Cucumber - Yogurt Sauce

1/2 med. cucumber peeled, seeded & chopped fine
1/2 c. plain yogurt
1/4 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cumin
1/8 tsp. ground pepper

Stir all ingredients together. Serve gyro in pita bread with tomatoes and lettuce and cucumber sauce. Serving suggestions: Couscous Pilaf and Squash and Tomato Saute.

Lemon-Oregano Chicken Skewers

1 1/2 lemons
1 clove garlic
1 Tbsp olive oil (plus extra for grill)
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
8 chicken tenderloins (about 1 1/4 lb)
8 wooden skewers (soaked in water for 30 minutes

1. Squeeze the juice from the half-lemon into a ziptop food bag. Squeeze garlic through a press into bag (or chop). Add oil, oregano, salt and pepper. Add chicken; seal bag and turn to mix and coat. Marinate 15 minutes.

2. Brush outdoor grill or grill pan with oil; heat. Cut lemon into 8 wedges. Thread one chicken tender onto each skewer, then skewer on a lemon wedge.

3. Grill 4 minutes, turning once, until chicken is lightly charred and cooked through. Place on platter. Serve with Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce.

BLT Potato Salad

8 all-purpose potatoes (about 3 lbs)
6 strips bacon

Dressing:
1/2 cup mayonnaise (I like Miracle Whip)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup sliced red onion
1/4 cup minced sweet gherkins
1 medium head romaine lettuce, cut crosswise in 1/2" wide strips
1 pint cherry tomatoes (halved)

Peel potatoes and cut in 1" pieces.  Put into a large saucepan with cold water to cover.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat and simmer 12 minutes or until firm-tender.  Drain and let cool slightly.

Meanwhile cook bacon in a skillet or microwave until crisp.  Cool, then cut in 1/2" pieces.  (Wrap and refrigerate at this point if making ahead.)

Whisk dressing ingredients in a large bowl until well blended.  Add warm potatoes, celery, red onion and sweet gherkins and mix gently.  Let cool.  (Cover and refrigerate at this point if making ahead.)

To serve:  Line a serving platter with romaine lettuce.  Top with potato salad.  Sprinkle with bacon and tomato halves.

Bacon Quesadillas

I found this recipe on the Kraft Foods website . . . it is so simple.

4 flour tortillas (6")
1 cup shredded Colby & Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup bacon bits (four slices of bacon
2 green onions (thinly sliced)

Heat Quesadilla Maker.  Spray top and bottom with cooking spray.

Place a tortilla on a dinner plate.  Top with 1/2 of cheese, bacon bits and green onions.  Top with another tortilla.  Place in Quesadilla Maker and press lid down firmly.  Allow to cook for 2 - 3 minutes or until tortilla is slightly crispy and cheese is melted.

Cut each quesadilla into four segments.

Tip:  I usually use 8" tortillas and triple the ingredients if I'm feeding a crowd.  Each quesadilla feeds one person.

Saucy Pork Chops with Orange Slices

4 bone-in pork loin chops ( 1 1/4" thick)
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp dried crushed red pepper
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup sweet orange marmalade

1/2 cup bottled barbecue sauce

4 orange slices (1/4" thick)

Pierce pork chops with a fork several time on each side.  Combine pork chops and next 3 ingredients in a large shallow dish or large zip-top plastic freezer bag.  Cover or seal, and chill for 30 minutes.  

Remove chops from marinade, discarding marinade.  Sprinkle chops evenly with salt and black pepper.

Stir together marmalade and barbecue sauce in a small bowl.  Brush one side of pork chops evenly with half of marmalade mixture.

Grill chops, marmalade mixture side up and covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350 - 400 degrees) 10 minutes.  Turn pork chops, and brush evenly with remaining half of marmalade mixture.  Grill 10 minutes or until done.  Remove chops from grill, and let stand 5 minutes.

Grill orange slices, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat 1 minute on each side.  Serve with pork chops.

Note: My favorite BBQ Sauce is Jack Daniel's any flavor

Spinach Salad with Lemon & Pepper Dressing

It's the time of year when salads just sound good.  Here is another one my family likes.

1/2 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp vinegar
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp Lemon Pepper Seasoning
2 packages (6 oz each) baby spinach leaves
1 cup sliced mushrooms
Toppings such as crumbled bacon, chopped hard-cooked eggs, sliced red onions, sliced strawberries, orange segments, sliced avocado, or grilled chicken.  (We like all of them.)

Mix olive oil, vinegar, sugar and seasoning in small bowl with wire whisk until well blended.

Toss spinach and mushrooms in large bowl.  Top with desired toppings.  Serve with dressing.

Tip:  If I top this with grilled chicken, I marinate one chicken breast in 1 Tbsp olive oil and 1 tsp  Lemon Pepper Seasoning for 30 minutes before grilling it in the grill pan.

Layered Overnight Salad

This recipe came from the March 2010 edition of Dierbergs Everybody Cooks.


1 bag (6 oz) baby spinach                                    
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese                      
3 cups fresh broccoli florets                                
2 cups shredded carrot                                        
2 cups seedless red grapes (halved)
2 green onions (thinly sliced)
1 cup mayonnaise ( I like Miracle Whip)
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup honey roasted sliced almonds (Almond Accents)

In a trifle bowl, layer spinach, cheese, broccoli, carrot, grapes, and green onions.

In a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, sugar, and lemon juice.  Spread over top of salad to completely cover grapes.  Cover and chill overnight.  Just before serving, toss until well mixed; sprinkle almonds over top.

Chicken & Strawberry Salad

Pair this simple, no-cook meal with toasted buttery baguette slices.

Dressing
1 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp water
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Salad
4 cups torn romaine lettuce
4 cups arugula
2 cups quartered strawberries
1/3 cup vertically sliced red onion
12 oz skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast, sliced
2 Tbsp unsalted cashews, halved
1/2 cup (2 oz) crumbled blue cheese

To prepare dressing, combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl.  Gradually drizzle in oil, stirring constantly with a whisk.

To prepare salad, combine romaine and next 4 ingredients (through chicken) in a bowl; toss gently.  Place about 2 cups chicken mixture on each of 4 plates.  Top each serving with 1 1/2 tsp cashews and 2 Tbsp cheese.  Drizzle about 4 tsp dressing over each serving.

Note:  I don't like blue cheese, so I substitute fresh mozzarella.

Glazed Snow Peas

This is a simple, but very good recipe.  It's great for a quick dinner.

Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add 8 oz of snow peas, 1 bunch chopped scallions, a pinch of sugar and 1/4 cup water.  Cover and simmer 2 minutes, then uncover and boil until the water evaporates, 2 more minutes.  Season with salt.  

Black Forest Trifle

Another Trifle Bowl Recipe

1 pkg (18 - 21 oz) brownie mix (plus ingredients to make cake-like brownies)

2 bars (1.55 oz each) milk chocolate candy, divided

3 cups cherry pie filling

1 tsp almond extract

1/2 cup cranberry-cherry juice

2 cups cold 2% milk

2 pkg (3.3 oz each) white chocolate instant pudding and pie filling

1 container (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare brownie mix according to package directions for cake-like brownies; spread batter over bottom of large bar pan.  Bake 18 - 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool completely.

Loosen brownies from sides of bar pan and invert onto flat side of large grooved cutting board.  Cut brownie into 1" cubes; set aside.  Chop 1 1/2 of the chocolate bars using Food Chopper.  Reserve remaining chocolate for garnish.

Combine pie filling and almond extract in small batter bowl; set aside 1/2 cup for garnish.  Stir jujice into batter bowl.

Pour milk into classic batter bowl;  add pudding mix and whisk until mixture begins to thicken.  Fold in whipped topping.  

To assemble trifle, place half of the brownie cubes into bottom of Trifle Bowl.  Layer with half of the pie filling mixture.  Sprinkle with half of the chopped chocolate; top with half of the pudding mixture.  Repeat layer one time.

Make chocolate curls with reserved chocolate using vegetable peeler (see Cook's Tips).  Garnish top of the trifle with reserved pie filling mixture and chocolate curls.  

Yield:  16 servings.