Whipped Goat Cheese

1/3 c olive oil

3 sprigs fresh thyme, plus 1/2 T chopped thyme

1 large clove garlic - lightly crushed

8 ounces goat cheese softened

4 ounces cream cheese softened

1 tablespoons honey 

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon sea salt add more to taste

Slicled lightly toasted baguett

Heat the oil over low heat and infuse with garlic and thyme until the farlic is soft.  Do not burn the garlic.  Place the softened goat cheese, garlic from the oil, and cream cheese in a small food processor and whip until light.  Add the honey, cayenne, 1/2 chopped thyme, and pinch of salt, and beat until combined.  Remove the thyme from the oil and discard.  Whip in enough of the infused oil to make a creamy consistency.  Serve with a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of the remaining thyme.  Spread on the toasted baguette slices.

Bourbon Pecan Truffles (perfect for Derby Day)

160 g Pecan Shortbread cookies (or 1/2 package of 320 g - Aldi)

227 g Pecans (chopped or whole) toasted

1 c (230 g) light brown sugar

1/2 t salt

1/4 c Bourbon

1 t vanilla

2 T maple syrup (or more if needed)

10 oz (283 g) semisweet chocolate chips

2 T vegetable shortening

Pulse the shortbread cookies in the food processor until the consistency of sand.  Tip into a medium bowl.  When the pecans are cook, pulse until finely chopped consistency.  Add to the shortbread crumbs. Add the brown sugar and salt until combined.  Add the bourbon, vanilla and maple syrup.  

Mix together using your hands to full incorporate.  The mixture should come together when squeezed.  Scoop the mixture using a tablespoon and press into walnut-sized pieces.  Place on a lined baking sheet and freeze until solid, about one hour.

Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler (or microwave carefully).  If the chocolate is thick, add 2 T of shortening and stir together.  When the chocolate is smooth and pourable, dip the frozen truffles in using a fork.  Tap the fork on the side of the bowl to remove excess and use another fork to place onto the lined baking sheet.  Let the candies set until firm, about 20 minutes.

Store at room temperature in an airtight container.  

White Velvet Layer Cake with Strawberry-Raspberry Mascarpone Buttercream

 For the Cake

2 1/2 cups (280 grams) sifted White Lily® Self-Rising Flour

2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick/113 grams) butter, at room temperature

1/4 cup (48 grams) shortening

1/4 cup (56 grams) coconut oil, or favorite vegetable oil

1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature

3/4 cup (180 grams) egg whites (about 6), at room temperature

2 teaspoons (10 ml) almond extract

1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract

 

For the Frosting

1 to 1 1/2 recipes Strawberry-Raspberry Mascarpone Buttercream (if making a rosette cake)

 

Spray three 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Line bottoms with parchment paper circles.

 

Using an electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix self-rising flour and sugar on low speed (stir) until well combined and aerated, about 1 minute. Add butter, shortening and oil and mix on slow speed until thoroughly combined. Mixture will be very thick.

 

In a 2-cup glass liquid measuring cup, whisk together buttermilk, egg whites and extracts using a fork until well blended. Slowly add half of the liquid mixture to the batter and mix on low speed. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat until thoroughly combined, scraping down the sides of bowl as necessary with rubber spatula, about 2 minutes. Add remaining liquid mixture and beat just until smooth and thoroughly combined, again scraping down the sides of bowl as necessary, about 1 minute.

 

Pour batter into prepared pans dividing evenly (a little over 2 cups of batter per cake pan). Smooth tops evenly with rubber spatula and then rap each pan on counter surface 2 to 3 times to expel any air bubbles. This step will create a nice level cake.

 

Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes.

 

Cool cakes in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely. Wrap each cake layer tightly in plastic food wrap and keep at room temperature until ready to fill and frost.

 

For the Frosting:

2 cup butter, softened, unsalted

4 oz mascarpone cheese chilled

6 tbsp Strawberry-Raspberry Sauce (below)

2 tsp pure vanilla extract, optional

4 to 4-1/2 cup powdered sugar

Pink food coloring, optional

 

Beat butter on medium speed using an electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment until creamy.

Add mascarpone cheese, Strawberry-Raspberry Sauce and vanilla.  Beat until fully incorporated.  Gradually increase mixer speed to high and continue beating until light and fluffy.  Scrap down the sides of bowl as necessary with rubber spatula.  Gradually add powdered sugar until well combined, beating on low-speed.

Beat on high-speed about 2 min until well combined and smooth.  Tint buttercream with pink food coloring if desired.

 

Strawberry-Raspberry Sauce

8 oz raspberries, red, fresh

8 oz strawberries, hulled, fresh

1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS

 

Puree the berries using a food processor.

Press berry puree through a fine mesh sieve into medium saucepan.  Discard the seeds.  Stir in lemon juice.

 

Bring fruit pulp and juices to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce heat to medium.  Cook for 5 min while skimming foam from sides of saucepan using a slotted spoon, stirring frequently.

 

Original Recipe Source: WickedGoodKitchen.com

Nor'easter Cocktail

Serves 1

INGREDIENTS
2 ounces bourbon
1/2 ounce lime juice
1/2 ounce maple syrup
Ginger beer

INSTRUCTIONS
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the bourbon, lime juice and maple syrup. Shake and strain into a rocks glass with ice. Top with ginger beer.

Commodore

2 oz Bourbon
1 oz Doulin vermouth
1 oz Benedictine liqueur
1/2 oz Maraschino liqueur

Sweet Potato Pecan Pie with Chantilly Cream

This was the first recipe that I ever found on the internet, and it still may be the very best. It's quite a lot of work for one pie, but worth the trouble...

From Chef Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen. Makes one 8 inch pie.

3 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
2 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 of a whole egg (Vigorously beaten until frothy - reserve the other half for the sweet potato filling)
2 tbsp. cold milk
1 c. all-purpose flour

For the dough: Place the softened butter, sugar and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer; beat on high speed until the mixture is creamy. Add the 1/2 egg and beat 30 seconds. Add the milk and beat on high speed 2 minutes. Add the flour and beat on medium speed 5 seconds, then on high speed just until blended, about 5 seconds more (overmixing will produce a tough dough). Remove the dough from the bowl and shape into a 5 inch patty about 1/2 inch thick. Lightly dust the patty with flour and wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 1 hour, preferably overnight. (The dough will last up to one week refrigerated.)

On a lightly floured surface roll out dough to a thickness of 1/8 to 1/4 inch. Very lightly flour the top of the dough and fold it into quarters. Carefully place dough in a greased and floured 8 inch round cake pan (1 1/2 inches deep) so that the corner of the folded dough is centered in the pan. Unfold the dough and arrange it to fit the sides and bottom of pan; press firmly in place. Trim edges. Refrigerate 15 minutes.

SWEET-POTATO FILLING:

2 to 3 sweet potatoes (or enough to yield 1 c. cooked pulp), baked
1/4 c. packed, light brown sugar
2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 egg, vigorously beaten until frothy (reserved above)
1 tbsp. heavy cream
1 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground allspice
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

For the sweet-potato filling: Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed of electric mixer until the batter is smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes. Do not overbeat. Set aside.

PECAN PIE SYRUP:

3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. dark corn syrup
2 sm. eggs
1 1/2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
2 tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Pinch of ground cinnamon
3/4 c. pecan pieces or halves

For the pecan pie syrup: Combine all the ingredients except the pecans in a mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly on slow speed of electric mixer until the syrup is opaque, about 1 minute; stir in pecans and set aside.

To assemble: Spoon the sweet-potato filling evenly into the dough-lined cake pan. Pour the pecan syrup on top. Bake in a 325 degree oven until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 3/4 hours. (Note: The pecans will rise to the top of the pie during baking.)

Cool and serve with Chantilly Cream. Store pie at room temperature for the first 24 hours, then (in the unlikely event there is any left) refrigerate.

CHANTILLY CREAM:

Makes about 2 cups.

2/3 c. heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp brandy
1 tsp. Grand Marnier
1/4 c. sugar
2 tbsp. dairy sour cream

Refrigerate a medium-size bowl and beaters until very cold. Combine cream, vanilla, brandy and Grand Marnier in the bowl and beat with electric mixer on medium speed 1 minute. Add the sugar and sour cream and beat on medium just until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. DO NOT OVERBEAT. (Overbeating will make the cream grainy, which is the first step leading to butter. Once grainy you can't return it to its former consistency, but if this ever happens, enjoy it on toast!)

Fennel & Bacon Stuffing

10 slices bacon, coarsely chopped
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
8 oz mild or spicy Italian sausages, casings removed
2 T chopped fresh parsley
1 T chopped fresh thyme
2 fennel bulbs, medium diced
1/4 c dry white wine
1/2 c. butter, diced
3/4 c turkey broth or chicken broth (double this for a larger batch)
1 lb french baguette, bottom crust trimmed, bread cut into 3/4 inch cubes (this can be doubled for a larger batch)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs, beaten to blend (3 for a larger batch)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fry bacon in heavy large saute pan over medium-high heat until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to plate. Pour off all but 2 T of fat remaining in pan.

Add onions to same pan and saute until tender, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add sausages, parsley and thyme and cook until sausage browns, about 4 minutes.

Add fennel and cook until tender and pale golden, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Stir in cooked bacon. Add wine and bring to a simmer. Add butter and cook until butter melts. Remove from heat and stir in broth.

Place bread cubes in very large bowl. Add sausage mixture and toss to coat. Season stuffing to taste with salt and pepper. Mix in eggs.

Transfer stuffing to a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover stuffing and bake until golden brown on top, about 15 minutes

Thanksgiving Sweet Potatoes

3 pounds sweet potatoes (about 4 large)
1 t vanilla
1 t cinnamon
1/4 t freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup pecans
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for preparing baking dish
3/4 cup agave syrup, preferably amber or molasses
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup whiskey

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and cook the potatoes whole, do not pierce. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Lightly squeeze the potatoes - if they are soft, they are done. Let cool.

Scoop out the flesh of the potatoes and using a fork lightly toss and combine the the vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg.

In a small saute pan over high heat, add the pecans and lightly toast. Add 4 tablespoons of butter, reduce the heat to medium, add the agave and spices, and allow to simmer for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the whiskey and continue to simmer for 5 minutes more.

Butter the bottom and sides of an 8 by 8-inch baking dish. Spoon the sweet potatoes into the pan and pour the whiskey-pecan mixture over the top and place in the oven.

Bake for 30 minutes, basting the top with the whiskey sauce once at 15 minutes.

Remove and serve immediately.

Blueberry Pie

OK - So this recipe is completely original to me. And yummy, if I do say so myself.

Pie Crust:
2 c flour
1 t salt
Combine. Take out 1/3 cup flour and mix with 1/4 cup water into a paste.
Add
1/3 c butter
1/3 c lard (yes, you heard me...LARD. It's a very natural ingredient and this is a pie.)
to remaining flour. Cut in with a pastry blender. Add paste. Form into 2 round discs, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Roll out on fresh plastic wrap to make your life easier. (This makes a 2 crust pie, especially beautiful to make the top crust into a lattice crust. An easier option would be to take the top crust and cut out stars, and then randomly layer the stars on top of the filling.)

Filling:
5 T port wine
5 T balsamic vinegar (see tip below)
1/2 c granulated sugar
2 T flour
4 c fresh blueberries, washed and picked through
1 T butter

Combine the port wine and balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan. Bring to a low simmer and cook down to about 1/2. Allow to cool to room temperature. Combine the sugar and flour in a small bowl and then add to the port/balsamic reduction sauce. Toss with the blueberries.

Preheat the oven to 400. Mound the blueberry mixture into the bottom pie crust. Dot with butter and top with remaining crust sealing the edges.

Egg Wash:
1 egg, beaten
1 T coarse sugar

Set the pie on a baking sheet (to protect your over from the filling bubbling over). Bake for 15 minutes. Brush the pie crust with a little of the beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar. Decrease the oven to 350 degrees and bake for another 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the filling bubbles in the center and the crust in a nice golden color.

Tip: Make extra port/balsamic reduction sauce to use as a salad dressing. Then use about 4-5 T for this pie.

Turkey Robinson

This is a Claire Robinson recipe (I am quickly becoming a fan) from 5 Ingredient Fix. I made her recipe with a few changes...

2 tablespoons garlic-infused olive oil
1 pound ground turkey
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 (5-ounce) bag triple washed spinach
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained
1 T corn starch (made into a slurry with a few tablespoons of cold water)
Brown rice or pasta, for serving

Heat the oil in a large skillet over moderately-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the ground turkey and, using a wooden spoon, break up the clumps and cook until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the stock and scrape up any bits on the bottom of the pan. Bring up to a boil, and then let simmer until slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Stir in the Cannellini beans and simmer another 5 minutes. Add the spinach and heat through until the spinach is wilted. If there is still quite a bit of liquid, stir in the corn starch slurry and cook until thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Serve over rice or the Rice baked with Shitake mushrooms.


Note: Try adding some red pepper flakes to the turkey for a little spice and finely grate some Parmesan cheese to serve. (I didn't find this was necessary.)

Baked Rice with Shitake Mushrooms

I saw this recipe on 5 Ingredient Fix by Claire Robinson and made it a few days later. Great flavor and so easy.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil
8 ounce shiitakes mushrooms, sliced (I used 5 oz.)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup white rice
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Over moderately-high heat in an ovenproof saucepan, melt the butter until the foam subsides. Add the mushrooms and saute until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the rice and stir constantly until the rice is coated and lightly toasted. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken stock and bring up to a boil. Cover with a tight fitting lid and cook on the middle rack in the oven until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, 17 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.

Butternut Squash and Leek Soup

Yum, Yum, Yum, Yum…Yum. Eating healthy never tasted so good. Were we just starving last night or was this a great combination? I’ll try it again next week and see. It began with a goal of healthy meal planning. After a season of not going to the grocery store on a regular basis with a 6 day meal plan, I am determined to get back on track. 1 beef, 1 pork, 1 chicken, 1 fish and 2 veggie meals. This was supposed to be one of my veggie meals but I forgot to replace the chicken stock with vegetable stock. So close… The original recipes of Butternut Squash and Leek Soup and Roasted Cauliflower called for fresh thyme. But as I searched my refrigerator I realized that I only had rosemary. So good – I’ll always use rosemary in the future. And I got double duty out of my rosemary by using it to infuse the soup and then chopping it up and including it in the Roasted Cauliflower.

Butternut Squash and Leek Soup
(adapted from Food and Wine Magazine)

4 1/2 pounds butternut squash, halved lengthwise
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 large leeks, white and tender green parts, coarsely chopped (I only had one large leek, so I added a sweet onion, chopped)
3 fresh rosemary sprigs or 1 teaspoon dried
5 cups chicken stock or unsalted canned broth, or vegetable stock
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup sour cream
About 3 tablespoons chopped chives (optional)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°. Place the squash, cut side down, on a baking sheet and bake until tender, about 40 minutes. Let cool slightly. Using a spoon, scoop out and discard the seeds. Scrape the squash from the skin.

Meanwhile, in a large heavy saucepan or flameproof casserole, melt the butter over low heat. Add the leeks and rosemary and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and browned, about 40 minutes. Discard the rosemary sprigs after about 20 minutes and reserve for the Roasted Cauliflower.

Stir in the stock and the squash. Simmer over moderate heat for 20 minutes. In a blender or food processor, puree the soup in batches until smooth. Pour the soup back into the pan and season with the salt and pepper.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream and 1 teaspoon chives


To Make Ahead
The recipe can be prepared through Step Three up to 2 days ahead. Reheat the soup before proceeding.

Roasted Cauliflower

(adapted from Television Food Network

1 head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into bite-size florets (about 8 cups)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons roughly chopped fresh rosemary leaves, reserved from Butternut Squash and Leek Soup

Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Toss the cauliflower with the olive oil, garlic, and red pepper on a baking sheet; sprinkle with the salt and thyme and toss again. Roast until golden and tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

Spinach Tart

I made this recipe last night and it was a hit. I like using the 5x8 tart pan as the phyllo dough fits nicely into it. It counts as 5 WW points per serving. Of course, I had two servings last night. Should have made a salad to go with it.

Serves 6
(makes one 10-inch round tart or one 5x8 rectangular tart)
(adapted/modified from recipe posted by Tartelette)

4 eggs, beaten

2/3 cup whole milk (or half-and-half)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

pinch of nutmeg

1-2 tbsp olive oil

3-4 thin slices from a red onion
6-8 stems of asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
3-4 cups of fresh spinach (loosely packed)
6-8 sheets of Phyllo dough
Olive Oil Cooking Spray
4 ounces prosciutto (or thinly sliced ham or crisp, crumbled bacon), optional
6 ounces crumbled feta cheese (reduced fat)

Preheat oven to 375.

In a large measureing cup combine the eggs, milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg, mixing thoroughly. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion, mushrooms and asparagus and let them sweat on medium-low heat until the mushrooms are golden brown and the asparagus is tender. Add the spinach to the skillet and cover with a lid, turning heat off. Let sit until spinach is wilted. Place the spinach, onion, mushroom and asparagus mixture in a large strainer and allow it to drain well, pressing lightly as needed to remove excess moisture.


Carefully prepare the crust using phyllo dough. Take one sheet of phyllo and spray it with Olive Oil spray. Continue with 5-7 more sheets of phyllo and cooking spray. Place the crust in the tart pan (preferably one with a removable bottom so it can be easily served on a dish or tray.)

Place the tart pan on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil for easy cleanup from any leaks or spills.

Spread the spinach/mushroom/asparagus/onion mixture on the crust, making sure all the ingredients are well-distributed. Tear pieces of prosciutto and place on top of the spinach mixture. Pour the egg mixture into the tart pan until it almost reaches the top of the crust. Sprinkle the feta cheese on top of the filled tart.

Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until the tart is golden brown. Let cool at least 5 minutes before releasing it from the pan to a serving plate.

Best Ever Potato Salad

OK, so I'm not a potato salad lover. Not particularly crazy about anything too heavy on the mayo. Consequently, I can't make a decent mayo based potato salad. But this has no mayonnaise in it and it is delish. I added some turkey smoked sausage to make this a one dish meal, but this is a "winner, winner chicken dinner" (minus the poultry) with or without the sausage. I found this recipe in the June 2010 issue of Cooking Light. They call it Farmers' market Potato Salad...

1 c fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears)
2 lbs fingerling potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces (I used New Potatoes)
2 1/2 T olive oil, divided
2 T chopped fresh tarragon (substituted 2 t. dried tarragon)
2 T cider vinegar
2 T whole-grain Dijon mustard
1/2 t hot pepper sauce
3/4 t salt
1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
3/4 c vertically sliced red onion
3/4 c diced zucchini (optional)
1 c cherry tomatoes, halved

Preheat oven to 425.

Place corn and potatoes on a jelly-roll pan. Drizzle vegetables with 1 tablespoon oil; toss to coat. Bake at 425 for 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Place mixture in a large bowl. Combine tarragon and next 5 ingredients (through pepper) in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil, sitrring constantly with a whisk. Drizzle potato mixture with dressing; toss gently to coat.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and zucchini to pan; cook 4 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add zucchini mixture and tomatoes to potato mixture; toss gently to comgine. Yield: 6 servings

Calories 198; Fat 6.6 g; Fiber 3.8 g

Garam Masala Grilled Chicken and Vegetables

I've made this recipe a couple of times. It sounds like it might be spicy, however it is primarily fragrant. The recipe came from the Kansas City Star.

Makes 4 servings
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 (6-ounce) cartons low-fat plain yogurt, divided
3 teaspoons garam masala, divided
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and cut into quarters
1 medium red onion, sliced 1/2 -inch thick
1 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise 1/2 -inch thick
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
4 (3-ounce) whole wheat naan or pita breads
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons minced cilantro

Pound chicken breasts to 1/2 -inch thickness and place in zip-top bag. Combine 1 carton yogurt and 2 teaspoons garam masala; blend well and spoon over chicken. Seal bag and massage to coat chicken pieces evenly. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Place vegetables in a zip-top bag; drizzle with oil, seal and shake to coat evenly. Sprinkle vegetables with 1/2 teaspoon garam masala; seal and shake to coat evenly.

Stir remaining garam masala into remaining yogurt; cover and refrigerate.

Spray grill grate with nonstick spray coating. Preheat grill to medium-high or allow coals to burn to white ash. Remove chicken from yogurt marinade; discard any remaining marinade. Place chicken and vegetables on grill. Grill over direct heat in a covered grill 8 to 10 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked, no longer pink inside and a meat thermometer registers 170 degrees and vegetables are tender, turning midway through to cook evenly. Remove chicken and vegetables to platter as they are done, cover and keep warm.

Spray both sides of naan with nonstick spray coating. Grill about 30 to 60 seconds per side, or until bread is warm.

Slice chicken breasts into thin strips about 2 inches long. Slice peppers into thin, vertical strips and slice zucchini in half and then into thin strips. Halve onion slices and separate into rings. For each serving place one slice warm naan on each plate. Dollop about 1 tablespoon reserved yogurt mixture on top of each bread. Top evenly with slices of chicken and vegetables. Sprinkle with chopped tomatoes and minced cilantro. Pass remaining yogurt mixture to dollop on top, as desired.

Per serving (about 3 ounces cooked chicken, 1 piece (3-ounce) naan and about 2/3 cup grilled vegetables per serving): 456 calories (12 percent from fat), 6 grams total fat (2 grams saturated), 71 milligrams cholesterol, 60 grams carbohydrates, 42 grams protein, 339 milligrams sodium, 7 grams dietary fiber.

Recipe developed for The Star by professional home economists Kathryn Moore and Roxanne Wyss.Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/04/27/1904903/eating-for-life-garam-masala-grilled.html#ixzz0nXOZu7PY

Red Potato and Tomato Salad

1 pound baby red potatoes, halved
1 pint (2 cups) cherry tomatoes, halved
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1/3 cup pitted black olives, halved
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large lemon, zested
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Add the potatoes to a medium saucepan with enough cold water to cover by at least 2 inches. Set the saucepan over medium heat. Bring the water to a boil and continue boiling until the potatoes are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes in a colander and allow them to dry for 5 minutes.

In a serving bowl, add the potatoes, tomatoes, scallions, olives, parsley, capers, thyme, olive oil, and lemon zest. Toss gently until all the ingredients are coated and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Refrigerate for 1 hour and gently toss again before serving.

Maple-Ginger Roasted Vegetables with Pecans

1 1/2 c pecans
4 medium carrots, peeled and liced 1/4 inch thick on the bias
2 large parsnips (1 pound), peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick on the bias
1 medium head cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch dice
1 lb brussels sprouts, halved
1/2 c extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 t freshly grated nutmeg
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 T minced fresh ginger
1/3 c pure maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 425. Spread the pecans in a pie plate and toast until fragrant, about 6 minutes. Let cool.

In a large bowl, toss the carrots, parsnips, cauliflower, squash and brussels sprouts with the olive oil and nutmeg and season generously with salt and black pepper. Spread the vegetables on 2 large rimmed baking sheets and roast for 30 minutes, until the vegetables begin to brown. Scatter the pecans and ginger over the vegetables and drizzle with the maple syrup; toss well. Continue to roast the vegetables for 25 minutes longer, until they are tender and golden. Scrape the vegetables into a bowl and serve hot or at room termperature.

Make Ahead: The roasted vegetables can be kept at room temperature for up to two hours before serving.

Blackberry Tart with Honey Mascarpone Filling

A long overdue credit needs to be added to this posting. I got this recipe from Annie's Eats at
http://annies-eats.com/2009/05/02/blackberry-tart-with-honey-mascarpone-filling/
Annie lives in my hometown of Indianapolis and is self taught in cooking and food photography. Tha's my next goal to work on photography. She posted this recipe May 2, 2009 and I made it last summer. It was fantastic. Thanks Annie! (Update June 14, 2010)

For the crust:
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp. very cold water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
8 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

For the filling:
2/3 cup mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup honey
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch ground nutmeg

For the topping:
Fresh blackberries (I used about 12 oz.)

Directions:
To make the crust, in a small bowl stir together the egg yolk, water and vanilla; set aside. Combine the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and beat on medium-low speed until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, with butter pieces no larger than small peas. Add the egg mixture and beat on low speed just until the dough comes together. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. When you are ready to roll out the dough, unwrap it and place it on a lightly floured work surface. Roll out with a floured rolling pin, lifting and turning the dough occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the work surface. Roll it out evenly until it is large enough to line a 12-inch tart pan and is about 1/8-inch thick. Carefully transfer the dough to the tart pan, pressing it into the sides, and trim to remove the excess.

Cover the dough with foil or parchment paper and fill with baking beads. Bake for 5 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Remove the foil and baking beads and using a fork, gently poke holes in the bottom and sides of the crust. Bake until the crust is golden, 15-20 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

To make the filling, combine the mascarpone, sour cream, and honey in the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat until smooth. Mix in the vanilla extract and nutmeg.

Spread the filling into the cooled tart shell and smooth the top with a spatula. Top with fresh blackberries. Transfer to a serving platter. Store in the refrigerator.

Pumpkin Gingerbread Flan

1 pkg (14.5 oz) gingerbread cake mix (plus ingredients to make cake)
1 pkg (3.4 oz) butterscotch instant pudding and pie filling
¾ c. cold milk
1 can (15 oz) solid pack pumpkin
12 oz frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
½ c. pecans, chopped
½ t. ground nutmeg
½ t. Cinnamon

Preheat over 350. Lightly spray 2 flan pans with Pam. Place parchment circles in bottom of each pan. Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Turn out onto cooking rack, cool completely. Whisk pudding mix into milk, mix well. Whisk in pumpkin; mix until smooth. Gently fold in 3 cups of the whipped topping, Divide pudding mixture evenly between cakes. Sprinkle chopped pecans evenly over each flan. Decorate with remaining whipped topping around ede of each flan. Combine cinnamon and nutmeg and sprinkle over whipped topping

Yield: 16 servings (8 servings per flan)

Approx. 240 calories and 11 grams of fat per serving.