Fresh Peach Salsa

When I saw that peaches were on sale this week, I knew I had to make this. This is the first time I've made a fruit salsa and I loved it!

Ingredients

4 firm ripe yellow peaches, chopped

2 T green onions

1 jalapeno, minced with ribs, stem and seeds removed

juice from 1 lemon

3 T fresh mint, chopped

1 T ginger, fresh grated

1 T sugar

Directions

Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until it reaches your desired consistency. (7 times was perfect for me).

Source

Adapted from Simply Recipes*

*Their server is temporarily unavailable, I'll update link when it is corrected

Chicken Piccata

I've been wanting to experiment with the "classic" Italian methods of cooking chicken, and I figured this would be a good one to start with. It's simple, quick, and the light breading makes it look like chicken nuggets, which never hurts when you are trying to get kids to eat.

Ingredients

2-4 Chicken breast cutlets
2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 c flour
salt & pepper
4 Tablespoons olive oil
4 Tablespoons butter, divided
1/2 cup white wine (can substitute chicken broth)
3 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup brined capers
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Directions
If cutlets are too thick, place them between 2 layers of plastic wrap and pound with meat hammer (or rolling pin in my case) until they reach 1/4 inch thickness. Dredge chicken in a bowl filled with the combined flour, Parmesan, and salt and pepper. Prepare a skillet by heating olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium high heat. When thoroughly heated add the chicken and cook until browned, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken and add wine, lemon juice and capers to the pan, scraping up the brown bits from the chicken. Reduce the sauce by half, then whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Serve the sauce over the chicken and top with chopped parsley.

Source
Simply Recipes

Crab Fondue

The theme this month for my cooking club was fondue. I was afraid everyone would be bringing a sweet dish, so I decided to try a savory one. This was pretty good, but it tasted a bit tangy. I think I put too much lemon in it, and also I probably should have used regular mayonnaise instead of Miracle Whip. I think with these changes it would be fantastic.

Ingredients
18 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 c mayonnaise
1 tsp mustard
2 tbsp powdered sugar
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1-2 tsp Cajun seasoning
1/2 c white wine
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
3/4lb lump crab meat, fresh or canned
1/4 c chives, chopped
day old french bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
pears, sliced

Directions
Mix all ingredients and place in an electric fondue pot or double broiler on medium-low heat, except bread and pears. Stir continuously until everything is melted and well combined. Serve with bread and pear slices.

Notes
I don't have a double broiler, so I boiled water in a saucepan, and placed the ingredients in a metal bowl placed over the boiling water.

Source
Adapted from Simply Recipes

Bacon Wrapped Cheese Stuffed Hot Dogs

Loosen your belts folks and forget about the word "cholesterol" until after you've prepared this meal. Sure, this may be a heart attack waiting to happen, but isn't cheese wrapped in meat, wrapped in meat worth it? This is a very rough recipe, because it is so adaptable to your particular tastes. For mine I used cheddar cheese w/ bbq sauce & pepperjack cheese w/ leftovers from a roast.

Ingredients

Hot dogs

cheese, cut in long thin strips

bacon

filling or sauce of your choice

Directions

Slice a hot dog open and add your cheese & filling. Wrap with uncooked bacon tightly, but not so tight as to break when it cooks and shrinks. If necessary, hold the bacon in place with toothpicks. Cook on the grill or bake in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Enjoy!

Source

Inspired by Simply Recipes

Chicken Skin Bacon

I saw this idea around Thanksgiving time and thought it was an ingenious idea. I used the skin off a precooked rotisserie chicken. The taste is a tiny bit different than real bacon, but it is still delicious and would be a great addition to soups and baked potatoes.

Ingredients

Chicken Skins

Salt & Pepper

Directions

Place skins on a baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle with desired amount of salt and pepper and bake in 375 degree oven for 10-15 minutes.