APRIL RECIPES (From www.bhg.com/recipes) Better Homes & Gardens
Chicken-Pineapple Fajitas
INGREDIENTS
8 6-inch flour tortillas
4 1-inch slices peeled fresh pineapple (about half)
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 small red or orange sweet peppers, seeded, cut in strips
2 Teaspoons Jamaican jerk seasoning
1/8 Teaspoon ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon cooking oil
Fresh cilantro and lime wedges
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350. Wrap tortillas in foil and heat in oven. Coat a 12-inch skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high. Add pineapple slices and cook 4-6 minutes until browned, turning once. Remove. Cut chicken into strip. Toss with peppers, jerk seasoning and ground pepper. Heat oil in skillet, add chicken and peppers. Cook over medium-high heat for 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink. Core and chop pineapple. Serve with chicken, tortillas, cilantro and lime. Makes 4 servings.
Parmesan-Crusted Fish
INGREDIENTS
4 skinless cod fillets (1-1/2 pounds)
1/3 cup panko (Japanese-style) bread crumbs
¼ cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
1 10-ounce package julienned carrots (3 cups)
1 Tablespoon butter
¾ Teaspoon ground ginger
Mixed fresh salad greens
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 450. Lightly coat a baking sheet cooking spray. Rinse and pat dry fish. Place on the baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, stir together crumbs and cheese. Sprinkle on the fish. Bake, uncovered, 4-6 minutes for each ½-inch thickness of fish until crumbs are golden and fish flakes easily with a fork. In a large skillet, bring ½ cup of water to boiling. Add carrots. Reduce heat. Cook covered for 5 minutes. Uncover and cook 2 additional minutes. Add butter and ginger and toss. Serve fish and carrots with greens. Makes 4 servings.
Jerk Beef and Plantain Kabobs
INGREDIENTS
12 ounces boneless beef sirloin steak, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon cooking oil
1 Tablespoon Jamaican jerk seasoning
2 ripe plantains, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 medium red onion cut into wedges
Torn salad greens (optional)
Lime wedges (optional)
Long skewers
DIRECTIONS
Trim fat from meat and cut into 1-inch pieces. In a small bowl, stir together red wine vinegar, oil and jerk seasoning. Toss the meat cubes with half the vinegar mixture. Take skewers and thread meat chunks, plantain chunks and onion wedges, alternating them and leaving about 1/4 inch space between pieces. Brush plantains and onions with the remaining vinegar mixture. Place skewers on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals or flame. Grill for 12-15 minutes or until the meat is desired doneness, turning occasionally. If desired, serve with a salad and lime wedges. Makes 4 servings. (If using wooden or bamboo skewers, soak in water for 30 minutes, then drain before using.
Fireside Beef Stew
INGREDIENTS
1-1/2 pounds boneless chuck pot roast
1 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2-1/2 cups)
2 small onions cut into wedges
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 14-ounce can reduced sodium beef broth
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 Teaspoon dry mustard
¼ Teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 Teaspoon ground allspice
2 Tablespoons cold water
4 Teaspoons cornstarch
1 9-ounce package frozen Italian green beans
DIRECTIONS
Trim fat from meat. Cut into 1-inch pieces. Place meat in a 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 quart slow cooker. Add squash, onions and garlic. Stir in the beef broth, tomato sauce, Worcestershire, dry mustard, pepper and allspice. Cover and cook on low-heat for 8-10 hours OR on high for 4-5 hours. If using low-heat setting, when done, turn to high heat. Then, in a small bowl combine cold water and cornstarch. Stir this mixture and the green beans into the mixture in the slow cooker. Cover and cook for an additional 15 minutes or until thickened. Makes six 1-1/3 cup servings.
Mediterranean Salmon & Noodle Bowl
INGREDIENTS
1 9-ounce package refrigerated fettuccine
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 pound skinless, boneless, 1-inch thick salmon cut into 8 pieces
Salt and ground pepper
6 cups fresh baby spinach
½ cup bottled, roasted red or yellow sweet peppers
½ cup reduced-calorie balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing
DIRECTIONS
Prepare pasta according to package directions. Brush 1 tablespoon olive oil on the salmon. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat up an extra-large skillet over medium heat and add salmon. Cook 8-12 minutes or until flaky, turning once. Remove salmon, cover and keep warm. Add spinach, sweet peppers and remaining oil to the skillet. Cook and stir 1-2 minutes until spinach has wilted. Drain pasta and add to the skillet. Add dressing and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Divide spinach-pasta mixture among 4 bowls and top with the salmon. Serves 4.
Triple Mango Chicken
INGREDIENTS
1 Tablespoon olive oil
4 small skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 mango, peeled, seeded and cubed
½ cup mango-blend drink, mango nectar or carrot juice
¼ cup mango chutney
2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise
DIRECTIONS
In a very large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and add chicken. Cook 6 minutes then turn. Add mango cubes, mango drink and chutney. Cook an additional 4-6 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink. Stir occasionally. Place zucchini and ¼ cup water in a microwave-safe 2-quart dish. Cover with vented plastic wrap or lid. Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes, stirring once. Drain. Place chicken on top of the zucchini. Season with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper. Serve.
Corn Chowder
INGREDIENTS
1 8-ounce tub cream cheese with chives and onions
1 14-3/4 ounce can cream-style corn
2 cups milk
8 ounces smoked turkey breast, chopped
1 cup frozen peas
Ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
In medium saucepan, heat cream cheese over medium heat to soften; blend in the corn and milk. Add the turkey and peas, heat through. Season to taste with pepper. Makes 4 (1-1/2 cup) servings.
Shrimp Quesadillas
INGREDIENTS
Cooking spray
4 8-inch vegetable tortillas
½ of a 7-ounce garlic or spicy three-pepper hummus (1/3 cup)
6 ounces of peeled, deveined, cooked medium shrimp
1 6-ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts
1 4-ounce package crumbled feta cheese
DIRECTIONS
Coat one side of each tortilla with cooking spray. Place tortillas, sprayed side down, on a work surface and spread with hummus. Top half of each tortilla with shrimp, artichokes and cheese. Fold torillas in half, pressing gently. Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat for 1 minute. Cook quesadillas, two at a time, for 4-6 minutes until browned and heated through, turning once. Makes 4 servings.