Chicken Kabobs and Nectarine Salsa

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar $
• 1 tablespoon olive oil $
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice $
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt $
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper $
• 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 24 (2-inch) pieces $
• 1 large red onion, cut into 32 (2-inch) pieces $
• Cooking spray $
• 2 cups diced nectarine (about 3)
• 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper $
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion $
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves $
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice $
• 2 teaspoons minced seeded jalapeño pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt $
• 1/2 cup diced peeled avocado $

Preparation

• 1. Preheat broiler. Combine first 9 ingredients in a shallow dish; let stand 15 minutes.
• 2. Thread 4 onion pieces and 3 chicken pieces alternately onto each of 8 (12-inch) skewers. Place skewers on broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil 12 minutes or until chicken is done, turning occasionally.
• 3. Combine nectarines and next 6 ingredients (through 1/4 teaspoon salt) in a bowl. Gently stir in avocado.

Jennifer Martinkus, Cooking Light
JULY 2011

Sesame Noodles

Ingredients

1 (16 oz) pkg spaghetti
1 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 Tablespoon Asian sesame oil
1 Tablespoon grated, peeled fresh ginger
2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 bag (10 oz) shredded carrots (3 1/2 cups)
3 Kirby cucumbers (4 oz. each) not peeled, cut into matchstick strips
3 green onions, thinly sliced
2 Tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted (optional)

Directions
Cook pasta
Meanwhile in medium bowl with wire whisk or fork, mix orange juice - crushed red pepper until blended.
Place carrots in colander, drain pasta over carrots in large serving bowl.  Toss pasta mixture, cucumbers and 2/3 onions with sauce in bowl.  Sprinkle with remaining green onions and sesame seeds if you like.

Vegetarian Lentil Stew

My youngest, recently had a challenge issued in her class.  She was to go an entire week with no meat, no dairy, water or 100% fruit juice only.  We started to look for some more recipes since we've been doing more fish and chicken lately and not strictly vegetarian.  Same with dairy.
  Here is a yummy and filling stew

2 tsp. olive oil
2 tsp. grated & peeled fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp. curry powder
1 16 oz, pkg. cut up peeled butternut squash
1 large apple not peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 can (19 oz) ready to serve lentil soup
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup water
1 bag (10 oz) prewashed spinach
Directions
In a saucepan heat oil over medium heat.  Add ginger, garlic and curry powder and cook stirring 30 seconds.  Add squash, apple, soup, salt and water;  cover and heat to boiling over high heat.  Reduce heat to medium cover and cook stirring occasionally, until squash is just tender.  about 5 min. longer.




In batches gently stir in as many spinach leaves as possible.  Reduce heat to low; cover ans simmer 5 min.  Serve

Granola Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1-1/2 cups granola
• 1 cup raisins or other dried fruits such as cranberries, blueberries, chopped dates

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease baking baking sheet. In a small bowl with a wire whisk, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and completely combine. Add milk and combine. Mix in flour mixture. Stir in granola and dried fruit. Drop by heaping teaspoonsful, 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 11-14 minutes. Makes apprx. 1-1/2 to 2 dozen.

Haystack No Bake Cookies

This is one of the first recipes I ever made.  I was 12 years old, in my grandmother's kitchen and had just finished setting them out on her kitchen table when the neighbor boy and his mom rode up on snow mobiles.  While his mom and my grandma were visiting, he laid under the kitchen table and kept reaching up to eat the cookies I had just baked.  I was really mad, but couldn't say anything, of course.  I lost the recipe and was delighted this past Winter when I asked a fellow teacher if she had the recipe.  I described it to her and she did!  I was thrilled.  I have made them several times since then, but I'm afraid I might misplace it again, so I decided to post it here for safe keeping
Ingredients
3 cups quick oats
1 cup shredded coconut
6 Tablespoons cocoa (I tried it with Hershey cocoa and it did not appeal, so the next time I used hot chocolate mix...much more to my liking)
1/2 tsp salt
Mix well and set aside
 Combine in a saucepan & boil 1 minute
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
Pour over dry ingredients and mix well.  Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper.  Cool and serve.






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Sweet Corn Quesadillas

Ingredients:

• 3 cups fresh corn
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped scallion
• 2 tbsp. chopped cilantro
• 2 tbsp. lime juice
• 1/4 tsp. chile powder
• Salt
• 4 large flour tortillas
• 2 cups shredded monterey jack
• Lime wedges

Directions:

1. Combine all up to tortillas. For each quesadilla, place a tortilla in skillet over medium heat and spread 1/2 cup cheese and 1/2 cup corn relish over half; melt cheese; fold over. Cut into wedges; serve with lime.

Asian Meatballs with Spicy Lime Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:

• 4 scallions, green and white parts, coarsely chopped
• One 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated or finely chopped
• 1/4 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
• 1 serrano or jalapeno chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3 tablespoons plus 1/3 cup dark soy sauce, such as tamari
• 2 to 3 tablespoons cilantro leaves (a handful)
• Zest and juice of 2 limes
• 1 pound ground sirloin
• 3 to 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon honey 

• Directions:

  1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the scallions, half of the ginger, the bell pepper, half of the chile pepper, the garlic, the 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, the cilantro leaves and the lime zest. Pulse for 30 seconds, scrape down the bowl and process 1 minute more, or until finely ground. Add the meat and process until well combined, about 30 seconds more. Roll the meat into 24 balls the size of walnuts.
  2. Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the vegetable oil. Add the meatballs and don't move them until they are brown on 1 side, about 2 minutes. Turn the meatballs and continue to cook, browning them on all sides, until cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes more.
  3. While the meatballs cook, make the dipping sauce. In a bowl, combine the remaining ginger and chile pepper, the 1/3 cup of soy sauce, the lime juice, the sesame oil, the honey and a splash of water. Taste and adjust the seasoning; if it's too salty, add another drizzle of honey.
  4. Place the finished meatballs on a serving platter, with toothpicks on the side. Serve with the spicy lime dipping sauce.