Buttermilk Baked Chicken

Fried Chicken is a summer time staple as far as I'm concerned and I have a good recipe for it posted on this blog. However, one cannot eat fried chicken very often, it just isn't figure friendly. So what is a girl to do? Find a way to get that fried chicken taste using an oil free method. Thus the Buttermilk Baked Chicken was born. Here I've marinated the chicken in buttermilk and wing sauce just like my fried chicken and then coated it with a crunchy bread crumb that has been seasoned the same way I do the flour for my fried chicken. The results are pretty darn close.

6-8 pieces of bone in, skin on chicken
1 quart of buttermilk
1/3 cup of hot wing sauce
3 slices of bread
1/2 cup panko crumbs
1/2 teaspoons each of garlic, onion powder, black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
2 tablespoons of oil

Mix the buttermilk and wing sauce together and place it in a large zip lock bag with the chicken. Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes or all day. Preheat oven to 450. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and lay a baking rack over the sheet that you have sprayed well with cooking spray. Grind the bread in a food processor. Spread it out onto a baking sheet and crisp up in the oven for 5-7 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn it down to 400. Place the bread crumbs in a bowl with the panko, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, salt, paprika and poultry seasoning. Remove the chicken from the marinade and drain. Roll each piece in the bread crumbs, covering it well. Lay each piece onto the baking rack, leaving space between each piece. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until juices run clear. Serve.

Huevos Rancheros Casserole

This is an adaptation of a recipe I found on the internet. I love Huevos Rancheros but didn't like to time it takes to assemble each individual plate. So this recipe was worth a look. The first change I made was to swap out the fried tortillas for a baking method. I also made the addition of salsa to the dish which bumped up the flavor.

12 corn tortillas
1 3/4 cups of enchilada sauce
1 can of Bushes Grillin Beans-Texas Ranchero
2 cups low fat shredded cheddar jack cheeses
3/4 cup of jarred salsa(fresh won't work for this)
6-8 eggs
olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400. Cut the tortillas into 4ths and brush both sides with olive oil. Place on a baking sheet lined with a silpat or parchment. Bake for 10-12 minutes flipping over half way through baking. Remove from the oven and let cool. Turn the oven down to 375. Spray an oblong baking dish with cooking spray. Ladle a small amount of enchilada sauce onto the bottom of the baking dish. You want just enough to coat the bottom. Place a layer of tortillas over the sauce. Top that with half of the beans and a sprinkling of cheese. Drizzle more enchilada sauce over that. Repeat the process. Spoon salsa over the top . Using the back of a ladle, make 6-8 indentations into the top of the dish. Crack 1 egg into each indentation.Sprinkle salt and pepper over each egg. Bake for 20-30 minutes until the eggs have set. Serve

Lightened Up Macaroni Salad

With the 4th rolling around, it's time to haul out the bbq offerings. I have an old recipe for macaroni salad that must have been my grandmother's. It calls for a lot of mayo and I wanted to see if I could swap out a good portion of it for greek yogurt. I'm happy to report that it worked beautifully.



Serves a crowd

1/2 pound of whole wheat or multigrain pasta, cooked and cooled
3 hardboiled eggs, peeled and chopeed
1 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup diced dill pickles
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
3/4 cup of shredded low fat cheddar cheese
1 cup fat free plain greek yogurt
1/3 cup light mayo
1/2 cup pickle juice
2 tablespoons grainy mustard
pepper

In a small bowl whisk together the yogurt, mayo, pickle juice, mustard and pepper. Set aside. Place the pasta, eggs, celery, bell pepper and cheese in a large bowl and toss to combine. Pour the dressing over all and fold it into the salad. Serve cold.

Corn, Tomato and Avocado Salad

This salad needs few words. Simply put it was easy and Yummy!!!

Serves 6



3 avocados, diced
4 ears of fresh corn, cut off the cob
1 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup minced red onion
juice of 2 lemons
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper.

Assemble all ingredients in a large bowl, toss and serve.

Peach and Rhubarb Cobbler

I had four stalks of rhubarb to use up and our oldest hates it. What to do? I did what I used to do when the kids were little. With the help of the old food processor, I ground those suckers up and hid them in my peach cobbler. He never knew what hit him!

Serves 8
Fruit Filling
4 large stalks of rhubarb(about 4 cups chopped)
8 peaches, peeled and sliced
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup minute tapioca
1/4 cup water
Place the rhubarb in the food processor. Pulse several times until it is coarsely ground. Put the rhubarb in a medium sauce pot with 1 cup of sugar, tapioca and water. Bring it to a boil and cook for about 5 minutes until the mixture has thickened. Turn off the heat and set aside. Meanwhile bring a large pot of water to boil. Score an X in the bottom of each peach. Place ice and water in a large bowl and set aside. Drop the peaches into the boiling water and allow them to remain for 3-4 minutes. Remove the peaches from the boiling water and immediately place them in the ice bath. Leave them there for another 4 minutes. This process with loosen the skins and make peeling the peaches easier to accomplish. Slice each peach into pieces. Place the slices into a bowl with the remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Add the rhubarb to the peaches, stir to combine.
Preheat the oven to 400. Spray an oblong baking dish with cooking spray. Pour the filling into the prepared pan. Make the topping.

Topping
3 3/4 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups cold heavy cream
1 1/2 sticks cold butter
Place the flour, sugar, baking powder in a large bowl and stir to combine. Using the large side of a box grater, grate the cold butter into the bowl. Add the cream and using a fork, stir until just combined. Dump the dough out onto a floured board and using your hands, bring the dough together. Roll out to 1 1/2-2 inch thickness and using a cookie cutter, cut out about 8 shapes. Place the biscuits on top of the filling. You can pat the scraps together and cut them into smaller shapes to fill up any holes. Brush the tops with more cream and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Serve warm with ice-cream.
Cook's Notes- To prevent spillovers, place the cobbler on a rimmed baking sheet that you have either lined with a silpat, foil or parchment paper.

Coconut Lime Rice

Coconut milk gives the rice a silky texture and goes very well with lime zest.



Serves 6-8
1 15oz can of coconut milk
2 cups of chicken stock
1 cup of water
2 cups jasmine rice
zest and juice of 2 limes
3/4 teaspoon of kosher salt
1 tablespoon of butter or margarine
black sesame seeds

Bring the coconut milk, chicken stock and water to a boil over medium/high heat. Add the rice, butter, lime zest and salt. Turn the heat down to simmer and cover. Cook for 15 minutes, then turn the heat off and leave the rice covered for 5 minutes more. Fluff and squeeze the lime juice over all. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and serve.

Zesty Orange Glazed Shrimp

It was a beautiful Saturday and this evening is the perfect time to get out the grill. We haven't done grilled shrimp for some time so we were due for a shrimp dinner. I combined orange marmalade, soy sauce,and fresh orange juice to get things rolling.



1/2 cup orange marmalade
1/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
4 springs of fresh thyme, leaves removed
garlic chili paste or crushed red chili flakes(optional)
2 pounds of large shrimp,shells removed but tails left on



Whisk together all of the above except for the shrimp. If you are using wooden scewers, soak them in water 30 minutes before threading the shrimp on them. Thread the shrimp onto the screwers. Brush each side of the shrimp with the marinade and lay them into an oblong baking dish. Do this no more than 30 minutes before grilling or the acid in the oranges will cook the shrimp. Heat grill to medium high. Wipe oil onto the grill and lay the shrimp on the grill. Cook 3-4 minutes, turning once. Remove from the grill just as the shrimp turn pink on both sides.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches

This recipe originally came from Paula Deen. However I made a few changes. First of all I changed out her rub for my own. You can find it under my BBQ Ribs recipe in May 2011. Secondly, her recipe calls for slow braising the meat in the oven for 3 hours at 325. I don't know about you but when it is hot, the last thing I want to do is run the oven so I swapped out the oven for my slow cooker. You can set the time for as long as you need it if you are planning on being gone all day long. It works perfectly! The meat is tender and falls apart easily. It tastes exactly like the pulled pork you can get in most good BBQ restaurants. Did I mention my family loves this? You should have seen my daughter today when I brought the meat home from the store. You would think she had died and gone to hog heaven(literally)!
Serves 8-10

1 6 pound Pork Shoulder Roast(pork butt)
1 recipe of my BBQ Rub(BBQ Ribs, May 2011)or about 1 cup of your own
cooking spray
2 1/2 cups apple juice
1 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons liquid smoke
1 bottle bbq sauce
Kaiser Rolls
Cole Slaw(my recipe May 2011)

Two hours or the night before cooking, coat the outside of the meat with the rub. Wrap the pork butt in plastic and place in the frig until ready to cook. Four or more hours before serving, spray the insert of a large slow cooker with cooking spray. Remove the pork butt from its wrapping and place into the insert in the slow cooker. Combine the liquid ingredients in a bowl and pour into the insert. Cover and cook for 4-6 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low. Remove roast from liquid and let cool enough to handle. Discard cooking liquid. Using 2 forks, shred the meat. Place into a large bowl and toss with enough BBQ sauce to coat. Mound the meat onto the bun. Top with more BBQ sauce and cole slaw. Place top on and serve.

Doughnut Muffins

Seriously, these muffins taste just like a glazed doughnut. I love doughnuts but not all the calories. These give me all the taste but far fewer calories. Perfect when you need just a little somethin', somethin'


Yields 12-18 muffins
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup milk

For the Glaze:
3 tablespoons butter; melted
1 cup confectioners’ sugar; sifted
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons hot water








Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line 12 muffin cups with muffin liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter, vegetable oil, and sugars till smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time. With the mixer on low speed, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and vanilla until just combined. Stir the flour into the butter mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour and making sure everything is thoroughly combined.
Spoon batter into cups, filling the cups, and smooth tops. Divide batter equally among prepared muffin cups. Bake until muffin tops are a pale golden and springy to the touch, 15 to 17 minutes, rotating halfway through baking time. Cool muffins in muffin tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool 10 minutes before glazing.
To make the glaze, In a medium bowl mix together the melted butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and water. Whisk until smooth.
When muffins have cooled slightly, dip the muffin crown into the glaze and allow the glaze to harden. Once hardened, dip a second time and allow to harden then serve.

Note: Muffins will keep at room temperature for about a day.

Slow Cooker Lasagna

My daughter has asked me to teach her to cook this summer. She wants easy to prepare meals that she can make in the dorm. The room she will be in next year has a kitchenette. I thought a slow cooker would be a good addition because it doesn't require a flame which makes it non threatening to the beginning cook. A quick search of the internet turned up this recipe from Williams-Sonoma. I like this recipe because it does not require you to use the non-cook noodles which are more expensive than the regular noodles.



Serves 12 or 6 hungry college students

Ingredients:
1 Tbs. olive oil
2 lb. Italian sausage, casings removed
2 jars (each 24 oz.) tomato sauce
2 cups water
1 lb. whole-milk ricotta cheese
2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
18 ruffle-edged lasagna noodles (not no-boil noodles)
1 1/2 lb. mozzarella cheese, grated
2 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated
Thinly sliced fresh basil for garnish


Directions:
In the stovetop-safe insert of slow cooker over medium heat, warm the olive oil.(If you don't have a stovetop-safe insert, brown the sausage in a frying pan.) Add the sausage and cook, breaking up any large chunks with a wooden spoon, until the meat is browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and water and bring to a simmer. Transfer the sauce to a large bowl.

In another bowl, stir together the ricotta, parsley, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Spread a thin layer of the sauce on the bottom of the slow-cooker insert. Cover the sauce with a single layer of uncooked lasagna noodles (about 3), breaking the noodles as needed to fit. Spread about 1/3 cup of the ricotta mixture over the noodles. Top with about 2 cups of the sauce, then sprinkle with about 1 cup of the mozzarella and 1/4 cup of the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Repeat the layering 4 more times, starting with the noodles.

Transfer the insert to the slow-cooker base, cover and cook on low according to the manufacturer’s instructions until the noodles are tender and cooked through, about 4 hours.

Position a rack in the center of an oven and preheat to broil.

Transfer the slow-cooker insert to the oven and broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Let the lasagna rest for 20 minutes before serving. Garnish with basil and serve immediately.

Spaghetti and Sand

This was a dish my mom often made us growing up.The bread crumbs resemble sand and kids get a kick out of the name of this dish. It is always a favorite among big and little kids alike. I often serve it as a side dish. Tonight it went with my Six Ingredient Chicken.



Serves 8(as a side or starter)

1 pound angel hair pasta
2 cloves of garlic
3 slices of bread
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
8 large basil leaves, torn
extra virgin olive oil

Bring a large pot of water to boil and season it with enough salt to taste like sea water. Place the bread and garlic in a food processor and process until you have bread crumbs. While the machine is running, drizzle in 3 tbsp of oil into the crumbs. Place the crumbs in a large skillet and toast the crumbs and garlic stirring continuously until the crumbs just begin to brown. Drop the pasta into the water and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the water. Return the pasta to the dry cooking pot. Turn the heat up to high and add the pasta water and 1/4 cup olive oil. When the water has just been absorbed, turn off the heat. Pour the pasta into a large bowl. Toss with the basil, parmesan cheese and the bread crumbs. Serve

Six Ingredient Chicken

This has to be the easiest chicken dish I've ever made. Once assembled, the oven does all of the work. The olive oil and wine keep the chicken moist.

Serves 6





6-8 pieces of bone in, skin on, chicken(I used whatever odds and ends I had in the freeer. A combination of legs and bone-in breasts

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cloves of garlic minced
6 sprigs of fresh thyme
salt and pepper
1/3 cup parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 450. Spray a shallow baking dish with cooking spray. Season all sides of each piece of chicken with salt and pepper. Arrange the chicken in the baking dish. In a small bowl, mix together the wine, oil, and garlic. Pour the mixture over the chicken. Sprinkle the cheese over the chicken and top with the thyme sprigs. Bake at 450 for 30 minutes. Turn down the oven to 400 and continue baking for another 20-25 minutes. Serve

Stuffed Zucchini

If you have a veggie garden or know someone who does, chances are you are starting to see a bumper crop of zucchini just about now. What to do with all of that squash. I say stuff it. This process doesn't over cook the zucchini. It comes out tender crisp and the stuffing is fabulous.

Serves 6







3 medium zucchini halved and the center scooped out
1/2 an onion, diced
12 cherry tomoatoes, diced
6 oz of mushroom caps, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
6 basil leaves, minced
1/2 teaspoon of fresh oregano, minced
1/4 tsp red chili flakes
salt and pepper
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup each of shredded parmesan and mozarella cheese

Preheat the oven to 400. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Using a melon baller, scoop out the center of each zucchini half. Dice the flesh and set aside. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium/high heat. Add the onion, garlic, tomatoes, zucchini flesh, salt and pepper. Saute for 5 minutes. Add the basil, chili flakes, mushrooms and oregano and let it cook for 3 minutes more. Fill the zucchini halves with the stuffing and top each half with the cheese. Place in the baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake 5 minutes more. Serve

Hawaiian BBQ Marinade

I found this great recipe for Korean BBQ but did not have the Asian pear that the recipe required. Asian pear juice acts as a tenderizer. I did happen to have pineapple on hand so I substituted that for the pear juice. It was delicious....pears are over-rated.





1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 can crushed pineapple in its own juice
3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 large cloves of garlic
3 green onions, cut into chunks
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar
2 inches of fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

Place all ingredients into a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour the mixture through a sieve. Pushing it through to a clean bowl with a spoon. Pour it over chicken,pork or skirt steak. Let marinate in the frig for 4 hours or overnight. Grill over medium/high heat. I used this on skirt steak and grilled it on each side for 6 minutes per side.

Grilled Salmon with Mango Chimichurri

Trying to put fish on the table 2 nights a week has been a bit of a challenge. I like to keep meals fresh by adding new twists to the same old, same old. A chimichurri sauce gives as new look to grilled salmon.



Serves 4

4 salmon fillets with skin on
2 large mangos, peeled pitted and diced
1 bunch of cilantro, finely chopped
1/2 teasp. red-pepper flakes
juice of 2 limes
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
vegetable oil for grilling

In a small bowl, stir together the mango, cilantro, red-pepper flakes, lime juice,extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Set aside. Heat the grill or a grill pan to medium/high. Rub a small amount of vegetable oil over both sides of the fish and season with salt and pepper. Brush the grill with vegetable oil and place the fish on the grill skin side down. Grill on both sides for 4-6 minutes, flipping once. Transfer to a plate and top each piece with the chimichurri sauce. Serve.

Hasselback Potatoes

No time to make a baked potato? Here is an even better alternative. You will cut the cooking time by 20 minutes while imparting some lovely flavors. I don't think I'll make baked potatoes the same again.




Serves 4 or how ever many you need

4 Medium Sized Potatoes with skins left on
1 Clove of Garlic, thinly sliced per potato
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
Butter or Margarine
Kosher Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Dried Thyme




Preheat the oven to 425˚. Put the potato on a chopping board, flat side down. Start from one end of the potato, cut almost all the way through, at about 1/8 inch intervals.

Arrange the potatoes in a baking tray and insert the garlic in between the slits. . Then drizzle the olive oil and sprinkle some kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper and dried thyme.Scatter some butter on top of each potato.

Bake the potatoes for about 40 minutes or until the potatoes turn crispy and the flesh is soft.

Blueberry Mango Quinoa Salad with Lemon Basil Dressing

This is salad is my new best friend. I'm always looking for different types of salads to serve as sides or just to have as a quick lunch. I make a lot of this one and keep it in the frig to eat on the go. Adding cooked and cubed chicken bumps this up to a delicious salad super. If you've never tried quinoa, I recommend it. It cooks up exactly like rice and can be used like bulgar. Quinoa also has protein that most other grains do not have. It will give you more bang for your buck whether you plan to serve it vegetarian or not.



For the quinoa
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
For the fruits and veggies
2 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup cubed ripe mangoes
½ of an English cucumber, cubed
1/2 cup dried cranberries

For the lemon basil dressing
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
juice of 2 ripe lemons
zest of 1 lemon
10 Basil leaves, chopped finely
Salt and pepper

Place the quinoa and water in a medium skillet and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat, and simmer covered for about 15 minutes or till the quinoa is cooked. Remove the lid, and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Return the lid to the pan and let the quinoa steam for 15 minutes. Let it cool to room temperature. Place the quinoa in a large bowl and add the blueberries, cranberries, cucumber, basil, and mangoes. Toss to combine. In a small bowl combine the lemon juice, zest, olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour over the salad and serve

Linguini in Red Clam Sauce

I was so excited to see fresh clams at the fish counter today. Immediately I thought of my dad. He loves Linguini in Clam Sauce. Cherry tomatoes are in season so I decided to combine the best of both worlds. Serve with a green or Caesar salad and you'll make everyone very happy.

Serves 6

3 pounds live clams in their shells, scrubbed
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon anchovy paste
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 stems oregano,leaves stripped and chopped
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons of butter
8-10 basil leaves torn
black pepper

Bring water to a boil for the pasta and season it with enough salt to taste like sea water. Cook the pasta until it is almost al dente. While the water is coming to a boil, heat the olive oil in a large pot with a lid over medium/high heat. Add the anchovy paste and stir to combine. Add the tomatoes, onion, garlic, crushed red pepper, oregano, parsley and pepper. Saute until the tomatoes burst and the onions are soft about 8-10 minutes. Add the wine and reduce for 2 minutes. Melt the butter into the sauce and add the clams to the pot. Cover with the lid and cook clams until they open about 6-7 minutes. Remove any unopened clams and add the pasta to the pot. Toss the linguini with the sauce, add the basil, and adjust the seasoning if needed.

Mexican Rice

I once asked my friend Nancy to tell me how to make rice like the kind most Mexican restaurants serve. I was surprised how easy it was to make. Here's the recipe she shared with me.




Serves 6-8

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion diced




2 cloves garlic minced
2 oz tomato paste
3 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper


In a large skillet with a lid, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add rice and stir to coat with oil. Add the salt, pepper, chili powder and cumin, stir to combine. Stir in the tomato paste. Once it is incorporated add the chicken stock. When the stock comes to a boil, turn the heat down to simmer, put the lid on the skillet and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the rice sit for 5 minutes with the cover on. Serve

Chicken Enchiladas

These cheesy,creamy enchiladas taste like they took all day to prepare but that would be an illusion. From start to table you can get these on the table in about an hour. Less time if you prep them ahead and pull them from you frig just before dinner. I like to serve them with mexican rice and a salad.




10 large soft corn tortillas
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
3 cups shredded low fat Jack cheese and cheddar cheeses combined
4 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1/3 cup flour
3 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups light sour cream
1 (7 oz) can diced green chilies
1/2 of an onion diced
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
salt and pepper







Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. In a small skillet, heat the oil over medium/high heat. Add the onion, garlic, cumin and a pinch of salt and pepper. Saute until the veggies are soft. In a sauce pan, melt butter, stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add broth and whisk until smooth. Heat over medium heat until thick and bubbly.
Stir in sour cream and half of the chilies. Do not bring to boil, you don't want curdled sour cream. In a medium bowl,mix together the chicken, rest of the chilies, onion and garlic,1/2 a cup cheese and 1 cup of sauce. Place a small amount of sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Spoon a small amount of filling at one end of each tortilla. Roll up in tortillas and place them seam side down in the baking dish. Pour the remaining sauce over enchiladas and top with remaining cheese. Bake 22 min and then under high broil for 3 min to brown the cheese.

Panzanella Salad

I did not grow up with this salad but when I discovered it, you would think I had. This is another take on salad that is a perfect accompaniment to grilled meat or fish. It also is a nice break from potatoes or rice. On a hot day, add salami that you have cut into cubes for a refreshing salad supper.



Serves 8-10

1 loaf of good bakery bread cut in half(day old is best)
1/2 of a small red onion diced
1 quart of cherry tomatoes halved
1/2 of an english cucumber diced
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup of pitted Kalamata or Greek Green olives
1 ball of fresh mozarella cubed or shredded parmesan cheese
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
6 leaves of fresh basil diced

Place both halves of the bread on the grill. Grill until marks just appear. When bread is cool, cut into cubes and place in a large salad bowl. Add the tomaotes, onion, cucumber, celery, basil and cheese. Mix the vinegar, oil, salt and pepper together and pour over all. Toss to coat.

Marinade for Grilled Italian Porkchops

Pork chops have to be one of the easiest meats to grill. The marinade packs a punch with some classic coastal Italian flavors while keeping the meat from drying out during cooking.
To prevent flair ups while grilling, keep a spray bottle of water handy during cooking. Spray the water onto the grill, avoiding the meat.

Marinade
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
juice and zest of 2 large oranges
2 tbs of fresh rosemary leaves, minced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 teasp salt
1/4 teasp pepper
3/4 cup dry vermouth

6 pork loin chops

Place the chops in a gallon sized zip lock bag. Mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl and pour over the chops. Seal the bag and massage the marinade into the meat. Place in the frig overnight or at least 4 hours. Remove the chops from the marinade and let them come to room temperature.This will take about an hour. Sprinkle each side with salt and pepper. Sear the chops on each side for 3-4 minutes. Remove from the grill and place on a warm plate. Cover with foil and let the chops rest before serving 5-7 minutes.

Old Fashioned Coconut Cake with Coconut Filling

My husband, Bjorn and our youngest son, Ryan both have birthdays this week. We will be traveling to Oregon to bring our daughter home from her first year in college later in the week so we are celebrating birthdays and Father's Day today. Bjorn and Ryan both love coconut cake. I have tried many coconut cake recipes over the years but have never found one that has been just right. Boy, do I sound like Goldilocks here! I think this is recipe number 4 and I have high hopes for this one. First of all it is an old southern recipe that I have made a few changes to. Thank goodness one can find unsweetened flaked coconut these days. I don't wish having to crack open a fresh coconut and preparing the flesh on anyone let alone myself. Been there, done that and it wasn't pretty.

Here are a couple of things I recommend for this cake. Do buy unsweetened flaked coconut. I found Red Mill at Sprouts(a health food store). I also used cream of coconut(found in the liquor aisle), coconut extract and coconut milk(found in the asian food aisle). I've included a picture of these items.





4 cups flour, sifted
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cup buttermilk
6 eggs, separated
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. coconut extract

Filling:
Unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cups sugar
1/2 cup cream of coconut
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp flour
1 cup coconut milk, for soaking cake layers
1/3 cup of coconut milk for sponging on the cake layers
Marshmallow Frosting
1/3 cup water
1 cup sugar
3 egg whites
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 tsp coconut extract
pinch of salt
Whip the egg whites until stiff and set aside. Sift flour, baking powder and soda together. Cream sugar and butter, add egg yolks. Add flour and milk alternately, then fold in well beaten egg whites. This makes 3, 9 inch layers. Bake 350 F in moderate oven for 30-35 minutes.




Mix flour and sugar in a sauce pan before adding butter and coconut milk and cream of coconut. Cook to syrup. Add grated coconut after syrup has cooled. Reserve some coconut to sprinkle on top of cake. Sponge each cake layer with more coconut milk before spreading filling.

Stir the water, sugar, cream of tartar and salt together in a small saucepan. Hook a thermometer onto the side of the pan and boil without stirring until the temperature reaches 240 degrees. Meanwhile, beat the egg whites until stiff. Pour the hot syrup in a thin stream over the whites beating constantly. Continue to beat until the frosting is thick and glossy about 3-5 minutes. Stir in the coconut extract. Frost cake and top with remaining coconut.

Buffalo Chicken Meatball and Cheesy Mac

It seems like everyone has a recipe that captures the flavors of Buffalo Chicken Wings these days. I liked the idea of Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese but many of the recipes are heavy on the calories. So I set out to see if I could do something about that. I opted to turn the Chicken part into a meatball with lean ground chicken and I lightened the cheese sauce using goat cheese, light shredded cheddar cheese, lowfat milk and fat free half and half. The results are delicious!

1 1/2 pounds lean ground chicken or turkey
1 1/2 cups of panko bread crumbs
2 eggs or 1/2 cup egg beaters
1/2 cup each of diced onion and celery
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
1/2 cup Frank's Red Hot
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preheat the oven to 450. Spray a large shallow baking dish with cooking spray. Heat the olive oil in a skillet on med/high heat. Add the onion and celery. Saute until the veggies are tender. Scrap them into a large bowl and let cool. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until just combined. Using an ice-cream scoop, make meatballs and place them in the baking dish. Put the meatballs close together. They should be touching. Bake for 15-20 minutes until just browned. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Cheesey Mac

2 cups lowfat milk
2 cups fat free half and half
4 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/3 cup flour
5 oz of goat cheese
3 cups lowfat shredded cheddar cheese
4 tablespoons Frank's Red Hot
1 pound whole wheat or multi-grain penne pasta
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup diced celery

Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a large baking dish with cooking spray.Fill a large stock pot with water and bring it to a boil. Add enough salt to make the water taste like sea water. Cook the pasta for 6-7 minutes. Drain, return to the empty stock pot and set aside. The pasta will be par-cooked at this point but it will continue to cook in the oven. In a medium sauce pot, melt the butter or margarine. Add the flour and whisk until combined with the melted butter for 1 minutes. Add the milk, the half and half, the hot sauce, salt and pepper. Whisk again until the flour mixture has been incorporated. Switch to a spoon and stir until the mixture has thickend enough to coat the back of a spoon. Turn off the heat and add the goat cheese and 1 1/2 cups of cheddar. Whisk until the cheeses have melted and are combined. Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and stir to coat. Pour the pasta and cheese sauce into the prepared baking dish. Nestle the meatballs down into the pasta and sprinkle the remaining cheese over all. Bake for 30 minutes until the top is browned and the casserole is bubbly.