Black Bean and Chicken Chilaquiles

I think I've mentioned before that Patrick loves Mexican food, so I'm always on the lookout for new recipes to satisfy his Mexican food needs. It will come as no surprise that I found this recipe on the CD that came with my Cooking Light Complete Cookbook. The chilaquiles came out okay, but they have the potential to be delicious. My biggest complaints about it are that it was too dry and there wasn't enough cheese. The first complaint can be fixed by adding more salsa. The second can be remedied by adding more cheese--no brainer--but I think I would add the extra cheese between the first layer of chicken and the second layer of tortillas. I also think that the tortillas should be replaced with tortilla chips. And it could use more beans, as well. I don't say this very often, but there was too much garlic in this recipe; you can safely cut two cloves and still get powerful garlic results. I have a feeling that the type of salsa you choose can also make or break this dish. The recipe recommends El Pato, but I couldn't find it. This could have contributed to the dish being dry as I don't know what the water content is like in the El Pato. But I also might have simmered my salsa too long. I used a favorite of my own: El Pinto. They make it at the El Pinto restaurant in New Mexico, and they use fire roasted green chiles. The flavor is amazing, and it is just the right amount of spicy for me. This is another item that usually comes home with us when we visit New Mexico. Patrick was excited when I first discovered that our local grocery store carries it--it's that good.

Don't get me wrong, this recipe was plenty satisfying, and both Patrick and I enjoyed it. I just think that it could have been better, so I will definitely try it again. The recipe says it makes 6 servings, but I think it is more like 8 servings, which puts each serving at 220 calories. This is very impressive. I think I can make all the substitutions mentioned above and still come out under the original 293 calories per serving (which really isn't bad at all). And I have a new love of queso blanco. I'd never had it before, but it is creamy and delicious. And not only that, it is a part skim cheese, so it's actually not too bad for you.

Black Bean and Chicken Chilaquiles

• 1 C thinly sliced onion
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 C shredded cooked chicken breast
• 1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 C fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 C salsa de chile fresco
• 15 (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch strips
• 1 C shredded queso blanco (about 4 oz)

Preheat oven to 450°.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion.

Sauté 5 minutes or until lightly browned.

Add garlic. Sauté 1 minute.

Add chicken. Cook 30 seconds.

Stir in beans and transfer mixture to a medium bowl.

Add broth and salsa to pan.

Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

Place half of tortilla strips in bottom of an 11x7-in baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Layer half of chicken mixture over tortillas.

Layer remaining tortillas.

Layer the other half of the chicken mixture. Pour broth mixture evenly over chicken mixture.

Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake 10 minutes or until tortillas are lightly browned and cheese is melted.

Pumpkin-Cinnamon Streusel Buns

When I ran across this recipe in my Cooking Light Complete Cookbook, I knew I had to try it out. I have a love affair with all things pumpkin, so I couldn't resist. I had planned last week that I would make them this past weekend. Despite being pretty stiff and swollen, I wasn't about to let my mountain biking injuries from Sunday get in the way. When Patrick was younger, his stepmom would make cinnamon rolls for breakfast. He said that if either he or his brother slept in, they'd often miss out because either of them could polish off the entire batch without drawing breath. She still makes cinnamon rolls when we come to visit, but Patrick has learned a little restraint. So when I made these cinnamon rolls yesterday, he said he was tempted to eat the entire batch, but that he was pretty sure he wouldn't feel good if he did. They were delicious. The dough isn't overly sweet, which I like, but the streusel filling was almost too sweet. Patrick thought they were perfect though. My only real complaint is that you really can't taste the pumpkin that much. I was imagining something along the lines of pumpkin pie rolled up in a cinnamon roll, but the flavor is very subtle--too subtle in my humble opinion. Don't be fooled if you think you can whip these up for breakfast unless you plan to get up early because this is a time consuming recipe. We ended up eating them as a mid-morning snack--so much for breakfast.

Pumpkin-Cinnamon Streusel Buns

• 1 package dry yeast
• 1/4 C warm water (100° to 110°)
• 3 1/2 C all-purpose flour, divided
• 1/2 C canned pumpkin
• 1/2 C 1% low-fat milk
• 1/4 C butter, melted
• 1 Tbs granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 3 tsp granulated sugar
• 3 Tbs brown sugar
• 2 Tbs all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp chilled butter, cut into small pieces
• 3/4 C sifted powdered sugar
• 1 Tbs hot water
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Add yeast and warm water to a large bowl.

Whisk to dissolve yeast.

Let stand for 5 minutes. It's hard to tell here, but the mixture should get frothy.

Add 3 C flour, pumpkin, low-fat milk, melted butter, 1 Tbs granulated sugar, salt, and ground nutmeg to yeast mixture.

Beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes). Add enough of the remaining 1/2 C flour, 1 Tbs at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky). If you have a stand mixer, you can use the dough hook to knead the dough.

Place the dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top.

Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

Punch dough down; cover and let rest for 5 minutes.

Add 3 Tbs granulated sugar, brown sugar, 2 Tbs flour, and cinnamon to a small bowl.

Whisk to combine.

Add the chilled butter.

Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Turn out dough on a floured surface.

Roll into a 12x10-inch rectangle.

Sprinkle with brown sugar mixture.

Roll up the rectangle tightly, starting with a long edge, pressing firmly to eliminate air pockets; pinch seam and ends to seal.

Cut roll into 12 (1-inch) slices. Place slices in a 9-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray. (I personally thought the pan was too small for 12 rolls, but I used it anyway. In the future I will use a 9x13-inch pan.)

Cover and let rise 25 minutes or until doubled in size.

While the rolls are rising, preheat oven to 375°. Bake the rolls for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 15 minutes in pan on a wire rack.

Combine the powdered sugar, hot water, and vanilla extract in a small bowl.

Stir with a whisk until smooth.

Drizzle glaze over buns. Serve warm.

Cranberry and Apple Crumble

I made this crumble on Saturday, but due to an unfortunate mountain biking accident on Sunday morning and an otherwise busy holiday weekend, I'm only just now getting a chance to blog about it. Saturday evening we had our good friends Drew, Lori, Paul, and Victoria over for dinner. It was a bittersweet meal as we said goodbye to Drew and Lori, who have moved away. I didn't want to spend the entire evening cooking a meal devoted to this blog, so I pulled out a couple favorites: Chicken Français and Romaine Salad with Pears, Goat Cheese, and Candied Walnuts. But I couldn't resist trying out at least one new recipe, so I decided it would be dessert. I really wanted to make something with fruit because there are so many delicious fruits in season right now. Oddly enough, when I turned to Patrick to help me decide, he selected a recipe with apples, which are available pretty much year round, and cranberries, which I had to get in the freezer section since they are a fall fruit. Oh well, I guess that just means I'll be making something more seasonal very soon. When I started mixing everything together, it dawned on me that the recipe didn't call for any spices. This concerned me greatly because I've never had an apple dessert that didn't involve cinnamon and/or nutmeg. I contemplated adding some, but decided to trust my beloved Cooking Light Complete Cookbook. It turned out that there was nothing to worry about. The crumble was fantastic, and I didn't think it needed any spices. I modified just a tad--I substituted some oatmeal in the topping. The result would have been more noticeable had I not used the food processor to make the topping and pulverized the oatmeal. Next time I will definitely use my pastry blender. I used Granny Smith apples because I think the tartness of the apples balances the sugar really well. A sweeter variety just makes the whole thing too sweet. I served it with vanilla frozen yogurt, and it was perfect.

On a side note, my darling husband built me a light box. I've been complaining about how difficult the lighting is in our kitchen and shamelessly declaring that I need a digital SLR camera. He's finally agreed that we can get one for Christmas this year, but in the meantime, he's been researching solutions to help me battle my lighting issues. The light box is great. It really only helps with the finished dish because I can't very well put a hot skillet in there, but I definitely appreciate the thought and effort that went into making it. I'm going to start experimenting with different backgrounds because the plain white doesn't quite do it for me.

Cranberry and Apple Crumble

• 1/4 C all-purpose flour
• 1/4 C old fashion oatmeal
• 1/4 C granulated sugar
• 1/4 C packed brown sugar
• 1/4 C chilled butter, cut into small pieces
• 6 C apples, peeled and sliced thin
• 1 C cranberries
• 1/3 C orange juice
• 2 Tbs granulated sugar
• 1 Tbs cornstarch

Preheat oven to 375°.

Combine flour, oatmeal, 1/4 C granulated sugar, brown sugar, and butter in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Combine apple and cranberries in a large bowl.

Combine juice, 2 Tbs granulated sugar, and cornstarch.

Pour over apple mixture. Toss well.

Spoon apple mixture into a 2-quart baking dish.

Sprinkle with flour mixture.

Bake for 40 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Chocolate Anise Cookies

I was in the mood to bake something yesterday afternoon, but I wasn't sure what I should make. So I turned to my friend Stephan for inspiration, and he recommended this recipe from Giada De Laurentiis. I was skeptical at first because I've never baked with anise and am not a huge fan of licorice. But I decided to try it anyway because Stephan has never given me a bad recommendation. These "cookies" turned out to be biscotti, although not as hard. They taste a little like shortbread, but the texture is light and crisp. Unfortunately, or perhaps not depending on how you look at it, the anise is barely detectable. I tasted a hint of it in one bite, but it was so subtle I can't be sure that's even what I was tasting. I will attribute this to the fact that the recipe calls for ground anise, but all I could find at the store was anise seeds. I put the seeds in the food processor because I don't own a mortar and pestle, but it just didn't do the trick. So now I am really curious what they were supposed to taste like. They turned out really well despite my blunder, but I'm not sure that I will make them again any time soon because they are totally not on my diet. I will be making Stephan and Patrick finish the rest of them--I'm sure neither will complain about it.

Chocolate Anise Cookies

• 2 C all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 C sugar
• 1/2 C (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp ground anise seed
• 1 C semisweet chocolate chips (I used bittersweet)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees°. Line a large heavy baking sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl to blend.

Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar and butter in a large bowl to blend.

Beat in the eggs 1 at a time.

Add the flour mixture and beat just until blended.

Add the ground anise seed and mix well.

Stir in the chocolate chips.

Form the dough into a 16-inch-long, 3-inch-wide log. Transfer the log to the prepared baking sheet.

Bake until light golden, about 30 minutes. Cool 30 minutes.

Using a serrated knife, cut the log into 1/2- to 3/4-inch-thick slices.

Arrange the cookies cut side down on the baking sheet.

Bake the cookies until pale golden, about 15 minutes.

Transfer the cookies to a rack and cool completely.

Peach-Glazed Barbecue Pork Chops with Grilled Peaches

This is yet another recipe from my Cooking Light Complete Cookbook. I don't eat a lot of pork, but I was intrigued by the recipe, so I decided to give it a try. The prep time is long, so I would recommend planning in advance. Despite how time consuming it was to make, it was very simple and straight forward. I must say that I am a fan of pork chops. While I steer clear of fatty pork products like bacon and have never cared for ham, the pork chop is quite tasty. Pork pairs really well with fruit, and I love peaches. It is barely peach season, but I was pleased to find a decent selection at the grocery store, even if the peaches were mostly on the small side. The sauce was really interesting. I'm not normally a fan of barbecue sauce, but this is much different than anything I've ever tasted. One thing I don't like about many sauces is how sweet they are, so I cut the sugar down in this recipe. The peaches are sweet enough to carry the sauce, which allows the other spices to shine through. Patrick said that the grilled peach halves really made this meal for him. The pork was a tad on the dry side, but the peaches were juicy and made up for the dryness of the meat. I never would have thought about grilling peaches, but they were fantastic. We put them on the upper rack in the grill because Patrick was worried that they couldn't handle the heat on the bottom, but I think next time they should go on the bottom. I forgot to spray the rack with cooking spray to prevent them from sticking, and while this wasn't detrimental to the finished product, I would recommend not skipping this step...oops. I cut the recipe in half, but you can view the original recipe on myrecipes.com. Overall, I was really impressed with this dish, and I would make it again.

Peach-Glazed Barbecue Pork Chops and Peaches

• 1 1/2 C chopped peeled peaches (about 3/4 pounds)
• 1/2 C white wine
• 1 Tbs sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1 Tbs white wine vinegar
• 1 Tbs molasses
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/8 tsp ground red pepper
• 4 (4-ounce) center-cut pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick), trimmed
• 2 peaches, halved and pitted

Combine first chopped peaches, wine, and sugar in a saucepan.

Bring to a boil.

Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes. Uncover and simmer 5 minutes.

Place peach mixture in a food processor. Add salt, black pepper, vinegar, molasses,chili powder, paprika, and red pepper.

Process until smooth.

Place half of peach mixture in a large heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag; reserve other half for basting.

Add chops to bag.

Seal bag, mix around to coat the pork, and refrigerate 30 minutes to 4 hours.

Preheat grill.

Remove pork chops to a plate and discard bag. Place pork chops and peach halves on grill rack.

Baste pork and peach halves with the reserved peach mixture every 2 minutes during the first 6 minutes of cooking. Grill 10 minutes or until the pork is done and the peaches are tender, turning once.

Serve pork chops with peaches. Add extra sauce if you desire.

Fajita Chicken Salad

In an attempt to eat healthy after drinking far too much on Friday night, I put together this salad. I love salad. With the right ingredients, you can make it healthy and filling. One of the downfalls of salad bars is the wealth of high fat toppings just begging you to pile them on your plate of otherwise healthy vegetables. I made this salad by combining a couple different recipes from my Cooking Light Complete Cookbook. This book has seriously become my cooking bible. I am always impressed with how rich and delicious the recipes taste, and yet, they are surprisingly good for you. Nothing I've made so far just screams "diet food." This is important because it tricks my taste buds into thinking that I'm not depriving myself. And let's face it, isn't that one of the reasons that diets fail? Aside from the binge I went on Friday, I have been highly successful sticking to my diet for almost 4 months now. I kind of glad that Friday happened because it reminded me why alcohol should always be consumed in moderation. I was very pleased with the results of tonight's salad. There was a wonderful combination of flavors...spicy, sweet, tangy. I was in heaven! I used three simple recipes, which I will address in turn.

Black Bean Salsa

• 1 C canned black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 C fresh corn kernels
• 2 Tbs onion, chopped
• 2 tsp jalapeño pepper, chopped
• 2 tsp fresh lime juice
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp ground coriander
• 8 cherry or grape tomatoes, chopped

Add all the ingredients to a bowl, tossing well to combine.

Avocado Salsa

• 1 C tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 C avocado, peeled and chopped
• 2 Tbs onion, chopped
• 3 Tbs fresh lime juice
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced

Add all the ingredients to a bowl, tossing well to combine.

Jalapeño Citrus Vinaigrette

• 3 Tbs fresh orange juice
• 1 1/2 Tbs fresh lime juice
• 2 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 2 tsp honey
• 2 tsp red wine vinegar
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp fresh cracked pepper

Combine all ingredients.

Pour into a food processor and mix until smooth.

Fajita Chicken Salad

• 1 C romaine lettuce, chopped
• 6-8 red and yellow pepper strips
• 1/2 C Black Bean Salsa
• 1/4 C Avocado Salsa
• 4 oz chicken breast, grilled
• 2 Tbs Jalapeño Citrus Vinaigrette

Put the lettuce on a plate, and arrange your pepper strips on top.

Add the Black Bean Salsa.

Add the Avocado Salsa.

Add the chicken breast.

Top with Jalapeño Citrus Vinaigrette. You can also add shredded cheese or sour cream if you so desire, but the salad doesn't need them. The salsas and the dressing provide a wealth of rich flavors on their own.

Beef Picadillo

It is now time for an obligatory beef dish (although, you could sub ground turkey). Picadillo is a wonderful Latin American dish that combines some very interesting flavors. I've made a chicken picadillo before, but not beef. It's really interesting because I don't care for raisins, Patrick doesn't care for olives, and neither of us care for capers, but this dish is delicious. The raisins get really soft and subtly sweet, and they don't really taste like raisins anymore. When combined with the olives, the flavor is amazing. I did think that there were too many capers in it, so I might cut them back a tad next time. Although after the first few bites, they weren't as overwhelming. The last time I made picadillo, I used it to stuff pablano peppers for chile rellenos. This recipe would also be really good for that. I liked it served over rice, but if you're looking to jazz it up, there are definitely options.

Beef Picadillo

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 C finely chopped onion
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 C low-sodium beef broth
• 1/3 C raisins
• 1/3 C coarsely chopped pimiento-stuffed olives
• 3 Tbs capers
• 1 Tbs tomato paste
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 C hot cooked brown rice

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion.

Sauté 5 minutes.

Add beef and garlic.

Cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble.

Add broth, raisins, olives, capers, tomato paste, and pepper; stir well.

Bring to a boil.

Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes.

Serves 4 (1 C picadillo with 1/2 C rice).

Vermont Cheddar Spoon Bread

I found this recipe on myrecipes.com, and it sounded interesting, so I decided to give it a try. I have always been a bread person--carbs are my weakness. But I've finally come to terms with the fact that carbs are not the enemy. I've tried so many different diets, but what really works for me is moderation and exercise. I count my calories, but I'm not fanatical about it, and I give myself room to splurge big from time to time. This recipe is reasonably healthy, so I thought, "why not?" It's sort of like cornbread, but falls somewhere between soufflé and quiche in denseness and texture. And it was just okay. I expected it to be cheesier, but the cheese plays a back seat. If I make this again, which let's face it, probably won't happen, I would add more cheese or melt some on top. It just wasn't as exciting as I had hoped.

Vermont Cheddar Spoon Bread

• 1/2 C plus 2 tsp cornmeal, divided
• 1 1/2 C fat-free milk
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
• 2 large egg whites
• 1/2 C shredded Vermont sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375°.

Coat a 1-quart soufflé dish with cooking spray; sprinkle with 2 teaspoons cornmeal, and set aside.

Combine 1/2 cup cornmeal, milk, salt, and black pepper in a medium saucepan.

Cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Gradually stir 1/2 cup hot cornmeal mixture into egg yolk, and add to remaining cornmeal mixture, stirring constantly. Pour into a large bowl; cool completely.

Beat egg whites at high speed of a mixer until stiff peaks form.

Gently fold egg whites and cheese into cornmeal mixture.

Spoon batter into prepared dish.

Bake at 375° for 1 hour or until puffy and browned. Serve immediately.

Chicken Français and Carrot Coins with Maple-Balsamic Browned Butter

I am quickly progressing through all those little flags I marked in my Cooking Light Complete Cookbook. Both of the recipes that follow were flagged. Before I started this blog, I was definitely in a cooking rut. But I've really enjoyed trying new recipes and posting about them. Patrick is even coming over to the dark side--he doesn't mind eating chicken every night. I would like to thank my new meat mallet, which makes the chicken tender, and because the chicken is so thin and cooks up so fast, it doesn't get dried out. Patrick said he's never eaten such tasty chicken, and he almost doesn't miss eating beef. The chicken was tender, moist, and flavorful. I love, love, love this recipe, and I will definitely make it again. But next time I'll try not to forget to add the garlic....oops. I am now addicted to fresh Parmigiano Reggiano. I don't know if I can ever go back to Kraft again. Which is a little scary because the good stuff isn't cheap. But the flavor it imparts on the dish is well worth it, in my humble opinion. There wasn't that much of it in this dish, but there was no mistaking its tantalizing flavor. The overall flavor of the dish was rich, with a hint of citrus. The carrots were a nice complement. They were sweet, but not too sweet. The maple and balsamic combination is to die for. I highly recommend serving these two dishes together, but that is entirely up to you. Both recipes are quick and easy. I cut the recipes to accommodate serving 2, but I left the original portions in the directions.

Chicken Français

• 3/4 C egg substitute
• 1/4 C grated fresh Parmigiano Reggiano
• 1 Tbs parsley flakes
• 1/4 C white wine
• 2 Tbs lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 (6-oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 C all purpose flour
• 2 Tbs butter
• 1/4 C white wine
• 3 Tbs lemon juice

Combine the first 8 ingredients in a bowl.

Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of plastic wrap, and pound to 1/4" thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin.

Dredge chicken in flour, and dip in egg mixture.

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add 4 chicken breasts.

Cook 4 minutes on each side or until done.

Remove from pan and keep warm. Wipe drippings from pan with paper towel. Repeat procedure with remaining chicken breasts.

Melt butter in a pan.

Add 1/4 C white wine and 3 Tbs lemon juice.

Bring to a boil; cook 30 seconds. Serve immediately over chicken.

Serves 8.

Carrot Coins with Maple-Balsamic Browned Butter

• 3 1/4 C (1/4-inch-thick) slices peeled carrots
• 1 Tbs butter
• 1 Tbs maple syrup
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Steam carrots, covered, 15 minutes or until tender.

Melt butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat.

Cook butter 3 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.

Add syrup, vinegar, salt, and black pepper; stir until combined.

Add carrots; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated, stirring to coat.

Serves 4.

Chicken with Apple-Thyme Sauce

This is yet another recipe from my new favorite cookbook (Cooking Light Complete Cookbook). The original recipe calls for veal medallions, but when I went to my local grocery store, they didn't have any veal. So I bought pork, thinking that would work too. Well, my week got crazy, and by the time I got around to making this recipe last night, the pork was questionable, and I don't eat food if I suspect that it's gone bad--sensitive stomach. But I had some chicken, so I substituted that. This is one of the reasons I call this blog an adventure. Last night I was flying by my apron strings (or something to that effect). If you would like the original recipe, you can find it on myrecipes.com. I try to always have chicken breasts on hand because they work with just about anything. Chicken is one of my kitchen staples. I usually by some chicken whether or not I have immediate plans for because you can always freeze it. I would have put the pork in the freezer if I'd thought about, but it just didn't occur to me. But I've learned my lesson (I hope). This chicken was delicious and oh so easy to make. The whole process takes about half an hour. I really enjoyed the flavors in this dish. The sauce isn't sweet, but the apple chucks add a tart sweetness that is divine. Apple and thyme is a wonderful combination. Patrick thinks chicken is boring and far inferior to beef, but he enjoyed this chicken a lot. I suppose it's time for me to cook some beef though. It's been a few weeks, so I'm surprised that he is complaining.

Chicken with Apple-Thyme Sauce

• 1 C dry sherry
• 1 3/4 C fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 C thawed apple juice concentrate, undiluted
• 1 Tbs water
• 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
• 1/2 C chopped Granny Smith apple
• 1/2 tsp chopped fresh or 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 (4-oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Add the sherry to a medium saucepan.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Cook until reduced to 2 tablespoons (about 8 minutes).

Add chicken broth and apple juice concentrate.

Bring back to a boil.

Cook until reduced to 1 cup (about 12 minutes).

Combine water and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add cornstarch mixture to sauce.

Bring back to a boil, stirring constantly.

Cook for 1 minute.

Remove from heat; stir in apple and thyme. Cover and keep warm.

Pound chicken to 1/4" thickness between two pieces of plastic wrap with a meat mallet or rolling pin.

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. My latest kick is a McCormick pepper blend called Garlic & Pepper. It comes in a grinder, and there's nothing better than fresh cracked pepper, except maybe fresh cracked pepper with garlic.

Spray a medium nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add chicken.

Cook 3 minutes on each side or until lightly browned.

Serve with apple-thyme sauce.

A Mother's Day Feast

This just might end up being the longest post ever. For Mother's Day, my mom requested that we take a picnic. The weather has been really nice, even if a little on the hot side, so I thought it was a great idea. When we were kids, my mom would take my brother, sister, and me to this one particular park for picnics. They have nature trails, a garden, and koi ponds, but by far the coolest attraction is the muster of Indian blue peacocks that live there. When I was really young (maybe 3 or so), I called them "teatocks," and that name has always stuck in my family. We decided to hit up our old stomping ground for our picnic. It was beautiful, and apparently, the height of mating season because the males were out in full plume, courting their lovers. This guy hung out about 12 feet from where we were sitting for almost the entire 2 1/2 hours that we were there.

I wonder if they ever get tired of holding up those beautiful tail feathers.

There was one particular recipe that I wanted to try out from the Cooking Light Complete Cookbook, so I set out to come up with a menu to complement it. I searched high and low for things that could easily be served outside. Here's the lineup:

• Tomato-Basil Tart (Cooking Light Complete Cookbook)
• Romaine Salad with Pears, Goat Cheese, and Candied Walnuts (adapted from two recipes: Emeril Lagasse & Barefoot Contessa)
• Pecorino Crackers (Giada De Laurentiis)
• Summer Fruit with Wine and Mint (Giada De Laurentiis)
• Sangria (Emeril Lagasse )

I had a lot of fun coming up with the menu, so I'm going to take you through all five of the recipes. As with most recipes, I made a few changes here and there that I will tell you about as I go. The picnic meal was a huge success. The food was absolutely fabulous. In addition to the things that I made, my sister-in-law made two kinds of finger sandwiches on croissants: Curried Chicken Salad and Peppered Turkey & Avocado. They were delicious. When I get the recipe for the chicken salad, I will definitely blog about it. My sister also made my mom's favorite dessert: Caramel Apple Pie. She has a special recipe that is to die for, which includes a crumb top, toasted pecans, and caramel drizzle. I just can't compete with it, so I don't try. We all had a wonderful time and stuffed ourselves silly.

Tomato-Basil Tart

• 1 (11-oz) can refrigerated soft bread stick dough
• 3 large plum tomatoes
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 C loosely packed basil leaves
• 3/4 C shredded part-skin mozzarella cheese
• 2/3 C fat-free ricotta cheese
• 1/2 C grated fresh Parmigiano Reggiano
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 large egg whites
• 2 tsp olive oil

This recipe is for one 9-in tart, but I made individual 4-in tarts. The directions that follow are for the large 9-in tart. I doubled the recipe and it was enough to make 9 individual tarts.

Preheat oven to 425°.

Unroll dough, separating into strips. Working on a flat surface, coil 1 strip around itself in a spiral pattern. Add second strip of dough to end of first strip, pinching ends to seal; continue coiling remaining dough. Let rest 10 minutes.

Roll dough into a 12-in circle.

Fit into bottom and up sides of a 9-in round removable bottom tart pan coated with cooking spray.

Cover dough with foil; arrange pie weights or dried beans on foil.

Bake at 425° for 15 minutes; remove weights and foil. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Reduce oven temperature to 350°.

Cut tomatoes into 1/4-in thick slices. Sprinkle with salt.

Place tomatoes, salt sides down, on several layers of paper towels. Cover with additional paper towels. Let stand 10 minutes, pressing down occasionally.

Place basil, cheeses, pepper, and egg whites in a food processor; process until smooth.

Spread cheese mixture over crust.

Arrange tomato slices over cheese mixture; brush with olive oil.

Because my dear husband prefers to eat meat, I made some of the tarts with prosciutto. Place a layer of prosciutto over the cheese.

Top with tomatoes and brush with olive oil.

Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until cheese mixture is set. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Cut into 6 wedges.

These tarts were delicious. I cannot stress enough the importance of using fresh Parmigiano Reggiano and not a canned variety such as Kraft. Despite the dark green color that the basil imparted on the filling, the basil flavor was not overpowering. I might add more tomatoes to the top next time (and there will definitely be a next time) because they were so tasty. I didn't get to try the tart that had prosciutto added, but Patrick admitted that while it was good, he thought it would have been better without it.

Romaine Salad with Pears, Goat Cheese, and Candied Walnuts

• 6 C romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1/2 C crumbled goat cheese
• 2 large ripe Bartlett pears, cored and diced
• 1 1/2 Tbs white wine vinegar
• 3/4 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 6 Tbs olive oil
• 1/2 C walnut halves
• 2 Tbs brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 pinch cayenne
• 1 tsp butter

To make the caramelized walnuts: In a medium skillet, add the walnuts, brown sugar, salt, cayenne and butter.

Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.

Cook until the sugar caramelizes and coats the nuts, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to separate the nuts.

Transfer to a baking sheet covered with parchment paper to cool.

To make the salad dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, egg yolk, salt, and pepper.

Slowly whisk in the olive oil to make an emulsion. Be sure to give it some elbow grease.

Arrange 1 1/2 C lettuce on a plate or bowl. Sprinkle with 2 Tbs goat cheese. Add about 1/4 of the diced pears and 2 Tbs walnuts. Drizzle with dressing as desired.

The flavors in this salad were absolutely phenomenal. The combination of sweet pears, creamy cheese, salty/sweet caramel, and tangy dressing made for one delicious salad.

Pecorino Crackers

• 1 1/4 C grated Pecorino Romano
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp cayenne
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1 C all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Combine the cheese, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a medium bowl and stir to combine.

Add the butter.

Using a hand mixer, beat the cheese mixture and butter until combined.

Add the flour 1/4 cup at a time, mixing only until incorporated and the mixture holds together.

Place tablespoon-sized balls of the dough on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.

Tap the dough down gently with your fingertips.

Bake until just beginning to brown at the edges, about 15 minutes.

Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes.

Oh man. These crackers are addicting. While I held back, I could have eaten a dozen of these butter packed beauties. They have the flaky texture of cookie (thanks to all the butter), but they pack quite a punch. I will let you in on a little secret. I made two batches of crackers. In one batch, I used about 3 Tbs of homemade garlic butter. This batch was sooooooo good and far superior to the batch without garlic. I will forever use garlic in this recipe. You don't need to make garlic butter, I just happened to have it on hand from the last time I made it. Just throw in 3-4 cloves of roasted garlic (NOT raw).

Summer Fruit with Wine and Mint

• 1 1/4 C dry white wine
• 1/3 C sugar
• 1/2 ripe cantaloupe, halved, seeded, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
• 1 basket (8-ounce) fresh strawberries, quartered
• 1 C seedless green grapes, halved lengthwise
• 1 Tbs chopped fresh mint leaves

Add the wine and sugar to a small saucepan.

Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.

Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Combine the cantaloupe, strawberries, grapes, and mint in a large bowl.

Pour the warm wine mixture over.

Toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until cold, stirring occasionally, at least 2 hours.

This fruit salad had the potential to be amazing, but it was just okay. Allow me to explain. I think fruit in plenty sweet on its own. The combination of fruits with the mint had a lot of potential, but the wine sauce really ruined it for me. The wine itself played an important role in bringing out the mint, but the added sugar was overkill and made the salad syrupy and much too sweet. It would have been better without the sugar. I would have simply reduced the wine to cook off the alcohol and poured it over the fruit instead. I would probably cut the amount of wine in half as well. Who knows, maybe it doesn't need the wine at all. I might try this again, but I'm not positive about that.

Sangria

• 1 (750-ml) bottle red wine
• 1/4 C brandy
• 1/4 C triple sec
• 2 Tbs fresh lime juice
• 2 Tbs fresh orange juice
• 1/4 C sugar
• 1/2 orange, thinly sliced
• 1/2 lemon, thinly sliced
• 1 unwaxed apple, cored, and cut into thin wedges
• 1 (750-ml) bottle sparkling water, chilled

Cut the fruit and place in a large pitcher.

Mix the brandy, triple sec, lime juice, orange juice, and sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Pour over the fruit.

Add the red wine and stir. I used a Rioja because my friend (and self-proclaimed food snob), Stephan, said that that is the traditional wine to use in sangria. He lived in Spain for a while, so I took his word for it. Cover and chill completely, 1 to 2 hours. When ready to serve, add the sparkling water.

The sangria was just ok. I did like that it wasn't overly sweet. I fear that part of what I didn't like about it was the wine that I used (I'm sorry Stephan). I will admit that I am not very adventurous with wine--I know what I like and don't like, and I usually stick to what I know I like. I think this would have been better with a nice Pinot Noir.

Amano Chocolate

Yesterday, I received a much anticipated package. A few weeks ago, I entered to win some fine artisan chocolate on Blake Makes. I was really disappointed that I didn't win, but a few days later, Blake announced that Amano had decided to give chocolate to everyone who entered. Amano makes handcrafted chocolate. You can read all about it on the Amano website. Three kinds of chocolate arrived in this package. They each contain 70% cacao. My first order of business was to taste and compare the different bars.

Patrick and I each sampled the chocolates in succession, from left to right as pictured. The Madagascar has distinct citrus notes. The chocolate was sweet with a slight bitter aftertaste. The Cuyagua was not as sweet. It was hard to pinpoint what other flavors I was tasting. It wasn't quite as rich as the Madagascar. Patrick said the aftertaste was something along the lines of dirt, but I disagree; it was some sort of spice flavor, but I can't decide what it was. The Ocumare was sweeter than the Cuyagua, but not as sweet as the Madagascar. It had a slightly fruity flavor to it and had no bitter aftertaste. Patrick liked the Madagascar the best, while I preferred the Ocumare.

I haven't decided what to do with the chocolate now that we've sampled it. It seems like such a shame to bake something with it because there's really not enough of one kind, and I don't want to mix them. We'll probably just end up eating it as is if I don't come up with something soon. But that wouldn't be so bad either. I'll keep you posted.

Green Chile-Chicken Casserole

In honor of Cinco de Mayo, I decided that we needed to eat something Mexican-ish. This is one of the recipes from my new cookbook (Cooking Light Complete Cookbook). This is more or less a layered enchilada dish. The last time I attempted enchiladas, the filling was really dry, so I wanted to try something that had a moister filling. And you really can't go wrong with green chile, as far as flavor goes. I altered the recipe a little, but you can find the original on myrecipes.com. It's a pretty straight forward and simple recipe to follow, which is always a plus in my book. And Patrick likes it too because then he doesn't have to wait as long to eat. While he is enjoying my new food blogging hobby, as he reaps all the scrumptious benefits, he doesn't like that it takes me twice as long to cook because I have to take pictures every step of the way. But I think I'm getting faster and more discerning in my ability to capture what I'm looking for; at least I hope that is the case. This casserole was delicious. Patrick enjoyed it as well. The filling was creamy and not dry at all, and perhaps verging on too moist. The next time I try this I might replace 1 can of cream of chicken soup with some cream cheese. I also think that it could use another 1/2 C of green chile because I couldn't taste them that well, and even though I used HOT chiles, it wasn't spicy at all. I used the Hatch Select brand canned green chile. If the Bueno frozen green chile had been available, that definitely would have improved the flavor, but I rarely find it in stock. Oh well. Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Green Chile-Chicken Casserole

• 1 1/3 C low sodium chicken broth
• 1 C canned chopped green chiles, drained
• 1 C fat-free sour cream
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 (10 1/2-ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 18 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• 1 1/2 lbs shredded cooked chicken breast
• 3 C finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine the first 8 ingredients in a large saucepan. Apparently I picked up one can of the Campbell's 98% fat free soup and one can of their Healthy Request soup. I had no idea there was a difference, but you can see here that they are very different colors (and the Healthy Request has 10 calories more per serving--but who's counting...oh wait, I am).

Whisk together.

Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Spread 1 - 1 1/3 C soup mixture in a 13x9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 6 tortillas over the soup mixture. I totally did this step backwards and put the tortillas down first. I don't think it makes difference. But just to be safe, I flipped them over so the soup was one the bottom.

Spread 1/2 lb chicken over tortillas.

Top 1 C cheese.

Repeat layers two more times, ending with the cheese. Spread any remaining soup mixture over cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Gruyère, Arugula, and Prosciutto-Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Caramelized Shallot Sauce

Recently I purchased the Cooking Light Complete Cookbook. The first thing I did was sit down with some Post-it flags and mark every recipe that I would like to try. I marked quite a few, so you'll be seeing recipes from this book a lot in the near future. There was no rhyme or reason to trying this recipe first, except that of my top three, I was able to find all of the ingredients for this one at the grocery store. I was intrigued by the ingredients, as I had never tried a lot of them, and it seemed simple enough to put together. The recipe makes 6 servings, but I cut it to make 2. However, I left all the original proportions in the list of ingredients. The flavors in this meal were incredible. Despite having a very pungent aroma, Gruyère has a surprisingly mild, yet distinctive, flavor. The arugula is slightly bitter, with a peppery flavor. And the prosciutto is salty and melt in your delicious. The chicken was just slightly crisp on the outside, and the inside was ooey gooey goodness. I will definitely make this one again.

Gruyère, Arugula, and Prosciutto-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

• 6 (6-oz) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 6 (1/2-oz) slices prosciutto
• 6 (1/2)-oz slice Gruyère cheese
• 1 1/2 C trimmed arugula
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 3 Tbsp all purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 350°.

Place each breast half between two sheets of heavy duty plastic wrap.

Pound to 1/4-inch thick with a meat mallet or rolling pin.

Top each half with 1/2-oz slice prosciutto....

1/2-oz Gruyère...

and 1/4 C arugula, leaving a 1/4-inch border around edges.

Fold in half, pinching edges together to seal. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

You can't tell in the picture, but I used a toothpick to hold the closed end of the chicken together so that nothing would fall out while I was cooking it.

Dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken.

Cook 5 minutes on each side.

Place chicken in a shallow baking pan; bake at 350° for 5 minutes or until done. Keep warm.

Caramelized Shallot Sauce

• 1 C thinly sliced shallots
• 2 tsp tomato paste
• 2 C dry white wine
• 2 1/4 C low sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 tsp water
• 1 tsp cornstarch

Add shallots to skillet.

Sauté 4 minutes over medium-high heat or until browned.

Add tomato paste; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Stir in wine; bring to boil over medium-high heat.

Cook until reduced by half.

Add broth; bring to boil.

Cook until reduced by half.

Combine water and cornstarch in a small bowl; stir until smooth. Add cornstarch mixture to sauce; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Spoon 1/4 C sauce over chicken and serve. You can serve this dish with any number of delicious sides. I made oven roasted sweet potato wedges, which are really easy. Just peel and cut a large sweet potato into wedges. Drizzle wedges with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake in a 450° oven, turning occasionally, until soft and golden.

Coconut Macaroons

When I got married last summer, my little sister was my Maid of Honor, and I couldn't have asked for a better one. Among all the wonderful things she did for me, she threw me a bridal shower with an afternoon tea theme. We had all sorts of lovely things like mini quiches, mini key lime pies, coconut macaroons, finger sandwiches, and of course, tea. As a gift to me she had sent everyone a recipe card and asked them to share their favorite recipe. She collected all the recipes and placed them in this recipe box, which she hand painted and decorated. As her contribution, she shared her recipe for coconut macaroons.

I did try a bite because I love macaroons, and I can't justify blogging about something that I've never tasted. Let me tell you, they are sinfully sweet and decadent. Definitely eat them with a glass of milk to take the edge off the sweetness. Patrick claimed that he doesn't really care for macaroons, but that didn't stop him from having two as soon as they were ready.

Coconut Macaroons

• 2/3 C all purpose flour
• 5 1/2 C flaked coconut
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or foil.

Stir together flour, coconut, and salt.

Stir in sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. Mix until well blended.

Use an ice cream scoop to drop onto paper. If you use a regular size ice cream scoop, you will get 12 macaroons, or 24 with a small scoop. I used a small one.

Bake 12-15 minutes until lightly toasted.

I know I've said this before, but Patrick prefers his dessert to have chocolate in it. So in order to convince him to eat all these macaroons (mostly because they're not on my diet, and I can't eat them all), I dipped them in chocolate once they had cooled. I totally cheated and used microwave dipping chocolate, but you can do it however you prefer.

Heat the chocolate according to the directions on the container. Dip each macaroon into the chocolate. Set the tray of dipped macaroons in the refrigerator to allow the chocolate to set. Once the chocolate is set, you can store them at room temperature.

Peanut Chicken Salad

I had some chicken breasts in my refrigerator but wasn't sure what to do with them. There are only a handful of recipes that I consider part of my repertoire, and I was tired of the same old rotation. That's the fun part of keeping a food blog--figuring out new and exciting recipes to try. This recipe came from The South Beach Diet Quick & Easy Cookbook. While I do not follow this diet anymore, I've found a few tasty recipes from this and other South Beach cookbooks. I modified just a tad. I cut the peanut butter from 1/3 C to 2 Tbs, which was more than enough. The recipe said that it makes 4 2-C servings, but it made a huge amount of salad, so I'd say it's more like 6 servings. In the book the recipe is called this Peanut Chicken with Noodles, which I find misleading because it is really a salad. And it's only 251 calories per serving (for 4 servings--even less if you divide it into 6 servings). This recipe was super easy, and very tasty. When I first picked it out, I didn't really read the instructions, just looked at the ingredients and purchased what I needed. But I wasn't disappointed at all. I might dress it up with some more color next time--maybe some purple cabbage, some red and yellow peppers.

Peanut Chicken Salad

• 4 oz soba noodles
• 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tbs smooth peanut butter (use the old fashion kind, not the processed stuff with a lot of added sugar)
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 4 C chopped napa cabbage
• 2-3 scallions, thinly sliced
• kosher salt
• fresh cracked pepper

Cook the noodles according to the package directions.

Pour into colander and run under cold water. Set aside to drain.

Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook on the grill. Transfer to cutting board and slice in thinly.

Whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil. I like a little spice, so I added 1 Tbsp chili paste.

Add the scallions.

Add noodled, cabbage, chicken, and peanut butter mixture to a salad bowl and toss to combine.