Any time you combine fruit with soy sauce and ginger you can’t go wrong.  This chicken stir-fry is a favorite with my family for just that reason.  The fruit sells the kids on this dish and the grown-ups love the tangy combination of flavors.  This dish is also pretty enough to serve special guests.

1 1/2 pounds chicken breast, thin sliced
2 tablespoon canola oil (or other high-heat oil)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 scallion, minced
Salt and pepper

1 can (15 ounce) tropical fruit cocktail (drain and reserve juice)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/2 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon cornstarch

cooked jasmine or other rice

Open tropical fruit and drain, saving the juice to the side.  Combine soy sauce, ginger, paprika, turmeric, and allspice with 1/2 cup of the leftover fruit juice in a bowl.  In another bowl combine orange juice and cornstarch and set aside.  Over high heat, heat the oil in a large wok.  Salt and pepper the chicken and add to the skillet.  Cook quickly, stirring constantly, until chicken is no longer pink all the way through. Do Not Over-Crowd The Pan!  Cook chicken in smaller batches if necessary to prevent over-crowding. When chicken is all cooked, returned all of it to the pan and add the garlic and scallions cooking just until garlic gets fragrant, about 1 minute or less.  Mix in the fruit juice-soy sauce mixture, stirring for about 30 seconds, then add the fruit.  Cover and cook for about 2 minutes.  Mix in the orange juice-cornstarch mixture and stir until it becomes thick.  Serve over hot rice.

This is a very colorful salad that is as figure-friendly as it is delicious.  Add more fish if you want to feed a large group of fish-lovers… add more eggplant if you want to satisfy your veggie-lovers.  This recipe is quite adaptable to almost any ingredient you might want to experiment with.  Be sure that the fish is very firm as it will disappear if it breaks up too much.  Otherwise, the sky’s the limit!

1 pound penne pasta
1/3 cup olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes (more or less to taste)
4 eggplants, ends trimmed, thinly sliced lengthwise, then cut into squares
1 pound solid, firm fish (sword fish, tuna, cobia, amber jack), cubed
1/3 cup white wine
2 cups halved grape tomatoes
2 cups chopped cucumber
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place pasta in salted boiling water and cook until pasta is tender, but still a little bit firm and then drain.  While cooking the pasta, get out a large heavy skillet and set over medium-high heat, adding the 1/3 cup olive oil, garlic, 1/4 cup parsley, and red chili flakes.  Cook for 2 minutes stirring often.  Then place the eggplant in the skillet and cook an additional 5 minutes.  Remove from the pan and set aside.  Place the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the skillet.   Now place the fish seasoned with salt and pepper in the same skillet and cook about 5 to 7 minutes or until fish is no longer translucent.  Add the white wine and cook until almost evaporated.  Remove from heat.  Add the eggplant mixture to fish in skillet and stir together.  In large serving bowl, put pasta, eggplant, fish, grape tomatoes, cucumber, parsley, salt and black pepper, and toss everything together.

This is a great breakfast when you have overnight guests.  You can actually put it together the night before so it’s all set to pop in the oven in the morning.  When you have non-meat-eaters in the house you can substitute the ham with more diced vegetables, like broccoli, or you can add black beans.  This is a very filling breakfast so you’ll be able to spend the whole day running around without listening to your tummy rumble!

3 cups cubed french bread (can use stale bread)
1 cup ham, diced
1 egg, beaten lightly
1 1/3 cup milk
1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
1/4 teaspoons garlic powder
1/4 teaspoons onion powder
1/4 teaspoons paprika
1/8 teaspoons black pepper
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup sharp cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, grated

Spray glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.  Place cubed bread into baking dish.  Sprinkle evenly with red pepper, ham and cheese.  Mix together the egg, milk, onion powder, black pepper, and garlic powder and pour over bread cubes.  Sprinkle with paprika.  Refrigerate covered for 3 hours before baking, or overnight.  When you’re ready to bake it, preheat the oven to 350 F.  Cook about 40 minutes or until nicely browned.

With such an easy recipe, you can have guacamole in the refrigerator whenever you want!  We no longer wait for Mexican dinner night at our house to make guacamole.  We can throw this simple snack together any time we want a cool, refreshing, delicious treat.  Good and good for you!

1 cup reduced-fat cottage cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons dried onion flakes
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Sprinkle of red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons lemon or lime juice
1 ripe avocado, peeled and cut in chunks
1 tomato, peeled and chopped

In a blender add onion, salt, lemon or lime juice, cottage cheese, garlic, cayenne pepper, and avocado.  Blend until smooth.  Pour into a bowl and gently stir in the chopped tomato.  Cover with plastic wrap allowing the plastic to touch the entire surface of the guacamole.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and serve.

Best served with tortilla chips, carrot sticks or celery.

You can reduce the “heat” of this dip by reducing the amount of hot sauce or Cajun seasoning you add to your recipe, but why would you want to?  Keep a little cool sour cream alongside and add just a drop as you dip your chip for a nice touch.  This is a great dish for snacking in front of the television on game day or race day with the family.

1 can chili-seasoned diced tomatoes (14.5 ounces)
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon Louisiana hot sauce
2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
2 can pinto or red kidney beans (16 ounce), rinsed, drained and mashed with a fork
1 cup diced green bell-pepper
1/2 cup diced smoked sausage
non-stick cooking spray
4 cups freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese
baked tortilla chips

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Mix together tomatoes, water, hot sauce, cajun seasoning, beans, green bell-pepper, and smoked sausage. Spray 2 quart casserole dish with cooking spray.   Place mixture into casserole dish.  Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbling.  Sprinkle cheese over the top and bake for 5 more minutes.  Serve with tortilla chips.

Plain ol’ chocolate pudding just doesn’t hit the spot like this tropical version.  The coconut nut milk adds a very bright flavor to the chocolate and the almond flavor makes this dessert a bit more “upscale” so you can serve it with pride to your guests.  I like to sprinkle a little shredded coconut on top with just a few slivered almonds to dress it up for company.  You can add a dollop of whipped cream just before I serve it, too.

1 can light unsweetened coconut milk
2 1/2 cups skim milk
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 packages instant chocolate fudge pudding mix
optional toppings: shredded coconut, slivered almonds, whipped cream

Combine coconut milk, skim milk, and almond extract and pudding mix in a bowl.  Beat with a wire whisk until thick and smooth.  Put in individual dessert cups and refrigerate.  Serve with additional toppings if you wish.

These are so simple to make that they make a great meal for a “guys” get-together.  You just need to get the ingredients and they can do the assembly.  Whether your guys are shooting buckets after school in the driveway, or staying in to watch a movie, they always seem to have an appetite!

2 cups skinless boneless chicken breast, cooked and cubed
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup chunky salsa
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 cup  shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded lettuce
4  10 inch flour tortillas

Combine salsa, mayonnaise, and the sour cream.  Then mix in the cheddar cheese and chicken.  Evenly scoop onto the tortillas and sprinkle with lettuce.  Fold over the sides and serve.

So, you’ve got a family with a big appetite, and you want to serve them something nutritious.  Try tossing together this fabulously delicious dish and see if they don’t walk away from the table with full, satisfied tummies!

1 small eggplant, peeled and 3/4-inch diced
1 red bell pepper, 1-inch diced
1 yellow bell pepper, 1-inch diced
1 red onion, peeled and 1-inch diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound orzo
2 lemons freshly squeezed (1/3 cup lemon juice)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 scallions, minced (white and green parts)
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
3/4 pound good feta, 1/2-inch diced (not crumbled)
15 fresh basil leaves, cut into julienne

Preheat oven 425 F.  Assemble eggplant, red and green bell peppers, onion, and garlic on a large sheet pan.  Toss with 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.  Roast for 40 minutes  flip over with a spatula one time.  While this is baking begin cooking the orzo in boiling water that has been salted, for 8 minutes or until tender.  Drain and put in a large serving bowl.  Place the vegetables on top making sure to scrape out as much juice from the roasting pan as you can.  Now you can make the dressing.  Combine the rest of the virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice.  Mix well and pour over the pasta dish.  Allow the pasta and vegetables to cool to barely warm.  Then, top with the remaining ingredients.  Serve at warmish room temperature.

When you can get your hands on fresh fruit and berries, it’s always a special occasion!  Celebrate the day with your loved ones by serving this fruit salad that says “I Love You.”

2 fresh peach slices
2 fresh pineapple slices
1/4 C of fresh raspberries
1/4 C of fresh black berries
2 slices of fresh watermelon
squeeze of lemon juice over top

Place the peaches onto a serving plate.
Layer the pineapple slices over the peaches.
Sprinkle the raspberries and black berries over the top.
Using a heart shaped cookie cutter cut out 8 to 10 pieces of the watermelon.
Place the watermelon cut outs around the outside edge of the plate.

If you want to impress someone with a beautiful and tasty treat at a luncheon or brunch, this streusel is the perfect recipe.  It takes a little work, but the results are well worth your effort… especially when you see the looks on the faces of your guests!

1 1/2 C quick cooking rolled oats
1 C + 2 T of flour, divided
3/4 C brown sugar, packed
3/4 C butter
1/4 C sugar
1/2 t + 1/4 t ground ginger, divided
2 C fresh strawberries, sliced
3/4 C powdered sugar
3 t apricot nectar

Set the oven temperature at 350 degrees and allow the oven to preheat.
Line an 8X8 pan with foil extending the foil over the edges of the pan.
Place the oats into a mixing bowl.
Add 1 C of the flour and the brown sugar and toss to combine.
Use a pastry blender and cut in the butter until the mixture resembles small peas.
Remove 1 C of the mixture and set aside.
Press the remaining oat mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.
Bake 25 minutes or until nicely browned.
Place the sugar in a mixing bowl.
Add the 2 T of flour and 1/2 t of the ground ginger.
Stir in the strawberry slices until well coated.
Spread the strawberry mixture over the hot crust.
Sprinkle the top evenly with the reserved crust mixture.
Return to the oven and bake 32 minutes or until the topping has turned a golden brown and the filling is bubbly around the edges.
Remove and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
Sift the powdered sugar into a large bowl.
Add the remaining ginger and the apricot nectar and stir until blended together well.
Drizzle the icing over the top of the streusel bars before cutting.

Makes 16 bars