Smoothies make a great quick breakfast or snack…and my kids love them! Plus, they’re a great way to get extra fruit into your diet! So fire up those blenders and get to it!!! Enjoy!

Rise ‘N Raspberry Smoothie
-recipe from The Little Black Book of Smoothies by Ruth Cullen

Makes 2 10-ounce smoothies or 1 big smoothie.

You can’t go wrong with this tangy-sweet, berry blend. Add 1 tablespoon rolled oats or wheat germ for added texture and taste.

1 cup chilled orange juice
1/2 cup non-fat raspberry yogurt
1/2 frozen banana*
1-1/2 cups frozen raspberries

Pour orange juice into blender and add yogurt, banana, and raspberries. Blend at high speed until smooth.

*Buy golden yellow bananas without any visible bruises, and prepare for freezing by removing peel and slicing. (One cup of sliced banana is approximately 1 whole banana.)

Tags: Breakfast, raspberry, smoothie, snack

Here’s a quick and very delicious appetizer to serve this New Year’s Eve…or anytime, for that matter. Basically, it’s a bite-sized version of prosciutto-wrapped (pronounced proh-shoo-toh) caprese salad. Prosciutto is an Italian salt-cured ham that can be found in many supermarkets and gourmet food stores. I found mine at Trader Joe’s. Actually, I got everything for this recipe at TJ’s: the fresh basil, sugar plum tomatoes, prosciutto, and ciliegine (cherry-sized whole milk fresh mozzarella balls).

Husband saw me making the mozzarella and basil bites and commented on how fragrant the fresh basil was. He waited with anticipation until I gave him the go-ahead to help himself to the plate of appetizers. It’s amazing that something so easy to make can deliver so much flavor!

You will probably want to double or triple the recipe because they will disappear quickly. Serve with Champagne, red wine or your fave cocktails. Enjoy!

Prosciutto-Wrapped Mozzarella & Basil
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine
 
Serves eight.

8 thin slices prosciutto (preferably imported), halved lengthwise
8 large basil leaves, torn in half
8 small fresh mozzarella balls (about 1-inch in diameter), halved
8 ripe grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

Arrange 8 slices of prosciutto flat on a cutting board and put a piece of basil on one end of each slice. Top each piece of basil with a piece of mozzarella and a tomato half, matching the cut sides to make a ball. Season very lightly with salt and generously with pepper and then roll up the balls in the prosciutto. Secure each with a toothpick and set on a platter. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Drizzle with the olive oil and serve.

Make Ahead Tips
These keep at room temperature for up to 1 hour before serving.

Tags: Appetizer, basil, caprese salad bites, holiday appetizer, Hors d'Oeuvre, hors d'oeuvres, mozzarella, New Year's Eve, New Year's Eve appetizer, prosciutto

One of the things I love about September is the potpourri of ripe veggies available at farm stands and farmers’ markets. Last week, I visited my local farm stand and purchased all the makings for these tasty quesadillas that are stuffed and garnished with a medly of fresh corn, chile peppers, summer squash and tomatoes. The quesadillas make a great lunch or light dinner…Yum!

For the chiles, I used a combo of four different peppers I got at the farm stand that ranged from mild to spicy. I chopped enough of them to equal 1 cup. I also sauteed some Walla Walla onions along with the veggies for added flavor. Since I didn’t have chipotle chile powder, I substituted a little chopped chipotle pepper in adobo sauce…it added a nice smokiness to the vegetable mixture. Enjoy!

Farmers’ Market Quesadillas
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine
 
These quick quesadillas are loaded with the best of the season: summer squash, fresh corn, and diced tomatoes. Fresh chiles and chipotle powder add depth and give the dish some smoky heat. Yields 4 quesadillas.

5 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 cup small-diced fresh, mild chiles, such as Anaheim or poblano (from about 2 large chiles)
1-1/2 cups small-diced summer squash (from about 2 small zucchini, yellow squash, or yellow crookneck)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup fresh corn kernels (from 2 medium ears)
1/8 tsp. chipotle chile powder
1 cup diced tomato (from 2 small tomatoes)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbs. fresh lime juice
Four 9-inch flour tortillas
2 cups grated sharp cheddar (8 oz.)
Sour cream for serving (optional)

Heat the oven to 200°F. Fit a cooling rack over a baking sheet and put in the oven.

Heat 1 Tbs. of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the chiles and cook, stirring, until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the squash, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until the squash softens and starts to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the corn and chipotle powder and cook 2 minutes more. Spoon into a bowl, let cool for a few minutes, and then fold in the tomato, cilantro, and lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside 3/4 cup of the mixture.

Lay several layers of paper towel on a work surface. Wipe out the skillet, put it over medium-high heat, and add 1 Tbs. of the oil. When it’s hot, put one tortilla in the pan. Quickly distribute 1/2 cup of the cheese evenly over the tortilla and about a quarter of the remaining vegetable mixture over half the tortilla. When the underside of the tortilla is browned, use tongs to fold the cheese-only side over the vegetable side. Lay the quesadilla on the paper towels, blot for a few seconds, and then move it to the rack in the oven to keep warm while you repeat with the remaining oil and tortillas. Cut the quesadillas into wedges and serve immediately with the reserved vegetable mixture and sour cream.

Tip: Chipotles are dried smoked jalapeños, and in any form they add an intriguing depth to dishes like these quesadillas. McCormick makes ground chipotle, and The Spice Hunter sells a crushed chipotle, which would be a fine substitute in this recipe; just add a bit more than you would of the ground.

Tags: Anaheim peppers, bell peppers, cheese, chiles, farmers' market quesadillas, Fine Cooking Magazine, fresh corn, Mexican, peppers, quesadillas, summer squash, tomatoes, tortillas, zucchini

This salsa rocks! If you’ve never made fresh salsa before, I highly encourage you to make a batch of it. You’ll be amazed at how easy it is to whip up and how delicious it is! Of course, starting with top quality ingredients (vine-ripened tomatoes) is key to a good salsa, while dry roasting the veggies in a pan is super simple and only takes a few minutes. Husband thinks I should make this recipe on a regular basis…I couldn’t agree more!

Don’t forget to season the finished salsa with salt (bland salsa just won’t do). Enjoy!

Salsa Quemada (Roasted Tomato Salsa)
-recipe from Epicurious.com | April 2010
Reprinted with permission from Amor y Tacos: Modern Mexican Tacos, Margaritas, and Antojitos by Deborah Schneider

A very useful salsa that is easy to make and keeps well. Firm, fresh Roma tomatoes are dry-roasted until soft and well charred on all sides (quemada literally means “burnt”), then pureed into a smooth salsa with sweet toasted garlic, fresh cilantro, and onion. Salsa quemada clings to the dryer and chunkier taco fillings, adding moisture and great flavor. It is also a classic table salsa, perfect to serve with tostadas and totopos.

Makes 2 1/2 cups

5 large Roma tomatoes, whole, not cored or cut in any way
1 serrano or jalapeño chile
2 cloves garlic, skin on
1/4 cup minced white onion
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 bunch cilantro

Make sure your kitchen is well ventilated. Put a piece of aluminum foil in a heavy sauté pan (preferably cast iron) and set it over medium-high heat. Place the whole tomatoes, chile, and garlic cloves in the pan and dry-roast them on all sides until well charred and soft. The garlic and chiles will be done quickly; the tomatoes may take 10 minutes or longer to cook.

Peel the garlic and stem the chile. Place the tomatoes, garlic, and chile in a food processor with the onion, salt, and cilantro. Pulse until the salsa is smooth and taste for seasoning. The salsa will keep, refrigerated, for several days. Reseason before use.

Tags: Amor y Tacos, cilantro, Deborah Schneider, garlic, homemade salsa, jalepeno, Mexican, roasted tomato salsa, salsa, salsa quemada, serrano, tomatoes

Homemade salsa is super easy to make and waaaaay better than most you’ll buy at the grocery store. Plus, you can make it exactly how you like it (spicier, milder, more lime, etc.). Whip up a batch of this salsa, buy the best tortilla chips you can find and invite some friend over! Homemade salsa is definitely a party pleaser!!!

If you can’t find serrano chiles, jalepenos will do just fine. Enjoy!

Note: I like Juanita’s Tortilla Chips…available in the Portland area

Pico de Gallo
-recipe courtesy Marcela Valladolid, Food Network

In Mexico, pico de gallo is used to describe a wide variety of regional salsas, which are always made with fresh cubed fruit and/or vegetables. The most common version is made with any red tomato, onion and green chiles and is sometimes called “salsa mexicana” or “salsa bandera,” because the colors in the salsa represent the Mexican flag. Makes 3 cups

1 1/2 pounds yellow or red tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 serrano chiles*, seeded and minced
Pinch kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

Add all the ingredients to a medium bowl, and toss to combine. Cover and chill until ready to serve. This salsa can be made 4 hours ahead.

*The serrano chile is a fresh, small, green chile. Traditionally used in salsas it is slightly hotter than a jalapeno chile and can be found at most supermarkets, Latin specialty markets or online.

Tags: cilantro, homemade salsa, lime juice, Marcela Valladolid, onion, pico de gallo, salsa, serrano chile, tomatoes

I love twists on classic recipes and I love a good sandwich. This recipe for Smoked Turkey Reubens is perfect for lunch or a quick weeknight dinner.

The sandwich substitutes a quick slaw (cabbage, pickles, dressing) for the sauerkraut, smoked turkey for the corned beef or pastrami, and hearty whole wheat bread for rye. A flavorful, homemade thousand island-style dressing pulls the whole sandwich together. If you’ve got a panini grill, use it. Otherwise, grilling it in the pan works great, too. I forgot to weigh the sandwiches down while grilling them and they still turned out fine. Serve with fresh or pickled veggies or green salad. Enjoy!

Smoked Turkey Reubens
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine (Dec. 2008) 

In this update on the classic, smoked turkey stands in for corned beef, while a fresh slaw and sun-dried tomato mayo take the place of sauerkraut and Thousand Island dressing. Serves 4.

2 cups thinly sliced green cabbage (about 4 oz.)
3/4 cup julienned kosher dill pickle (from 1 large)
2 tsp. cider vinegar
Kosher salt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
2 Tbs. ketchup
8 slices whole wheat bread
12 thin slices smoked turkey
8 thin slices Swiss cheese
2 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened

In a medium bowl, toss the cabbage and pickles with the vinegar and 1/2 tsp. salt. Transfer to a colander, set it in the sink, and let sit for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, pulse the mayonnaise, sun-dried tomatoes, and ketchup in a food processor until the tomatoes are finely chopped.

Squeeze the cabbage mixture to remove any excess liquid and return to the bowl. Toss the cabbage with 2 Tbs. of the mayonnaise.

Spread the remaining mayonnaise on one side of each slice of the bread. Assemble the sandwiches, layering the turkey, cabbage, and cheese over 4 slices of the bread and topping with the other 4 slices. Spread the outsides of the sandwiches with the butter.

Heat a large grill pan, skillet, or stovetop griddle over medium-low heat. Working in batches if necessary, put the sandwiches in the pan, top with a grill press or heavy skillet to weigh them down, and cook until browned, 2 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until browned and the cheese is melted, 2 to 4 minutes more. Cut the sandwiches in half and serve.

Tags: reuben sandwich, sandwich, smoked turkey, smoked turkey reubens, swiss cheese

I love fried eggs, scrambled eggs, hard-boiled eggs…just about any kind of eggs. I saw this recipe for One-Eyed Jacks in one of my Foster’s Market cookbooks and thought it would be a fun way to eat eggs and toast. They’re great for breakfast and as a snack.

Depending on heat setting and what your pan is made of, the bread may take longer to brown in the skillet. I let the first side get lightly browned before cracking the egg in the hole (for a runny yolk).

If making the One-Eye Jacks for a crowd, you’ll definitely want to use an electric griddle. My BroilKing electric griddle is perfect for cooking stuff like this when a frying pan will only let you make one or two at a time (pancakes, grilled cheese, etc.).

I spread the bread round (the part you cut out to make the “eye”) with butter and fried that, too, and used it to dip into the egg yolk while eating it. The parsley garnish isn’t necessary but does add color to the plate. Enjoy!

One-Eye Jacks
-recipe from Fresh Every Day: More Great Recipes From Foster’s Market by Sara Foster

These are made one at a time and served hot out of the pan to each guest; just multiply as needed. Fry the cutout circles in the skillet with butter to dip in the egg yolk, or toast and serve with butter and jam. Serves 1.

1 slice bread (such as brioche, challah, whole-wheat, or whole-grain)
1 teaspoon unsalted butter, or more as needed
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 large egg
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, chives, or basil

Use a cookie or biscuit cutter (or the rim of a glass) to cut a 2- to 2 1/2-inch round from the center of the bread slice.

Melt the butter and olive oil together in a medium skillet over medium heat. Place the bread in the skillet and turn it over to coat each side. Cook the bread for about 1 minute on one side, until it is light golden brown. Crack the egg so that it falls into the hole in the center. Fry the egg in the bread for 1 minute longer. Flip the egg and bread and fry the other side for 1 minute or longer, depending on how done you want the egg. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with the fresh herbs, and serve immediately.

Note: If the pan is dry when you flip the bread and egg, add a little more butter (about 1 teaspoon) to the pan.

Tags: Breakfast, eggs and toast, fried egg, kid food, one-eyed Jack, snack

If you’re a granola lover like I am then you know that it can be a spendy item to buy on a regular basis. That’s the beauty of making your own granola…it’s super easy to whip up a batch of it and you get a lot more granola for a lot less money.  

This recipe is a great one to play with. You can use different dried fruits and nuts depending on what suits your fancy. I decided to use dried apricots and a combo of chopped pecans and sliced almonds. I didn’t have unsweetened coconut so I used the sweetened variety. I also added 1 tablespoon of flax seeds, 1/8 cup of wheat germ and 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla. The granola turned out great! I like to mix it with plain yogurt drizzled with a bit of honey. Yumm!

Everyday Granola
-recipe from Bon Appétit Magazine

Yield: Makes about 5 cups

3 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut*
3 tablespoons (packed) brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon (generous) salt
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup assorted dried fruit

Preheat oven to 300°F. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Mix first 7 ingredients in large bowl. Stir honey and oil in saucepan over medium-low heat until smooth. Pour honey mixture over oat mixture; toss. Spread on prepared sheet. Bake until golden, stirring every 10 minutes, about 30-40 minutes. Place sheet on rack. Stir granola; cool. Mix in fruit. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Store airtight.

* Available at specialty foods stores and natural foods stores.

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Tags: almonds, apricot, Breakfast, cereal, dried fruit, granola, honey, old-fashioned oats, pecans, shredded coconut

I found a list of get-happy foods in Woman’s Day Magazine recently. Unfortunately, chocolate didn’t make the list. WHATEVER! All I know is Husband will be in BIG trouble if he ever offers me a can of sardines when I’m PMSing! Anyway, here it is…snacks to boost your mood:

The Best Get-Happy Foods
-from Woman’s Day Magazine, by Abigail L. Cuffey

Fight stress and depression with five nutrient-buffed snacks. Sorry, ice cream isn’t on the list! But the following foods do have nutrients that can help fight stress and depression, says Elizabeth Somer, RD, author of Eat Your Way to Happiness.

Oranges, lemons and other citrus fruits:
Mood-Boosting Ingredient: Vitamin C
This vitamin helps you cope better in stressful times by lowering your levels of stress hormones. If you get a lot regularly, you’ll feel calmer during tough situations.

Nuts:
Mood-Boosting Ingredients: Vitamin E, arginine (an amino acid) and magnesium
A handful of nuts will keep you full and satisfied because they have a low glycemic index-which means they don’t jack up your blood sugar levels and cause mood swings. It also makes you feel good to eat something that seems decadent (they’re considered a little bit naughty because they’re high in fat) but actually has health benefits.

Leafy greens:
Mood-Boosting Ingredient: Folic Acid
Research has shown that the folic acid in leafy greens such as kale and spinach can reduce depression and even improve blood flow to the brain. If you’re not eating at least one serving per day you’re more than likely low in folic acid, so try getting more or consider taking a multivitamin that contains it.

Salmon:
Mood-Boosting Ingredient: DHA (an omega-3 fatty acid)
The omega-3s in fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines have been found to improve your mood while lowering the risk of depression and age-related memory loss. The depression link is so strong that American Psychiatric Association suggests that anyone taking antidepressants and/or going through therapy also boost her intake of omega 3s.

Dried cherries:
Mood-Boosting Ingredients: Potassium, magnesium and vitamin C
These nutrients all work to curb your body’s stress response. Dried cherries also keep your brain healthy because they’re packed with antioxidants (including vitamin C), which prevent damage to your brain cells that can lead to memory problems.

Tags: citrus, dried cherries, foods to boost your mood, get happy foods, leafy greens, mood lifters, nuts, salmon

Make your friends happy by bringing these delicious Asian Lettuce Wraps to the next gathering. They’ve got loads of flavor and are super easy to make. I guarantee you won’t have any leftovers, which is kind of a bad thing since they’re so good.

I substituted ground turkey (93% lean) for the ground beef, and used Romaine lettuce leaves since the store I was at didn’t have Boston lettuce. I had some ginger in the fridge that was already minced so I used that instead of grated ginger. For something a bit heartier, serve the cooked meat mixture over rice. Enjoy!

Asian Lettuce Wraps
-recipe from Sunny Anderson, Food Network

Makes 4 servings.

1 head Boston lettuce, leaves separated, cleaned and dried
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 pound ground beef (I used ground turkey)
2-inch piece ginger, peeled and finely grated
2 scallions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup chopped peanuts
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a skillet over medium-high heat, add the vegetable oil and saute beef until brown. Stir in ginger, scallions, garlic, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, and hoisin and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the peanuts. Season with salt and pepper and serve warm wrapped in lettuce cups.

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Tags: Appetizer, Asian, Boston lettuce, ginger, green onions, ground beef, ground turkey, hoisin sauce, peanuts, red pepper flakes, scallions, soy sauce