Microwave Bacon-Garlic Chicken Breasts

I read cookbooks like some people read novels. Over the years I have collected several hundred, so now I'm in the process of weeding through those that I can part with (not easy for me to do). Some can be tossed because I either didn't really enjoy them or they just plain weren't very useful. Others I have given away to friends who wanted them or donated them to our local library or Habitat Restore. (One that I gave away like that I recently saw used in a magazine display as an "antique." Leave it to me to give away the valuables!)
This Microwave Cooking from Litton came with the first microwave that we owned. The copyright date is 1981, so we probably got the microwave around that same time. I haven't parted with the book simply because it contains a few recipes that I still use today, plus it has some sentimental value as well. I resisted getting a microwave - just thought I really would never use one. I didn't buy stock in Apple or WalMart either. About the time hubby convinced me that I really should think about getting one (He tried to pass it off as a birthday present, but of course came to his senses VERY soon with some insight from me.), I decided that it was our turn to host the annual family Thanksgiving dinner. I liked to cook. I liked to entertain. I wanted our own traditions and tablescapes. Plus, I was tired of trekking over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house - this was OUR year and every in-law, aunt, uncle, and cousin on both sides of the family had better show up! Not one to panic after realizing this would amount to about forty or so, I divvied up the menu responsibilities among the first cousins, told the grandmas to have a rest, and set to work. I'm pretty sure I was having an out-of-my-mind Betty Crocker hallucination about this time. If you could look back over some of the new , never-before-tried (of course) recipes I chose to include for the occasion, you would definitely know that it was my alter ego Julia Child planning the menu.

Thanksgiving morning all was going well until it came time to remove two (yes, two) turkeys from the oven. I had primed, basted and timed...we were headed for a Norman Rockwell turkey day. Except....about an hour before the turkeys should be finishing up, my regular oven decided to call it quits. Unfortunately, it took me awhile to notice that it was no longer heating; fortunately, I my neighbors across the street had left town and left me their keys! Forward march with turkeys in tow. Except...Anne had a wall oven that would not accommodate my two turkeys, so on to Plan C. One turkey in the neighbors' oven and one in the microwave. Remember, this is a brand new device. I think I had practiced boiling water in it at this point, but what was a girl to do? To make this long story a bit shorter, both turkeys actually turned out well. Granted, the microwave bird wasn't pretty and brown, but it tasted just fine. By the time all the relatives rolled in, we had more food than we could possibly consume anyway (we are known for our gluttony). I was pooped but definitely full.

We scaled back to only the in-laws and sister's family the next year. By then I had fully mastered the Litton, but hubby fried the turkey outside.

This easy chicken recipe came from that Litton cookbook. My daughter used to always ask for it, so it became a regular at our house while she was still home. You will, of course, need to adjust the cooking times to fit your microwave. Enjoy!

4 servings

1/4 cup butter or margarine (I usually use at least 1/2 cup.)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes (Rub this around in the palm of your hand first.)
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind (I just use lemon juice.)
1/3 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspooon hot pepper sauce (I use Tabasco.)
4 chicken skin-on chicken breasts (You can remove the breasts before eating if you prefer.)
4 bacon slices, cut in half

Place butter and garlic in 2-quart (12 x 7) glass baking dish. Microwave for about 1 minute on high, or until garlic is partly cooked. (I just get the butter melted.) Add remaining ingredients except chicken breasts and bacon; mix well. Roll chicken breasts in seasoned butter, arrange skin-side-up and thick edges toward outside in the baking dish. Lay 2 half slices of bacon on each chicken breast. Microwave for 14 - 18 minutes on high or until meat cut near bone is no longer pink. Let stand 5 minutes before servings.

Roasted Beet Salad ala Purple Sage

Check out the cutest little boy in the world!

My family likes to snow ski, but it is an infrequent event unfortunately. We just don't get much snow here - certainly never enough to ski on. Although I did have a somewhat crazy neighbor (Harvey J) one year put on his skis when we had a rare, but a particularly heavy snow (maybe three to five inches) and take off down the street in front of our house. (Wonder what ever happened to him anyway?) Given the opportunity, we head to Utah or Colorado, don our thermals and ski wear, plunge our feet into those gosh-awful boots that began their lives some time back in the Dark Ages as torture devices (yes, I know they are much better than they used to be, but....), latch on the downhillers and become Stein Ericksen pretenders. I'm okay as long as no one ever mentions "black diamond" or "moguls." My daughter and son-in-law have tried snowboarding and liked it, but I just don't see that happening for me. (Maybe slow boarding?) I'm sure my grandchildren will be "cotton-pickin boarders " one of these days. That's my husband's term for them. The three and a half year old has already had his first ski experience and seemed to take to it just fine. My theory is that since kiddos are usually close to the ground, they have no fear of falling and breaking a bone or two. Therefore, their main goal is SPEED! That was certainly true of my daughter when she was learning...and the proverbial acorn hasn't fallen far from the tree (or should that be snowflake?).

The last time we were in Park City we ate at Purple Sage which touts itself as featuring American Western Cuisine. I had a roasted beet salad with goat cheese and hazelnuts along with butternut squash ravioli. They were both fantastic; I highly recommend that you try them if you get to make the trip. This salad recipe came from Williams-Sonoma. While it isn't exactly like the one at Purple Sage, it comes close. I thought it was delicious. Purple Sage uses an orange hazelnut vinaigrette that I haven't been able to duplicate exactly. I am including the one that I use which comes close as well as the original vinaigrette used at Williams-Sonoma. Maybe I can convince Purple Sage to part with their recipe one of these days. Too many people don't think very highly of beets. Maybe this salad will change your mild if you are one of those.

Before you roast the beets, cut off the greens and reserve them for another use. If they are tender, add them to a tossed salad. Otherwise, compost them or feed them to your pet rabbit.

3 golden beets, trimmed and washed (get small or baby beets if you can)
6 red beets, trimmed and washed
1/2 cup olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
5 Tbs. crème fraîche (Make your own if your grocery doesn't have it in stock; it's easy to do.)
1 Tbs. chopped fresh dill
2 tsp. minced shallots
4 cups baby watercress (I have used mache, arugula and baby spinach. It's hard for me to find watercress.)
4 oz. goof quality goat cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup toasted chopped walnuts (or hazelnuts)

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Place the golden and red beets on a baking sheet. Coat the beets with 3 Tbs. of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil and roast until the beets are fork-tender, about 1 hour. When the beets are cool enough to handle, peel and cut into 1-inch wedges. Meanwhile, in a salad dressing emulsifier (I don't have one of these, so I just make do with a whisk.), combine the lemon juice, crème fraîche, the remaining 5 Tbs. olive oil, the dill and shallots. Squeeze the lever to emulsify. Season the vinaigrette with salt and pepper.** Arrange the beet wedges in a layer on a platter and top with the watercress. Garnish with the goat cheese and walnuts. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and serve immediately. Serves 6.

**Orange-Hazelnut Vinaigrette
Makes 1 1/2 cups
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup hazelnut oil (If you can't get hazelnut oil, try walnut oil.)
1 1/2 tsp. grated orange zest
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Directions
Whisk together vinegar, orange juice, hazelnut oil, and orange zest in bowl. Slowly pour in olive oil while whisking. Season with salt and pepper. This is from Vegetarian Times.

I noticed a blog entry yesterday on the Yahoo! site about The Top Ten Foods People Love or Hate and thought you might enjoy it, so I have linked it here to make it easy for you to find. It was interesting to see what the writer's choices were; I'm not sure mine would have been the same, but then I wasn't the one getting paid to write for Yahoo! either. Anyway, I will be adding some recipes over the next month or so that use some of these items . Maybe they will fall in the category of Foods You Love after that.

Under the Tuscan Sun with Pizza Margherita

My birthday is in December just before Christmas. I don't have a problem with that - not that I could change it! I know people who switch their kid's birthday parties to summer in order to avoid the competition with the seasonal onslaught. It works for them. My parents never did that, but they did make certain that my birthday and Christmas were separated. That is NOT to say that others did - hint, hint. When you are a little tyke, it's really not cool to get a birthday gift wrapped in Christmas paper. Now I'm just glad to keep having those birthdays, and I'll take a gift in any kind of paper. In fact, you don't even have to wrap it as long as it comes in a little blue box that says Tiffany & Co. (fill in the name of your favorite jeweler here).

This year was one of the "biggy" milestones for me. (Remember...it's not polite to ask a lady's weight or age.) My birthday fell in the middle of a really busy week and since we were leaving for our daughter's house and the holidays the following weekend, I asked hubby to make the celebration just an easy, non-event- NO SURPRISES. Well, when the evening of my birthday rolled around he wanted to know where I would like to go eat. I gave him a name or two - he suggested two of our favorite Italian places. Reminding him that we had just eaten at one of those a few nights before, I suggested "B.G." (that chain that features really nice fish dishes). He said ," Let's do pizza."

By this time, tired as I was from corralling hormonal middle-schoolers all day, I was about to slug him with my favorite cast iron skillet. Patience is definitely not my middle name. Why was he being so darn ornery? But...I put on my sweetest, most tight-lipped, Southern belle smile and told him in no uncertain terms that I absolutely did not want pizza - there were pizza leftovers still in the fridge - and if I wanted that then I would just stay home and stick a candle in a piece of cold pepperoni. Realizing that my sense of humor was not doing the talking when I told him that, he decided that fish was an excellent idea and off we went. (Isn't it amazing how quickly men can be convinced to come to the right decision?)

It was a pleasant, tasty dinner. However, I must admit that I really was looking for a little something more than a card and cod (actually it was snapper). Thus far, the evening was not looking too promising gift wise. Maybe he had taken the idea of "real simple" a little too much in earnest. About the time I was ready to perfect my bestest pout, he pops the question, "So what do you think about Italy in March?" Me in all of my brilliantness responded smartly with something akin to checking the Weather Channel for him. A big wide grin worked its way across his face, and I realized that I had been "got." In short, my present was a trip to Italy! (He is still teasing me about not picking up on all of the food hints he dropped.)

So come late March, we're off to enjoy Venice, Florence, Rome and the Tuscany area. In honor of that, I'm sharing one of my favorite pizza recipes. Its a classic Pizza Margherita - so easy, but just delicious. While you are preparing it, pop in a DVD of Under the Tuscan Sun or put in a Pavarotti cd. Prego.

This makes enough for one 10-inch pizza. Use your favorite pizza crust recipe or buy one of the prebaked ones. I like for mine to be thinner than those, so I usually make my own crust. Whatever tosses your crust! Roll out or toss if you are so talented your crust on a well-floured space. Sprinkle your pizza pan or heated pizza stone with a teaspoon of cornmeal (not mix) before placing the crust. I really prefer grilling ours, but you'll just have to decide what is best for you. Unfortunately, I don't have a wood-fired oven. (Maybe for my next birthday?)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
Stir garlic into oil. The earlier you do this, the better.

8 - 10 very thin slices of Roma tomatoes **

3 - 4 ounces fresh buffalo mozzarella, cut into small rounds or chunks

3 tablespoons torn fresh basil (or more depending upon your taste)

salt

freshly ground black pepper
1. Position an oven rack in the lowest setting. Place a pizza stone on the rack before turning on the oven.
2. Preheat oven to 500°. Preheat pizza stone 30 minutes before baking pizza. (Or prepare your grill, if using.)
3. Gently brush 1/2 teaspoon oil over pizza dough. Pat tomato slices with a paper towel. Arrange cheese over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Top with tomato slices. Slide dough onto preheated pizza stone, using a spatula or a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil as a guide.
4. Bake at 500° for 9 minutes or until crust is golden. Remove from pizza stone. Drizzle with some of the remaining garlic and olive oil mixture. Sprinkle with basil, salt, and black pepper. Cut into wedges.

5. Grilling - It usually takes me about 5 -6 minutes on a really hot gas grill. I can cook the pizza directly on the rack of my grill. You may decide to use the pizza stone along with the grill.

**Make sure these are good and ripe. You might prefer to use your favorite pizza sauce instead of the tomatoes. I think it's better with the tomatoes - and it's prettier with those pretty Italian colors showing.

Mangia bene, vivi felice. (I think.)

Sisterhood

My college friend and sorority sister,Kathy ,at Life in the Slow Lane awarded my blog this Sisterhood Award. I'm not sure what all that means, but I look forward to receiving my crown and sceptre any day now. A glittery, flashly sash with "Miss Something" on it would be nice as well. Here are the Sisterhood rules:

1. Put the logo on your blog or post.
2. Nominate at least 10 blogs which show great Attitude and/or Gratitude!
3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.

AND THE NOMINEES ARE:
The Lucy Files : Remember my friend Mary Lynn? This is all about her pride and joy, Lucy (as told by P&J's momma and daddy).
The Lane Boys: Brooks and Paxton - all boys. I remember their momma when...
Lindsay's Menu: She's our next Rachael Ray!
Always Chase n' Presley: The adventures of Chase and Presley. Isn't that the cutest name?
A Princess Can Play, Too: Cute! Cute! Get your tutu here.
Laci and Megan: Princess Tutu's girls. Real cuties.
Girly Swirls: This is another one of those cutie moms who has so much going on it makes my head swirl!
Grits and Glamour: Southern hospitality Ya'll.
Just a Beach Kat: Because I love the beach as well.
Kellys Korner: Check out the gorgeous mom and her equally gorgeous Ob-Gyn (Feb. 8)
The Farmer Family: Adventures with Ella and Sophie and in remembrance of Sara.
The Francis Family: Brody is such a doll. I can't wait for you to meet him and his "people."
The Kindy Family: Lindsey, Jeremiah , Colson and Baby? make more than three.

These are just some I keep up with and enjoy. I'm learning about new ones all of the time.

Microwave Barbeque Shrimp and Pascal's Manale

Courtesy of Pascal's Manale

If you've spent much time in New Orleans, you will probably recognize this landmark - Pascal's Manale. The first time I ever ate there was in January of 1970 - a lifetime ago it seems. I'm a small-town girl who married a city-slicker guy, except that his city is still pretty small by New York, Dallas or Atlanta standards. We got to New Orleans by way of First Landmark Missionary Baptist Church on a balmy January evening and a wedding ceremony that we were both too exhausted to remember. New Orleans was our "destination" honeymoon - and it was a big deal for the two of us. Newlywed, practically penniless, with one of us still in college and the other freshly graduated on her wedding day (not smart, but we were young and in LUV), we opened ourselves up to all that N'awlins had to offer - or so we thought. Our first night was spent at the Fairmont Roosevelt Hotel and its all you can drink champagne buffet. It didn't take much champagne - we were just too pooped to party. Room service brunch the next day (well, it was more like lupper) was this mountainsized delight called Pancakes Oscar. Oh my goodness (OMG for all of you up-t0-date hip people)! We had enough pancakes to last us the first year of our marriage - having placed two orders, of course. These weren't naked pancakes, however. Piled on top, around the sides and in between each flat, round circle of pecan buttermilk delight, was more whipped cream and strawberries than I had ever seen at a summertime ice cream social at FLMBC (the aforementioned wedding chapel). We were well on our way to an authentic culinary indoctrination to NOLA. At that young age our metabolisms were still running rampant, so we could actually finish off that concoction and go looking for more eats. Which brings us to Pascal's. This is where hubby and I first made acquaintance with barbecue shrimp. I had eaten lots of barbecue - my dad was known for his - but I had never eaten shrimp prepared this way before. It was love at first sight for the both of us. We've been back to the Crescent City several times since and always manage a trip to PM. Some traditions( and husbands) are worth hanging on to.

This is my scaled down, easy for a work night version. It lacks the ambience, but you can create that on your own. Mardi Gras decorations are probably on sale at your local Hobby Lobby, so go stock up and make this dish. Grab some really good sour dough French bread while you are out. You will need it to sop (yes, I said sop) up the spicy (very fattening) juice in which the shrimp has cooked.

 

Microwave Barbecue Shrimp

1 1/2 cups butter (the real stuff), melted
2 tablespoons Worcestershire
1 tablespoon (or MORE) Tabasco (If you have to ask what that is, don't even bother making this dish.)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (I use that Minute Maid frozen juice all of the time; it's good.)
1 1/2 tablespoons paprika (My mamaw always said "pap-uh-ree-ka.")
1/2 tablespoons garlic powder (I probably use more, and I most likely use a fresh garlic bulb or two if it's around)
1 1/2 tablespoons Creole seasoning (You can buy this or make your own. Emeril's Bayou Blast is a good one. I'll send you a recipe if you need one.)
2 tablespoons freshly ground coarse black pepper ( at least )

2 1/2 pounds jumbo shrimp in the shell (If you have shrimp with the heads on, it's even better flavor. It's not a requirement though.)

Melt the butter in a microwave-safe dish. This should not be too small because you will want to spread out the shrimp and be able to turn it. Add the Worcestershire, Tabasco, lemon juice, paprika, garlic powder and Creole seasoning. Add the shrimp and stir to coat with the melted butter mixture. Cover the dish with plastic wrap. Microwave on HIGH for a total of 8 minutes (this may depend upon the shrimp), stopping to stir and coat the shrimp at 2 minute intervals. The shrimp should be pink throughout. Do not overcook it or it will be tough.

Serve with lots of French bread (garlic if you prefer) and maybe a green salad. Nothing else is needed. Be sure to have plenty of paper towels on hand. It's a mess to eat, but worth every bit of the clean up that follows. At least you don't have to wait for a trip to New Orleans to enjoy it. This is a really flexible recipe. If you cook at all, you can adjust this to whatever heat and amount you need. If you don't cook, well enjoy reading about it.

The colors of the text are, of course, my tribute to New Orleans:) You are welcome to join my Krewe.

Tomato-Basil Spaghetti Squash with Parmesan Cheese

For several years we had a garden. What began as one small row grew into eight or so rather large raised beds and thirty plus varieties of heirloom tomatoes My husband wanted okra; I wanted fresh herbs and lettuces. We both wanted something far beyond tasteless immitations of those. We harvested and then harvested some more with each new summer. Mostly it was a joy. It is true that everything tastes better when it is freshly harvested and prepared. The corn is sweeter; the tomatoes more intense in hue, aroma and taste - the luxury of gourmet lettuces and greens. Ahhh. I never much cared for the weeds though. The squirrels, groundhogs and rabbits didn't like those as much as they relished the lettuces either unfortunately. (I have a groundhog story that I will share, but that's for another time.) I even tried growing some rather exotic items - morel mushrooms - watercress. Earthworms became my friends. Their poop became pure gardening gold. (I highly recommend the effort to grow your own earthworms if you are so inclined. It's amazing what they can do to garbage!) At this point you might be wondering what this has to do with this recipe. One day when I went down to work in the "fields" I noticed a strange vine growing much like Japanese kudzu along an abandoned railroad track. It had meandered through three or four tomato cages and was rapidly making an ascent up the morning glory trellis. Since we are a pretty adventuresome couple, we decided to let it be while we took off for a few days assuming that the resident groundhog would have it for lunch anyway. Our reward upon returning home was something akin to a watermelon, only it was pale yellow - almost white- and had a skin the thickness of a knight's armor. Our first spaghetti squash! I wanted to send out birth announcements but my husband urged restraint. The questioned remained as to when it was to be picked. We read; we researched. Googling became our passion. In the end, we reaped enough spaghetti squash to feed the proverbial Cox's Army (or Coxey depending upon your grandmother). So if you are ever in need of a recipe for spaghetti squash, I'm sure I have you covered. Try this one; it's delicious.

1 medium spaghetti squash (2-1/2 to 3 pounds)
2 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup basil cut into thin strips, plus 3 or 4 leaves for garnish (Grow your own - it's super easy to do.)
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prick the squash all over with a paring knife. Place in a baking dish and bake 1 hour, or until soft. Cut the squash in half. Scoop out and discard the seeds. Use a fork to scrape the flesh in strings into a serving bowl. Add the tomatoes and Parmesan cheese, and drizzle with the melted butter. Toss to combine. Add the basil, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss gently. Garnish with the basil leaves.
Yield: About 6 servings.

This makes a great side dish for just about any grilled meat.

Grilled Orange Shrimp Salad

“Shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, sauté it. There's, um, shrimp kebabs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo, pan fried, deep fried, stir fried. There's pineapple shrimp and lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich... That's, that's about it.”

Who doesn't love Forrest Gump? Even though I've watched it a few million (hyperbole???) times, I know I will watch it again soon. There's just so much about it that appeals to the good in us - or what I hope is the good in all of us. The time period is mostly my time period, too. Loss of innoncence, confusion about Vietnam, mini skirts, hot pants, and good music. Forrest Gump reminds me of those, but mostly it makes me laugh and feel good. I copied this recipe from a Bubba Gump cookbook at a beach house some years ago - never got around to getting my own copy- maybe I wasn't that impressed with it. I do like this salad, however, so I might go looking around on Amazon for one. (book that is). In the meantime, I'm off to make a salad.

Music for your dining pleasure: http://objflicks.com/TakeMeBackToTheSixties.htm

Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette
1/2 cup sugar (I usually reduce this to about 1/4 cup.)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
Combine all ingredients. Cover tightly; shake. Yield: 3/4 cup.

Salad

30 unpeeled large fresh shrimp
1 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 head Bibb lettuce
4 cups mixed baby lettuces
30 red grape and/or yellow pear tomatoes, halved
2 cucumbers, thinly sliced.

Peel and devein shrimp. Combine orange juice and basil in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add shrimp, seal and chill 1 hour. Drain shrimp, discard marinade. Thread neck and tail of each shrimp onto six 14-inch skewers so shrimp will lie flat. Grill, covered, over medium-hot coals (350 - 400 degrees) for 3 -4 minutes on each side until done. I sometimes just do this in a grill pan on top of the stove. Combine lettuces, toss with vinaigrette. Arrange on chilled salad plates. Top with shrimp, tomato and cucumber. Simple, but delicious.

Marilyn's Wild Ducks with Blackberry Sauce

The wood ducks have been back for a few weeks now. They take up residence each year during mid to late winter in the small pond behind our house. It always surprises us when they appear - why I don't know. Maybe we just don't have enough faith that they will return. We are rather like children anticipating a birthday or Santa as we watch and wait for them. One year they co-habitated there with some mallards, a few teal and a Canada goose or two; we enjoyed checking on them and counting the population over a period of several months until they left us as the weather warmed. This year there seem to be only six - three pair. Our neighbor erected a nesting box a couple of years ago, but we haven't seen any little ones yet. Maybe this will be the year.

My husband is an avid duck hunter, but he doesn't like the taste of it. I do, but since he won't eat it, I don't fix it. We usually end up giving the bounty away to just about anyone willing to take some. The Browns, friends of ours in Deer Mountain, Utah, have a recipe that they rave about and will fix whenever they can get the ducks. Apparently, the wild ducks in Utah are not edible. This year we have saved some for them which they will pick up when they are back here in March. In the meantime, I thought I would share their recipe and let you judge for yourself. It sounds delicious to me. You could probably prepare a hen or domestic duck and get similar results. Our pond ducks are, of course, off limits to all of you duck hunters!

Duck
4 (whole) ducks (just breasts won't do)
2 gala or fuji apples
celery
2 cans beef consomme (undiluted)
1 can water
Stuff duck cavities with inch slices of apple and celery. Place breast down in consomme and water. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and cook for 3 hours at 350 degrees. Duck should be very tender. Discard the apples and celery. Slice breasts and serve with blackberry sauce.

Blackberry Sauce
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup orange juice
2 T raspberry vinegar
1 1/4 cup frozen blackberries, thawed
1 1/4 cup canned beef broth
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons brandy, preferably Calvados Apple Brandy
1 tablespoon real maple syrup
Melt butter in heavy large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sugar; stir until sugar dissolves and mixture turns a deep amber color, about 5 minutes. Add wine, orange juice and vinegar (mixture will bubble vigorously) and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve caramel. Add berries and both broths and boil until sauce thickens and is reduced to about 1 cup, stirring occasionally. This will take about 25 minutes. Strain sauce through a sieve into heavy small saucepan, pressing berries with back of spoon. Mix in brandy and syrup. This can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Warm before serving. To serve, pour sauce over duck breasts or serve alongside and let your guests help themselves.

The Browns serve Uncle Ben's Long Grain and Wild Rice and green beans with the duck. The blackberry sauce is wonderful over the rice, too.

Wild Rice Crab Cakes

“The Sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.” --Jacques Cousteau

I've always loved the beach - it doesn't matter what time of the year - I would always rather be on a beach somewhere. I was born and raised in a landlocked state, so I've never quite figured out when my love and fascination with the beach and water first began. My family lived briefly in California, and I can distinctly remember the first time I set foot in the ocean. Perhaps that is when it all started for me. My husband says that I taught him how to really enjoy the beach. On our early treks to the sand, he always thought that we had to plan "activities" when all I really wanted to do was enjoy being mesmerized by the sounds and sights of the surf. We compromised then, but throughout the years he has grown to love the same renewal of spirit that I have always experienced. Right now in winter's midst, we are both missing the beach a lot. If we don't make a quick, long weekend trip to the Gulf before then, we will be there in June with our daughter, our son-in-law and our absolutely perfect grandchildren. Something tells me that they are becoming beach bums as well. We are blessed.

If you like crab, I think you will enjoy this different recipe for crab cakes. I have another that I will share at some point that is spicier, but give this one a try. Canned crab is just not for me; I try to pick up fresh or freshly frozen lump crab when we are at the beach and use it quickly. Crab loses much of its flavor almost immediately. In other words, either use fresh or freshly frozen crab or wait until you can. That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it!

1/2 cups water
1/2 cup uncooked wild rice
1 pound lump crabmeat, drained and shell pieces removed
3/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup minced shallots
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (I sometimes use 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes instead.)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided

Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add wild rice; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour or until tender. Combine cooked wild rice, crab, and next 11 ingredients (crab through egg whites) in a large bowl. Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions, shaping each into a 1-inch-thick patty. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 4 patties; cook 4 minutes. Carefully turn patties over; cook 4 minutes or until golden. Repeat procedure with remaining oil and patties.

I serve two as a meal and that is perfect for us. You can easily cut this recipe in half. I usually serve this with a mango salsa, but a spicy remoulade is nice as well. Also, you might try coating these with panko crumbs before frying. It makes them nice and crusty. They are really nice as is, however. A salad and some crusty garlic bread complete the meal.

This is another one of the Cooking Light recipes that I really like.

Mango Salsa:

1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 - 1 jalapeno pepper, minced (seeds removed)
1 large, ripe mango peeled, chopped into small chunks (I sometimes mix pineapple and/or papaya in as well.)

Make this ahead of time. It keeps well for at least a day and is usually better that way. However, as little as an hour or two will work.Try using this with Jamaiican jerked chicken or pork tenderloin. It's also really good over any mild fish. Put on some beachy music and enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Sour Cream Cake for Valentine's Day

Chocolate Chip Sour Cream Pound Cake

This recipe has been around for a long time, but it is one of those stand-bys that I go to frequently. My version is somewhat different in that it uses dark chocolate, which I prefer. Wonderfully moist and chocolatety....serve it to all those terrific people you know and love and don't just save it for Valentine's Day.

1 dark chocolate cake mix of your preference
1 small instant chocolate pudding mix
4 eggs
1 cup canola oil
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 ounces sour cream
6 ounces mini chocolate chips OR dark chocolate chips

Stir together the cake and pudding mixes; beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the oil, water, vanilla and sour cream and beat until well blended. Stir in the chocolate chips. The batter will be very thick. Pour into a bundt pan that has been coated with cooking spray. Smooth out the batter and lightly tap several times on the countertop. Bake at 325 degrees for approximately 1 hour. Turn onto cake plate while still warm. You can dust it with powdered sugar or dark cocoa, but I usually just leave it plain.

Serve it as is or topped with whipped cream, ice cream, raspberry coulis or fresh berries. Your mouth will love you!

Heavenly Angel Food Cake

One of my sorority sisters and friends has been struggling with cancer since this summer. She went Heavenward today to join God's band of angels. Susan was one of those people who always had a smile and a kind word. Her grace and courage were truly remarkable. It was my privilege, along with hundreds of others, to be a recipient of her faithful witness during these past months. I like to think that she didn't lose a battle with cancer, but that she gained many victories for the Lord through her steadfast testimony and honorable life. This favorite recipe is posted in both her memory and honor. If you are so inclined, say a little prayer for her husband, children and grandchildren. Susan -Love and Loyally, Debbie.

Approximately 16 servings.

1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour (and I do think it is necessary to sift here)

12 egg whites (use the real thing)

1 1/4 teaspoons fresh cream of tartar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (clear if you have it)

1/4 teaspoon almond or orange extract (I like orange extract especially when I serve this with fresh fruit.)

1 1/3 cups sugar

Sift the flour 4 times and set aside. Beat the egg whites until bubbly; add cream of tartar, salt, and extracts. Beat until soft peaks form. (I use an electric mixer, but it's good exercise if you can do it by hand!) Gradually add the sugar, 1/3 cup at a time, beating each time until blended. Fold in the flour by hand. Pour the batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan. (Make certain that the pan is clean and dry.) Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 35 minutes. Invert the pan onto the neck of a bottle (I use a worchestershire bottle.) and let stand until the cake is completely cool. Run a knife around the inside and outside edges to loosen before removing from the pan.

I like to serve this with fresh berries when they are in season. To prepare the berries, I will mix whatever amount I want with a little sugar and some orange juice, cover and chill for at least an hour. Of course, you might want to add "just a tad" of whipped cream to the top as well. You can use any combination of berries, but my favorites are blackberries, raspberries and blueberries. I usually use strawberries by themselves...whatever floats your berries!

Easy Apple-Pecan Crisp

Several years ago I was involved in producing and publishing a cookbook for our local Junior Auxiliary chapter. Calico Cupboards was a big success and provided us with funds to accomplish many community service projects. Since I was president at the time of its publication, I was one of three members who traveled with the galley sheets to the publishing company in Memphis. 

We were very apprehensive about the undertaking, not only because we had the one and only copy of the book on which our membership had worked for months, but because one of us was about to sign off on a HUGE financial contract (that would be me)! To say I was nervous would be an understatement. 


Anyway as the story goes, the debt was quickly paid off and I never had to go to jail. One of the bonuses I came away with that day was several copies of cookbooks previously published by this company. I love freebies! This recipe came from one of those: Tea Time at the Masters which was originally published in 1977 by the Junior League of Augusta, Georgia. I hope they don't mind the use of their recipe (could I still end up doing time?).


I've used this recipe so many times for a quick and easy dessert. My family always seemed to enjoy it; I hope you do as well.

Tea Time at the Masters Easy Apple Crisp

Serves 6

4 cups tart apples, sliced and sprinkled with lemon juice (I use Granny Smith apples.)
3.4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup sifted plain flour (YOU can sift if you want; I never saw the need.)
1/2 cup rolled oats
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup pecans, chopped ( I use more than that because we like it that way. I also toast them slightly beforehand.)

Butter an 8-inch square pan (or whatever you have that is close to that). Spread the apples across the bottom. Blend the remaining ingredients until crumbly. Spread this mixture over the apples. Bake at 350 degress until the apples are tender and the top is golden brown (about 30-45 minutes). Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

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Bobby Flay's Smoky Red Pepper and White Bean Dip

I just absolutely love New York City! I love all the sights, sounds and, especially, the restaurants. Shopping should probably fall in the list somewhere, but I can honestly say that I prefer the exploring more. Fortunately, my husband is a willing explorer with me. We've had some really unique and fun times checking out both the famous and not-so-famous restaurants in the places we have visited . Mesa Grill, Bobby Flay's restaurant in Manhattan, is one of the places that we have enjoyed. Since I've been a Food Network fanatic (and an even earlier Julia Child wannabe) forever, I knew that this would be one of the places we would investigate. This dip from there is tasty, healthy and easy! You just can't beat that combination.

1 pound dried white beans, soaked overnight and drained (canellini beans are excellent)
OR (and this is my choice) 2 (19-ounce )cans canellini beans, rinsed and drained
4 cloves garlic, peeled OR 2 cloves, minced, if using canned beans
2 large red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded and diced (You can use the jarred variety if you
prefer.)
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon chipotle puree (I usually make my own using canned chipotle peppers.)
1 tablespoon honey
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Combine the soaked beans and garlic in a large saucepan and add cold water to cover by 1 inch. (If using the canned beans, skip to the next step.) Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer untils oft, approximately 1 to 1 1/2 hours, adding boiling water as needed to keep the beans covered. Drain in a colander; do not discard the garlic.

Combine the roasted peppers, vinegar and chipotle puree in a food processor and process until smooth. You can do the same thing with a mixer, but the dip will not be as smooth. Add the beans and garlic to the mixture and procfess until smooth. Add the honey and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer to a bowl and garnish with chopped cilantro. This can be made ahead, covered and refrigerated for a few hours. It is best to bring it to room temperature before serving.

Serve with tortilla chips.