Cantaloupe and Sugar Snap Pea Salad

Ingredients:

1 small cantaloupe

8 oz. sugar snap peas

8 oz. ricotta salata (or feta if you can’t find ricotta salata)

3 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves

1/8 cup olive oil

1 lemon

Flaky sea salt

 

Preparation:

Scoop out seeds from the cantaloupe, cut into wedges and remove rind.  Very thinly slice cantaloupe or use a vegetable peeler or mandolin to create thin ribbons.  Remove strings from the sugar snap peas.  Cut ricotta salata into small cubes or thin slices.

Sprinkle with tarragon leaves.

Drizzle with olive oil and squeeze fresh lemon juice over the salad.

Sprinkle with sea salt before serving.

King Ranch Casserole

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

2 cups chopped cooked chicken

1 (10.5-oz.) can cream of chicken soup

1 (10.5-oz.) can cream of mushroom soup

1 (10-oz.) can diced tomato and green chiles (such as Rotel)

1 tsp. chili powder

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

2 pinches garlic powder

2 pinches ground black pepper

12 corn tortillas, torn into 1-inch pieces

2 cups grated Cheddar cheese

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté bell pepper and onion 5 minutes or until tender.  Stir in chicken and next 7 ingredients; remove from heat.

 Layer one-third of torn tortillas in bottom of a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.

Top with one-third of chicken mixture and 2/3 cup cheese. Repeat layers twice.

 Bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes. 

Grilled Chicken with Vegetables and Avocado Salsa

 4 medium skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1 lime

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 large tomatoes (10 oz. each), cut crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices

2 medium red, orange or yellow peppers cut into quarters

1 ripe avocado, cut into 1/2-inch chunks

1 cup chopped jicama

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

Prepare outdoor grill for direct grilling on medium.

With meat mallet, pound chicken (placed between two pieces of plastic wrap) to an even 1/2-inch thickness; season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

From lime, grate 1 1/2 teaspoon peel and squeeze 3 tablespoons juice.  In small bowl, combine peel, 1 tablespoon juice, oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

Brush tomatoes and peppers with oil mixture and place on hot grill. Cook 8-9 minutes or until vegetables are browned and tender, turning over once. Place chicken on hot grill rack and cook 8-9 minutes or until browned on both sides and cooked through turning once.

While vegetables and chicken are grilling, in medium bowl, combine avocado, jicama, parsley, ground red pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice. Stir to combine. Makes 2 1/2 cups salsa.

Serve chicken and vegetables with salsa. Serves 4.

Bibb Lettuce, Avocado, and Dried Cranberry Salad

 Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons orange juice

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Salt and Pepper to taste

Bibb lettuce

1 avocado – pitted, sliced

1/4 cup dried cranberries

2 tablespoons shaved Asiago or Parmesan cheese

 

Preparation:

Whisk oil, vinegar, orange juice, and mustard in small bowl to blend.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Put lettuce in individual salad bowls.  Arrange avocado slices and cranberries on top of the lettuce.  Sprinkle with cheese and drizzle with dressing.

Asian Cucumber Salad

 Ingredients:

2 English cucumbers – thinly sliced by hand or on a mandolin

Salt to taste

1/3 cup rice vinegar

1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Crushed red pepper flakes to taste

 

Preparation:

Place cucumber slices in a colander and sprinkle with salt; set aside.

Whisk vinegar and sugar together until sugar is dissolved.  Add sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and sesame seeds and stir.  Drizzle dressing over the cucumbers.

Sprinkle salad with sesame seeds and crushed red pepper to serve.

 

Simple Roasted Pork

Ingredients:

1⁄2 cup apricot preserves

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried oregano

3⁄4 teaspoon garlic powder

1⁄2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 (3 lb) boneless pork loin, trimmed

cooking spray

 

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Place the preserves in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and cook 10 minutes or until melted.  Keep warm over low heat.

Combine salt, oregano, garlic powder, and pepper.  Rub evenly over pork.  Place pork on a rack coated with cooking spray; place rack in a shallow roasting pan.  Bake at 425º for 30 minutes.

Brush 1/4 cup preserves evenly over pork.

Bake an additional 10 minutes.

Brush remaining preserves evenly over pork.

Bake an additional 10 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 145 º.  Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

 

NOTE: We find that a simple sauce of white wine, chicken broth, and fresh herbs reduced, then whisked with unsalted butter add to this dish.

Sausage and Apple-Stuffed Zucchini Boats

 Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

1 medium carrot, finely diced

1 stalk celery, finely diced

1 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed

4 ounces italian sausage meat, crumbled

1 medium apple, peeled, cored, diced

3 cups bread prepared stuffing

1 1⁄2 cups chicken broth

4 medium zucchini

 

Preparation:

Heat oven to 350°F.

In a large saute pan, over medium heat, melt the butter.  Add onion, carrot, celery and fennel seeds.  Sauté until onion is tender and transparent, about 5 minute.

Add sausage and apple.  Sauté until meat is cooked, about 3 minute.

Add the stuffing and mix well.  Drizzle in broth and mix well.

Turn off the heat, cover the pan and let sit 10 minute.

Meanwhile, slice the zucchini in half lengthwise.  Use a spoon or melon baller to scrape out the seedy center of each half.  Arrange them on a rimmed baking sheet or in a large shallow baking dish.   Fill each half with the stuffing mixture, packing it well.  Bake until zucchini are tender, about 20 minute.