In a large pot or dutch oven, place:
3 pounds small red potatoes, quartered

Cover with water and bring to a boil. Once bubbling, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until just tender. Be careful to not overcook the potatoes so that they hold their shape. Drain potatoes and cool for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine:
1/2 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
1/3 cup fat-free buttermilk
1/4 chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon fresh dill
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 large garlic clove, minced

Toss creme fresh mixture gently with warm potatoes. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Serves 8

In a dutch oven, heat over medium heat:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

1/2 small onion, chopped

Cook until vegetables are softened.  About 5-7 minutes.  Stir in:

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1/2 cup fresh basil, torn into small pieces

1 (14oz) can diced tomatoes with juice

1 (14oz) can low-salt chicken broth

1 lb. chicken (skinless and boneless, breast or thigh) chopped in to chunks

Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer.  Cook until chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes.  Remove bay leaf and add:

1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Allow to simmer and thicken about 10 more minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with a crusty bread.

Serves 4-6

Overview

A classic Tex-Mex recipe, the grilled chicken fajita has become one of America’s favorite south of the border meals. The best part about the chicken fajita is the customization of ingredients that each diner can use to create their dream chicken fajita. This recipe requires an indoor or outdoor bbq to grill the chicken.

Serves: 6

Ingredients

For the chicken

• 1 1/2 pounds of chicken breast
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 limes

For the grilled vegetable accompaniments

• 2 bunches of scallions
• 3 bell peppers (any combination of red, yellow or green)

For the chicken fajita toppings

• 1 avocado peeled, diced and tossed with salt and lime juice
• 2 cups of sour cream
• 2 cups of salsa of your choice
• 3 limes cut into wedges
• 18 small soft flour tortillas

Directions

Step 1:
Place the chicken breasts in a pan. Combine the chili powder, salt, cumin, garlic, onion powder, and black pepper in a bowl. Spread this mixture over the chicken, patting it into the meat with your fingertips. Squeeze the lime juice over the chicken and let marinate, covered in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

Step 2:
Pre-heat your indoor or outdoor bbq grill to high.

Step 3:
Place the bell peppers directly on the hot grill until charred on all sides, flipping as needed for about 15 minutes. Remove the peppers from the grill, transfer to a cutting board and wrap in wet paper towels to cool.

Step 4:
Grill the scallions until browned, but not charred.

Step 5:
Unwrap the bell peppers from the wet paper towels and remove the charred skins with your hands or a knife leaving the flesh of the bell pepper. Cut the bell peppers in half, remove the seeds and cut into strips.

Step 6:
Place the chicken breasts on the high heat grill. For a medium sized chicken breast cook 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to cutting board and let rest before cutting the chicken into fajita-ready strips.

Step 7:
Turn the grill off, and place the tortillas directly on the grill to warm. Be careful not to burn.

Step 8:
Assemble chicken fajitas as you wish with a tortilla, chicken and the various accompaniments to suit your taste.

Enjoy!

For the Citrus Salsa Verde, in a medium bowl, combine:
2 tablespoons orange zest
2 oranges, peeled and chopped using a knife
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons capers, drained, rinsed and coarsely chopped
2 scallions finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
3 tablespoons mint, chopped
Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Toss lightly and set aside. Put a grill pan on medium-high heat or preheat grill. Brush pan or grill with olive oil. In a small bowl mix together:

2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
Brush oil and honey mixture over both sides of 4 cleaned and skinless salmon fillets, about 4-5 oz. each. Season with salt and pepper and grill on each side for 3-5 minutes. Fish will char quickly. Grill until fish flakes easily. Remove from heat and top with citrus salsa verde. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

In a large mixing bowl add:
1/3 cup lemonade flavor drink mix (I like Country Time)
1/2 cold water
2 cups softened vanilla ice cream

Beat until mixture is well blended on low speed. Gently stir in:
8 oz. of lite cool whipped topping

Spoon lemonade and cool whip mixture to prepared graham cracker crust. Freeze at least 4 hours or until pie is set. Before serving allow pie to stand at room temperature for about 5-10 minutes and use a warm knife when cutting.  Garnish with lemon zest or sugared lemon slices if desired.

Serves 8

Heat grill or skillet to high heat.  In a small bowl whisk together:

1/4 cup molasses

1/3 cup Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon honey

salt and pepper to taste

Using a meat tendorizing mallet, pound thin:

2 (1 pound) pork tenderloins, cut into long pieces (about 10 pieces total)

Once meat has been pounded thin, brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Place meat on the grill or skillet, brushing glaze on every minute.  Cook pork for about 3 minutes on eash side and brush with glaze again just before serving.

Serves 6-8

In a small saucepan, over medium high heat, add:

1 tablespoon of butter

1 tablespoon of vegetable oil

Once the butter has melted into the oil, add:

1 cup rice (I prefer jasmine, but any long grain rice is fine)

salt and pepper to taste

Cook rice about 3-5 minutes or until it starts to brown.  Add:

1/2 cup of dry white wine

Allow wine to evaporate, stirring occasionally.  Add to the pan:

3 cups of chicken or vegetable broth

zest from 1 lemon

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover.  Cook for about 20-25 minutes.  In the last five minutes of cooking the rice, add:

3/4 cup washed snow peas

Return cover to rice and snow peas.  Do not stir.  The steam from the rice cooking will cook the snow peas.  You want the snow peas to be crisp.  Stir just before serving.

While the rice is cooking, to a large wok or skillet, over medium-high heat add:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Once oil is hot, add and brown:

1 1/2 -2 lbs chopped chicken tenders

Cook chicken for about 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Once chicken is cooked and starting to brown, add:

1 tablespoon onion powder

4 garlic cloves, minced

3 inch piece of ginger, grated

3 tablespoons of honey

Stir to combine and cook 2-3 minutes more.  Add:

1 cup of chicken or vegetable broth

1 tablespoon of cornstarch, mixed with 2 tablespoons of broth (to prevent lumps)

juice from 1 lemon

5 green onions, chopped

Bring to a boil ans reduce heat to thicken, stirring occasionally.  You should only have to cook this for a few more minutes.  Serves over the Snow Pea Rice and enjoy.

Serves 4

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat.  Once oil is warm, add to the skillet:

11/2 cups shredded carrot

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated

1/2 tablespoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until bell pepper starts to become tender.  Add to the skillet:

*3 tablespoons Tamari (dark soy sauce)

1-1 1/4 pound shrimp, peeled and de-veined

3 green onions, chopped

Cook until shrimp are pink on both sides, about 5 minutes, and reduce heat to medium-low.  Add:

1/2 cup chicken broth

20 basil leaves, chopped

1/4 cilantro, chopped

juice from 1 lime

Cook until all of ingredients are combined and basil leaves are wilted.  Add salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

*Soy sauce can be substituted for Tamari, but if you can find it , Tamari has a richer flavor.

Serves 4

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large skillet, over medium high heat, cook:

3 cups chopped leaf spinach

Once spinach is wilted and liquid has evaporated, remove pan from heat.  In a small bowl, mix together:

1/4 cup low-fat ricotta cheese

1/4 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes

Once spinach is cool, add to cheese and tomato mixture and stir until combined.  In a small baking dish, arrange 2 washed salmon fillets, about 6 oz each (skin off, most markets will remove the skin for free).  Heap the spinach, cheese and tomato mixture on top.  Mixture should be about as high as the salmon fillets.  Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes or until fish is cooked through.

Serves 2

In a large pot, of salted boiling water, cook until tender (about 10 minutes):
1 medium chopped carrot

Remove carrot and set aside, but keep boiling water for pasta. Add:
4 oz of whole wheat pasta, any fun shape (such as bow ties)

Cook pasta until “al dente” instructions. Drain and set aside. In a large bowl, mix together:
3 slices of bread, cubed
1 beaten egg
1/4 milk
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
1/4 cup coarsely chopped sweet potato
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 lb ground chicken or turkey

Using hands, form mixture into small meatballs, about 1/2 inch in diameter. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 garlic clove, minced in a large pot. Add meatballs to pot and brown on all sides. Reduce heat to medium low. In a blender or food processor, puree cooked carrot and 1 28 oz can of whole peeled tomatoes. Add to pot of browned meatballs. Additionally add:
3 1/2 cups of vegetable or chicken broth

Bring to a boil and reduce heat simmer on low for 15 minutes, or until meatballs are no longer pink inside. Stir in pasta just prior to serving and sprinkle with Parmesan.

Serves 6