Sheet Pan Chicken with Peaches and Tomatoes

Ingredients

• 1 lb. small or cherry tomatoes
• 1 lb. peaches, cut into wedges
• 1 large red onion, cut into thin half-moons (2 1/2 cups)
• 4 T olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 T Dijon-style mustard
• 2 T red wine vinegar
• 2 T honey
• 8 8-oz skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Arrange tomatoes, peaches, and onion in a shallow baking pan.  Drizzle with 2 T oil, sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt.  Toss to coat; spread in an even layer.
2. In a large bowl, combine remaining 2 T oil, the garlic, mustard, vinegar, honey, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper.  Whisk to combine.  Add chicken; tun to coat.
3. Arrange chicken breasts in another shallow baking pan.  Drizzle chicken with any remaining mustard mixture.  Place both pans in oven on separate racks.  Roast 20 to 25 minutes or until chicken is done (165 deg. F), stirring tomato mixture halfway and rotating pans top to bottom.  Transfer chicken to a cutting board.  Let rest 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, continue roasting tomato mixture until vegetables just begin to brown.
4. Cut chicken into thick slices, transfer to a platter and top with tomato mixture.  Serves 8.  

TIP:

If desired, brown the chicken after coating with mustard mixture.  In a 12" skillet, heat 1 T oil over medium heat.  Add half the chicken.  Cook 2 minutes on each side, or until browned.  Transfer to a shallow baking pan.  Repeat with remaining chicken, adding more oil to skillet if needed.  Roast as directed in Step. 3.  

Zucchini-Chorizo Sweet Corn Bake

Ingredients

• 2 large zucchini, sliced lengthwise into 1/8" thick ribbons
• 12 ounce ground chorizo
• 4 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 1/2 C whole milk
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 1/2 C fresh corn
• 1 1/2 C shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
• 1/2 C grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly butter a 2-quart baking dish.  Place zucchini in a colander.  Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt.  Let stand 20 minutes.  Blot dry with paper towels.
2. Meanwhile, heat a 10" skillet over medium.  Add chorizo.  Cook and stir 5 to 7 minutes until cooked.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, yolks, milk, garlic and onion powders, and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
4. Spread half the chorizo in an even layer in the prepared dish.  Top with half the zucchini, corn, and cheeses.  Pour half the egg mixture on top.  Repeat layers.  
5. Bake, uncovered, 40 minutes or until just set and top begins to turn golden brown.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
   

Baked Tofu Nuggets

Ingredients

• one 16-oz block extra-firm tofu

Wet Ingredients

• 1/2 C unsweetened almond milk
• 1 1/2 T cornstarch
• 1 1/2 T ground flaxseeds
• 1/4 tsp salt

Dry Ingredients

• 1 C panko
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp salt

Directions

1. Press the tofu, for at least 20 minutes
2. In a small bowl, add the almond milk, cornstarch, flaxseeds and salt.  Whisk well to combine, then set aside until the tofu is ready.
3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
4. In another bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, garlic powder, paprika and salt.  
5. Slice the pressed tofu in half lengthwise, then cut into equal-sized cubes.
6. Whisk the wet ingredients one more time.  Coat each tofu cube in the wet ingredients, then into the breadcrumb mixture.
7. Pat with the breadcrumb mixture to get as much as possible on the tofu.  Place on prepared baking sheet with parchment paper.
8. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip the pieces and bake for 15 more minutes until golden and crispy.  
9. Serve immediately with your choice of dipping sauce.
   

Carrot-Kimchi Dressing

I made this on July 1, 2019.  Not bad :)
Ingredients

• 2 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 inch ginger root, peeled
• 1 large garlic clove
• 2 T finely chopped kimchi
• 2 T rice vinegar
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 T mayonnaise
• 1/2 tsp salt, plus more for seasoning
• 1/4 C neutral oil

Directions

1. Combine all the above ingredients, except the oil in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.  
2. Add the oil and whiz a few more times to incorporate.
3. If the dressing is too thick, add water, 1 T at a time, until the mixture is the consistency of ranch dressing.
4. Set aside or store until ready to eat (the dressing can be made up to 4 days in advance).
   

Island Style Mahi-mahi

Ingredients  I'll make this again.  It's a keeper!

• 1 pound mahi mahi filets
• 1 C mayonnaise
• 2 T sesame seed oil
• 1 T shoyu
• salt, pepper to taste
• 2 ounce crab meat (I used the fake crab)
• 1/4 C parmesan cheese
• 2 T melted butter (I think I'd use less butter next time because the mayonnaise is oily)

Optional Items:

Chopped green onions, onions, mushrooms.  I used onions and garlic.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a baking dish with aluminum foil.  Make the foil large enough to be able to wrap the fish.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, sesame seed oil, parmesan cheese, melted butter, and shoyu.  
3. Season fish with salt and pepper.  Arrange fish in a single layer in prepared pan.
4. Scatter crab meat and any optional items onto fish.  Top with mayonnaise mixture.
5. Wrap tightly with foil.
6. Bake 20 to 20 minutes.
7. Uncover, place under broiler for 4 to 6 minutes until bubbly and browned.

Sweet Potato Salad with Bacon

Ingredients:  I made this for Easter lunch, April 21, 2019.  Everyone agreed it's a keeper!

For the Sweet Potato Salad

• 4 slices bacon, fried and crumbled
• 3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 C thinly sliced celery
• 1 C thinly sliced green onions

For the Mustard Dressing

• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced (optional, I didn't put this in because I was feeding it to the grandkids)
• 2 T whole grain mustard
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 T rice vinegar
• 3 T olive oil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper

Directions:

1. Cook the sweet potatoes, either boiling in salted water or microwaving.  
2. Cook bacon.  Crumble into a bowl.  Add celery and green onions.
3. Prepare the mustard dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
4. Add the sweet potatoes to the bowl with the bacon, drizzle with the dressing, then toss gently to combine.  Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as desired.  Serve warm, chilled, or at room temperature.  

Southwestern Zucchini and Corn Bites with Avocado Ranch

I made this for Easter Sunday, April 21, 2019.  It's another keeper!

Ingredients

• 2 C shredded zucchini, squeezed dry (from about 2 medium-sized zucchini)
• 1 1/4 C cornmeal
• 2 T cornstarch
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 C shredded monterrey jack cheese
• 1/2 C finely chopped green onion
• 1 1/2 C corn kernels
• 2 large eggs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 deg. F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the zucchini, cornmeal, cornstarch, seasonings, cheese, green onion, corn and eggs until well-combined.
3. One tablespoon at a time, press the zucchini mixture into small balls.  Place onto baking sheet.
4. Bake until browned and crisp, about 30 minutes, flipping and gently pressing with the bottom of a spatula halfway through.
5. As the bites bake, combine all the of avocado ranch ingredients in a bowl and mash to break up the avocado.  Then stir until mostly smooth and well-combined.
6. Serve the zucchini bites warm with cilantro to garnish and avocado ranch to dip.

Ingredients for the avocado ranch

• 1 large avocado, peeled and pitted
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
• 1 (1 ounce) package dry ranch dressing mix
• 1 T fresh cilantro, plus more to garnish