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One of the hardest food items for me to plan are what to have as appetizers. There are so many to choose from that I get overwhelmed and end up serving to many. For that reason this year I am going to try and serve only two to three appetizers.

Feta cheese is my favorite cheese. I love its flavor. This particular recipe was given to me many years ago by a friend, I lost the original recipe and went looking on the Internet for a replacement. I found it at Eating Well Magazine, where I find a lot of my recipes.

Serve with assorted vegetables, such as baby carrots, bell pepper strips, radishes, snow peas, broccoli and caulifower florets.

EatingWell

RECIPE INGREDIENTS
1 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed
3/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

DIRECTIONS
Place beans, yogurt, feta, lemon juice, garlic salt and pepper in a food processor and puree until smooth. Add herbs; puree until incorporated. Chill until ready to serve.

Have a safe and happy summer season.

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For those of who are regular readers, you must have realized by now that I have a love affair with sweets and most if not all of Paula Deens recipes. Well, she has done it again with this cupcake recipe for the Fourth of July picnics…Enjoy!

I will tell you though I cheated a little by adding more cocoa powder…1 teaspoon just didn’t seem enough!

Ingredients:

2   large eggs, room temperature
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoon red food coloring
1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions

For the cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with cupcake papers. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In a large bowl gently beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with a handheld electric mixer. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins about 2/3 filled. Bake in oven for about 20 to 22 minutes, turning the pans once, half way through. Test the cupcakes with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 pound cream cheese, softened
2 sticks butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
Chopped pecans and fresh raspberries or strawberries, for garnish

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.

Cook’s Note: Frost the cupcakes with a butter knife or pipe it on with a big star tip. Garnish with chopped pecans and a fresh raspberry or strawberry.

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Servings: 24 cupcakes
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 20 min
Difficulty: Easy

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I have a lot of recipe books that were given to me over the years and I receive a lot of magazines.  One of my favorite is Eating Well Magazine.  I have yet to find a recipe that I didn’t like.

This is a very simple recipe and one that I would advise making well before serving.  It can sit in your refrigerator for up to two days, but no longer.   It is great for those leftover chicken pieces, although the recipe calls for only white meat, I tried it with dark and light and it tasted great.  I had some tomatoes that were just at the point of maybe not using, too ripe for salads.  I used those and again tasted really great.

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Add more lemon and salt, if needed, just before serving.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed, or 3 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (skip Step 1)
4 cups broccoli florets
1 1/2 pounds medium tomatoes
2 teaspoons plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 cup lemon juice

DIRECTIONS
Place chicken in a skillet or saucepan and add enough water to cover; bring to a simmer over high heat. Cover, reduce heat and simmer gently until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, shred with two forks into bite-size pieces.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add broccoli and cook until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water until cool.

Meanwhile, core tomatoes and cut in half crosswise. Gently squeeze out seeds and discard. Set the tomatoes cut-side down on paper towels to drain for about 5 minutes.

Place a large heavy skillet, such as cast-iron, over high heat until very hot. Brush the cut sides of the tomatoes with 1 teaspoon oil and place cut-side down in the pan. Cook until charred and beginning to soften, 4 to 5 minutes. Brush the tops lightly with another 1 teaspoon oil, turn and cook until the skin is charred, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate to cool. Do not clean the pan.

Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil in the pan over medium heat. Stir in salt, pepper and chili powder and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 45 seconds. Slowly pour in lemon juice (it may splatter), then remove the pan from the heat. Stir to scrape up any browned bits.

Coarsely chop the tomatoes and combine them in a large bowl with the shredded chicken, broccoli and the pan dressing; toss to coat.

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Like a lot of people I am getting ready for my Labor Day gathering.   We don’t have a huge family, but we like to graze.  So the challenge for me is to find foods that  can be set out and people “graze” on all day.

Another challenge I have is my son-in-law, who is a great cook, doesn’t like any salad with mayonnaise in it.  So for him, potato salad is out.  I remembered a recipe that my sister-in-law made years ago and have been looking for it all day and walla…..I found it in one of Paula’s cookbooks.   She has saved my day again!

Ingredients

* 2 bags (3-ounce) Ramen Noodle Soup in Oriental (other flavors will work, too)
* 3/4 stick butter
* 1/4 cup slivered almonds
* 2 bags (12-ounce) bags broccoli cole slaw (in the bagged salad section of the grocery store)
* 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
* Chopped green onions, for garnish

Dressing Mix:

* 3/4 cup canola oil
* 1/4 cup brown or white sugar
* 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
* 1 ramen noodle seasoning packet

Directions

Put the ramen noodles in a bag and crush them with a rolling pin while melting butter in a large skillet over low/medium heat. Add the crushed noodles and slivered almonds to the skillet and saute, stirring occasionally (keep temperature at low/medium heat). Meanwhile, whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Place the shredded broccoli into bowl and toss with the noodles, almonds, and sunflower seeds. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat. Garnish with chopped green onions.

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