Mandarin Salad

When the summer heat hits, my family tends to eat many more salads.  This one is light & refreshing and oh so simple to make.  This is the basic recipe, though it's so easy to customize to your tastes (like adding chicken or shrimp).

Here's what you'll need:
1 head romaine lettuce, torn in bite-sized pieces
1 rib celery, finely chopped
1 10-oz can mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 c almonds or pecans, lightly toasted
2 TBSP orange juice (or juice from draining the oranges)
4 TBSP olive oil
salt and pepper
1 tsp parsley
pinch red pepper flakes

To toast the nuts, place them in a dry skillet.  Heat over medium heat just until you begin to smell them. Remove from heat.

To make the dressing combine the oranges juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, parsley and red pepper in a small bowl.  Whisk until well blended.  This is just the basic recipe, a place to start.  Today, I used  toasted sesame oil instead of olive oil to give it an extra boost of flavor.  You can also add garlic, onions and other herbs to better complement.your meal.

Put the lettuce and celery in a large bowl.  Add half of the dressing and toss to coat.

Divide the greens among 4 salad plates.  Arrange the oranges on top.  Sprinkle with the nuts.
Serve with the remaining dressing on the side.

Make 4 side salad-sized servings.

Chocolate Butter Cream

I love butter cream!  It's light, fluffy and not too sweet.  But once in a while, a chocolate butter cream is a nice change.  It's no harder to make, but the the increase in flavor is worth the extra step.

Here's what you'll need:
2/3 c dark chocolate chunks
12 TBSP butter, room temp
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 c powdered sugar, sifted
2-3 TBSP milk

Put chocolate chunks in a small bowl.

Microwave at 30-second intervals, until melted.  Stir until smooth.  Let cool slightly.

With a mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy.  Beat in the vanilla and melted chocolate.

Gradually add the sugar, mixing well.  Add just enough milk to loosen the mixture and make it spreadable. Then, beat on high for 5 minutes.

This will frost a 9-inch layer cake.

Enjoy!

Quick, Extra-Chocolate Pudding

Pudding is one of the standard comfort foods for most people.  It conjures memories of childhood and carefree days.  Ours was more of a gelatin family, so when we had pudding, it was a real treat.

I know you can make "pudding" from a box in five minutes, but this one is so easy.  It doesn't take much more time and the taste and texture are well worth the effort.

Here's what you'll need:
1/2 c sugar
1/3 c unsweetened cocoa (I used Special Dark)
2 TBSP corn starch
1/8 tsp salt
1 TBSP instant espresso powder
2 c milk (I used 1% and it's still creamy and delicious!)
2 egg yolks
2 Tbsp butter, room temp
2 tsp vanilla

In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks.  Set aside.

In a 1 1/2-quart sauce pan combine the cocoa, sugar, corn starch and salt.  Whisk together.

Slowly whisk in the milk.

Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.  Boil 1 minute.  Remove from the heat.  Gradually whisk about 1/2 of the hot mixture into the beaten eggs.  This will "temper" them, or keep them from scrambling in your pudding when they hit the heat.

Whisk the egg mixture into the rest of the hot mixture.

Return to the heat.  Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute.  Remove from the heat, then stir in the butter and the vanilla.

Pour the pudding into one bowl or 4 dessert dishes.  Cover with plastic wrap.  Make sure you press it to the top of the pudding!  This will keep it from developing a "skin" on top.

Refrigerate until chilled.  Makes 4 servings.

Enjoy!

Easy Parmesan Chicken

Sometimes, people are intimidated about frying chicken.  I'm not talking about the double-battered, soaked in grease Southern-style chicken.  I'm talking just plain breaded chicken, like you'd use for chicken Parmesan or Marsala.    Setting up a breading station ahead of time will make the job easier, saving time and helping prevent the chicken from overcooking.   This chicken is flash fried for a crispy exterior, then finished off in the oven for a moist, juicy piece of meat.

Here's what you'll need:

1 3-oz skinless, boneless chicken breast per person
1 1/2 c flour
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 c bread crumbs (I used panko)
salt and pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder, divided
1 tsp oregano, divided
1/2 tsp basil, divided
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 300.  Line a sheet pan with paper towels; put a cooling rack on the pan.  Set aside.

Now, set up your breading station.  You'll need three bowls, each large enough for the chicken breast to lay flat.  Put the flour in one, the egg in another and the bread crumbs in the last one.

Season each one with salt and pepper.  It's important to season each layer so the breading has an even flavor, too.  Divide the garlic powder, oregano and basil between the flour and bread crumb bowls. Add the Parmesan cheese to the breadcrumbs. Stir to mix.

Set aside.

Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet (I used cast iron) until it melted and just begins to smoke.

Dip the chicken into the flour, then the egg, then the bread crumbs.  Gently place into the hot pan, being careful not to overcrowd the pan.  If you do, the chicken won't be crispy.  It needs space for the oil to circulate around the meat.

Cook the chicken about 1 minute,  then turn.  The chicken should look golden brown.

Cook one more minute then place on the rack in the preheated oven.

Bake for about 10 minutes, until the juices run clear when you stab it with a fork.

Enjoy!