Tasty Thursday

Spring is definitely in the air! What could be more refreshing than a light salad with perfectly moist rotisserie chicken? Try this lighter-than-air salad from one of the newest additions to our 101 series, 101 Things To Do With Rotisserie Chicken by Madge Baird.

Nutty Couscous Salad

1 1/2 cups dry couscous

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 pound or more asaparagus

1/2 cup Newman's Own Balsamic Vinaigrette

3/4 cup pistachio nuts

1 cup diced rotisserie chicken

salt and pepper to taste

Cook couscous in chicken broth according to package directions. Place cooked couscous in a medium-size bowl; fluff and let cool.

Steam asparagus approximate 2 minutes, just until they begin to tenderize but are still crisp in the center. Rinse in cold water and then cut into 1-inch pieces.

Pour vinaigrette over couscous and mix thoroughly to distribute dressing. Transfer to a serving bowl. Add asparagus, nuts, and chicken; toss. Taste and adjust lightly for salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature. Makes 4 servings.

What We Eat When We Eat Alone

What a great video by Deborah Madison on her latest book! Buy your copy here.



Here's a quick short version.

Scoop of Ice Cream and a Good Book!

There's no better way to kick off the upcoming summer months than with a scoop of your favorite ice cream. And why not enjoy that scoop of creamy deliciousness while reading your favorite book!

Join your fellow ice cream fans at the upcoming 31cent Scoop Night at your neighborhood Baskin-Robbins! This event is also to honor America's Firefighters!

Tasty Thursday

It is probably safe to say that now is a time we all want to tighten our pocketbooks. In 100 Meals for $5 or Less by Jennifer Maughan, you can do that AND enjoy home-cooked meals. Who doesn't want an affordable meal that tastes great and is easy to make?

Cream Cheese Chicken

2 tablespoons margarine

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 (10.5-ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup

1/4 cup milk

Salt and pepper to taste

2 cups cooked cubed chicken

4 cups hot cooked rice

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt margarine and cream cheese. When thoroughly melted and blended, add soup and milk. Mix well and add salt and pepper to taste. Add chicken and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes, or until mixture is hot and bubbly. Add a little milk if mixture becomes too thick. Serve over hot cooked rice. 

Serves 4

Gibbs Smith author under attack!

Steve Winston, author of The Spanish Table and owner of four retail cooking stores by the same name in Seattle and California, is being sued by E. & J. Gallo Winery over a brand name.


Check out the story on both the All You Can Eat/Seattle Times Blog here and the television report by King5 News here.

Tasty Thursday

There are so many easy and tasty recipes in one of the newest additions to our 101 series, you're bound to be surprised! The seasons of spring and summer bring many days of barbecuing with them. The first recipe you should try this season is from 101 Things To Do With Meatballs by Stephanie Ashcraft. I hope you enjoy!

Caesar Meatball Kabobs

18 frozen, fully cooked meatballs, thawed

1 medium yellow or green bell pepper, seeded and cut into 12 equal pieces

1 large or 2 small summer squash, cut into 12 (1 1/2 to 2-inch) slices 

12 whole mushrooms

12 cherry tomatoes

1/2 cup Caesar dressing

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

On a long metal skewer, thread a meatball, bell pepper slice, squash slice, mushroom, and tomato. Repeat pattern ending with a meatball. Repeat for 5 more skewers. Combine Caesar dressing and black pepper. Place meatball skewers directly on a hot grill. Baste the kabobs with the dressing. Grill for 6–8 minutes, turning and basting every 2–3 minutes until done. Makes 6 kabobs.

Note: If using bamboo skewers, soak in water for 30 minutes prior assembling kabobs.

Tasty Thursday

In celebration of Good Friday and Easter coming up, this week's Tasty Thursday recipe comes from our newly released and absolutely fantastic Southern Farmers Market Cookbook by Holly Herrick. This is a recipe everyone will love!

Chow-Chow Deviled White Shrimp and Farm Fresh Eggs
To cook the eggs
6 fresh eggs, at room temperature
Water to cover

To cook the shrimp
10 to 12 white shrimp, shells on
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon salt
1⁄4 cup good-quality dry white wine
Water to cover

For the filling
Reserved yolks from the cooked eggs
2 tablespoons chow-chow (look for a locally canned variety at your farmers market)
Dash of red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1⁄2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground pepper
10 chives, cut into 1⁄2-inch lengths, to garnish

Place the eggs in a single layer in a medium-size pot. Cover with tepid tap water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, remove the pan from the heat, cover, and allow the eggs to sit in the hot water for exactly 17 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a deep skillet, prepare the shrimp. Combine the shrimp, thyme, bay leaf, salt, wine, and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer, and cook until the shrimp are just opaque in the center, about 3 minutes; drain. When cool enough to handle, peel and discard the shells. Coarsely chop eight of the shrimp; cut the other shrimp into 1⁄2-inch lengths to garnish the top of the eggs; set both aside.

After the eggs have stood in the water for a full 17 minutes, remove them from the water (but don’t pour the water out), and transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water. Chill for 2 minutes. Put the eggs back in cooking water and bring the cooking water up to a boil for 10 seconds; then return the eggs to the ice water. Chill for 15 minutes before peeling.

Once they have chilled, peel the eggs and cut each in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop out the yolks, smashing and blending them thoroughly with a fork in a small bowl. Set aside the egg white halves.

Whisk all the remaining filling ingredients except the shrimp and chives into the egg yolks. Taste carefully to verify seasoning. Fold in the chopped shrimp. Scoop a generous tablespoon of filling into each egg-white half, topping each with reserved shrimp pieces and 3 to 4 chive cuttings for garnish. Chill and serve within several hours.

Serves 12

Tasty Thursday

Strawberries are here! In keeping with a spring theme, this week's Tasty Thursday recipe is taken from our great 101 series—101 Things To Do With Salad by Melissa Barlow and Stephanie Ashcraft. This fresh-tasting recipe is not only delicious, but easy!

Strawberry-Spinach Salad with Lemon Dressing

1 cup slivered almonds

Sugar

1 bag (10 ounces) spinach

1 1/2 apples, peeled and diced

1 cup dried cranberries

2 cups sliced strawberries

Dressing

2 tablespoons lemon zest

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 cup oil

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon mustard seed or dry mustard (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Candy the almonds by wetting and then rolling in sugar. Bake 10 minutes; cool completely.

In a bowl, toss together all the salad ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine the dressing ingredients. Pour dressing over salad just before serving and toss. Makes 8 servings.