrito in half, and microwave two more minutes to heat through.

These were so good; Take-Out you can stay in for!

I made fruit kabobs to take to a party this weekend. They were a huge hit. And so was the dip I made to go with them.

8 oz cream cheese, softened (I used 1/3 less fat)
8 oz low fat vanilla yogurt (I used fat free)
Zest of 1 lemon
2 T lemon juice
1 cup powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese until light and smooth. Add in yogurt, lemon juice and zest (reserving a little for garnish if desired) and beat until smooth. Slowly mix in powdered sugar. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

I made these over the weekend and they were a huge hit. My changes are in parenthesis.

Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins
2002, Barefoot Contessa Family Style, All Rights Reserved
Prep Time: 12 min Inactive Prep Time: -- Cook Time: 25 min Level: Easy
Serves: 16 muffins (I got 12 muffins out of this recipe)

Ingredients
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature (I used 4 large eggs)
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
8 ounces sour cream (I used 8 oz. vanilla Greek style yogurt)
1/4 cup milk (I used 1% milk)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (I used sea salt)
2 half-pints fresh blueberries (I used 2.5 cups)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place 16 paper liners in muffin pans. (I did 375 at high altitude and used a non-stick muffin tin. I didn't have any paper liners. They came out a little hard but once they cooled, they popped out fine.)

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla, sour cream, and milk. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed add the flour mixture to the batter and beat until just mixed. Fold in the blueberries with a spatula and be sure the batter is completely mixed. (No mixer at the north house, I beat everything by hand.)

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pans, filling each cup just over the top, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the muffins are lightly browned on top and a cake tester comes out clean. (I baked these 35 minutes but again it was at high altitude.)

I made this over the weekend to take to a friends party, and it was so good I made another batch today. I've never been a big PW fan, but every once in a while she hits one out of the park.

Alexa

My 15yo son is gone for a few days visiting family so my DH and I are pretending to be empy nesters :-) It's kind of refreshing to only have to cook for the two of us, and I've kept it pretty simple - tonight I grilled boneless skinless breasts with corn on the cob and asparagus. I tried this marinade, just winging it on the measurements for the two breasts, and it's a winner. I did add some fresh garlic and will add more next time.

Becky

Marinade for Chicken

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
3/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons finely minced fresh
parsley

1. In a medium bowl, mix together oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, wine vinegar, and lemon juice. Stir in mustard powder, salt, pepper, and parsley. Use to marinate chicken before cooking as desired. The longer you marinate, the more flavor it will have.

www.allrecipes.com

We recently tried this and I liked it and my daughter (17 months) loved it - she kept signing more. I put the source in the link below. I've tried several of the recipes she has posted/modified and they have all been good.

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup Hellmann's mayonnaise dressing
1 tablespoon minced onion
1 tablespoon sweet relish
1 egg, beaten
2 (6-ounce) cans tuna fish (in water)
Cooking spray; for frying
1/2 cup PANKO bread crumbs
1 pinch salt
1 pinch pepper
Lemon juice, optional -I added from ~1 lemon as I like lemon flavor

DIRECTIONS:

Heat large skillet over medium heat; coating with cooking spray. While skillet is heating, combine tuna, beaten egg, onion, mayonnaise dressing, 1/4 cup PANKO bread crumbs, salt, pepper and lemon juice, to taste, if desired. Form into patties and dust with additional bread crumbs. When skillet is hot, fry patty until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove and serve alone or over a green salad.

I served it with what I call Veggie rice pilaff. Just mixed veggies, onion, and rice steamed in broth.

This was a nice quick easy summer salad. Had it for lunch today and really enjoyed it.

Fennel and Olive Salad---Insalata di Finocchio Ed Olive
Recipe copyright 2000, Mario Batali. All rights reserved.

.Prep Time:--Inactive Prep Time:--Cook Time:--Level:
--Serves:
6 servings. Ingredients
1 bulb fennel, cored and cut into 1/2-inch dice
12 Gaeta olives, pitted
1 tablespoon Italian parsley, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon oregano
Salt and pepper
Directions
In a large, non-reactive bowl, combine the fennel, olives and parsley. Toss with the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and oregano. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

This recipe is from Linda & Martha Greenlaw's Recipes From a Very Small Island. I made it a couple of weeks ago and it had just the right amount of spice for our tastes. The chopped candied ginger was a nice addition to a classic gingerbread. I'll make it again in the fall and winter because it was a little heavy for summertime.

GINGERBREAD WITH CRYSTALLIZED GINGER

1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup dark molasses
1 large egg
1/2 cup hot water
1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger
lightly sweetened whipped cream for serving, if desired

Position the oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Grease and flour an 8 inch square baking pan.

Whisk the flour, cinnamon, powdered ginger, baking soda, baking powder, salt and nutmeg together un a bowl.

In another bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the molasses, egg, and hot water and beat until blended. Gradually add the dry ingredients until blended. Do not overmix. Stir in the chopped ginger.

Spread the batter in the pan and bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top is springy and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. [I dont know if it was just my oven but it was done in about 22 minutes.]

Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Run a kitchen knife around the edges and turn out onto the rack to cool. Serve cool or warm, topped with whipped cream or plain.

I made this last night...it was wonderful with really fresh, barely wilted greens. DH says we'll be growing baby greens in pots this winter.

Coconut Curry Tofu
2 bunches green onions (I used some red onion and a fistful of garlic scapes)
1 (14 ounce) can light coconut milk
1/4 cup soy sauce, divided (tamari)
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder (Penzey's hot)
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
2 teaspoons chile paste (I used some red curry paste)
1 pound firm tofu, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
4 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced (1/2 red bell)
4 ounces fresh mushrooms, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
4 cups chopped bok choy (We had fresh-picked baby greens...Asian salad mix, kale, spinach and celtuce - yum)
salt to taste
(Also added some ketjap manis)
(Served over basmati rice)

Directions:
1. Remove white parts of green onions, and finely chop. Chop greens into 2 inch pieces.
2. In a large heavy skillet over medium heat, mix coconut milk, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, brown sugar, curry powder, ginger, and chile paste. Bring to a boil.
3. Stir tofu, tomatoes, yellow pepper, mushrooms, and finely chopped green onions into the skillet. Cover, and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix in basil and bok choy. Season with salt and remaining soy sauce. Continue cooking 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender but crisp. Garnish with remaining green onion.

This is Chase's recipe she posted on the 4th of July Holiday weekend thread.

It is new to me~I made little watermelon balls using a melon baller, lined 1/2 of the round, cleaned, zig zag edged w.melon with boston lettuce & dumped the prepared salad into the melon to serve. I took it out on our boat - it was festive and delicious. Thank you Sharon - it is my new, favorite salad this summer! I did use the mint, but I may not always. Thanks again.

Cucumber, Watermelon and Feta Salad

1⁄2 English cucumber
1 seedless watermelon wedge,
4 to 5 inches (10 to 12 cm) wide
1 tbsp (15 mL) red wine vinegar
1 small garlic clove, minced
3 tbsp (45 mL) olive oil
1⁄4 tsp (1 mL) each salt and pepper
1⁄4 cup (50 mL) shredded mint leaves
1⁄3 cup (75 mL) crumbled feta cheese

1. There is no need to seed or peel cucumber. Slice cucumber lengthwise, then again lengthwise. Finally cut crosswise into chunks, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in size. Cut watermelon into the same size chunks as cucumber. Place both in a large bowl and toss.

2. Whisk vinegar with garlic, oil, salt and pepper. Drizzle over watermelon mixture and stir. Add mint and feta and gently toss. Tumble onto a platter and serve at room temperature.

Serves 6

NOTE: I don't always add the mint but it does add a wonderful freshness.

Here are the chicken and bean salad recipes from our Cuban dinner last night. All the recipes were from the Three Guys fromMiami Celebrate Cuban and it is just what we needed on a hot steamy night. I did not type the Arroz Amarillo since I think there are better Yellow Rice dishes out there....

Loved the Black Bean Salad, the dressing is VERY tasty and I like blanching the pepeprs... changed the texture every so slightly. The chicken was fantastic too.

Alexa

*********************************************************
Black Bean Salad

1 lb dried black beans
9 cups water
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup diced green pepper, blanched
3 cups diced tomatoes
½ cup chopped green onion (I subbed red onion)
¼ cup chopped cilantro

Dressing:
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
3 tbsp brown sugar
1.5 tsp ground cumin
4 cloves garlic, peeled
S&P to taste

Cover cleaned dry beans with water and let stand overnight. Discard water. Place the black beans in a large 6 qt saucepan, add water and olive oil this prevents beans from foaming.
Bring beans to a boil, reduce to low and simmer until tender, about 1 hour.
(Note: Can sub 2 cans black beans instead of the above)

Core and seed green pepper. Blanch by dropping it into a pan of boiling, lightly salted water for 1 2 minutes.
Let the pepper cool and dice when it is cool enough to handle
Combine beans, peppers, tomatoes, onion and dressing.

To make dressing:
In a blender on high speed, combine olive oil, lime juice, brown sugar, cumin and garlic until smooth.

*************************************************************
Chicken in Garlic Sauce
Three Guys from Miami Celebrate Cuban
¼ cup olive oil
2 lbs whole boneless skinless chicken breasts sliced/pounded into ¼ inch thick slices
1 tsp salt. Dredge the
¼ tsp pepper
White flour for dredging
8 cloves garlic
¼ cup chicken broth
¼ cup white wine
1 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp butter
2 tbsp corn starch mixed with ¼ cup water (optional to thicken)
¼ cup chopped cilantro (optional)

Preheat oven to 200 F, (to keep the chicken warm while you make the sauce)
Heat the olive oil in a large pan over med-high.
Season the chicken with s&p, dredge in flour. Put chicken pieces in the pan, cook on first side about 2-3 min until golden, flip and cook on second side 2-3 min until golden. Remove and place in warm oven while you finish cooking the rest of the chicken.
If needed, add an additional tbsp of oil, and add the garlic, Saute for 1 minute, then add the broth, wine and lemon juice to deglaze the pan. Reduce the heat to med-low and add the butter. Cook just long enough to make a smooth sauce. If desired, add the cornstarch/water mixture a tsp at a time, whisking between each spoonful until desired consistency.
Put chicken back into the pan, toss with sauce and sprinkle on cilantro.

Just got back from a wonderful vacation in Minneapolis. We had this salad before watching fireworks on July 4th and it is just as tasty as it looks. We had to leave out the hot peppers because of the kids but I will definitely be using them next time. I think they will be just what it needed. It was very good without them though.

Cookebook, that salad looks just grand. I want some!

Made both of these last night for supper - served them along with sauteed squash & onions, sauteed okra, and sliced tomatoes. According to my daughter, they're both keepers.

BALSAMIC GARLIC CHICKEN BREASTS

4 (6 oz.) boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
3 Tblsp. butter
3 Tblsp. vegetable oil
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 Tblsp. lemon juice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 tsp. honey

Sprinkle chicken with salt & pepper. Melt butter with oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add chicken a cook 6 to 7 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken and keep warm.
Add chicken broth and next 4 ingredients to skillet, and cook 5 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet. Serve chicken with sauce. Makes 4 servings.

Source: Southern Living, July 2010 issue.

GARLIC PARMESAN ORZO

2 cups uncooked orzo pasta
3 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup milk
2 Tblsp. minced fresh parsley
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Cook orzo according to package directions; drain. In a large skillet, sauté garlic in butter until tender. Add the orzo, Parmesan cheese, milk, parsley, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until heated through. Yield: 8 servings.

Recipe from tasteofhome.com.

Barnmom, I can't recommend it enough! It's a perfect summertime meal.

Pulled out and dusted off the ice cream maker and made Amaretto Cherry Vanilla...

and then went out into the garden and picked some of our lavender and made Lavender Honey Ice Cream...(by the time it was ready, my light box wasn't! but here's a pic of the Lavender along with the Amaretto Cherry Vanilla)

Amaretto Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream--for a one quart ice cream maker:
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 cups heavy cream
1 cup half-and-half cream (I used 6 oz half&half plus 2 oz heavy cream)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 T Amaretto
1/4 tsp or less cherry extract (got this from the cake decorating store)
8 marachino cherries, cut in half, drained & patted dry

In a heavy saucepan, combine the first five ingredients.
Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to coat a metal spoon and reaches at least 160 degrees F. This becomes the custard base for the ice cream.
Remove from the heat; cool quickly by setting pan in ice and stirring the mixture.
Cover and refrigerate overnight or freeze immediately.
When cooled off a bit or before processing in the ice cream machine, stir in the vanilla, cherry extract and Amaretto into the custard.
When ready to freeze, pour custard into the cylinder of an ice cream freezer. Freeze according to the manufacturer's directions.
I added the cherries a few minutes before I stopped the ice cream maker.

The recipe for the Lavender Honey Ice Cream is really long, but if anyone wants it, I'll post it here (and maybe have a better photo to go with it!)

Here's another photo of the Lavender Honey Ice Cream...dang! it was gooood!

Sooz, that lavender ice cream looks delish! The Amaretto Cherry does, too, but I would start with the lavender!

I have tried to grow lavender so many times and it just does not do well for me. So I'll have to live vicariously through you! LOL

So WW has not been terribly difficult for me this first week. I am down 2 lb, 18 to go!

Made these yesterday, they are surprisingly good and only 3 points each. Just like cheating and eating only the top of the muffin! Recipe says it makes 12 but I used my ice cream scoop and got 15 of them.

Blueberry Breakfast Tops
Weight Watchers
POINTS: 3

2 spray(s) cooking spray
1 1/4 cup(s) blueberries, fresh (or thawed, if frozen)
2 Tbsp sugar
1 1/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup(s) uncooked cornmeal
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp table salt
1 cup(s) buttermilk
1/3 cup(s) honey
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg(s), beaten

Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, toss blueberries with sugar; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, honey, butter and egg. Pour wet ingredients into flour mixture and beat thoroughly to combine; fold in berries.

Place twelve 1/4 cup scoops of batter on prepared baking sheet about 2-inches apart. Bake until tops just start to turn golden, about 12 to 15 minutes. Yields 1 per serving.

Linda

From the Chicken Redux thread, I finally made Beverly's stuffed chicken. It's really easy, but somewhat elegant. Probably would've been more elegant if someone else (less sloppy!) would've made it. It smelled heavenly and was delicious. I used thighs because I had those on hand.

STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS
6 whole chicken breasts, halved, skinned and boned
1/2 c. fresh lemon juice
8 oz. cream cheese
1/3 c. chopped green onions
1/2 tsp. dried tarragon
1/2 tsp. salt
12 slices bacon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pound chicken breasts carefully between pieces of wax paper to flatten. Dip in lemon juice.
Combine cream cheese, onions, tarragon and salt. Place approximately 2 tablespoons of this mixture on each piece of chicken. Roll like a jelly roll and wrap with a slice of bacon. Secure with toothpicks or skewers. Place in a buttered shallow baking dish and bake, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes.

------------------------------------------------------------------
Alongside of it, I used the remaining scallions to make batter fried scallions. Obviously, they taste somewhat like onion rings, but the beauty of them is, they're beautiful. The green shows through creates a fresh look. And they're lighter in flavor of course with the more delicate scallion (as opposed to a "round" onion). I also liked that when you bite into, you don't pull back and get all onion that comes out of the batter. They were rather addictive!

Saveur's Batter-Fried Scallions
SERVES 4

For this recipe it is best to use thin scallions.

1 cup white wine
1 cup flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 bunches of scallions, trimmed
Vegetable oil

1. Whisk wine into flour in a bowl until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Halve scallions crosswise. Dip into batter, and fry in hot vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, 23 minutes. Drain on paper towels, and salt generously.

Linda, I'm making your Blueberry Breakfast Tops!

Here's my contribution. I was craving something sweet, so decided to make something high on the glycemic index.

Thin and Crispy Oatmeal Cookies

Makes 24 cookies. From Cook's Illustrated.

To ensure that the cookies bake evenly and are crisp throughout, bake them 1 tray at a time. Place them on the baking sheet in 3 rows, with 3 cookies in the outer rows and 2 cookies in the center row. If you reuse a baking sheet, allow the cookies on it to cool at least 15 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack, then reline the sheet with fresh parchment before baking more cookies. We developed this recipe using Quaker Old Fashioned Rolled Oats. Other brands of old-fashioned oats can be substituted but may cause the cookies to spread more. Do not use instant or quick- cooking oats.

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (5 ounces)
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
14 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 3/4 sticks), softened but still cool, about 65 degrees
1 cup granulated sugar (7 ounces)
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar (1 3/4 ounces)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (see note)

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 3 large (18- by 12-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl.

In standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars at medium-low speed until just combined, about 20 seconds. Increase speed to medium and continue to beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute longer. Scrape down bowl with rubber spatula. Add egg and vanilla and beat on medium-low until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Scrape down bowl again. With mixer running at low speed, add flour mixture and mix until just incorporated and smooth, 10 seconds. With mixer still running on low, gradually add oats and mix until well incorporated, 20 seconds. Give dough final stir with rubber spatula to ensure that no flour pockets remain and ingredients are evenly distributed.

Divide dough into 24 equal portions, each about 2 tablespoons (or use #30 cookie scoop), then roll between palms into balls. Place cookies on prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 21/2 inches apart, 8 dough balls per sheet (see note above). Using fingertips, gently press each dough ball to 3/4-inch thickness.

Bake 1 sheet at a time until cookies are deep golden brown, edges are crisp, and centers yield to slight pressure when pressed, 13 to 16 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool cookies completely on sheet.

Found this while reading Barbara Kingfisher's "Animal Vegetable, Miracle". A good read about eating local and sustainable foods.....

This recipe about zucchini jumped out at me. So simple and "hides" the zucchini well. My family loved it!

Here's why I don't post pictures. I made the meal over a week ago, and I am just now able to post the pictures. Oy.

Here are the batter-fried scallions

and the stuffed chicken (not even cut up, much less plated. See? I'll never get it all together!)

I'll try to do better.

:)

OOOH Rob, I like the look and sound of the battered scallions. And the chicken looks great too.

Ann

rob! looks d@mn fine too me! Those scallions intrigue me. Did you serve them as a side or a nibblie?

Thanks y'all! Those were just nibbles.

Rob, the scallions would be a wonderful garnish to the teriyaki tuna I'm grilling tonight or tomorrow. I never deep fry - scared of frying I guess - and recipes rarely tell you how much oil to use. Would you please tell me how deep the oil was in your pan?

TIA,

Lee

PS I think your chicken looks really good too.

Thanks Lee! They didn't specify how much, so I winged it. Enough to cover the scallions, about three inches deep? But I only did 1/2 or less of the recipe. Teriyaki tuna sounds wonderful!

Thank you, I will also only do part of a recipe for the two of us.

I'll be thrilled if mine turn out looking as good as yours.

L

Just made these yesterday and they are OUTSTANDING. I cut the recipe in half and made it in an 8x8 pan... Also, didn't have extra large eggs so just used large. Man these are good!

Graham cracker chewy bars -- Recipe from the LA Times

Total time: 45 minutes, plus cooling time
Servings: 24 bars

Note: Adapted from "Celebrating With Julienne" by Susan Campoy. Campoy writes, "I adapted this recipe from one of my favorite books, 'Nantucket Open-House Cookbook,' by Sarah Leah Chase. I love watching people's expressions when they bite into these bars for the first time. The textures and flavors -- rich toffee, a chewy center and a crunchy bottom -- make everyone smile. The secret is not to over-bake the crust. Serve them at room temperature, so the flavors meld together."

Crust

3 cups graham cracker crumbs
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar and flour until moist and well-blended. Press the mixture firmly and evenly over the bottom of a 13-inch by 9-inch baking pan. Bake until the crust is golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

Topping and assembly

2 1/2 cups brown sugar
4 extra-large eggs
2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup pecans, chopped

1. While the crust is baking, in a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and eggs to blend. Whisk in the graham cracker crumbs, vanilla, salt and baking powder until well-blended. Stir in the pecans.

2. Spread the mixture over the baked crust and return to the 350-degree oven until the filling is dark-golden on top and jiggles slightly when tapped, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and cool completely.

3. Sprinkle a light coating of sifted powdered sugar over the pan if desired, and cut into 24 bars. The bars can be made 1 day in advance. Wrap in plastic and keep at room temperature.

These were on the cover of Cooking Light Mag. so I made these with my 16 yr old grand daughter. They were very easy and tasty too. I try to get her involved in the cooking when she's here.

I cooked my own chicken breasts, which I seasoned with fajita seasoning.

Chicken and Guacamole Tostadas
Ingredients
1 ripe peeled avocado
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons finely chopped tomato, divided
3 tablespoons minced fresh onion, divided
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon minced seeded jalapeño pepper
2 cups shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
8 (6-inch) corn tostada shells

Preparation
1. Place avocado in a small bowl; mash with a fork. Stir in 2 tablespoons tomato, 1 tablespoon onion, 1 tablespoon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and garlic.

2. Combine remaining 1 cup tomato, 2 tablespoons onion, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, cilantro, and jalapeño; toss well.

3. Combine chicken, remaining 1 tablespoon juice, and paprika; toss well to combine. Spread about 1 tablespoon guacamole over each tostada shell; top each with 1/4 cup chicken mixture and about 2 tablespoons salsa.

I'm attending a family get together today and I'm supposed to bring a couple appetizers. 3 weeks ago I broke my ankle so grocery shopping has been on hold as I'm not overly coordinated with crutches. Hence I scoured my pantry and freezers to find ingredients for appys. I managed to come up with homemade hummus and homemade flatbread and this ad lib mini quiche recipe I threw together. I just tried one and am very pleased with the results. I'm glad I kept notes as I went along. I just typed this out so I thought I'd share.

Beet Green & Spinach Mini Quiches
Makes 24 Mini Quiches

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tbs. finely minced salt pork
1 medium onion, chopped
1 leek, white & light green part chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
¼ tsp. ground pepper
2 cups chopped blanched beet greens & spinach or use frozen, thawed and squeezed dry (This is 2 cups after cooking or thawing and sqeezing dry)
1/2 cup freshly grated mild cheese such as white American
1/2 cup freshly grated Asiago cheese
¼ cup freshly grated parmesan
1/2 cup dried parmesan breadcrumbs
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 package Pillsbury Pie Crust or two crust recipe

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Make the filling: In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add salt pork and cook until salt pork starts to turn golden brown. Add onions, garlic and leeks, and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Transfer mixture to a large bowl; stir in spinach, cheese, Parmesan breadcrumbs, 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Fold in eggs until combined.
4. Roll out piecrust and cut 24 3" rounds with a fluted cookie cutter.
5. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray and wipe out excess. Press piecrust rounds into muffin tin.
6. Fill crusts to top of crust keeping filling inside crust edge with about 1 tbs. of spinach mixture.
7. Bake about 25 minutes until crust is light brown.
8. Remove muffins tine from oven and coo on wrack about 10 minutes. Use a sharp knife to remove quiches from muffin tine.
9. Serve immediately or cool quiches on wire rack and store in fridge or freezer for later use.

Sorry to hear about your broken ankle, Moosemac. I went thru that years ago and know that it is not fun!

Made this yesterday for a lunch with a friend, it's delish!

Mojito Sorbet

1 cup sugar
2 cups water
5 sprigs of mint
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/8 cup rum
Zest of 2 limes
2 tablespoons mint chiffonade

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and water until the sugar dissolves. Add the mint sprigs; stir until mixture comes to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand approximately 10 minutes.

Place a fine strainer over a large bowl and pour syrup mixture through (straining out the mint). Add lime juice, rum, and lime zest to the strained syrup mixture and stir to combine. Chill.

NOTE: The rum (or any other type of alcohol) is the secret to a soft sorbet. Alcohol itself does not freeze and adding a little bit keeps the sorbet from doing the same.

Ice Cream Maker - If you have an ice cream maker, process according to manufacturers instructions. About 5 minutes before it is finished processing, add the mint chiffonade to the freezing mixture. Store in a sealed container in the freezer.

Freezer Method - If you do not have an ice cream maker, chill an stainless steel or pyrex pan in your freezer. The sorbet mixture should not come up more than an inch along the side of the pan. Add mixture to pan, and stir with a fork every hour until well frozen. After it freezes process in batches in a blender or food processor, stir in mint chiffonade, and store in a sealed container in the freezer.

NOTE: Can be prepared 3 days in advance. Cover and keep frozen.
Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Linda

fearlessem, those are delicious, aren't they? I love them and Ashley will eat them warm from the pan, using a spoon because they haven't even "set".

That's very similar to a recipe posted by Ann T here years ago, so I use hers, but they are very close. Hers has pecans too, and pecans are one of those things I didn't used to like and now I like them a lot, so that's a bonus for me!

Annie

Annie, it probably is the same recipe. The recipe I've been making for years came from the Nantucket Open House Cookbook too.

Ann