Confetti Corn

Tired of the same old corn on the cob as your side dish when it comes to a barbecue? Give this quick, easy and affordable recipe a try. Red onion, orange bell pepper and fresh herbs turn ordinary kernel corn into a tasty (and not so ordinary) side dish. This goes with everything from grilled hot dogs to grilled steaks and everything in between. If you're a wizard with the grill, you could even make this dish on the grill instead of on the stove!

Confetti Corn

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

½ cup chopped red onion

1 small orange bell pepper, ½" diced

1 tbsp. unsalted butter (or more EVOO)

Kernels cut from 5 ears corn (white or yellow - around 4 cups worth)

1½ tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp. julienned basil, minced chives and/or minced parsley

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large sauté pan. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, until the onion is soft. Stir in the bell pepper and sauté for 2 more minutes.

Add the butter to the pan and allow it to melt. Over medium heat, add the corn, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 - 7 minutes, until the corn just loses its starchiness. Season to taste, gently stir in the basil or other green herbs, and serve hot.

Serves 6

Heart Healthy Cinnamon Rice Pudding

Rice pudding is usually a very decadent and saturated fat laden dessert. If you're trying to watch your fat and cholesterol intake, this version is supremely tasty and yet it's made with fat free ingredients. Serve warm or cold. You can be guaranteed this recipe is healthy because it comes from the American Heart Association.

Heart Healthy Cinnamon Rice Pudding

3½ cups skim milk, divided

½ cup arborio rice, uncooked

1 cinnamon stick, around 3" long

3 tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. lemon zest, grated

½ tsp. pure vanilla extract

Ground cinnamon, to taste

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, stir 2½ cups milk and the rice together. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring often or else the milk and rice will scorch into the bottom of the pan.

Reduce the heat to medium high and boil for 5 - 6 minutes or until the mixture begins to thicken, stirring often - this will keep a 'skin' from forming. (It took me about 10 minutes to get it to thicken decently.)

Stir in the remaining 1 cup of milk, the cinnamon stick, sugar and lemon zest. Increase the heat to high and return to a boil, stirring continually; this will take but a minute or two to return to the boil.

Reduce the heat down to medium high again and boil for 4 - 5 minutes or until decently thick and creamy. You MUST stir continually at this critical step, or else your pudding will burn into the bottom of the pan.

Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Put a piece of plastic wrap down over the top of the pudding to prevent it from getting a 'skin' and let it rest for about 30 minutes to thicken.

Before serving, remove the cinnamon stick. Spoon the pudding into individual dessert dishes and sprinkle the tops of each with ground cinnamon, to taste.

Serves 6**

**It's so good, you might just want to split it between two bowls and share it with your sweetie!

Orange Pecan Wild Rice

Here's something you don't see every day. Wild rice dishes were rather popular back in the 1970s and then they fell out of style. However, wild rice is coming back into popularity. This is an updated version of an old recipe that features the firm texture of wild rice paired with toasty pecans, fruit and scallions. Serve as a side with meats or even with a white-fleshed fish supper.

Orange Pecan Wild Rice

1 cup wild rice

1¼ cups fat free, reduced sodium chicken stock

2 tbsp. unsalted butter or extra virgin olive oil

1 cup green seedless grapes, halved

½ cup scallions, sliced in rounds

1 cup pecan halves, toasted and coarsely chopped**

1 tsp. grated orange zest

2 tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Kosher salt

Place the rice, chicken stock, 1¼ cups water, 1 tbsp. of the butter and ½ tsp. salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover the pot and lower the heat to simmer (you may wish to pull the pan halfway off the burner) and cook for about 1 hour, until the rice is tender and the grains begin to burst open. Stir the rice occasionally while it's cooking, scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent it from sticking. Turn off the heat and allow the rice to steam for about 5 minutes.

Stir the remaining tablespoon of butter into the rice, then add the grapes, scallions, pecans, orange zest, orange juice and the pepper and toss well. Taste for seasonings and serve hot.

**Toast the pecans on a sheet pan in a 350 degree oven for 8 minutes. Let the pecans cool completely before chopping.

Serves 6

Marinated Chicken Breasts

There has to be at least a million different ways to prepare chicken, but if you're like most, you're stuck making the same few types over and over again. Here's a simple, but versatile, recipe that has slightly more 'adult' flavors but if your kids aren't picky eaters, feel free to serve it to them. Serve this chicken with pasta, vegetable sides, rice dishes or any other sides you desire. You can also freeze the chicken in the marinade for up to two weeks; thaw completely before cooking.

Marinated Chicken Breasts

1 - 2 tbsp. vinegar (apple cider, balsamic, red wine, etc.)

1 - 2 tbsp. chopped mixed fresh herbs (thyme, oregano, rosemary, etc.)

1 - 2 tbsp. mustard (whole grain or Dijon)

1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 small shallot, finely minced

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put the vinegar, herbs, mustard, garlic and oil in a large resealable plastic bag. Close the bag and shake to combine all the ingredients. Open the bag and add the chicken. If desired, you can pound out the chicken breasts to an even thickness so they cook more evenly. Marinate for at least 4 hours but exercise caution - do not let the chicken marinate too long or else the acid in the vinegar will start 'cooking' the chicken and can make it mushy.

Heat a grill or grill pan. When the grill is hot, place the chicken on the grill and cook for about 4 minutes per side or until cooked through. You can also bake the chicken in a 375 degree oven for 15 minutes, or until cooked through.

Serves 4

NOTE:  Consider doubling the marinade. I barely had enough marinade for two large chicken breasts.

Classic Biscotti (Reduced Fat)

Biscotti are a classic Italian cookie. 'Bis' means twice-baked, which these cookies are. They spend the first half of their baking time as a log, then the second half as individual slices. With the second baking, they become hard and crunchy - perfect for dipping into a cup of hot coffee or even into a glass of milk. The flavors of the citrus zests used in this recipe seem to come out more when dunked into coffee. Do not become alarmed when handling the dough; it is quite sticky - this is normal. Just be patient when forming the logs and you will be rewarded with a delicious coffee or tea time treat.

Classic Biscotti (Reduced Fat)

3 1/3 cups flour

2½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. kosher salt

1¼ cups sugar

2 large eggs

2 large egg whites

1 tsp. grated lemon zest

½ tsp. grated orange zest

¼ cup canola oil

1 tsp. pure almond extract

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Whisk the dry ingredients together thoroughly.  In another bowl, beat the oil, sugar, eggs and egg whites, zests and flavorings until well blended.  Gradually stir in the flour mixture until well blended and smooth.  Shape the dough into 2 smooth, evenly shaped 11 x 1 ½” logs, either by wrapping each log in plastic and rolling it back and forth until smooth, or by shaping it with lightly floured hands.  

Arrange the logs as far apart from one another as possible on the sheet and press to flatten slightly.  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees.  Remove the sheet to a rack.  When the logs are just cool enough to handle, transfer to a cutting board and cut crosswise, on a slight diagonal, into 3/8” thick slices.  

Lay the slices flat on the sheet.  Return to the oven and bake for 10 minutes.  Turn the slices over and bake until lightly browned, an additional 5 to 10 minutes more.  Transfer to racks to cool.

Oven Baked Pork Chops

Quick, tasty and supremely delicious! This simple recipe for pork chops will be sure to please your family. There's only four ingredients, none of which will break the bank. You may have even at least half of them in your kitchen right now. Serve with potatoes in any incarnation or with another vegetable side of your choice. The possibilities are endless.

Oven Baked Pork Chops

1 envelope Lipton's Golden Onion soup mix

½ cup plain dry bread crumbs (preferably whole grain)

4 bone-in pork chops, about 1" thick (or boneless chops)

1 egg, well-beaten

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the soup mix and bread crumbs. Dip the chops in the egg, then into the bread crumb mixture, pressing to adhere the crumbs. 

On a lightly greased baking sheet, arrange the chops.

Bake uncovered for 20 minutes or until done.

Serves 4

Gingered Carrot Salad

Fresh ginger combined with garlic-infused olive oil creates a zesty dressing for a seemingly ordinary vegetable. Poppy seeds add not only visual interest, but provide an interesting taste and texture profile. This is an excellent salad to accompany things like grilled chicken and fish but can most certainly be served alongside pork and beef. If you're short on time, remember that most grocery stores carry bags of carrots that have already been cut into matchsticks (julienned). Feel free to use either commercially bottled garlic-infused olive oil or make your own (recipe not included).

Gingered Carrot Salad

12 oz. carrots, peeled and cut into fine matchsticks

1 1-inch piece of fresh ginger root, peeled and grated

1 tbsp. poppy seeds

2 tbsp. garlic-infused olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put the carrots in a bowl and stir in the oil and grated ginger. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.

Season the salad with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the poppy seeds just before serving.

Serves 4