Herb Class Recipes

Helpful Herb Hints
· Fresh herbs may be used to replace dried herbs in any recipe. Remember to 3X the amount i.e.: 1 teaspoon dried = 3 teaspoons fresh.
· Don't be afraid to try adding herbs to whatever you're preparing, experimenting is the best way to learn how to use them.
· Add some fresh thyme or rosemary to your chicken as you grill or sauté it.
· Chop some herbs to add to your green salad.
· Stir some fresh basil into your jarred pasta sauce.
· If you have tomatoes in your garden, dice a few and sauté with a clove of garlic in some olive oil (or basil oil) until falling apart. Toss with hot, cooked pasta, fresh chopped basil and some freshly grated pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese; we eat this once a week at least in the summer - SOOO YUMMY! You can also add grilled chicken if you want protein.
· Try adding some chopped mint to your fresh berries. Great with fresh squeezed lemon and lime juice and some citrus zest too!
· At the end of the season, hang your herbs upside-down in bunches to dry them. You can then refill your spice jars!
· Place paper sacks over hanging herbs and gently shake to harvest seeds.

Parsley & Chive Butter Linda Maloy
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp chopped chives
2 sticks butter, slightly softened
juice of 1 lemon
salt & pepper

1. Beat the herbs into the butter and then add the lemon juice add
season. Mix until smooth.
2. chill before serving. Shape in a mold id desired. Store in a cool
place, or freeze in an ice-cube tray for handy portions.

Slow-roasted tomato salad with basil Amie Léporé
*makes a great appetizer, side salad, or even lunch!
6 ripe tomatoes, halved
1 Tbs. Olive oil
12 oz mozzarella cheese (preferably buffalo or fresh mozzarella)
a few sprigs of basil
1 recipe basil oil (see above)
balsamic vinegar
baby salad greens
salt and pepper

Put the halved tomatoes in a small roasting pan in a single layer. Sprinkle with the olive oil and season liberally with salt and pepper. Roast in a heated oven at 300° for 3 hours until shrunken and glossy. Let cool.

Just before serving, tear the mozzarella into small pieces and arrange on a large plate. Add the tomato halves, then sprinkle the basil leaves over the tomatoes and cheese. Trickle a generous amount of the basil oil and a little vinegar over the salad. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve the salad topped with baby greens.


Green Mayonnaise Linda Maloy
Use any combination of the following herbs: Garlic, Leon balm, lovage,
salad burnet, tarragon, thyme
1 egg yolk
1 C olive oil
1 tbsp wine vinegar
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp mixed herbs, chopped

1. Beat the egg yolk for a minute or so, then start adding the oil,
drop by drop, beating continuously.
2. When over half of the oil has bee added and the mixture has started
to thicken, beat in the vinegar.
3. Add more oil drop by drop until it thickens again, then slowly pour
in the rest. (If the mixture refuses to thicken or curdles, break a
fresh egg yolk into a clean basin and slowly stir into the first mixture.)
4. Stir in the chopped herbs.

Lemony Orzo Amie Léporé
Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta) 1 1/3 cups diced zucchini 1/3 cup diced red onion 1 cup diced tomato 1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese black olives, sliced, optional
Dressing:
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon minced fresh or 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 teaspoons minced fresh mint 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper Preparation: Cook orzo according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain well. Combine orzo, zucchini, and onion in a large bowl; toss well. Combine dressing ingredients in separate bowl or salad shaker; stir well with a whisk (or shake in shaker). Stir into orzo mixture just before serving; add tomato and cheese, tossing gently to coat. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled (do not allow to chill for more than an hour as the dressing will begin to soak into the pasta and it will loose some flavor). Serves 6

Herb butter Amie Léporé
Great with crusty breads, or use when cooking fish or chicken
1 stick butter, softened
2-3 Tbs. Chopped herbs of your choice (chives are great with a little pepper)
Put the butter, and herbs in a bowl and beat them until evenly green. Pat into a roll, cover with plastic and chill until needed.
*Can also add 1-2 Tbs. Fresh lemon zest for lemon-herb butter.
Makes about ½ cup


Mixed herb dressing Amie Léporé
Try different combinations of the herbs listed for different flavors of dressing!
2 Tbs. chopped mixed herbs: basil, chevril, chives, parsley, and/or mint
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, lightly crushed
salt and pepper
Vigorously whisk the chopped herbs into the olive oil. Beat in the vinegar and mustard. Season to taste, then add the garlic. Use at once or store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Return the dressing to room temperature before use. Makes 2/3 cup.

Basil Oil Amie Léporé
This is delicious drizzled over home-grown tomatoes! You can also use it in bruchetta.
¾ cup basil (could also use parsley for a different taste) leaves
1 ¼ cups extra virgin olive oil
pinch of salt
Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend to a vivid green paste. Infuse overnight (just leave on the counter, covered), then strain through cheesecloth. Use the oil as required or store it in the refrigerator (it will turn solid when cold, return to room temperature to use). Makes about 1 cup.

Rosemary, garlic, and pepper oil Amie Léporé
Try as a dip for focaccia or cibatta bread. Also, great with grilled pizza.
4 sprigs of rosemary
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 Tbs. black peppercorns, lightly crushed
2 ½ cups extra virgin olive oil

Put the rosemary, garlic, and peppercorns into a small saucepan with the olive oil. Heat gently until just boiling and simmer for 1 minute. Let cool, then infuse overnight. The next day, strain the infused oil into a clean bottle and add a sprig of rosemary and a few whole black peppercorns for decoration. Makes about 2 ½ C.

Mint chocolate chip ice cream Amie Léporé
2 cups whole milk
1 ¼ cups heavy cream
4 large sprigs of mint
5 egg yolks
½ cup plus 2 Tbs. superfine sugar
3 squares semisweet chocolate cut into small dice
Put the milk, cream and mint sprigs in a saucepan and heat slowly to boiling point. Remove from heat and leave to infuse for 20 minutes. Return to boiling point.

Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl. Stir in the hot milk mixture and return it to the pan. Stir over low heat until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Do not let the mixture boil or it will curdle. Strain into a clean bowl and leave until cold.

Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions. Add the chocolate just before the mixture freezes. Serve immediately or freeze until required. Serves 8.

Lasagna Amie Léporé
6 wide lasagna noodles
1-1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 1/2 tsp salt1 clove garlic, minced
2 1/2 Tbs. fresh basil, finely chopped (or 1 Tbs. dried)
1 tsp fresh oregano, finely chopped (or 1/2 tsp dried)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 15 oz. can plain tomato sauce
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 tsp sugar
3-4 cups shredded mozzarella
1 1/2-2 cups shredded cheddar

Ricotta filling:
1 egg
3 Tbs. fresh parsley, finely chopped (or 1 1/2 Tbs. dried)
1/2 tsp salt
1 small container ricotta Directions:
Brown meat with salt-drain grease; add garlic, basil, sugar, oregano, diced tomatoes, tomato paste and sauce. Simmer 30 min., stirring occasionally; cook noodles in salted water until tender; drain and rinse with cool water. In mixing bowl, combine ingredients for ricotta filling. Layer 3 noodles in 13x9" baking dish; spread with 1/2 of the ricotta filling, 1/2 of the meat sauce, 1/2 of both cheeses. Repeat; sprinkle top with freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino Romano cheese (I prefer the pecorino-it comes in a wedge at Costco and is reasonably priced. It also lasts quite a while!) Bake at 350 degrees about 20-30 minutes, until cheese is bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serves 8-10

Little Italy Chicken Pitas Amie Léporé
This one doesn't use the oven or the stove-top and it's my husbands favorite meal! Ingredients 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 1/2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato oil 1 tablespoon chopped drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 garlic clove, minced 4 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (I use a rotisserie chicken from Costco) 1 cup chopped tomato (about 1 medium) 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Asiago cheese (I actually use the Kirkland pecorino Romano) 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil 6 (6-inch) pitas (I also get these at Costco for $1.99 per 10-they are the kind that fold like a taco) 3 cups mixed baby greens Preparation: Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in chicken, tomato, cheese, and basil. Line each pita with 1/2 cup greens. Divide chicken mixture evenly among pitas. Yield 6 servings (serving size: 1 stuffed pita)


Little pizzas with herb oil Amie Léporé
1 cup white bread flour
1 tsp quick-rising active dry yeast
1 tsp salt
1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil (or a flavored oil)
Herb topping:
2 large garlic cloves, sliced
leaves from 4 sprigs of rosemary
rosemary, garlic and pepper oil (see above)

Sift the flour into the bowl of a food mixer and stir in the yeast and salt. With the dough hook turning, slowly pour in the oil and about ½ cup warmest tap water, to form a slightly sticky dough.

Knead for 10 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball. Put it in a greased bowl, cover, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise for about an hour until the ball has doubled in size. Heat the oven to 450° and put a pizza stone or cookie sheet on the top shelf to heat.

Punch down the dough and divide it into 2 or 4 pieces. Put one piece on a floured surface and roll it out to form and thin, round crust. Mix the rosemary leaves and garlic with 6-8 Tbs. rosemary, garlic, and pepper oil and sprinkle a little of the mixture over the pizza crust.

Transfer the crust to the heated pizza stone or cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes until puffed and golden. Sprinkle with a little extra rosemary, garlic, and pepper oil. Continue to roll out and cook the pizzas one at a time, eating them as you go!
If desired, sprinkle with a little cheese of your choice; makes 4 small or 2 large pizzas.

Greek Spaghetti with Chicken Amie Léporé
I adapted it from a similar recipe that I found online. The original had some harder to find ingredients and didn't list amounts for everything...here is my version:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 diced onion
2 garlic cloves, diced
2 cans of diced tomatoes with liquid
1 1/2 cups cubed, skinless, boneless chicken (not cooked-I just used 8 tenders because that's what I had in the freezer)
1/2 can Black and/or green olives, pitted and halved (I tried it with black for the kids' sake) artichoke hearts (optional-I used about a 1/2 cup and chopped them to bite-size pieces)
1 tbs. fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
salt and pepper
5 oz. of feta cheese (other options would be cream cheese or goat cheese. I happened to have cream cheese in the fridge so I used that. It was yummy, but I think the feta would be even better!)
1 lb pasta (it was great with spaghetti noodles)
Brown chicken in olive oil with onion and garlic. Add other ingredients except cheese and pasta and simmer until liquid is reduced by about half and tomatoes are falling apart. You will want start the water for your pasta now (make sure to salt the water well). When sauce is reduced and tomatoes are falling apart, add cheese and cook until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Remove from heat. Once your noodles are done and drained combine them with the sauce and enjoy! *Sprinkle the top with toasted pine nuts and you can use it for company with a nice simple arugula salad!

Garden Pesto Amie Léporé
For those of you who have basil in your gardens, this is a must-try. I think that fresh pesto is so much better than bottled. Roland prefers it to restaurant pesto too. If you need a food-processor, call me!
Pesto Recipe2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano (Kirkland is great)1/2 cup Olive oil
3 tablespoons pine nuts or walnuts3 garlic cloves
Place the garlic in the food processor fitted with the blade attachment and process until chopped. Add the basil, and the nuts. Turn on and add the oil through the feed tube cup (this will allow it to drizzle in slowly so that the mixture can emulsify). Add the cheese at the end and turn on to combine.
Toss with hot, cooked pasta or drizzle over chicken. A little will go a long way. I like to use just enough to coat, not drown my pasta. 1/2-3/4 cup is usually enough for 1 pound of pasta.

Air is the enemy of pesto, if you don't plan on using it right away, press some plastic wrap onto the surface refrigerate or freeze. I like to make a few big batches and freeze them in ice-cube trays. It will keep for a few months this way and I don't have to pull out more than I need. It's great for pesto-pizza because you only need 2 cubes for one pizza.

Lavender Punch Linda Maloy
2 C. grape juice
1 C. water
13 (1") cinnamon sticks
1/2 tsp fresh lavender flowers or TBSP dried
6 oz. can frozen limeade concentrate
1 lime sliced
Ice cubes
1 liter bottle ginger ale or seltzer

Pesto Recipe Amie Léporé
2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano (Kirkland is great)
1/2 cup Olive oil
3 tablespoons pine nuts or walnuts
3 garlic cloves

Place the garlic in the food processor fitted with the blade attachment and process until chopped. Add the basil, and the nuts. Turn on and add the oil through the feed tube cup (this will allow it to drizzle in slowly so that the mixture can emulsify). Add the cheese at the end and turn on to combine.

Toss with hot, cooked pasta or drizzle over chicken. A little will go a long way. I like to use just enough to coat, not drown my pasta. 1/2-3/4 cup is usually enough for 1 pound of pasta.

*Air is the enemy of pesto, if you don't plan on using it right away, press some plastic wrap onto the surface refrigerate or freeze. I like to make a few big batches and freeze them in ice-cube trays. it will keep for a few months this way and I don't have to pull out more than I need. It's great for pesto-pizza because you only need 2 cubes for one pizza.


Mint Lemonade Amie Léporé
1 granulated sugar
2 cups water
Peel from 2 lemons cut in strips.
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 8 big lemons, including pulp but not seeds)
4-5 bushy mint sprigs
First, make simple syrup by combing the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the mixture boils. Lower the heat and allow the syrup to simmer for another minute. Remove from heat and let cool. Twist each strip of peel over your pitcher to release it's natural oil, and drop peels in. Stir in lemon juice and syrup. No more than a couple of hours before serving, add 3 mint sprigs. To serve, pour into ¼ to 1/3 cup of base of a glass and fill with water or seltzer. Garnish each glass with a sprig of mint. Makes base for 12 servings. YUMMY!

Zucchini, Tomato & Herb Foil Pouches Cami Russell
Use a large piece of foil (double wrap or use heavy duty) to cook on the grill*.
Chop several cups, any combination, of the following and place in the center of the foil:
zucchini, crock-neck squash (yellow), fresh tomatoes

Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with any combination, or all of the following then mix together:
Rosemary, thyme, lemon basil or basil, oregano and parsley (salt & pepper to taste).
Cook on a hot grill for several minutes. Turn pouch over and cook for several more. Cooking time will vary depending on the temperature of the grill. Sprinkle with fresh Parmesan cheese.
*Or a sauté pan over stove burner (a little butter is tasty to add) or bake foil pouch in the oven.

Fajita Marinade Cami Russell
Mix together in a Ziploc bag or a large plastic bowl with a sealing lid:
½ cup oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/3 grated onion
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon dried tarragon or 1 ½ teaspoons fresh
½ teaspoon dried rosemary or 1 ½ teaspoons fresh
½ teaspoon dried garlic or 2 - 3 cloves crushed fresh
½ cup fresh chopped cilantro
Add chicken (cut in strips or cubes, is desired). Marinate for several hours. Add sliced onion and bell pepper (yellow, orange or red are best) the last 15 minutes. Grill or sauté and serve with warm flour tortillas.

Yogurt Dill-Veggie Dip Susan Olson’s older sister Jill Schroeder
1 cup plain yogurt
1 Tablespoon dried parsley or 3 Tablespoons fresh
1 Tablespoon dried dill weed or 3 Tablespoons fresh
1 Tablespoon dried onion
1 cup mayonnaise

Fresh Salsa Susan Olson’s sister-in-law’s mom, Kathy Jorgensen
1 large can of petite diced tomatoes (Hunts), or equivalent of fresh
1 large sweet onion (Walla Walla) chopped
1 bunch fresh cilantro chopped
juice from 1-2 limes
small pinch crushed dried thyme, or about ½ teaspoon fresh
1 - 2 teaspoons salt Stir together & refrigerate for an hour or so. Enjoy!

Caprese Salad Susan Olson & Kim Gardner
Slice tomatoes about ¼” thick, garden fresh are preferable. Arrange on plate.
Slice fresh mozzarella cheese (this is not regular mozzarella that has been recently purchased, it is a type of soft cheese called fresh mozzarella) about ¼” thick, one slice for each slice of tomato and arrange on plate. Top with sliced basil leaves. Just before serving:
drizzle with extra virgin olive oil* (about 1 tablespoon per large tomato); then
drizzle with Balsamic vinegar (1/4 to ½ teaspoon per large tomato).
Salt and pepper to taste (fresh ground pepper is best).
*The Kim Gardner twist: In lieu of olive oil, use Bernstein’s Cheese Fantastico®. Less is more – don’t use too much dressing or the other delicious flavors will be overwhelmed.

REVISED Green Tomatillo Ranch Dressing

It was just brought to my attention that I neglected the mayonnaise from this recipe in my previous post...OOOPS!
Green Tomatillo Ranch Dressing
Puree together in a blender:
about 1 cup of fresh cilantro
3 tomatillos, peeled of outer shell & quartered
1 clove garlic, peeled of outer shell
1 jalapeno pepper*, optional (I'm not a huge spicy food fan, but my understanding is that the smaller the pepper, the more spicy it is. I used a large green jalapeno).

Then add:
1 pouch Hidden Valley Ranch Buttermilk style dressing
1/3 to 1/2 cup buttermilk, depending on desired thickness
1 cup mayonnaise
1/8 up to 1/2 teaspoon Cheyenne pepper, depending on desired kick.
Blend again until smooth. Refrigerate several hours before serving.

*For extra kick, bottled hot jalapenos may be added prior to the puree step in addition or as a substitute to the fresh one.

This is the recipe used for the 2009 Relief Society dinner. The barbecued pulled pork was purchased at the Springville Meat Company 801-489-6391. Costco sells the uncooked tortilla shells, available in the refrigerator section by the deli foods.

Grilled Chicken Bruschetta

From Becky Higgins Website

Sundried tomato salad dressing
8 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
4 medium tomatoes, finely chopped

2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

1 small pkg. fresh basil (about 1/2 cup from your garden), chopped

Marinate chicken in sundried tomato dressing ahead of time. Place large sheet of heavy-duty foil over half of grill grate; preheat grill to medium heat. Grill chicken on uncovered side of grill about 6 minutes. Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, cheese, basil and dressing (as much as you desire; we did about 1/2 cup). Back to the grill - Turn chicken over; place on the foil-covered part of the grill, cooked-side up. Top evenly with tomato mixture. Close lid. Grill an additional 8 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Rosemary Bread

2 pkgs. dried yeast
1 Tbs. sugar
2 c. warm water
Mix together and let sit until bubbly
Add
2 tsp. salt
4 c. flour
Mix all ingredients together, put dough into a greased (with olive oil) medium sized glass pan. Let rise until doubled (45min-1 hour).
Spread olive oil on a cookie sheet. Dump risen dough on the cookie sheet. Brush the dough with olive oil, sprinkle kosher salt, granulated garlic and fresh rosemary on top. Let sit for 45 minutes and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Serve hot, dipping in oil and balsamic vinegar if desired.

Herbed Chicken

2 T Butter
2 T Olive Oil
1/4 c. finely chopped onion
2 T Worchestershire sauce
1/4 c. lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp. fresh or 1/2 tsp. dried basil leaves
3/4 tsp. fresh or 1/4 tsp. dried marjoram leaves (parsley works fine if you don't have marjoram)
3/4 tsp. chopped fresh or 1/4 tsp. dried oregano leaves
2-4 large garlic cloves, minced
Chicken-cut in bite sized pieces (I use 3-4 breasts)
Handful of fresh mushrooms and/or sliced squash (optional)

Heat oven to 375. Heat butter and oil in 13x9 pan until butter is melted. Put in chicken and vegetables, coat with mixture of remaining ingredients. Bake uncovered 15-20 minutes. Turn chicken and bake 15-20 minutes until juices run clear.

Creamy Chicken & Mushroom Soup

From Becky Higgins Website

6 Tbsp. butter1 medium onion, chopped

3 Tbsp. flour

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

6 c. chicken broth

1 lb. mushrooms, sliced

3/4 c. sliced celery

3/4 c. chopped carrots

2 c. quartered baby red potatoes

1 c. chopped yellow squash

1 1/2 c. frozen corn kernels, thawed

2 tsp. thyme (fresh is best)

2 c. light cream

3/4 c. grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish if desired

2 c. chopped cooked chicken

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 6 minutes. Stir in the four, salt, and pepper and mix until smooth. Gradually add the broth, then turn the heat up to medium-high and bring the soup to a boil. Add the mushrooms, celery, carrots, potatoes, squash, corn, and thyme. Reduce the heat and simmer the soup, covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.Add the cream, Parmesan, and chicken. Heat the soup for an additional 10 minutes, but do not let it boil. To serve, ladle the soup into a bowl and sprinkle it with more Parmesan, if desired. Makes about 15 cups.

Chicken Curry

Becky Higgins Website

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2-3 pieces)

2 Tbsp. curry powder (look among the spices)

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced

1 1/2 c. (14 oz. can) low-sodium chicken broth

1 1/2 c. heavy cream

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

Cooked white rice

1/2 c. fresh basil leaves, torn (optional)

1/4 c. (1 oz.) almonds, roughly chopped (optional)

Rinse the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels. Cut it into 1-inch pieces and place in a bowl. Sprinkle it with the curry and cinnamon, toss, and set aside. Heat 1 Tbsp. of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and zucchini and cook until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Heat the remaining oil in the skillet. Add the chicken and cook until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes total. Add the broth, cream, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer. Return the onion and zucchini to the skillet and heat until the chicken is cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. For a little stronger curry flavor, this is a good time to sprinkle some more of the curry powder into the liquid mixture.

Divide the rice among individual bowls (f you're Becky Higgins), top with the curry, and sprinkle with the basil and almonds.

Tip: You can vary the ingredients depending on what you have on hand. Consider substituting coconut milk for the cream, eggplant for the zucchini, cilantro for the basil, or cashews for the almonds.

Chicken Vegetable Soup

Heat 2 Tbs. oil in a large pot, add 1 medium, chopped onion. Saute about 3 minutes.

Add remaining vegetables cut in bite sized pieces
2 medium carrots
2 medium celery stocks
3/4 cups frozen peas
One whole, cooked chicken (boned and shredded)
1 lb. cubed potatoes
32 oz. chicken broth
2 chicken bullion cubes
1/2 tsp. dried thyme (2 tsp. fresh)
Add water as needed

Partially cover and simmer about 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add fresh, torn spinach and cook for another 3 minutes.

Food Co-op

Here's the website for the food co-op. I know that several from the neighborhood have done it and been satisfied. It is a great value for the money and the produce is great (I am very picky about my produce). Orders have to be placed by the 2nd Friday (the 15th this month) of the month and are usually picked up at the clubhouse just below Pheasant Pointe Dr. on the 4th Saturday (the 30th this month).

http://www.foodco-op.net/

Grilled Chicken Tostadas

These were so delicious and even healthy! I served them with lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole and Susan's homemade salsa. It has a lot of directions, but it really isn't complicated! Recipe and Picture courtesy of FamilyFun.com.

MARINADE:
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (about 3 to 4 limes)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil (plus more for brushing the tortillas)
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

TOSTADAS
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 4 ounces each)
8 small corn tortillas (5 to 6 inches in diameter)
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack, or more if desired
1 1/2 cups shredded lettuce

Optional toppings: salsa, guacamole, sour cream, cilantro, green onions


Step 1
Place the chicken thighs in a gallon-size zip-lock bag and add all the marinade ingredients. Press the air out of the bag and seal it. Turn the bag to thoroughly coat the chicken, place it in a bowl, and refrigerate it for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight), turning the bag occasionally. Remove the meat from the refrigerator 20 minutes before you want to start grilling.

Step 2
Prepare a charcoal fire or set a gas grill to medium-high, close the lid, and heat until hot -- about 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 3
Remove the thighs from the bag and discard the marinade. Grill the chicken until it's no longer pink inside, about 4 to 5 minutes per side on a gas grill. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for about 5 minutes before cutting it into 1/2-inch strips.

Step 4
Lightly brush both sides of the tortillas with vegetable oil. Grill them on each side until they turn slightly brown, about 1 minute on a gas grill. Before removing the tortillas from the grill, sprinkle each one with 1 tablespoon of cheese.

Step 5
To serve, layer the tortillas with shredded lettuce, the chicken strips, the remaining cheese, and any additional toppings. Serves 6 to 8.