Chicken Tacos with Charred Tomatoes

Ingredients

• 2 plum tomatoes, cored
• 8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed of fat
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons canola oil, divided
• 1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
• 2 teaspoons lime juice, plus lime wedges for garnish
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 6 small corn tortillas, heated (see Tip)

Preparation

1. Heat a medium skillet over high heat until very hot. Add tomatoes and cook, turning occasionally with tongs, until charred on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool slightly. Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise; squeeze to discard seeds. Remove cores and chop the remaining pulp and skin.
2. Cut chicken into 1-inch chunks; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add 1 teaspoon oil to the pan and heat over high heat until very hot. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is browned and no longer pink in the middle, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
3. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and jalapeño and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add lime juice, the chicken and tomatoes. Cook, stirring, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in cilantro and scallions. Divide the chicken mixture among tortillas. Serve with lime wedges.

Tips & Notes  

• Tip: Wrap tortillas in barely damp paper towels and microwave on High for 30 to 45 seconds.   

Nutrition, Per serving: 297 calories; 9 g fat ( 1 g sat , 4 g mono ); 63 mg cholesterol; 27 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 27 g protein; 2 g fiber; 415 mg sodium; 463 mg potassium.

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Oatmeal Creamcheese Butterscotch Bars

Ingredients            

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pea-sized pieces, plus more for pan
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 (11-ounce) bag butterscotch chips
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract            

 

Directions   

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Drape a 9 by 13-inch pan with overlapping pieces of aluminum foil, creating handles for easy removal. Butter the paper, and reserve

In a food processor add the flour, oats and brown sugar and pulse to combine. Add the 2 sticks of butter, the cinnamon and the butterscotch chips. Pulse, pulse, pulse until the mixture forms clumps when pressed between your fingers. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Press half of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan in an even layer, reserve the other half. Bake in the preheated oven just until slightly golden and set, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely.   

Beat together the cream cheese, condensed milk, lemon zest and juice and vanilla in an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle, or with an electric hand mixer until no lumps of cream cheese remain. Spread evenly over the baked and cooled oatmeal mixture. Sprinkle the remaining half of the oatmeal mixture over the cream cheese. Bake until the top is golden, about 40 minutes.   

Cool and chill before cutting. Run a knife around the edge of the pan, and using the foil handles, transfer the bars to a cutting board. Cut into 2-inch squares with a sharp knife and serve.       

Call yourself a superstar!!!

Cook's Note: For a delicious and healthy variation of this recipe, try replacing the butterscotch chips with tasty dried cranberries.

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Classic White Cake

Ingredients                

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 large egg whites (3/4 cup)
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 (9-inch) diameter by 1 1/2-inch deep layer pans or 1 (13 by 9 by 2-inch) pan, buttered and bottoms lined with parchment or waxed paper            

Directions           

The fine moist crumb of this cake complements any type of filling and frosting -- the perfect celebratory cake.

       

1. Set a rack at the middle level of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until thuroughly beated. Add sugar and continue to beat for about 5 minutes, until light and fluffy.

3. In a separate bowl stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

4. Combine egg whites, milk and vanilla extract.

5. With a flour sifter add the flour  and milk mixture alternatly to the butter mixture. Continue to alternate beginning and ending with flour mixture. Scrape bowl and beater often.

6. Pour batter into prepared pan(s) and smooth top with a metal spatula. Bake cake(s) about 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean.

7. Cool in pan on a rack for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a rack, remove paper and let cool completely.

       

Variation:

       

CLASSIC YELLOW CAKE: Substitute 3 large eggs and 1 egg yolk for all of the egg whites above.

    
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