By Jill Wendholdt Silva

McClatchy Newspapers

(MCT)

Potatoes are one of those a ha! vegetables.

Asked to name a fruit or vegetable high in potassium, most people instinctively choose the banana. But a baked potato has 610 milligrams per serving vs. 422 milligrams for a medium banana.

The government recently upped the recommended daily intake of potassium for adults from 3,500 to 4,700 milligrams, because a diet low in potassium and high in sodium is a major contributor to high blood pressure and stroke.

Another a ha! moment? A potato the size of a computer mouse also supplies 45 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin C.

Although potato sales plummeted during the Atkins diet craze, the tubers are loaded with positive attributes: They're low in calories, high in minerals, and a good source of complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, iron, niacin and vitamin B6.

Economical and easy to prepare, the only downside is it's tempting to serve them with fatty and caloric toppings.

To make these add-ons count toward your nutritional goals, choose wisely. The Star's Ham and Vegetable Stuffed Potatoes are loaded with vegetables, including spinach, broccoli, mushrooms and onions, and a bit of lean protein.

Of course, one question remains: Do you have to eat the skin to get the health benefits? It's your call, but the skin is rich in fiber and iron, as well as caffeic and ferulic acids, both phytochemicals that may help destroy harmful carcinogens in the body.

Shopping tip: Both Kraft and Sargento sell reduced-fat Swiss cheese, but in slices rather than pre-shredded.

HAM AND VEGETABLE STUFFED POTATOES

Makes 4 servings

4 russet potatoes, 5 to 7 ounces each

2 teaspoons butter

¼ cup chopped onion

½ cup sliced mushrooms

1 cup 95 percent lean fully cooked ham cubes (cut into ½-inch cubes)

1 cup small broccoli florets

1 cup coarsely chopped fresh spinach

1 cup fat-free milk, divided

2 tablespoons cornstarch

¼ teaspoon dried thyme leaves

½ teaspoon dry mustard

¼ teaspoon pepper

2 ounces 2 percent milk Swiss cheese (about 2 slices), finely chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Scrub potatoes and prick. Bake 1 to 1 ¼ hours or until done.

Melt butter in medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring until onions are translucent. Stir in mushrooms and cook until onion is tender. Stir in ham and broccoli and cook until broccoli is tender. Stir in spinach and cook just until wilted.

Stir together ¼ cup cold milk and cornstarch; blend until completely dissolved. Stir cornstarch mixture into skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture bubbles. Stir in remaining milk and cook until mixture bubbles and thickens.

Stir in seasonings and cheese. Cook over low heat until cheese is melted.

Split potatoes and push gently to open. Spoon mixture over potatoes.

Per serving: 282 calories (19 percent from fat), 6 grams total fat (3 grams saturated), 39 milligrams cholesterol, 36 grams carbohydrates, 22 grams protein, 954 milligrams sodium, 3 grams dietary fiber

By Linda Gassenheimer
McClatchy Newspapers
(MCT)
Skillet cooking is very much a part of Southwestern cuisine. This unusual supper cooks the pasta and sauce together in one pan, so the pasta absorbs the sauce flavors. The meal can also be served right from the skillet: Just bring it to the table and cut the servings into wedges like a pizza.
The government suggests that we eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day, so this dinner is filled with fresh vegetables and lots of flavor.
This meal contains a total of 669 calories per serving with 26 percent of calories from fat.
Helpful Hints:
Any type of cheese _ such as cheddar or fontina _ may be used in place of Monterey jack.
If you do not have a ripe avocado, use any type of low-fat dressing for the salad.
Countdown:
Place water for pasta on to boil
Make pasta.
Make salad.
___
SOUTHWESTERN SKILLET PIZZA
¼ cup fat-free, low-salt chicken broth
½ medium onion, sliced (1 cup)
1 medium garlic clove, crushed
1 small green bell pepper, sliced (1 cup)
¼ pound mushrooms, sliced (about 1 ½ cups)
1 ¼ cups canned crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup frozen corn kernels, defrosted
2 medium jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ pound fresh or dried fettuccini
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 ounces Monterey jack cheese (about 1/3 cup grated)
Place a large pot with 3 to 4 quarts water on to boil. Heat broth over medium heat in a 10-inch nonstick skillet and add onion. Saute 10 minutes.
Add garlic, green pepper and mushrooms and saute 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, cumin, corn, jalapenos, salt and pepper to taste and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook fettuccini 2 to 3 minutes if fresh, 9 minutes if dried.
Drain and add to skillet. Cook 10 minutes, blending the sauce and noodles together. Remove from heat and add cheese. Cover and let cheese melt for 3 minutes. Sprinkle cilantro on top, cut into wedges and serve. Makes 2 servings.
Per serving: 452 calories; 21 grams protein; 72 grams carbohydrate; 11 grams fat; 21 percent of calories as fat; 5.4 grams fiber; 25 milligrams cholesterol; 414 milligrams sodium.
___
BLACK BEAN SALAD
½ small, ripe avocado ripe
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fat-free, low-salt chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ head Romaine lettuce
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
Peel, seed and mash avocado in a small bowl. Add lime juice, mustard and chicken broth and blend well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Wash lettuce and tear into bight-size pieces. Place in a salad bowl. Toss with black beans. Spoon dressing over top. Makes 2 servings.
Per serving: 217 calories; 10 grams protein; 30 grams carbohydrate; 8 grams fat; 30 percent of calories as fat; 6.3 grams fiber; 0.2 milligram cholesterol; 468 milligrams sodium.
SHOPPING LIST
Here are the ingredients you'll need for tonight's Dinner in Minutes.
To buy: 1 medium green bell pepper, ¼ pound mushrooms, 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes, 2 medium jalapeno peppers, 10-ounce package frozen corn kernels, ¼ pound fresh or dried fettuccini, 1 small bunch fresh cilantro, 2 ounces Monterey jack, 1 small ripe avocado, 1 fresh lime, 1 19-ounce can black beans, 1 small head Romaine lettuce, 1 jar ground cumin and 1 jar Dijon mustard
Staples: Fat-free, low-salt chicken broth, onion, garlic, salt and black peppercorns
___
(Linda Gassenheimer is the author of fourteen cookbooks including her newest, "The Portion Plan" and "Prevention's Fit and Fast Meals in Minutes." Visit Linda on her Web page at www.DinnerInMinutes.com or email her at Linda@DinnerInMinutes.com.)

By The Associated Press
Almost by definition, Parmesan dishes — as in eggplant Parmesan or chicken Parmesan — are fat bombs.
That’s probably because nearly every step of the recipe seems almost designed to infuse the meal with as much fat as possible. Coat the eggplant or chicken in egg. Bread it. Fry it. Drown it in oil-laden sauce. Then, of course, top it with loads of cheese.
No wonder they taste so good.
But surely there’s a way to enjoy these classics without all the fat. But enjoy is the key. There are plenty of light versions that either shortchange the cheese or substitute it with anemic fat-free versions.
Which is why Cooking Light’s version in the magazine’s recent “Cooking Light Italian” (Oxmoor House, 2006, $17.95) is such a winner. This recipe cut the fat by using an egg white instead of a whole egg, as well as fat-free sauce.
Those savings, as well as cutting down on the amount of fat used to fry, mean real cheese can be used elsewhere (Parmesan in the breading and provolone over the top). And that makes all the difference.
———
HERBED CHICKEN PARMESAN
(Start to finish: 25 minutes)
1 1/3 cups shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1 pound chicken breast tenders
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 cups bottled fat-free tomato-basil pasta sauce
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup shredded provolone cheese
Preheat the broiler.
In a shallow dish, combine 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan with the breadcrumbs, parsley, basil and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Place the egg white in a second shallow dish.
Dip each chicken tender in the egg white, then dredge through the breadcrumb mixture.
In a large nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the chicken and cook 3 minutes per side, or until done. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the remaining salt with the pasta sauce, vinegar and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap, leaving one side loose to vent. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, or until thoroughly heated.
Pour the sauce over the chicken in the pan. Sprinkle evenly with provolone and remaining Parmesan. Broil 2 minutes, or until the cheese melts.
Makes 4 servings.
Nutrition information per serving: 308 cal., 10 g total fat, 88 mg chol., 808 mg sodium, 36 g pro., 16 g carbo., 2 g dietary fiber.
(Recipe from Cooking Light magazine’s “Cooking Light Italian,” (Oxmoor House, 2006, $17.95)

By Emily Jones
Features Editor
I had great culinary plans for Christmas. I was going to make a special themed treat for people on my list, and add homemade dog and kitty treats to their packages so their pets could enjoy their holidays as well.
Things didn't go quite as planned. I burned some barbecued pecans, snack mix and roasted almonds for my brother-in-law.
I came home from work determined to make cookies and candy for each of my aunts and uncles, then stopped, exhausted, after one batch of cookies and one batch of fudge.
The only success came with my sister-in-law, who I decided could use some flavored honey. The recipe was plenty easy, and, paired with a bread cutting board and a Great Harvest gift certificate, it made a wonderful gift.
Here's the recipe, adapted from "Gifts from the Kitchen":

Orange Honey
1 cup creamed honey
1 tsp. orange zest
1 Tbsp. thawed frozen orange juice concentrate

Mix ingredients together until smooth.

Raspberry honey
1 cup creamed honey
1/2 cup raspberry jam
1/8 tsp. allspice

Mix ingredients together until smooth.

Maple Honey
1 cup creamed honey
1 1/2 tsp. Mapeline
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

Mix ingredients together until smooth.

By J.M. HIRSCH
AP Food Writer
The trouble with lowfat baked treats is that they usually taste it.
No amount of apple sauce, prune puree or other fat substitute can replicate the magic butter and cream impart on sweet treats. And that’s the problem with most efforts to trim the fat — they eliminate the ingredients that make these foods treats in the first place.
Baking truly satisfying lowfat desserts means opting for recipes that didn’t rely on fat — or at least not much of it — to begin with.
That’s why my family always favored angel food cake as our treat of choice. As desserts go, angel food cake is practically health food. With no fat or cholesterol and just over 100 calories per serving, you really can indulge.
If plain angel food cake doesn’t do it for you, consider dressing it up with a drizzle of icing. It adds calories, but no fat.
This angel food cake recipe from Nick Malgieri and David Joachim’s “Perfect Light Desserts” (William Morrow, 2006, $29.95), a collection of light desserts that are made with real sugar and fat.
If you buy egg whites by the carton, be certain to get those intended for use in angel food cakes. Because of the way they are processed, most egg whites will not whip.
———
Orange Angel Food Cake
(Start to finish 2 1/2 hours, 30 minutes active)
1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups egg whites (from about 12 large eggs)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice (strained of any pulp)
1 1/2 teaspoons orange extract
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
Equipment:
Parchment or wax paper
10-inch two-piece tube pan (not greased)
1 empty, narrow-necked wine bottle or similar bottle
Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat oven to 325 F.
Set aside 3/4 cup sugar. Sift remaining sugar together with the flour onto a piece of parchment or wax paper. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the egg whites, salt and lemon juice. Using the mixer’s whisk attachment, whip at medium speed until the eggs are white, opaque and begin to hold their shape.
Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and whip in the reserved 3/4 cup sugar a couple tablespoons at a time. Whip until the egg whites hold a soft, glossy peak. Add the orange extract and zest and whip another few seconds.
A third at a time, sift the flour and sugar mixture over the whipped egg whites, then use a large rubber spatula to carefully fold it in.
Scrape the batter into the ungreased pan, rotating the pan to fill it evenly. Gently plunge the rubber spatula into the batter at 2-inch intervals with an up-and-down motion to release any large air bubbles. Use the spatula to smooth the top of the batter.
Bake the cake 45 to 55 minutes, or until well browned, well risen and firm to the touch. Invert the central tube of the pan onto the neck of the bottle so the cake hangs upside down and let the cake cool completely, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Use a long, thin knife to loosen the cake from the sides of the pan, scraping the knife against the side of the pan, not the cake.
Remove the cake from the pan by pulling the central tube. Run the knife between the cake and bottom of the pan, then use the knife to loosen the cake from the tube. Invert the cake onto a platter and gently pull the pan base and tube away from the cake.
Makes one 10-inch tube cake, about 16 servings.
Nutrition information per serving: 116 cal., 0 g total fat, 0 mg chol., 78 mg sodium, 4 g pro., 25 g carbo., 0 g dietary fiber.
(Recipe from Nick Malgieri and David Joachim’s “Perfect Light Desserts,” William Morrow, 2006, $29.95.)
———

By Renee Enna
(MCT)
Eek! Do you know what might be lurking in that submarine sandwich? Might there be a bat, or a ghoul or two, nestled between those innocent-looking slices of bread?
When Oct. 31 approaches, anything is possible.
As it should be! Halloween is a great time to "dress up" meals. In this case, cookie cutters turn slices of cheese into "chilling fillings" like ghosts, bats, jack-o'-lanterns or witches. Food coloring can turn mayonnaise - and, in this case, a coleslaw filling - into all sorts of outrageous colors.
MENU:
Baby carrots and celery sticks with ranch dip
Haunted submarine
Baked sweet potato chips
Trick-or-treat candy
BEVERAGES:
With a terrifying sandwich, nothing beats a comforting mug of cold milk. Especially if it's dyed a creepy green.
TIPS:
Halloween-themed toothpicks on the sandwich can add a ghoulish touch.
After cutting the cheese shapes, use leftover cheese in other sandwiches or melted into quesadillas.
Preshredded cabbage makes quick work of the slaw filling.
If the kids want to vanquish the haunted "cheese ghosts," heat the sandwich in the oven until the cheese shapes melt.
___
HAUNTED SUBMARINE
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
We pressed whole peppercorns into the cheese shapes to create eyes.
½ cup low-fat mayonnaise or to taste
Orange food coloring, see note
2 cups finely shredded cabbage
¼ cup shredded basil
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 teaspoons celery seed
Freshly ground pepper
4 slices each: Monterey Jack, Cheddar
1 loaf Italian bread
8 to 10 slices turkey or lunchmeat of choice
1. Tint mayonnaise with food coloring to desired hue. Combine all but 2 tablespoons of the mayonnaise, cabbage, basil, vinegar, celery seed and pepper to taste in a medium bowl; set aside. Cut out cheese using Halloween-themed cookie cutters; set aside.
2. Cut bread lengthwise; spread slaw along bottom slice. Top with meat, then with the cheese shapes, alternating white and yellow cheeses along the length of the bread. Spread remaining 2 tablespoons mayonnaise on the top slice; close bread. Slice into 8 sandwiches.
Note: Orange food coloring can be found in specialty stores. To create this color, the folks at McCormick recommend blending 5 drops of yellow food coloring and 1 or 2 drops of red.
Nutrition information per serving:
329 calories, 39 percent of calories from fat, 14 g fat, 7 g saturated fat, 41 mg cholesterol, 32 g carbohydrates, 18 g protein, 767 mg sodium, 2 g fiber

By Renee Enna
Chicago Tribune
(MCT)
What happens when Italian flavors get caught up in an easy-to-make quesadilla? Let's call it a pizzadilla. There are so many bold flavors in this dish, you can skip the pepperoni to make it meatless — or use a vegetarian pepperoni instead.
Serve the wedges with an antipasto platter that accommodates diners' appetites. Go heavy on the cured meats — mortadella, capicolla and salami, for instance — or opt for a lighter touch with an emphasis on vegetables — cherry tomatoes, celery, pepperoncini. In either case, a light Italian vinaigrette is a good complement.
Light-as-air pizzelles, Italian wafer cookies that are now easy to find in supermarkets and Italian shops, will satisfy your sweet tooth.
MENU:
Antipasto platter
Pizzadillas
Pizzelles
TIPS:
If you can't find the eggplant or sweet pepper spread, this recipe will work fine with your favorite pesto, homemade or store-bought.
BEVERAGE PAIRING:
A bottle of sangiovese wine would provide enough ballast for these strong flavors.
———
PIZZADILLAS
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 14 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Eggplant spread is sold in Italian and specialty markets as well as the Italian aisle of some supermarkets. Red pepper spread (also called sweet pepper spread), made with roasted red peppers and sometimes containing eggplant, is in Middle Eastern markets, Trader Joe's, as well as some supermarkets.
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 each, sliced: sweet onion, bell pepper
1/2 cup each: eggplant spread, red pepper spread
4 large (10-inch) whole-wheat tortillas or flat breads
1/4 cup pitted black olives, chopped
1/2 cup shredded Italian blend cheese
1/4 pound pepperoni, sliced, cut into strips
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; cook onion and bell pepper, stirring often, until softened, about 10 minutes.
2. Spread the eggplant and red pepper spreads over two of the tortillas; top with the olives. Sprinkle with cheese. Place pepperoni strips in pinwheel formation; top with the onions and peppers. Sprinkle with basil; cover with remaining tortillas.
3. Place tortillas, one at a time, in skillet; press with plate or spatula until cheese melts, about 2 minutes per side. Gently flip tortilla to brown other side. Cook 2 more minutes. Slice in wedges.
Nutrition information per serving:
380 calories, 52 percent of calories from fat, 22 g fat, 7 g saturated fat, 43 mg cholesterol, 32 g carbohydrates, 14 g protein, 1,007 mg sodium, 6.5 g fiber

By Steve Petusevsky
(MCT)
There is good news and bad news. First, the good news: Most of us have sent our children back to school safely. The bad news: They are now at the mercy of our public school system's lunch program.
With obesity a huge issue, few children grow up understanding what makes for a healthful diet. During the past 25 years, the number of obese boys and girls has quadrupled. Approximately 30.3 percent of children (ages 6 to 11) are overweight and 15.3 percent are obese. For adolescents (ages 12 to 19), 30.4 percent are overweight and 15.5 percent are obese, according to the American Obesity Organization.
At a time when 29.5 million kids participate in the National School Lunch Program and another 9.3 million eat school breakfasts, our schools can play a major role in helping children get the recommended three servings of whole grains per day as suggested in the 2005 Dietary Guidelines. (For more information about new policies for healthy options in our school systems, visit wholegrainscouncil.org/SchoolWellnessPolicies.html.)
A glimmer of hope is that the federal government recently began to limit the fattening snacks and beverages served in our public schools. There have been efforts to remove certain beverages from vending machines and replace them with healthier drinks like water and juice. I'm glad that there is something being done, a start if nothing else.
But frankly, I haven't seen a lot of change yet, at least in the schools I've been to. Industry giants such as Frito Lay, Kashi, Quaker Oats and Roman Meal all manufacture snacks that meet the new federal requirements. But they haven't been introduced to our schools yet. At least these companies have made an effort to make healthier snacks taste good.
Obviously our children need a little push to accept new snacks as part of their daily routines. It took me a decade to train my kids to eat right. It's a challenge because there is so much peer pressure, especially in middle and high school, to eat things that aren't particularly good for you.
I know there is hope, however. My kids used to ditch the healthier lunches I packed. After time they shared their avocado, spicy jack cheese and black bean burrito wraps and rolled oat sun-dried cherry tarts with friends who understood the role of flavor and health in a snack.
Recently, Miami resident Dr. Arthur Agatston, author of "The South Beach Diet" (Rodale, 2003), has been working with local schools to add more healthy items to the school lunch menus. I am delighted that the movement to get healthier meals into schools is gaining momentum.
For years I have offered healthy lunchbox guidelines for your kids. Here are a trio of whole-grain wraps that taste great. There are many flavors of tortilla wraps made from whole grains now available. Pick any flavor. And here's a chef's secret: After rolling the wrap, roll it in parchment paper like a big cigar and cut it in half. This keeps the wrap fresh much longer.
___
GARDEN VEGETABLE WRAP
1 (9-inch) whole-grain tortilla
1/4 cup prepared hummus
2 leaves green or red leaf lettuce
2 thin slices cucumber, peeled and cut lengthwise
1/4 carrot, shredded
3 thin red bell pepper rings, cut in half
Place the tortilla flat on a work surface. Spread evenly with hummus. Place lettuce leaves over the center of the tortilla. Top with cucumbers, carrots and peppers. Roll firmly but not so tightly that the tortilla skin breaks. Cut in half and wrap well. Makes 1 serving for a teenager; 2 servings for smaller children.
Per serving: 141 calories, 28 percent calories from fat, 4 grams total fat, .92 gram saturated fat, no cholesterol, 22 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams total fiber, 1 gram total sugars, 18 grams net carbs, 7 grams protein, 163 milligrams sodium.
___
SUNSHINE WRAP
1 (9-inch) whole-grain tortilla
1 tablespoon peanut, cashew or almond butter
1 tablespoon fruit preserves (your favorite variety)
1 tablespoon sun-dried cranberries
4 sun-dried apple rings
Place the tortilla flat on a work surface. Spread evenly with peanut butter and preserves. Top with dried fruits and roll firmly but not so tightly that the tortilla skin breaks. Cut in half and wrap well. Makes 1 serving for a teenager; 2 servings for smaller children.
Per serving: 200 calories, 28 percent calories from fat, 6 grams total fat, .91 gram saturated fat, no cholesterol, 35 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams total fiber, 15 grams total sugars, 32 grams net carbs, 5 grams protein, 53 milligrams sodium.
___
TERRA COTTA WRAP
I like the cilantro- or chili-flavored wraps for this one. You can use commercially prepared guacamole, if you wish. I use Hass avocadoes that are just ripe and creamy textured.
1 (9-inch) whole-grain tortilla
2 teaspoons low-fat cream cheese, softened
2 leaves green or red leaf lettuce
1/2 ripe medium avocado, lightly mashed with a squeeze of lemon or lime or 1/4 cup prepared guacamole
3 thin red bell pepper rings, cut in half
1/4 cup shredded monterey jack or cheddar cheese
1/4 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained well
Place the tortilla flat on a work surface. Spread with cream cheese. Place lettuce leaves over cheese. Spread with avocado. Top with red peppers, cheese and black beans. Roll firmly but not so tightly that the tortilla skin breaks. Cut in half and wrap well. Makes 1 serving for a teenager; 2 servings for smaller children.
Per serving: 205 calories, 39 percent calories from fat, 9 grams total fat, 4 grams saturated fat, 15 milligrams cholesterol, 23 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams total fiber, .65 gram total sugars, 19 grams net carbs, 10 grams protein, 130 milligrams sodium.
___
Steve Petusevsky is a free-lance writer living in Coral Springs, Fla. Send questions to Vegetarian Today, Sun-Sentinel, 200 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301-2293. Or send an e-mail with your full name, address and telephone number to dhartz(at)sun-sentinel.com with "Vegetarian Today" in the subject line. Personal replies are not possible.

By Linda Gassenheimer
McClatchy Newspapers
(MCT)
Vegetarian pizza is one of many dishes celebrity chef Jacques Pepin has created for the Oceania Cruise Line.
``The new twist for cruise cuisine is the many requests for spa-style menus,'' says Yves Segers, executive chef of Oceania's Nautica.
I've adapted Pepin's recipe for this quick homemade pizza. For speedier preparation, purchase your favorite sliced or diced vegetables from the produce department or salad bar. A flour tortilla creates an ultra-thin crust.
This meal contains 585 calories per serving with 33 percent of calories from fat.
Wine suggestion: No strong flavors here, so you can drink whatever wine you like best. I might try a sauvignon blanc.
___
HELPFUL HINTS
A food processor fitted with a slicing blade makes fast work of the vegetables.
COUNTDOWN
Heat the oven and baking tray.
Assemble the pizzas.
Bake and serve.
SHOPPING LIST
To buy: 1 small eggplant, 1 small zucchini, 1 small green bell pepper, 1 package 10-inch flour tortillas, 1 bottle pizza sauce, 1 small package shredded, part-skim mozzarella cheese.
Staples: Olive oil, onion, dried oregano, salt, black peppercorns.
___
JACQUES PEPIN'S FAVORITE VEGETARIAN PIZZA
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small eggplant, sliced (2 cups)
1 medium onion, sliced (2 cups)
1 medium zucchini, sliced (2 cups)
1 medium green bell pepper, sliced (2 cups)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 (10-inch) flour tortillas
1 cup bottled pizza sauce
1 cup shredded, part-skim mozzarella cheese
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking tray large enough to hold the 2 tortillas with foil and place in oven while it is heating.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add the eggplant, onion, zucchini and bell pepper; sprinkle with oregano and salt and pepper to taste. Saute 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Place the tortillas on the baking tray in the oven for 1 to 2 minutes. They should be golden and crisp. Remove tray and spread sauce over the tortillas. Place the vegetables over the sauce, and top with the cheese. Return the tray to the oven for 5 minutes or until the cheese melts. Makes 2 servings.
Per serving: 585 calories (33 percent from fat), 21.2 g fat (9.8 g saturated, 7.9 g monounsaturated), 44 mg cholesterol, 29.6 g protein, 70.1 g carbohydrates, 18.7 g fiber, 954 mg sodium.
___
Linda Gassenheimer's latest book is "Good-Carb Meals in Minutes." Visit dinnerinminutes.com or e-mail linda(AT)dinnerinminutes.com.

McClatchy Tribune News Service

MCT)
Here are Chef Jim Coleman's favorite grill recipes for tailgates or anytime.
___
SPICE-RUBBED PORK LOIN WITH BARBECUE SAUCE
2 pork loins, approximately 2 pounds total
For the spice rub:
1 teaspoon each of ground black and white pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons granulated onion
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
2 ½ teaspoons granulated garlic
1 teaspoon dried, ground oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
For the barbecue sauce:
½ cup ketchup
2 tablespoons prepared Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce (Tabasco works)
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons ground white pepper
Juice of half a lemon
Heat grill to high for about 15 minutes before cooking.
Thoroughly mix together all the spice-rub ingredients in a mixing bowl and set aside.
Combine all the barbecue-sauce ingredients in a saucepan, and, stirring occasionally, cook over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until the flavors are thoroughly blended.
Rub the meat all over with the spice rub. Place the pork on the hot grill and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Turn the pork tenderloin over and cook for 4 to 6 minutes longer. Brush the pork with the barbecue sauce and continue grilling for 2 or 3 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove the pork from the grill and let the loins sit for a few minutes, or relax, before slicing and serving.
Serves 4 to 6.
___
BURGUNDY BARBECUED STEAKS WITH CRUMBLED GORGONZOLA
4 boneless beef strip loin steaks, 8 to 10 ounces each
1 ½ cups burgundy wine
1 onion, finely diced
½ cup soy sauce
½ teaspoon pepper
½ cup finely crumbled gorgonzola cheese
Place the steaks in a large resealable plastic bag. In a mixing bowl, combine the wine with the onion, soy sauce and pepper and pour the mixture into the bag. Carefully press the air out of the bag and close securely. Turn the bag a few times to evenly coat the steak with the marinade and refrigerate for about 4 hours.
Heat a grill to high for at least 15 minutes before cooking. Remove the steaks from the marinade, letting any excess liquid drip off. Place on the grill 4 to 5 inches above the coals or flame and cook over medium-high heat for 5 to 6 minutes on each side for medium, or longer for more doneness. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top of the steaks during the last few seconds of cooking. Remove the steaks to a cutting board, let them rest for 5 minutes, and slice them across the grain into thin slices.
Serves 4.

McClatchy Tribune News Service


Here are Chef Jim Coleman's favorite grill recipes for tailgates or anytime.
___
SPICE-RUBBED PORK LOIN WITH BARBECUE SAUCE
2 pork loins, approximately 2 pounds total
For the spice rub:
1 teaspoon each of ground black and white pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons granulated onion
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
2 ½ teaspoons granulated garlic
1 teaspoon dried, ground oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
For the barbecue sauce:
½ cup ketchup
2 tablespoons prepared Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce (Tabasco works)
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons ground white pepper
Juice of half a lemon
Heat grill to high for about 15 minutes before cooking.
Thoroughly mix together all the spice-rub ingredients in a mixing bowl and set aside.
Combine all the barbecue-sauce ingredients in a saucepan, and, stirring occasionally, cook over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until the flavors are thoroughly blended.
Rub the meat all over with the spice rub. Place the pork on the hot grill and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Turn the pork tenderloin over and cook for 4 to 6 minutes longer. Brush the pork with the barbecue sauce and continue grilling for 2 or 3 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove the pork from the grill and let the loins sit for a few minutes, or relax, before slicing and serving.
Serves 4 to 6.
___
BURGUNDY BARBECUED STEAKS WITH CRUMBLED GORGONZOLA
4 boneless beef strip loin steaks, 8 to 10 ounces each
1 ½ cups burgundy wine
1 onion, finely diced
½ cup soy sauce
½ teaspoon pepper
½ cup finely crumbled gorgonzola cheese
Place the steaks in a large resealable plastic bag. In a mixing bowl, combine the wine with the onion, soy sauce and pepper and pour the mixture into the bag. Carefully press the air out of the bag and close securely. Turn the bag a few times to evenly coat the steak with the marinade and refrigerate for about 4 hours.
Heat a grill to high for at least 15 minutes before cooking. Remove the steaks from the marinade, letting any excess liquid drip off. Place on the grill 4 to 5 inches above the coals or flame and cook over medium-high heat for 5 to 6 minutes on each side for medium, or longer for more doneness. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top of the steaks during the last few seconds of cooking. Remove the steaks to a cutting board, let them rest for 5 minutes, and slice them across the grain into thin slices.
Serves 4.

By J.M. Hirsch
Associated Press Writer
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — We were planning a small dinner party and doing everything wrong. At least, nutritionally speaking.
The meal was to be raclette, a preparation of steamed new potatoes and gobs of pungent cheese that is started on the stove and finished at the table. It is a delicious and social dish.
It also is nothing but fat and simple carbs. Some rustic Italian bread and butter would round out the meal nicely, but would only worsen the damage we were doing to our arteries and waistlines.
We needed a seriously good salad.
Given the heartiness of the meal, my usual salad — mixed greens with apple wedges and almond slivers drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar — seemed wimpy. Plus, I wanted something that could play off the seasonal corn and tomatoes.
So that’s where I began. It would be a tomato and fresh corn salad.
I started by layering thick slices of tomatoes over a large serving platter, then scattered yellow cherry tomatoes over them. I’d wanted to add sliced green tomatoes, as well, but the farm stand was sold out.
Next the corn. I cut the kernels from two ears and sprinkled them over the tomatoes. For a bit of bite, I added some diced red onion and minced garlic. And since fat makes everything taste better, I topped it all with avocado slices.
To season, I sprinkled fresh whole basil leaves over the platter, then a bit of flake sea salt (kosher would work, too) and some freshly ground black pepper. To finish, a drizzle of olive oil.
The resulting salad was as gorgeous as it was delicious.
I hadn’t intended to write about this salad. My guests found this hard to believe, but sometimes I’m not working; I’m just making dinner. But their raves and insistence eventually won out, so here it is.
For easier serving, this dish also could be assembled on individual salad plates.

Tomato Salad
(Start to finish 15 minutes)
6 to 7 medium red tomatoes, cut into thick slices
12 yellow or orange cherry tomatoes
2 ears corn
1 small red onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 avocado, halved, pitted and cut into thin wedges
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
Sea or Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Extra-virgin olive oil
Arrange the tomato slices over a large serving platter. Scatter cherry tomatoes over them.
Cut the corn kernels from the cobs. To do this, stand each ear on its wide end. Use a serrated knife to saw down the length of the ear. Scatter the kernels, onion, garlic, avocado and basil over the tomatoes. If the basil leaves are large, tear them into smaller pieces.
Season to taste with salt and pepper, then finish with a drizzle of olive oil.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.

By J.M. HIRSCH
Associated Press Writer
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — This is a slap-your-forehead sort of recipe.
Much as I love lasagna — it’s so hard not to love something that celebrates the culinary triumvirate of pasta, cheese and tomatoes — it’s been at least four years since I’ve made one.
That’s because even with no-boil noodles, assembly of a lasagna is an undertaking. And while I could block off some weekend time to make two or three to freeze and eat later, how likely is that to happen?
Plus, the freezer trick requires that I be organized enough to remember to move a lasagna from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before I want it. Or I could bake it frozen and plan to have it for breakfast the next day.
Which is why I was so completely wooed and wowed by the shortcut recipe for lasagna in Real Simple magazine’s recent cookbook, “Real Simple: Meals Made Easy” (Real Simple Books, 2006, $24.95).
This lasagna does away with lasagna noodles, boiled or otherwise, replacing them with frozen cheese ravioli. Brilliant! Add jarred sauce, bags of shredded cheese and frozen chopped spinach, and total prep clocks in at 10 minutes.
Now that’s a lasagna I could make more than once every four years.
I also like this recipe’s opportunity for easy variation. If you prefer meat in your lasagna, make half of the ravioli meat-filled. Or use a meat sauce. Or go in the other direction and use soy “cheese” ravioli and skip the shredded cheese.
You also could use ravioli with flavored pasta, such as green spinach ravioli or red tomato.
One caution: Be certain to squeeze the excess water from the spinach. Frozen spinach retains a tremendous amount of water which will drown your lasagna if not removed.
The easiest way to drain thawed spinach is to place it in the center of a kitchen towel, wrap it tightly, then twist and squeeze for several seconds over a sink. This should remove nearly all the water.

Last-minute Lasagna
(Start to finish 45 minutes, 10 minutes active)
24- to 26-ounce jar pasta sauce
Two 16- to 18-ounce bags frozen large cheese ravioli
10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed to remove excess water
8-ounce bag shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Spoon a third of the pasta sauce into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Place half of the ravioli over the sauce in a single layer. Top with another third of a jar of tomato sauce. Sprinkle with the spinach and half the mozzarella.
Add the remaining ravioli in a single layer (you may not need all of them). Top with remaining sauce and cheeses. Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes. Uncover and bake until bubbling, about 5 to 10 minutes.
Makes 6 servings.
(Recipe from “Real Simple: Meals Made Easy,” Real Simple Books, 2006, $24.95)
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By Steve Petusevsky
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
(MCT)
Shopping at small family-run produce stands brings back many wonderful memories. For many years I lived in upstate New York and much of the produce we bought was from families who tended large gardens or orchards and sold their fresh seasonal goods from roadside barns or rickety wooden structures that they rebuilt just about every season.
All the signage was handwritten or brushed on old wooden boards. No one cared what font it was in. There's something special about the vegetables and fruits sold from farmstands, especially in summer.
Pull into the parking lot and you know what season it is. Everything is impeccably fresh. Nothing is from Chile or even the West Coast.
Fresh produce is often marketed with other local products like preserves, honey, jams, cider and baked goods. The availability of the produce changes almost daily depending on what is harvested.
There is a certain amount of spontaneity in shopping farm markets. Sometimes certain vegetables and fruits are fleeting, here one day and gone the next.
Before I became a chef, I would shop at the local Hudson Valley stands and buy whatever looked great for my mom, knowing that she could cook almost anything. Now that I am an accomplished cook, I play a little game. I gather a bunch of ingredients harvested that day and challenge myself to improvise dinner.
When my fiancee, Lori, and I go to Georgia on weekends, the first stop we make is the Farmhouse Produce stand. It is one of our favorite destinations while in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. We have visited this local stand for the last year. The owners, Reggie and Cindy Powell, are warm, cordial, true Southerners and remember our names even though they see us only four times a year.
The intersection of Highway 52 is a hub outside the small town of Dahlonega. In this part of the state, that means two or three cars wait at the red light all at the same time.
The backdrop for this amazing scene is piles of fresh, just-picked produce. Stacks of warm apple and banana bread and the aroma of fresh-boiled peanuts. There are tables mounded with local ripe peaches, home-grown blueberries, sweet corn and hand-picked strawberries.
I love listening to the locals and tourists converse. The locals talk about what kind of wood makes for the best barbecue, or where the best blackberries can be found. The tourists decide how many apple breads and jalapeno preserves they need to bring back to the relatives and neighbors.
I look around and fill bags in expectation of cooking for the next few days. Reggie hasn't seen us in months so he gives us a watermelon that must weigh 40 pounds and invites us to his barbecue. I decide I will make a huge Farm Market Summer Vegetable Casserole with everything that I see on these shelves. The results are enough to make the most hard-core barbecue fans pile on the vegetables.
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FARM MARKET SUMMER VEGETABLE CASSEROLE
You can make this dish with any seasonal fresh vegetables. You can substitute soy cheese for a vegan version, and omit the okra, if you are not a fan. Most of the vegetables are rough chopped and simmered before being transferred to a 12-by-10-inch aluminum lasagna pan. You can freeze this casserole unbaked for future use.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium Vidalia onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
1 red pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
3 hot banana peppers, cored, seeded and sliced
1 medium zucchini, chopped
2 yellow squash, chopped
2 cups okra, sliced
2 ears corn, kernels cut from the cob
1 large tomato, chopped
1 (28-ounce) jar marinara sauce
1 cup torn fresh basil leaves
2 cups shredded low-fat cheddar or monterey jack or a combination of both cheeses
½ cup plain dried bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Heat oil in a large nonstick saute pan or skillet over high heat. Add the onions, garlic, green peppers, red peppers and banana peppers and saute 3 minutes. Add the zucchini, yellow squash, okra and corn; continue to saute 2 minutes.
Add the marinara sauce and basil. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes. Transfer the vegetable mixture to a 12-by-10-by-2-inch pan (you can use a disposable lasagna pan) and top with cheese and crumbs. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes until heated through and brown on top. Cool slightly before serving. Makes 10 to 12 servings.
Per serving: 186 calories, 36 percent calories from fat, 7 grams total fat, 3 grams saturated fat, 12 milligrams cholesterol, 19 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams total fiber, 4 grams total sugars, 16 grams net carbs, 10 grams protein, 556 milligrams sodium.

Pity the poor potato, mashed and pummeled like a prize fighter's punching bag.
Potatoes have always an easy target for dieters, and the mere fact that they supply carbohydrates became reason enough for many to swear off of the most popular vegetable in the world.
When the Atkins diet craze died down, the need for complex carbohydrates became clear again. Not only do potatoes provide a necessary, slow-releasing fuel that gives the body energy.
But carbs aren't the only issue at stake when you sack potatoes.
The lowly spud is also high in potassium. A critical nutrient for regulating blood pressure, potassium is found in a wide variety of foods, including fruits and vegetables, meat and dairy and whole grains.
Yet if you ask the person on the street to name a potassium-rich food, most reach for a banana. A medium banana has 422 milligrams compared with a medium potato, with the skin on it, at 610 milligrams, according to the government's Nutrient Reference Database.
Red potatoes, like those used in The Star's Southwest Potato Salad with Grilled Corn, also contain anthocyanins, antioxidant pigments that protect the body from heart disease and cancer. Potato skins provide fiber, B vitamins and iron as well as caffeic and ferulic acids, which may help destroy harmful carcinogens.
Phew!
With so much to recommend potatoes, summer is the right time to use them in a picnic salad with a twist. We added antioxidant-rich roasted yellow sweet corn and red peppers for more nutrition, flavor and color.
Cooking tips: To remove corn silk, rub a damp paper towel over the cob from tip to stem or scrub with a new soft-bristled toothbrush. Housewares stores also sell special corn brushes.
To remove the kernels from the cob, cut the ear in half lengthwise to create a stable surface, then use a sharp knife.
If fresh corn on the cob is out of season, roasting frozen corn in the oven also works well. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick vegetable cooking spray. Spread corn in a single layer on baking sheet and spray lightly with nonstick vegetable cooking spray. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until corn is golden.


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Here's a recipe courtesy Olive Garden:

Tuscan Garlic Chicken

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 cups flour, plus 1 Tbsp.
1 Tbsp. salt
2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. Italian herb seasoning
5 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. fettucine
1 Tbsp. garlic, chopped
1 red pepper, julienned cut
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 lb. whole leaf spinach, stemmed
12 ounces heavy cream
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning in a shallow dish.

Dredge chicken in the mixture, shaking off any excess.

In a large, nonstick, ovenproof skillet, add 3 Tbsp. olive oil, enough to coat, and sauté the chicken in batches over medium high heat for about two to three minutes on each side, or until golden brown and crisp. Add additional oil for each batch as necessary.
When finished, return chicken to skillet and transfer skillet to a preheated oven at 350 degrees. Cook for approximately 10-15 minutes or until cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside until needed.
While the pasta is cooking, heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a saucepan. Add the garlic and red pepper and cook for approximately 1 minute.
Slowly add remaining 1 Tbsp. flour and stir to combine.
Next, add the wine and bring to a boil for about 1 minute. add the spinach and the cream and bring to a boil. The sauce is done cooking when the spinach becomes wilted. Complete by stirring in the Parmesan cheese.
Partly coat the pasta with the sauce, transfer to a large bowl (or individual dishes) and then top with the chicken, the remaining sauce and the Parmesan cheese.

By The Culinary Institute of America
For AP Weekly Features
HYDE PARK, N.Y. (AP) — What would summer be without fresh, vine-ripened strawberries? Their unmistakable fragrance and sweet, juicy flesh help make it a magical season.
Sure, they’re good eaten straight from the patch. But for a special-occasion treat, try a presentation that’s still simple to do, but has a certain flair and a quite glamorous appearance.
Slice a pint and arrange them on a crisp tart shell with velvety pastry cream and you’ll find you have created a combination of flavors and textures that can’t be beat. Easy to make and a pleasure to eat, the Culinary Institute of America’s strawberry cream tart is summer at its best.
The notion of making pastry dough from scratch can sometimes induce panic, but the CIA’s tart dough recipe is simple to master. This kind of dough is known as short dough (French chefs call it pate sucree or pate sablee, “sugary” and “sandy” pastry) and it uses the creaming method, one of the easiest mixing techniques.
The creaming method produces a cookie-like pastry that can hold creamy fillings and custards without turning soggy. It is far more forgiving than the rubbed-dough method used to create flaky pie crusts. The creaming method can be done by hand or with a stand mixer using a paddle attachment. Just blend the butter and sugar until light and creamy, and add the remaining ingredients in sequence to produce a smooth dough.
Assembling a tart with precooked ingredients — as with this one using pastry cream and fresh strawberries — requires baking the crust in advance, a process referred to as blind baking or prebaking.
Kate Cavotti, associate professor in baking and pastry arts at the Culinary Institute of America, offers this advice:
“To blind bake a pastry shell, line the pan with the dough and poke holes in the bottom and sides of the pastry with a fork; this is known as ‘docking’ the dough. This keeps the pastry from puffing up as it bakes.
“Place the dough-lined tart pan in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or so. Resting the dough in the refrigerator solidifies the butter and relaxes the gluten to prevent shrinkage during baking.
“Next, line the pastry with parchment paper or aluminum foil and fill the pan with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice. The weights prevent the bottom of the crust from bubbling up and the sides from collapsing or sliding down during baking.
“Place the pan in a preheated oven and bake the pastry until the dough is just set and the edges look dry, about 10 minutes. Remove the weights and the paper or foil and finish blind baking until the desired color is achieved.”
Gather the prepared components in advance — the pastry shell, pastry cream and strawberries — so the tart can be assembled in a few minutes and served immediately.
Brushing the crust with melted chocolate helps to keep it crisp. However, even with the chocolate layer, the tart will lose its texture contrast if it sits for more than 12 hours before serving. For the best results, serve fresh fruit tarts on the same day they are made.
This recipe, along with many other desserts, is from the “Baking At Home with The Culinary Institute of America” cookbook (Wiley, 2004, $40).
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By Emily Jones
Features Editor
It's hard not to eat a bit healthier in the summer. It's too hot to make comfort foods like lasagna and cakes. Fres, sweet fruit and grilled chicken just sound so much tastier.
If you're looking for something sweet, don't pass over blueberries.
The tiny little fruits pack a great vitamin punch. They're filled with antioxidents, and, according to the Oregon Blueberry Commission, also help with vision, memory, strengthening blood vessels and promoting weight control.
Here's a couple of blueberry recipes to try this summer, courtesy the Oregon Blueberry Commission.


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By Linda Gassenheimer
Knight Ridder Newspapers
(KRT)
Here is a quick way to spice up the summer meals. Whether your plans include boating, swimming or just plain relaxing, Barbecued Chicken Salad will give you time to enjoy the festivities.
I used dried cranberries and cranberry juice to create this quick vinaigrette. It whips up in seconds in a food processor or blender. If you don't have either appliance, whisk the dressing by hand. The sauce will be a little thinner, but just as good. It goes beautifully with the grilled, sweet, hot chicken sliced and served over the salad.
This meal contains 657 calories per serving with 17 percent of calories from fat.
Helpful Hints:
_Buy washed, ready-to-eat lettuce.
_Potatoes will cook in 6 minutes in the microwave set on high.
_The salad dressing will store in the refrigerator for several days.
_If pressed for time, use a low-fat bottled vinaigrette and add dried cranberries.
Countdown:
_Preheat broiler.
_Cook potatoes.
_Prepare and cook chicken.
_Prepare vegetables and make dressing.
Shopping List:
Here are the ingredients you'll need for tonight's Dinner in Minutes:
To buy:
3⁄4 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 medium head Romaine lettuce or bag washed, ready-to-eat lettuce
1 medium tomato
1 bunch celery
1 medium cucumber
1⁄2 pound yellow potatoes
1 small bottle cranberry juice
1 small package dried cranberries.
Staples:
Dark brown sugar
Allspice
Cayenne pepper
Balsamic vinegar
Olive oil
Dijon mustard
Salt
Black peppercorns.
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BARBECUED CHICKEN SALAD
1⁄2 pound yellow potatoes
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
1 1⁄2 teaspoons allspice
1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3⁄4 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
1⁄2 head medium romaine lettuce
1 medium tomato, cut into 1-inch cubes
1⁄2 medium cucumber, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 1 1⁄2 cups)
1 stalk celery, sliced (about 1⁄2 cup)
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons cranberry juice or water
2 tablespoons dried cranberries
Preheat broiler.
Wash potatoes without peeling and cut into 1-inch pieces.
Place in a medium-size saucepan and cover with cold water. Cover with a lid and boil potatoes 15 minutes. Drain.
Mix brown sugar, salt, allspice and cayenne together. Remove fat from chicken and rub spice mixture on both sides.
Cover a baking sheet with foil and place chicken on sheet. Broil about 4 to 5 inches from heat 3 minutes, turn and broil 2 minutes more. Remove from broiler and slice into strips.
Wash and dry lettuce and tear into bite-size pieces. Place in a bowl. Add tomato, cucumber and celery.
Blend vinegar and mustard together in a food processor. With the processor on, add the oil and cranberry juice or water. Add cranberries. Process 1 minute.
Add potatoes to salad and toss. Pour dressing over salad and toss again. Spoon salad on two dinner plates, and place chicken strips on top of salad. Makes 2 servings.
Per serving: 657 calories, 45 grams protein, 93 grams carbohydrate, 13 grams fat, 17 percent of calories as fat, 6 grams fiber, 108 milligrams cholesterol, 1873 milligrams sodium.
___

By The Associated Press
Fish is ideal for cooks in a hurry: It often behaves best with light-handed cooking, and picks up flavor easily from standard seasonings used in just the right combinations.
Take this tilapia dish, for example, from a feature on seafood in the June issue of Health magazine. It can be prepared on the grill or in the oven in less than 20 minutes.
Tilapia is usually described as mild, which detractors might translate as dull. Well, not in this case, with a recipe calling for a well-chosen range of summery Mediterranean-style seasonings which you may already have at hand on your pantry shelves.
The Health feature includes a few cook’s tips: Fish is done when it’s opaque and flakes easily, usually after 10 minutes per inch of thickness at 400 F to 450 F, with a turn in the middle. Cook clams, mussels and oysters until their shells open; if shells don’t open, discard. Shrimp takes about 3 to 5 minutes; shells will be pink and the meat white.

Tilapia With Fresh Tomato Relish
(Preparation 10 minutes, cooking time 6 minutes)
Four 6-ounce tilapia, whitefish or halibut fillets
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 large chopped seeded tomato
1/3 cup sliced pimiento-stuffed olives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon drained capers
Prepare grill, or heat oven to 450 F.
Tear 4 large (about 16- by 14-inch) sheets of aluminum foil. Put each fillet on one half of each sheet. Brush 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and the lemon juice evenly over fillets; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Fold half the foil over each fish fillet to make 4 rectangular packets. Fold the remaining 3 edges over several times to seal.
For relish, mix together remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, tomatoes, olives, basil and capers; set aside.
Place packets on grill over medium-hot coals or on a baking sheet in the oven. Grill, covered, or bake 6 to 10 minutes (depending on thickness of fish) or until fish is opaque in center. Carefully open packets; transfer to plates, and top with relish.
Makes 4 servings (serving size: 1 fillet and about 1/3 cup relish).
Nutrition information per serving: 243 cal., 10 g fat (2 g saturated), 120 mg chol., 36 g pro., 3 g carbo., 1 g fiber, 415 mg sodium.

By The Associated Press
Tasty confirmation: Yes, the many skills of U.S. Marines, renowned for prowess in fields of battle, do include grilling at a Corps-worthy level of excellence.
Plenty of proof comes in the recipes and photos packaged in a cookbook, “Command of the Grill: A Salute to Steak” (Weber, $10 paperback), that will benefit Marines wounded or killed in the line of duty and their families.
The cookbook is a collection of 41 grilled steak recipes from active, reserve and former U.S. Marines, including some famous names, along with plenty of personal stories and color photos. Cooking hints come in a chapter titled Steak Boot Camp.
Among contributing cooks: television personality Ed McMahon and golfer Lee Trevino, former Marines, and current Marines from many ranks.
All proceeds from the sale of cookbooks will go to four charities that directly benefit Marines: Wounded Warrior Project, Injured Marines Semper Fi Fund, Fisher House and Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation.
The 80-page cookbook is available through the Web site www.commandofthegrill.com, which also has a list of retailers of the book.
The recipes include winners of what’s described as last year’s “serious tong-to-tong battle of the grill” — grilling competitions involving both active-duty and reserve Marines held at 10 Marine Corps Community Services installations. A “Command of the Grill” final grill-off takes place in Times Square, New York City, May 25 during Fleet Week.
The publisher, Weber-Stephens Products. Co., says the goal is to sell at least 100,000 cookbooks, raising $1 million for donations to the funds.
Here are three recipes to sample.


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By Emily Jones
Features Editor
I’ve read in about a million magazines and food articles about how cooking ahead on a weekend can save you time and effort.
A few weeks ago, I actually saw it work.
I had just returned from Mobile, Ala., and almost immediately my husband’s parents came to town. I was working long hours to catch up after my vacation, and I ski patrolled that weekend.
Enter the cook-ahead method.
The night before my family arrived, I put together my favorite spinach lasagna. I made the sauce, grated the zucchini and cheese, and assembled the lasagna. When I got home, I just popped it in the oven.
That night, after everyone had settled down and I had a few moments to myself, I cooked up some beef Mexican-style, and assembled burritos.
When it came time for another dinner, into the oven the burritos went, and 30 minutes later we had our meal.
It was easier to assemble meals later in the evening, when I didn’t feel rushed to get anything on the table.
Almost any recipe that involves assembly and baking could be done this way. Casseroles, lasagnas and other baked dishes work well.
Here’s the recipes I used, to get you started.

By Emily Jones
Features Editor

It seems like I'm always buying salad dressing, but I never have the particular dressing I want in my refrigerator come dinner time.
Last night, however, I decided it doesn't have to be that way. My dressings don't have to come from a bottle at all. I made my first attempt at making my own salad dressing, and it was just as good as the bottled stuff, without the high-fructose corn syrup or other chemicals I can't pronounce. With low fat ingredients, it was also a bit healthier than my favorite brand.
Here's a basic recipe I adapted from several in different cookbooks, including Cooking For Blondes, by Rhonda Levitch (great cookbook, by the way, and available on Amazon). It's super easy, and you could add any fresh herbs you like. It would also serve as a good dip for veggies.

Blue cheese dressing

4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup lowfat mayonnaise
1/2 cup lowfat sour cream
a handful of fresh chives, minced

3 splashes of 1 percent milk (you could probably use any milk- it's just what I have)
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together. Add more milk to thin if you like a more pourable dressing. I found that about 3 splashes was good for me, but I like spoonable dressing.

Here's a few more recipes, courtesy Associated Press. Author Bryan Miller suggests bottling your own vinaigrette, which will keep much longer than a creamy dressing. He also suggests experimenting- a good vinaigrette simply has a balance between oil, vinegar, spicy and sweet. Try these, and then experiment to your heart's content.

Tarragon-Grapefruit Vinaigrette
1 1/2 cups olive oil
3/4 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon leaves, stemmed, chopped, or 1/2 tablespoon dried
2 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2/3 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup fresh grapefruit juice (sweeter pink or red are best), or to taste
In a small pot, combine over low heat the olive oil, canola oil and tarragon. Heat the oil just short of bubbling. Remove from heat and set aside for at least 60 minutes.
Meanwhile, in the work bowl of a kitchen mixer or a hand-held mixer, combine the mustard, salt, black pepper and 1 tablespoon of grapefruit juice.
Begin whisking on slow setting. Drizzle in about 1/4 cup of the oil, then more of the grapefruit juice. Repeat in that order, tasting for balance as you go along, until the oil and grapefruit juice are exhausted. Cut with a little red-wine vinegar if it needs a boost of acidity. Taste for seasonings.
Using a funnel, transfer dressing to a standard 750-milliliter wine bottle (or a Mason jar). Seal securely and refrigerate. (New screw-cap bottles are best for this.) Refrigerate. Remove 15 minutes before using, and shake very well. Lasts at least a month refrigerated.
Makes about 2 cups.
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This versatile dressing is ideal for fruit salads of all kinds. It’s also good with grilled fruits. Because it is sweet, a little goes a long way.
Mango, Lime and Fresh Ginger Dressing
2 ripe mangoes, peeled, flesh sliced off
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (dried is too harsh)
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
Juice of 2 limes
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and white pepper to taste
6 tablespoons plain yogurt
In a blender, combine all ingredients except the yogurt. Puree until smooth.
Add the yogurt and puree. Taste -- it should be smooth and moderately sweet. Store in an airtight jar for up to two weeks.
Makes about 2 cups.
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Spring Lemon and Rosemary Dressing
1 1/2 cups olive oil
3/4 cups canola oil
1/3 cup loosely packed whole rosemary leaves, chopped finely (or 1 tablespoon dried)
2 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2/3 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup red-wine vinegar, or as needed
In a medium pot, combine over low heat the olive oil, canola oil and rosemary. Heat the oil to just short of bubbling. Remove from heat and set aside for at least 60 minutes.
Meanwhile, in the work bowl of a kitchen mixer or a hand-held mixer, combine the mustard, salt, black pepper, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and the lemon zest.
Begin whisking on slow setting. Slowly drizzle in about 1/4 cup of the oil. Whisk in 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Repeat, alternating oil and lemon juice (taste for balance as you go along) until both are exhausted. Cut with a little red-wine vinegar if more acid is needed. Taste for seasonings.
Use a funnel to transfer contents to a standard 750-milliliter bottle (or a Mason jar). Be sure to scrape in everything from the bottom of the bowl. Seal securely. (New screw-cap bottles are best for this.) Refrigerate. Remove 15 minutes before using. Shake well. Store in an airtight jar for a month.
Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

Reader Beatrice Alcaraz was looking for a banana cookie recipe the Journal published in the 1990s, a recipe with wheat germ in it. I couldn't find her the same recipe, but if anyone out there has a copy, I'd love to give it to her. In the meantime, here's a recipe that I found on cooks.com that is likely pretty close. Enjoy!


BIG SOFT BANANA COOKIES  

2 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 c. soft butter
3/4 c. chopped nuts
1/2 c. wheat germ
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. grated orange peel
1 egg
2 c. mashed bananas
1/2 c. raisins

Combine flour, wheat germ, salt, baking soda, nutmeg in bowl. Beat butter, sugar and egg until light and fluffy, beat in orange peel. Add flour mix alternately with bananas. Stir in nuts and raisins. Drop by rounded tablespoon on lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Makes about 30 cookies.

By The Associated Press
A Mediterranean-inspired dish, this baked chicken is simple to make, lively in taste and guilt-free for diners watching their fat intake. It’s even got the flavor of the day in its background — Mother’s Day, that is — although the recipe’s good for any time of year.
The recipe is from “The New Holly Clegg Trim & Terrific Cookbook” (Running Press, 2006, $29.95), an updated edition of a 2002 book with a working family background.
Author Holly Clegg, who lives in Baton Rouge, La., and has produced a “Trim and Terrific” series of cookbooks, packs some 500 recipes in this one, including a “Just for Kids” chapter. Clegg describes her recipes as healthy and easy to make, for people who are short on time but don’t want “bland-tasting diet food.”
Family members are credited among her acknowledgments. She mentions Haley, her 18-year-old daughter (17 at the time), who prepared all the recipes in the children’s section and also helped prepare and style many of the desserts that were photographed. Haley also did the styling for all the children’s recipes that were photographed, Clegg adds, and mother and daughter worked together on the revised edition of the cookbook. Clegg’s other daughter, Courtney, 21, also cooks and has helped test recipes.
“We judge everything in our house by food,” Clegg says. “I think we all just like to eat — so we cook.”
This is from the chapter on poultry.
Lemon Feta Chicken
8 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon dried oregano leaves
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 ounces crumbled feta cheese
3 tablespoons chopped green onions (scallions)
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Place the chicken in a 13-by-9-2-inch nonstick baking dish and drizzle with half the lemon juice. Sprinkle with half the oregano and all the pepper. Top with the cheese and green onion. Drizzle with the remaining lemon juice and oregano. Bake, covered, for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until done.
Makes 8 servings.