Pizza, Pizza

Barbecue chicken pizza

I've tried a few new pizzas on my family lately. With both, I found a recipe and then completely altered it.





Barbecue Chicken Pizza

1- 12 in pizza dough crust (Trader Joe's makes great pizza dough in the deli section)
1/3 cup barbecue sauce
2 Cups of rotisserie chicken (shred it)
3/4 cups yellow or orange bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup vertically-sliced red onion
1/3 cup blue cheese or gorgonzola

Roll out pizza dough on a baking sheet or pizza stone. Spread barbecue sauce and follow with chicken, pepper and onion. Sprinkle cheese. Bake at 450 for 10-12 minutes.

Salmon Pizza

1-12 in pizza dough
6 oz can salmon (you might like smoked)
2/3 cup yellow bell pepper, chopped
2 cups green onions, sliced
3 oz. mascarpone cheese
freshly ground black pepper

Roll out pizza dough on a baking sheet or pizza stone. Spread green onions on pizza; follow with peppers. Then spread salmon pieces evenly. And drop dollops of mascarpone on top evenly. Grind black pepper on top and then bake at 450 for 10-11 minutes.

Orange Chicken

I came up with this recipe and was told it was a Top Ten by my husband.

• 1 T olive oil

• 1 lb skinless, boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into small pieces

• 1/2 C Blood Orange Jam (available at World Market)*

• 2 T white wine (I use Charles Shaw chardonnay available at Trader Joes for 2.49) 

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

*Orange marmalade could work but I haven't tried it.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan and swirl to coat. Add chicken and cook 5 minutes on each side or until cooked thoroughly. Remove from pan. Add jam, wine, and garlic to pan; bring to a boil. Cook sauce 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off heat and return chicken to pan, long enough to coat with sauce. Serve with rice. (I use brown basmati) Serves 4.

Peach Quesadillas

I forgot the photo and this was supposed to be posted mid-summer when peaches were in season.

8 tortillas
2 large peaches, peeled and thinly sliced
2 sweet onions
2 cups shredded gouda cheese (though I intend to try other cheeses)
Tablespoon olive oil
Olive oil cooking spray

Thinly slice onions. Heat olive oil over medium heat. Saute onions.
Divide onions, peaches, and cheese evenly between tortillas; put on one side.
Cook quesadillas in a skillet coated with cooking spray. Fold in half after 1-2 minutes and then flip. Sides should be golden brown. Cut into several sections.

CSA Boxes

Have I mentioned how much I love my CSA box? Here are five reasons why:

1) I truly hate gardening. I grow a few things in pots but I don't like bugs and worms and the feeling of dirt in my hands has never done anything for me.

2) I make too many decisions (especially menu decisions) already. My mind is on overload and it makes me tired. Weekly someone decides what vegetables (and usually one fruit) I am going to eat that week. I can build the rest from there.

3) I get to try things I never would. Kohlrabi is great with hummus. Beet greens work nicely in soups and stir frys. My kids LIKE sugar snap peas.

4) I'm helping a local farmer grow healthy food within 10 miles of my home.

5) My family is eating organic, vitamin-laden yummy food.

For CSAs in your area, go to Localharvest.org.

Yogurt-marinated Chicken Kebabs with Israeli couscous

I'm a vegetarian craving protein and so I've been adding a little more chicken to my diet. But since I don't actually like meat, I'm very particular. When I found Israeli couscous at Trader Joe's I had to try this recipe I found online (originally from Sunset magazine). The one correction I would make is to add 1 teaspoon of salt to the couscous instead of 1 tablespoon. It was way too salty.

Yogurt-marinated Chicken Kebabs with Israeli Couscous

* 1 1/2 cups plain low-fat yogurt, divided
* 2 teaspoons garam masala (see Notes)
* 1 teaspoon Madras curry powder
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 tablespoon plus 1 tsp. salt, divided
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 1/2 pounds boned, skinned chicken breast, cut into 1 1/2-in. pieces
* 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
* 3 tablespoons minced red onion
* 1 teaspoon finely shredded fresh lemon zest
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, divided
* 1 1/2 cups Israeli couscous (see Notes)
* 2 teaspoons olive oil
* 2 medium red bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1 1/2-in. pieces
* Four 8-in. skewers

1. Combine 1 cup yogurt, garam masala, curry powder, garlic, 1 tsp. salt, and pepper in a large resealable plastic bag. Add chicken, seal bag, and shake to coat. Let marinate 20 minutes at room temperature.

2. In a small bowl, stir together remaining 1/2 cup yogurt, the feta, onion, lemon zest, and 1 tbsp. mint; set aside.

3. Bring 2 qts. water to a boil and add 1 tbsp. salt. Add couscous and cook until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain, return to pot, and add olive oil. Cover to keep warm.

4. Thread chicken and bell pepper onto metal skewers and discard marinade. Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high (you can hold your hand 1 to 2 in. above cooking grate only 3 to 4 seconds). Grill kebabs, turning once, until chicken is browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Pile couscous on a platter, sprinkle with remaining 1 tbsp. mint, and arrange kebabs around it. Serve with yogurt-feta sauce.

Cooking with Orzo

Orzo is one of my favorite things to keep on hand. It comes in handy for so many things. I make myself a quick lunch of orzo, a little cheese (feta or goat is my favorite), tomatoes, parsley (fresh or dried), a dab of olive oil and a squirt of lemon juice (if I have a lemon).

This month I made these two quick and easy recipes and used a small amount of orzo. They both serve our family of four with enough leftovers for a lunch the next day.

Red Pepper Frittata

Cook a small amount or orzo following package directions. You want about 1 Cup cooked orzo. Preheat oven to 350.
Then combine in a medium bowl:
* 1 tablespoon water
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
* 4 large egg whites
* 3 large eggs
Stir with a whisk. Prepare a baking dish (8 X 8 works well) by coating with cooking spray.

Heat a larger skillet (on medium) coated with cooking spray and add in:
* 1-1/2 cups diced red bell pepper
* 1 cup sliced onion
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
Saute for 5 minutes. Stir in orzo and egg mixture and stir for 2-3 minutes.

Transfer everything to the baking dish and sprinkle about 1/3 cup cheese (I like cheddar or jack or a combination) and bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes. The dish will look set to you. It is best if you let it stand for 3-4 minutes before serving.

Lemon Chicken Soup with Orzo

My kids love this soup and it has a really unique flavor.

* 6 cups broth (chicken is best but I have substituted vegetable and even used part water before)
* 1/4 teaspoon dill
* 1/2 cup uncooked orzo
* 4 large eggs
* 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (1 good sized juicy lemon squeezed is about the right amount)
* 1 cup shredded carrot
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* 8 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces

Bring broth and dill to a boil in a large saucepan. Add orzo. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until orzo is slightly tender. Remove from heat.

Place eggs and juice in a blender; process until smooth. Remove 1 cup broth from pan with a ladle, making sure to leave out orzo. With blender on, slowly add broth; process until smooth.

Add carrot, salt, pepper, and chicken to pan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, and cook 5 minutes or until chicken and orzo are done. Reduce heat to low. Slowly stir in egg mixture; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly (do not boil).

Easy Fast Yummy Lasagna

I stole this from here but made some alterations to suit little tummies.


1 (26-ounce) jar pasta sauce
Cooking spray
1 (15-ounce) carton part-skim ricotta cheese
1 - 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 no-boil lasagna noodles
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Parmesan cheese


Preparation

Preheat oven to 450°.

Spread 1/2 cup pasta sauce in bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine ricotta, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper, and salt. Arrange 2 noodles over sauce; top with 1 cup ricotta mixture and 3/4 cup sauce. Repeat layers, ending with noodles. Spread remaining sauce over noodles. Cover and bake at 450° for 25 minutes or until noodles are tender and sauce is bubbly. Uncover lasagna, and top with Parmesan. Bake lasagna an additional 5 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. It feeds 4-6.

Ethiopian Meal

Here are some links to Ethiopian recipes. I love the injera bread. It looks like a pancake but is spongier for picking up food.

Injera:
2 C whole wheat flour
1 C all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 C club soda
3/4 C plain yogurt
1 C water
Cooking spray

To prepare injera, weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours, baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Combine club soda and yogurt in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Add the yogurt mixture to the flour mixture; stir with a whisk until smooth. Add water.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Pour about 1/3 cup batter per flatbread onto pan in a spiral, starting at the center; cook 20 seconds. Cover the pan; cook an additional 40 seconds or just until set. Transfer to a plate, and cover with a cloth to keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining cooking spray and batter, wiping the pan dry with a paper towel between flatbreads.

Here is the original version and a recipe for carrot-ginger chutney which I did not make.

I made this stew but substituted peas for edamame and dried mint for fresh.

And these corn mashed potatoes are amazing! These are a great introduction to Ethiopian food for kids. They love the injera because it is like pancakes and these are mild but uniquely African.

I was going to make the Fresh Cheese with Herbs but didn't have cheesecloth. Next time.

Cherry Crisp

This is a quick and easy dessert (other than pitting the cherries) that is a big hit.

6 cups pitted cherries
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup regular oats
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 1/2 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 375°.
Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl; spoon into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Combine 2/3 cup flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, oats, and cinnamon, and cut in the butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. (Or do it in the food processor.) Sprinkle over the blueberry mixture. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Home Made Mayonaise

My friend Ranee posted how to make home made mayonaise on her blog. Check out her blog for the photo edition.

I was interested because so far the only mayonaise Ben can eat is Trader Joe's. All the rest are made with soybean oil.

Below are her written instructions:

It is quick and easy, and you'll never want to go back to store mayo again. Yours won't have gums, cheap oils, extra sugars, or any of that junk in it, and it will taste far better. Even with store eggs. Use fresh, if you can get them, though. It does require a stick blender, so if you don't have that, you'll have to invest $15-25 in one of those (unless you can find one at a garage sale or thrift store or have a family member or friend who doesn't want hers). Things that matter: Use a glass jar. I've always been successful with a glass jar, I've had failures with plastic ones. The egg needs to be room temperature. We use a recently gathered egg. You can put your egg on the counter in the morning and make this in the afternoon, or put the egg in a hot cup of water while you get everything else ready. Then switch the water out with fresh hot water and wait a little more. It needs to be room temperature. The lemon juice (or lime juice) must be fresh. Use a light oil, preferably cold pressed, so the flavor isn't too strong. You may like olive oil mayo, but if you don't, a light oil will provide a more "American" flavor.

In a glass jar (I use a peanut butter jar) that is wide enough for the blender to fit through put, in this order:

1 egg, room temperature
1 1/2 tsp. Fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. dry mustard powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup light oil

Put stick blender down to the bottom of the jar without turning it on. Then start it and, rocking side to side, slowly pull it up to the top. This will take you about 7-10 seconds. Literally. You will not want to go back to store mayonaisse again. Your family will no longer be tied to supermarket prices for mayo, you won't get all sorts of additives and cheap ingredients and now you can teach your children something about emulsion, also.

Chicken with Blueberry-Ginger Chutney

Yesterday a friend gave us 4 pints of fresh blueberries. We had blueberry pancakes for breakfast and then I went looking for a blueberry recipe. I found this one in Cooking Light. My family loved it! I tasted the chutney and it was yummy. There are multiple ways to print this off the web if you go directly to the site.

The chutney can be served warm, chilled, or at room temperature. Make it first, and chill while the chicken marinates, or prepare the chutney when the chicken is almost done marinating. Compared to fresh, frozen blueberries take about five minutes longer to cook and thicken because they release additional water.

Ingredients
Chutney:
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup golden raisins
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Dash of ground cloves
1 garlic clove, minced

Chicken:
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon dried basil
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
6 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
3 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


Preparation
To prepare chutney, combine first 11 ingredients in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 25 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.
To prepare chicken, combine oil, basil, oregano, chicken, and 3 minced garlic cloves in a large heavy-duty zip-top bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator for 2 hours, turning occasionally. Remove chicken from bag. Sprinkle 3/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper evenly over chicken.

Heat a large grill pan over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken 5 minutes on each side or until done. Serve with chutney.

Yield
6 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and about 1/4 cup chutney)

Easy Enchilada Sauce

Ben is allergic to soy and I've discovered that most premaid enchilada sauces have soybean oil. Recently I found this recipe in Cooking Lightmade some adjustments and discovered an easy recipe. It is yummy!

1 t olive oil
1/2 C diced red onion
1 t minced garlic
1/2 C vegetable broth
1 T chili powder
1 T honey
1 t ground cumin
1/2 t salt
28 oz can crushed tomatoes

Heat in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; saute 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in everything else. Reduce heat; simmer 30 minutes. Yields 3 cups. (We used it to feed 6 people.)

I made some yummy black bean, corn, and zucchini enchiladas but the sauce would go well with chicken or onion/sour cream enchiladas.

Pear Clafouti

This is our new favorite dessert. It is quick, easy, relatively low-fat, with minimal sugar. And it is fabulous comfort food.

Pear Clafouti
originally from Cooking Light (but I've made some changes)

The keys to a successful clafouti (cla-foo-TEE) are minimal use of flour and a hot oven in which to cook it quickly. As one of the national desserts of France, it's quite versatile.

Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
2 cubed peeled pears
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cardamom (optional)
2 cups milk, divided (use 1% or 2% over non-fat)
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°.
Coat a 9 to 10-inch deep-dish pie plate with cooking spray, and dust plate with 1 teaspoon flour. Arrange the pear cubes in the bottom of prepared dish, and set aside.
Combine 3/4 cup flour, salt, and nutmeg in a bowl. Gradually add 1 cup milk, stirring with a whisk until well-blended. Add 1 cup milk, eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract, stirring until smooth. Pour batter over pear cubes. Bake mixture at 375° for 35 minutes or until set. I always have to bake it longer than 35 minutes; usually 45. You could also try baking hotter. My next attempt I'm going to try 390 or so.

6 servings (serving size: 1 wedge)

Summer Salads

Here are some recent salads I've tried:

Citrus Fennel Salad

4 C thinly sliced fennel bulb (about 2 bulbs)
2 C orange sections (about 3 peeled oranges)
1 C lemon sections (about 2 peeled lemons)
1/2 C thinly sliced red onion
2 T chopped mint (fresh is best)
1 T chopped fresh parsley
1 T chopped fennel fronds
1 T virgin olive oil
1 T lemon juice
1/2 t salt
1/3 t fresh ground pepper (opt.)

Combine ingredients in a large bowl; toss gently to coat. Chill 1 hour. Makes 6-8 servings.

Strawberry, Cucumber, & Basil Salad

4 C hulled strawberries, quartered (about 2 pints)
2 T thinly sliced fresh basil
2 t balsamic vinegar
1 t sugar
2 medium cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 t lemon juice
1/4 t salt
1/4 fresh ground black pepper (opt.)

Combine first four ingredients in a large bowl and toss gently to coat. Cover and chill for 1 hour. Combine cucumbers and juice and toss to coat. Add this and salt and pepper to strawberry mixture and stir to combine. Serve immediately. Yield: 4-6 servings.

Stuffed French Toast

This is not a low-fat recipe but it is a yummy treat.

Stuffed French Toast

1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 cup chopped pecans (you could use other nuts)

At least 14 slices of bread
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 cans of fruit, any kind, I used apricot, about 15 oz each, home
canned is fine, just no melon or grapes

8 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (I thought it would have been good with
almond or half vanilla and half almond, especially with the apricot, or
if you used cherries)

1/2 cup butter, melted

Open cans of fruit and drain in a strainer.

Heat butter, brown sugar and maple syrup in a microwave bowl for about
2 1/2 minutes, stir to completely melt butter and mix everything up.

Spray or butter a large pan (I should have used an 11 X 15, rather
than the 9 X 13 I did, but you can squish them tightly once they are
wet with the egg mixture). Pour the syrup in the bottom of the pan and
sprinkle with the chopped pecans.

Lay out the bread slices. Spread softened butter on one slice of
bread, top with well drained fruit (berries or pineapple can be
crushed). Spread butter on a second slice of bread and use it to cover
the bread with the fruit. Cut this sandwich in half and place it in
the pan on top of the syrup mixture. Make the rest of the bread into
sandwiches like this, cut them in half and put them in the pan. You
can crowd them, but don't overlap the bread.

Beat the eggs with the sugar, cream and vanilla. Mix thoroughly.
Pour this over the bread in the pan. Press down firmly on the bread
with a metal spatula. You want to soak all the bread.

Cover the pan with plastic wrap or foil and let it stand on the
counter for about 20 minutes (or you can put it in the fridge overnight
and bake in the morning). Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Take off any plastic or foil. Melt the third stick of butter, drizzle
it over the top of the sandwiches. Bake the french toast at 375
degrees, uncovered, for about 45 minutes, or until the top has browned.
Let pan cool on a wire rack for at least 5 minutes.

Tagged by the Queen

1. How many meals does most of your family eat at home each week? How many are in your family?
19 meals. Two of us eat 19 meals at home; one of us eats leftover lunches at work about 4 days a week and either out or at home for one other day. Sundays we usually only have two official meals and lunch is fellowship snacks at church. Saturday is usually the same with the option to grab leftovers from the fridge if you're hungry. Breakfast is hit or miss for M & me, but Ben's favorite meal. Often I just eat his leftovers.

2. How many cookbooks do you own?
I have about three cookbooks, a couple of gift collections of recipes from friends and bunch of Cooking Light magazines.

3. How often do you refer to a cookbook each week?
Rarely. But I look at magazine recipes (or online) pretty frequently.

4. Do you collect recipes from other sources? If so, what are some of your favorite sources (relaties, friends, magazines, advertisements, packages, the internet, etc)
See above.

5. How do you store those recipes?
I have a box and a photo album and an index card binder and I keep the magazine if it is has a lot I'm going to want to refer to.

6. When you cook, do you follow the recipe pretty closely, or do you use recipes primarily to give you ideas?
I substitute a lot of ingredients and occasionally do improvisation.

7. Is there a particular ethnic style or flavor that predominates in your cooking? If so, what is it?
Just one! Italian, Thai, Indian and Mexican.

8. What's your favorite kitchen task related to meal planning and preparation? (eating the finished product does not count)
I actually like the planning best. It makes me feel very worthy of the title "homemaker" when I'm putting together meal ideas.

9. What's your least favorite part?
Chopping onions.

10. Do you plan menus before you shop?
Yes, except about once a month when I get behind on planning and we fall apart for a few days.

11. What are your three favorite kitchen tools or appliances?
Rice cooker/vegetable steamer, coffee/seed grinder, coffee maker? (I would see blender but mine is no good.)

12. If you could buy one new thing for your kitchen, money was no object, and space not an issue, what would you most like to have? There are too many to choose; a complete set of Caphalon would be nice, or a complete set of Cutco knives. But a new kitchen would be best of all.

13. Since money and space probably are objects, what are you most likely to buy next?
A dutch oven, probably 4 or 5 qt

14. Do you have a separate freezer for storage?
Hah! Wouldn't that be nice?

15. Grocery shop alone or with others?
I like to do my big shopping alone, but if I just have a few items, we make it a family outing.

16. How many meatless main dish meals do you fix in a week??
Probably 5. Though I make a lot of things that can be made with or without meat, so I can eat too.

17. If you have a decorating theme in your kitchen, what is it? Favorite kitchen colors?
Decorating theme? Hmmm....

18. What's the first thing you ever learned to cook, and how old were you?
I made a pie when I was probably 7 or 8, but no one would eat it because my mom thought it had weird ingredients. I ate it all. It was very good.

19. How did you learn to cook?
My mom taught me a little but I'm mainly self-taught with a good dose of Dana R for teaching me creativity, smaller portions, healthy yummy gourmet stuff.

What Do You Keep On Hand?

I have the challenge of a small kitchen but recently realized that I had to keep a larger stash of certain staples on hand for convenience and economy's sake. A few of mine are:

Onions
Garlic
Olive Oil
Whole wheat flour
Bananas
Rice
Pasta
Organic black beans (Ben's favorite)

What are yours?

Chicken Paprikash

Once again, the vegetarian is posting something she won't eat. But it is a favorite of my husband and quick and easy.

8-oz pkg medium egg noodles
2 t vegetable (or olive) oil
1 C sour cream (reduced fat works really well)
2 T paprika, divided
1/2 t salt, divided
1/4 t black pepper
1 C vertically sliced onion
1 lb chicken tenders cut into 1/4 inch wide strips (turkey works too)
1/2 C chicken broth (go for the low-sodium fat-free)

Cook the noodles according to the pkg directions omitting salt and fat.

Combine sour cream, 1 Tablespoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a bowl; set aside.

Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Combine 1 Tablespoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon salt, onion, and chicken, tossing to coat. Add mixture to the pan; saute 4 minutes or until chicken is done. Add broth; cook 2 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Reduce heat to medium-low.

Add sour cream mixture; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly until thoroughly heated. Serve over noodles. Makes 3-4 servings.

SPICED PUMPKIN LOAVES WITH WHIPPED CREAM

From my friend Amy

4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups canned solid pack pumpkin
2 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
2 cups raisins
1 cup chopped pecans
Lightly sweetened whipped cream

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil two 9 1/4 x 5 1/4 x 2 1/2-inch loaf pans. Dust pans with flour. Sift first 6 ingredients into large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat pumpkin and next 4 ingredients in another large bowl to blend. Beat in dry ingredients just until blended. Stir in raisins and pecans. Transfer batter to prepared loaf pans.
Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, covering breads loosely with foil if browning too quickly, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Transfer pans to rack. Cool 15 minutes. Remove breads from pans. Cool slightly. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool completely. Wrap in foil. Store at room temperature. Before continuing, rewarm in 350°F oven 15 minutes.)
Serve breads warm with cream. Makes 2 loaves.

Tuscan Chicken and Beans

This is a great fast, simple recipe. I found it in a cookbook and it is a favorite of Ben's.

1 lb chicken, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 t dried rosemary or 2 t fresh, chopped rosemary
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1 C chicken broth
1 16-oz white beans (cannellini or other), rinsed
2 T sun-dried tomatoes (optional but they add a lot of flavor)

Coat non-stick skillet; place over medium heat until hot. Add chicken, sprinkle with rosemary, salt and pepper. Stir fry for 2 minutes. Add broth, beans, and tomato sprinkles; bring to boil. Reduce heat, simmer 8 minutes.