Potluck Perfect

Has anybody out there ever been invited to a potluck and then told to bring a "main dish" for the event?  Main dish is always the hardest one to bring.  You can easily toss together a pasta salad for a side dish or whip up something simple for a dessert, but the main dish takes a little more thought, a little more time, and a little more creativity.

We had a potluck at school on our first week back, and I was assigned the dreaded main dish.  Since I love looking for recipes, I wasn't too upset.  I was even less upset when I found this recipe for Cherry Chicken Salad.  It was super easy and very delicious.  I found some buttery, miniature croissants at the grocery store to serve with the chicken salad, and all was good.

    

Cherry Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

3 cooked, boneless chicken breast halves, diced

1/3 cup dried cherries

1/3 cup diced celery

1/3 cup toasted, chopped pecans

1/3 cup low-fat mayonnaise

1 tablespoon buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

1.  In a large bowl, combine all ingredients.  

2.  Toss together well and refrigerate until chilled.

3.  Serve on croissants.

Source:  AllRecipes

Fall is in the Air

Wow, it is dreary out today.  It's cold and rainy.  It's the kind of weather that makes you want to stay inside, huddle under a blanket, and read a good book.  Oh yes, and eat some delicious and comforting soup.  This Black Bean Soup and Buttermilk Cornbread just scream fall to me.  They are the perfect combination for a day like this.

I love black bean soup, and this recipe surely did not disappoint.  I would not hesitate to make this again and again.  The cornbread recipe really surprised me.  I had tried a different cornbread recipe recently and wasn't really impressed.  I hesitantly gave this one a try.  It was AMAZING.   Seriously, it was the best cornbread I've ever had.  Even days later, it was still delicious.

Black Bean Soup

Ingredients:

5 slices bacon, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, pressed

1/2 of a 14.5-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth

3/4 cup canned chopped tomatoes

1 tablespoon ketchup

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder

2 cans (15.5 ounces each) black beans, drained but not rinsed

1/2 bunch of cilantro, leaves picked and chopped

Salt and pepper

Juice of 1/2 lime, or less according to taste

Green onions, thinly sliced

Sour cream

Shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1.  Put the bacon into a large pot over medium heat.  Cook until it starts to give up its fat, about 4 minutes.  Add the onions and cook until they begin to turn translucent.  Add the garlic and cook until you can smell it, only about 1 minute.  Add the broth, tomatoes, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and chili powder.  Stir in the beans, turn the heat to high, and bring to a boil.  Once it is boiling, adjust the heat so that it is just bubbling gently, and cook for 10 minutes.

2.  Stir the cilantro into the soup after 10 minutes.  Cook for about 5 more minutes or until soup is thickened.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Stir in the lime juice.  

3.  Transfer to serving bowls and garnish with green onions, sour cream, and cheddar cheese.

Source:  Food Network

Grandmother's Buttermilk Cornbread

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

1/3 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup flour (I used 1/2 cup whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup all-purpose flour)

1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease an 8-inch square pan.

2.  Melt butter in a large pan.  Remove from heat and stir in sugar.  Add eggs and beat until well blended.  Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture in pan.  Add cornmeal, flour, and salt.  Stir until well blended and few lumps remain.  Pour batter into pan.

3.  Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Source: Slightly adapted from allrecipes

Rosemary Ranch Chicken Kabobs

It would seem that Mother Nature has decided that it is now fall even though the calendar claims that it is still summer.  The "trusty" weathermen tell me that Saturday has the potential to be gorgeous though...mid 60s, sun, and clouds.  That sounds lovely.  Maybe it will give you the chance to use the grill one more time.  If so, you should try out these Rosemary Ranch Chicken Kabobs because everybody loves food on a stick.  Everybody.

Rosemary Ranch Chicken Kabobs

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup ranch dressing

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon white sugar

5 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch cubes

Directions:

1.  In a medium bowl, stir together all ingredients except chicken.  Let stand for 5 minutes.  Add chicken to the bowl and stir to coat.  Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2.  Preheat the grill.  Thread the chicken onto wooden skewers that have been soaked in water to prevent burning.  Discard marinade.

3.  Lightly oil the grill grate.  Grill kabobs for 8-12 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink the center and juices run clear.

Source:  allrecipes

Again with the zucchini...

I just couldn't stop myself last weekend.  I went to a wonderful farmers' market in St. Paul with some friends, and the only thing I bought was more zucchini.  Have I mentioned how much I like zucchini?  I love it, in case you had not heard. 

Since it was the first day of school on Tuesday, I thought I would try to brighten the day of my fellow teachers by bringing them mini loaves of zucchini bread (which I made sure were baked ALL the way...unlike my last attempt at zucchini bread...HELLO, surprise centers!).  

This bread was delicious!  It was moist and sweet and cinnamon-spiced.  The mini loaves just made it so much more fun, but you can bake it in 8" by 4" loaf pans as well.  

Mom's Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour (I substituted one cup of whole-wheat flour and 2 cups of all-purpose flour)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 cups grated zucchini (Make sure to squeeze the moisture out of the zucchini after you grate it using a clean kitchen towel!)

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease 8 mini loaf pans or two 8" by 4" loaf pans.

2.  Sift flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon together in a large bowl.  

3.  Beat eggs, oil, applesauce, vanilla extract, and sugars together in a large bowl.  Add the sifted ingredients and beat well.  Stir in zucchini.  Pour batter into prepared pans.

4.  Bake for 40 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Source:  Adapted from allrecipes  

Orzo with Chickpeas

Wow, I sincerely apologize for the lack of posts recently.  Summer vacation is over and it's back to school for me.  I have been a little busy recently and have neglected my blog.  That doesn't mean I stopped cooking though!

I made this delightful and fresh orzo with chickpeas after a recent trip to the Minneapolis Farmers' Market.  The farmers' market is one of my new favorite places, by the way.  You should have seen the amount of cucumbers, carrots, zucchini, and grape tomatoes that my sister and I bought for only $6!  I was looking for a way to use up some zucchini when I saw Rachael Ray make this on her Food Network show one morning.  Perfect!  

It tastes so fresh with the parsley and mint, and the feta gives it a great creaminess and adds a little tang.  I seriously ate all of it myself.  I didn't share with anyone!

Orzo with Chickpeas

Ingredients:

Salt

1/2 pound orzo

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 small to medium zucchini, diced

1/2 red onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

Salt and pepper

1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas/garbanzo beans, drained

1/2 cup parsley leaves, chopped

1/4 cup mint leaves, chopped

1/2 cup feta, crumbled

Juice of half a lemon

Directions:

1.  Cook orzo in a large pot of salted, boiling water until al dente.

2.  Heat olive oil in a large skillet.  Add zucchini, onions, and garlic.  Season with salt and pepper and cook for 6 to 7 minutes or until tender.  Add chickpeas and heat through.

3.  In a bowl, toss together the zucchini mixture, orzo, herbs, and cheese.  Drizzle with lemon juice and add salt and pepper to taste.

Source:  Rachael Ray