Week 15 Recipes

Ham & Fruit Salsa Croissant

1/2 small banana, sliced
1/4 medium mango, thinly sliced
1/4 cup sliced strawberries
2 Tbsp raspberry vinaigrette dressing
2 croissants, partially split
12 slices shaved brown sugar ham
1/4 cup baby spinach leaves

Toss banana, mango and strawberries with dressing. Fill croissants evenly with ham, fruit mixture and spinach.


Grilled Chicken
(with avocado, tomato and corn salsa)
from Erin McSpadden

Salsa:
1/4 cup lime juice
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 ripe avocado, peeled & diced
1 large ripe tomato, diced
1 cup thawed frozen (or canned) corn
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Chicken:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp each of salt and pepper
4 cups shredded lettuce

1. Salsa: Mix lime juice, oil, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Add remaining ingredients; toss gently to mix and coat.
2. Heat outdoor grill, ridged grill pan or broiler.
3. Season chicken with oregano, salt and pepper. Grill 3-4 minutes per side until cooked through.
   
4. Divide lettuce among 4 plates; top each with chicken then salsa

Erin says this is great because you can make the salsa ahead of time and use the extra for tacos, taco salad, or just to snack on.

A Month Of Fruit and Vegetables

June is National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable month! Here are some tips for adding more fruits and veggies into our day:

• Add apples to salads, sandwiches, and tuna or chicken salad for extra crunch

• Try fresh berries or peaches with yogurt or dessert

• Add vegetables like spinach, broccoli, bell peppers, onions and mushrooms to your eggs.

• Buy fruits and vegetables pre-washed and sliced to keep on hand for snacks

• Frozen bananas and grapes make great summer treats

• Choose grapes instead of popcorn next time you sit down to watch a movie.

• Start the day off right with a glass of 100% fruit or vegetable juice. Top your cereal with sliced bananas or strawberries.

• Go out on a limb and try something new. Have you ever had pomegranate or an artichoke? You never know - you may find a new favorite.

• Store fruit and vegetables at eye-level in the fridge or in a bowl on the table. You'll be more likely to eat something if you can easily access it.

• Add fresh fruit and vegetables to foods you already eat. For example, add vegetables to pasta and pizza, or berries to yogurt.

(tips from Western Growers website & LDS Magazine Newsletter)

Check out these links for more fruit & veggie ideas and recipes

Fruits and Veggies More Matters
Western Growers - Fruit and Vegetable Month
Find a Pick-Your-Own-Farm near you!
Where to buy Utah Fruit

Garlic Parmesan Blend & Pan Bread

A few years ago, a wise woman in our our American Fork ward taught us how to make Garlic Parmesan Blend and it's been a staple in my pantry ever since. Here's the formula:

1 medium size shaker of Parmesan cheese
1-4 Tablespoons of garlic powder
2-4 Tablespoons of dried parsley

Empty the shaker of Parmesan cheese into a mixing bowl. Add 1 Tablespoons of garlic, and 1 Tablespoons of parsley. Stir and taste. If you prefer stronger garlic taste, continue to add garlic 1/2 tsp at a time until you reach a flavor you prefer. Add dried parsley to a point you think LOOKS good - it is there mostly for looks :-) When you get a blend you like, carefully pour it back into the Parmesan shaker and remove label. This is great on french bread, pizza crust, or even a piece of white toast for a simple side dish for spaghetti. I also use it on top of this recipe for Pan Bread (a quick and easy foccacia bread.)


Pan Bread
(from Erin McSpadden)

2 cups warm water
1 Tablespoon sugar or honey
1 Tablespoon yeast
4 cups flour
2 tsp salt
melted butter

In a bowl dissolve sugar and yeast in warm water. Let it sit for a few minutes. Stir in flour and salt. Dough will still be sticky. Place in a greased bowl, cover and let rise until double in size. Grease a cookie sheet/jelly roll pan. Spread dough flat onto sheet with palm of hand. Put melted butter on top. (can also sprinkle Garlic Parmesan blend, OR sesame seeds on top) Cover with waxed paper and let rise again. Bake 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. Cut into squares.

Summerfest is Finally Here!

One of our favorite weekends of the year is finally here! We missed Summerfest last year so we are doubly-excited for this year. Parade, fireworks & gas-inducing food here we come!

I found a fun recipe this week that I am going to try out on Tuesday. It's a recipe for Corn Dog Muffins and some reviewers were convinced they tasted just like corn dogs. I've paired it on my menu with a new salad that uses a unique combination of flavors. I found the Roasted Corn and Apple Salad on another recipe blog as I was surfing one night.

Alie - I found these two salad recipes (both on the menu this week) that use different fruits and veggies. I've also asked a friend at church for some of her favorite recipes so more are on their way. Any of you other readers that have favorite recipes incorporating plenty of veggies please pass them on to us! Happy Cooking!

Week 14 Menu

Monday - Chicken Cordon Bleu Crepes (leftovers!)
Tuesday - Roasted Corn and Apple Salad & Corn Dog Muffins
Wednesday - Spaghetti & Foccacia Bread
Thursday - Asian Chicken Salad with Roasted Peanuts
Friday - Fondue night
Saturday - eating out
Sunday - Waffles with strawberries

Week 14 Recipes

Roasted Corn and Apple Salad
(from another recipe-blogger named Amanda)

3 ears of fresh corn, still in husks
1 granny smith apple
4 radishes
1/2 of a small red onion, finely diced
1/8 cup chopped fresh parsley, loosely packed
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Once the oven is hot, place corn in the oven still in husks. Roast the corn in the husks for 30 minutes. Remove the corn from the oven and allow it to cool for at least five minutes before handling.

While corn is roasting, work on the rest of the salad. Add the lemon juice, honey, and Dijon mustard to a mixing bowl. Stir to combine then slowly whisk in the olive oil. Core and dice the apple into 1/2 inch pieces. Dice the radishes into a similar size. Add the apples, radishes, and finely diced red onion to the mixing bowl with the vinaigrette. Toss to coat. The vinaigrette will help prevent the apple from oxidizing. Set aside until the corn is done.

Once the corn has cooled a bit, remove husks and silk. Cut the corn off the cob by standing the corn up and carefully cutting off rows of kernels. Add the corn kernels and parsley to the mixing bowl with the rest of the salad. Mix the salad until the corn is fully incorporated and everything is evenly coated with vinaigrette. Taste, then season as necessary with salt and pepper. Salad can be prepared several hours in advance and then refrigerated. (serves 2-4 people)

**note: Great salad, with a nice, fresh taste. I made the recipe as listed above, and it could easily serve 4-5 adults as a side dish. Next time instead of roasting fresh corn, I'll try using canned or frozen corn which would make it super-easy to make.









Asian Chicken Salad with Roasted Peanuts
(epicurious.com)

3/4 cup bottled Asain-style dressing (see below)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp chopped fresh ginger
1 6-ounce package baby spinach leaves
2 cups mixed sliced red, yellow and green bell peppers
1 2-to 2 1/2 pound rotisserie chicken, meat torn into bite-size pieces (or about 4 cups of diced, cooked chicken)
1/2 cup honey-roasted peanuts
1 mango, peeled, pitted, sliced

Mix dressing, cilantro, and ginger in small bowl. Toss spinach, peppers, chicken and nuts in large bowl with enough dressing mixture to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with mango and serve. Makes 4 servings.


Asian Salad Dressing

3 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 tsp dry mustard
2 Tablespoons sesame oil
1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
1/3 to 1/2 cup peanut (or vegetable) oil

Corn Dog Muffins

Corn Dog Muffins

Click here for printable version


1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
3 hotdogs, diced
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat muffin pan with cooking spray, or use foil muffin cups. In medium bowl mix all ingredients until moist. Spoon mixture into muffin cups, filling 1/2 full. Bake at 400 degrees 15-20 minutes.

**note: So yummy! We ALL loved them. I only put cheese in half of the muffins and next time I'll leave it out entirely. A must-have though, is ketchup and mustard for dipping. This made 9 muffins and we finished them off tonight!