blue corn pancakes with orange honey butter and cinnamon maple syrup

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup blue cornmeal
• Pinch salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup fresh blueberries, plus more for garnish
• 2 to 3 bananas, peeled and sliced
• Orange-Honey Butter, recipe follows
• Cinnamon Maple Syrup, recipe follows
• Confectioners' sugar, for garnish

Directions

Preheat a nonstick griddle. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.

Mix together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Beat the eggs and 1 1/2 cups of the milk in a medium bowl until combined, then stir in the melted butter. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Gently fold in the blueberries. If the batter seems too thick, add some of the remaining milk.

Ladle approximately 1/4 cup of the batter onto the griddle for each pancake. Cook until the bottom is light golden brown, flip, and continue cooking for about 30 seconds. Remove to an ovenproof plate and keep warm in the oven until ready to serve. Serve 3 pancakes per person with a dollop of orange-honey butter, cinnamon maple syrup, and bananas. Garnish with blueberries dust with confectioners' sugar.

Orange-Honey Butter:

3 cups fresh squeezed orange juice

2 sticks butter, slightly softened

2 tablespoons honey

Pinch salt

Place orange juice in a small non-reactive saucepan over high heat and reduce to 3 tablespoons. Place butter in a bowl and add the orange syrup, honey, and salt; mix until combined. Scoop into a large ramekin, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.

Cinnamon Maple Syrup:

2 cups pure maple syrup

2 to 3 cinnamon sticks

Heat syrup and cinnamon sticks over low heat for 10 minutes. Remove and let steep for 1 hour. Remove sticks and pour into a small pitcher.

Recipe from foodnetwork.com (Bobby Flay)

best blueberry muffins

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup oil

1 cup milk

4 tsp. baking powder

2 2/3 cup flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup shortening

2 eggs

Mix all ingredients well. Add 2 cups of blueberries which have been coated with flour. Fill greased muffin tins 3/4 full. Sprinkle sugar on top.

Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes.

Works best with fresh blueberries.

tortellini salad

7 oz cheese tortellini

1 cup broccoli florets

1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

6 oz. marinated artichokes, drained

2 green onions, chopped

1/2 cup italian salad dressing

2 1/2 tsp fresh basil, chopped

3 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated

6 cherry tomatoes, halved

Cook tortellini according to package directions; drain. Rinse and drain again.

Combine tortellini with broccoli, parsley, artichokes, and green onion in a large bowl; toss lightly to mix.

Pour salad dressing over tortellini mixture; sprinkle with basil and toss gently.

Arrange tomatoes on top and sprinkle with cheese.

chicken and Rice

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 1/4 cup raw regular white rice

12 chicken breast tenders

1 soup can of milk

1/2 pkg dry onion soup mix

salt and pepper to taste

Combine soups, milk and rice in a 9x13 baking dish. Lay chicken pieces on top. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle dry soup mix on top. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.

taste-of-summer light pound cake

• 
  
• Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 egg whites
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup (6 ounces) fat-free lemon yogurt
• 
  GLAZE:
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 4 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 1/3 cup dried apricots, finely chopped

Directions

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg whites, then egg, beating well after each addition. Beat in lemon juice and extracts. Combine the flours, baking powder, salt and baking soda; add to the creamed mixture alternately with yogurt.
• Transfer to a 10-in. fluted tube pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
• For glaze, in a small bowl, whisk the confectioners' sugar, lemon juice and lemon peel until blended. Stir in apricots. Drizzle over cake. Yield: 12 servings.

Nutrition facts: 1 slice equals 276 calories, 8 g fat

(Healthy Cooking August/September 2010, p30)

linguine with edamame and tomatoes

1 1/2 cups frozen shelled edamame

4 green onions, thinly sliced

1 Tbsp. olive oil

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 cup white wine or reduced-sodium chicken broth

3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

2 Tbsp. minced fresh basil

1. Cook linguine according to package directions, adding edamame during the last 5 minutes; drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid.

2. In a large nonstick skillet, saute onions in oil until tender. Add the tomatoes, garlic, oregano and salt. Add wine and reserved cookkng liquid; cook and stir for 2 minutes.

3. Add linguine and edamame; cook and stir 2-3 minutes longer. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with cheese and basil; toss to coat.

1-1/2 cups equals 370 calories, 11 g fat

Healthy Cooking/Taste of Home - Aug/Sept 2010

four-fruit salad

4 cups fresh raspberries

4 medium plums, coarsely chopped

4 medium apricots, coarsely chopped

2 medium peaches, coarsely chopped

2 Tbsp honey

In a large bowl combine all ingredients and toss. Refrigerate until chilled.

3/4 cup equals 55 calories, trace fat

Healthy Cooking/Taste of Home - Aug/Sept 2010

chocolate chip cookies

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

3 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 (12 oz.) pkg chocolate chips

Cream together the shortening, butter, and sugars. Add the salt, vanilla, and eggs. Mix well. Add the flour and baking soda until blended. Add the chocolate chips last until just mixed. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 12 minutes at 375 degrees.

gluten-free almond crispies

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup canola oil

1 Tbsp. water

1 tsp. almond extract

1 cup brown rice flour

1/2 cup almond flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp. salt

1/2 cup finely chopped almonds

1. In a small bowl, beat the syrup, oil, water and extract until well blended. Combine the flours, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; gradually beat into syrup mixture until blended. Stir in almonds.

2. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets; flatten slightly. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Cool for 1 minute before removing from pans to wire racks.

1 cookie equals 54 calories, 3 g fat

Healthy Cooking/Taste of Home - Aug/Sep 2010

grilled jerk shrimp orzo salad and caribbean jerk seasoning & rub

Caribbean Jerk Seasoning and Rub

2 tablespoons dried minced onion

1 tablespoon garlic powder

4 teaspoons crushed dry thyme leaves

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons black pepper

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Grilled Jerk Shrimp Orzo Salad

2 large ears sweet corn in husk

2 tsp olive oil

2/3 cup uncooked whole wheat orzo pasta

12 fresh asparagus spears, trimmed

1 lb. uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 Tbsp. Caribbean jerk seasoning

1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped

Dressing:

4 Tbsp. white vinegar

2 Tbsp. water

2 Tbsp. lime juice

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1. Carefully peel back corn husk to within 1 in. of bottom; remove silk. Brush corn with oil. Rewrap corn in husk and secure with kitchen string. Grill corn, covered, over medium heat for 25-30 minutes or until tender, turning often.

2. Meanwhile, cook orzo according to package directions. Drain and rinse in cold water; set aside.

3. Thread asparagus spears onto two parallel metal or soaked wooden skewers. Rub shrimp with jerk seasoning; thread onto two skewers. Grill asparagus and shrimp, covered, over medium hear for 5-8 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender and shrimp turn pink, turning once.

4. Cut corn from cob; place in a large bowl. Cut asparagus into 1-in. pieces; add to bowl. Add the shrimp, orzo and pepper. In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients. Pour over salad; toss to coat.

2 cups equals 352 calories, 12 g fat

Healthy Cooking/Taste of Home - August/September 2010