Tomato-Peach Salad

Had a bunch of fresh tomatoes and peaches from the farmer's market, saw this easy recipe on the food network's website, and gave it a try!  Yummy!

Ingredients:
Tomatoes
Peaches
Red onion
Cider vinegar
Olive oil
Sugar
Salt
Pepper

Cut tomatoes and peaches into wedges.  Toss these together in a bowl with thinly sliced red onion. Drizzle with cider vinegar and olive oil; season with sugar, salt and pepper.

Park City Cashew Chicken

While I have my Rachel Ray cookbook out...

I have been craving this one.  It can be very spicy, or not so spicy depending on how much chipotle in adobo you use.

Ingredients:

2 tbs. olive oil
1 tbs. unsalted butter
1 large onion, 1/4 finely chopped, 3/4 thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups brown rice
3 cups chicken stock or broth
1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders; boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into pieces
2 tbs. grill seasoning, such as McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and thinly sliced
3 tbs. chipotle in adobo
1 tbs. ground cumin
2 tbs. honey
1/4 cup real maple syrup
3 tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup raw cashews


Directions:

1. In a medium pot over medium heat, combine 1 tbs. olive oil and the butter. When the butter melts into the oil, add the chopped onions and cook for 2 minutes, then add the rice and cook for 3 minutes more.  Add the stock and cover the pot.  Raise the heat to bring the stock to a rapid boil.  Once the stock boils, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender, 17-18 minutes.
2. While the rice cooks, make the chicken.  Heat a large skillet over high heat.  Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, then the chicken.  Season the chicken with the grill seasoning.  Lightly brown the chicken on both sides, then move off to one side of the pan.  Add the remaining onions, the garlic, and the bell peppers.  Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then mix the vegetables and meat together and add the chipotles and cumin.  Toss to coat.  Glaze the mixture with honey and maple syrup and turn off the heat.  Add the chopped cilantro and the nuts.
3. Top the rice with the cashew chicken and serve.

Lemon Scented Blueberry Cupcakes

From Cookinglight.  Recommended by Britt.  Delicious, and love the frosting!


Ingredients
Cupcakes:

1 1/2 cups (about 6 3/4 ounces) plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divide
10 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 large egg
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/2 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
3/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, thawed

Frosting:

1/4 cup (2 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Fresh blueberries (optional)


Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350°.


Place 12 decorative paper muffin cup liners into muffin cups.

To prepare cupcakes, lightly spoon 1 1/2 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Measure 1 tablespoon flour; level with a knife. Sift together 1 1/2 cups flour plus 1 tablespoon flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Combine melted butter and egg in another large bowl; stir with a whisk. Add buttermilk, milk, and 1 teaspoon rind to butter mixture; stir with a whisk. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Toss blueberries with remaining 1 tablespoon flour. Fold blueberries into batter. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

To prepare frosting, place cream cheese, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon rind, vanilla, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed just until blended. Gradually add powdered sugar (do not overbeat). Stir in juice. Spread frosting evenly over cupcakes; garnish with blueberries, if desired. Store, covered, in refrigerator.

Spiced Grilled Chicken and Veggie Pockets

It has been hot hot hot here, and I can finally stomach and enjoy vegetables again, so I cooked a fresh, cool, summer dinner last night.  We really liked it, and I can't wait to eat the leftovers for lunch today.

Yes, it is a huge list of ingredients, but many are spices you already have and fresh veggies.

And this comes from a Rachel Ray cookbook.

1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon  ground cinnamon
1 tbs. ground cumin
1 tbs. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
2 pounds chicken tender
1/2 cucumber, finely chopped
3 plum tomatoes, finely chopped
1/2 cup feta cheese - I omitted this as I am pregnant
10 olives chopped - left these out too
4 green onions, chopped
1 red or yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
2 cups shredded carrots
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped - I used cilantro instead cause I like it better
2 tbs. fresh dill, chopped
2 cups shredded red leaf lettuce
1 heaping tbs. Dijon mustard
2 tbs. red wine vinegar
2 tbs. olive oil
4 pita pockets
salt and pepper


Directions;

1. Preheat a grill pan or outdoor grill to high
2. in a shallow bowl, combine the yogurt, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, and cilantro.  Add the chicken tenders and coat evenly in the yogurt marinade.  Marinate for 10 minutes (I did 30 min.)  Grill for about 4-5 minutes on each side, until charred at the edges and firm and cooked through.
3. While the chicken is working, in a large bowl combine the cucumbers, tomatoes, feta cheese, olives, green onions, bell peppers, carrots, parsley, dill, and shredded lettuce.
4. for the dressing, in a small bowl, combine the mustard and red wine vinegar.  In a slow, steady stream, whisk in the olive oil.
5. When you remove the chicken from the grill, place the pitas on the grill to blister and warm through.  Chop the grilled chicken into bite-size pieces and add to the veggies along with the dressing;  season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat thoroughly.  Cut the pitas in half; fill the pockets with chicken and veggies.