Oven-Fried Honey-Mustard Chicken

Note: Panko breadcrumbs are carried in most stores near the other breadcrumbs or in the Asian food section.

Ingredients:

6       boneless chicken breast halves

1/2    cup mayonnaise

1/3    cup Dijon mustard

3       tablespoons honey

1       teaspoon dried tarragon

1       teaspoon dried parsley flakes

1/4    teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1 ½   cup Panko breadcrumbs

1       cup fine dried unseasoned breadcrumbs

1/4    teaspoon salt

1/4    teaspoon black pepper

1/4    teaspoon paprika

Method:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking pan with foil. Spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray. In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, honey, tarragon, parsley, and thyme. Lightly coat the chicken with the mixture. Combine Panko and dried breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, and paprika and pour the mixture on a plate or into a shallow container. Press the chicken breasts in the breadcrumb mixture, turning to coat thoroughly. Arrange chicken onto the baking dish lined with foil.

Bake for 25 minutes. Using tongs or a fork, turn chicken over and continue baking for about 12 to 15 minutes longer, or until cooked through, when the juices run clear, and the breadcrumbs have a crisp crust. The internal temperature should be 165°F.

Cut into four to five slices per chicken breast, and serve warm or cold with your favorite honey mustard sauce. Serves four to six.

Method:

Combine all ingredients in a blender, reserving half of the olive oil. Pulse until the ingredients are chopped. Set the blender to puree and start adding in the remaining oil, scraping the sides down frequently until the vinaigrette is smooth. Adjust the thickness with a little lime juice or white wine vinegar.

Salad Ingredients:

3         cups canned or frozen corn (thawed and drained) or 4 ears of corn

10-12  cherry or grape tomatoes

1         large red bell pepper

1         5-inch long zucchini

1         5-inch long Anaheim pepper

1/2      medium red onion

1/2      cup chopped cilantro

1/2      cup crumbled casero or feta cheese

salt & pepper to taste

Method:

For grilling corn on the grill: Simmer shucked and clean corn on the cob for 10 minutes in boiling water. Remove from water, pat dry, spray with non-stick cooking spray and then grill directly on the grill for 3 to 5 minutes turning often until corn begins to char. Remove from grill. Cool. Stand corn cob up on top of a secure cutting board (place a damp towel underneath to prevent slipping). Using a sharp knife, cut through the ends of the kernels while cutting down. Work your way around the cob until corn is removed. Place in a bowl. Set aside.

For preparing the corn on the stove: Coat the bottom of a non-stick skillet or cast iron pan with a little olive oil. Heat the pan to high. Spread out the corn kernels on the pan. If frozen, they will defrost almost immediately. Don’t stir them too much, just let them cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to toast. When they become slightly browned, transfer them from the pan to a bowl.

Prepare grill or grill pan (if cooking indoors). Cut the bell pepper and Anaheim pepper in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and stem. Trim the ends off the zucchini and slice in four long sections. Spray the peppers, zucchini, and onion with non-stick cooking spray and place on grill or grill pan. As peppers begin to blister, turn to slightly char the other side. This will take a few minutes. For the zucchini and red onion, place them on the grill cut side down. Turn them over after a few minutes. Continue cooking for just a minute or two on the other side. Fresh cherry or grape tomatoes, halved, will work fine for this salad. You do not need to grill the tomato halves, unless you want a bit of charred appearance.

Once the Anaheim and bell peppers have cooled a bit, remove their outer skins by gently peeling them away. Chop the peppers into small chunks. Chop the slightly browned zucchini into small pieces.

Place corn kernels, tomatoes, chopped peppers, chopped zucchini, red onion, and cilantro, into a medium serving bowl.

Drizzle half the cilantro pesto dressing over corn salad and lightly toss. Sprinkle with a little lime juice and crumbled cheese on top. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Serves six to eight.

‘Wild Berry’ Chocolate Chip Brownies

1      box of your favorite brownie mix—substitute oil and water with mixture below

2      eggs

1      cup wild berry applesauce

3/4   cup chocolate chips

3      tablespoons water

3      tablespoons chocolate syrup

2      tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon canola oil

1/2   cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a mixing bowl, use a wooden spoon or stirring spatula to stir all ingredients until just combined. The mix may still look lumpy, which is the way you want it. Using non-stick cooking spray, coat a 9 x 9-inch baking pan (you can also use 8 x 8- or 9 x 13-inch pans). Pour the mixture into the baking pan and place in oven for 30 to 35 minutes. If using an 8 x 8-inch pan, cook for 45 to 50 minutes; for a 9 x 13-inch pan bake for 28 to 31 minutes.

Top with additional chocolate syrup, chocolate chips, and chopped nuts, if you desire.

Makes ten servings (or less, if I’m around).