Bev Davis
Register-Herald Senior Editor
July 15, 2008 11:22 pm
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Barbecues and an abundance of summer vegetables mean people with busy schedules can enjoy simple, satisfying meals without spending hours in a hot kitchen.
Sawsan Galal, a member of the adjunct faculty at The National Institute for Culinary Arts at Mountain State University in Beckley, recently shared some easy recipes with her class.
“Easy doesn’t mean just pouring something out of a box and heating it up, but it doesn’t call for spending hours preparing a meal, either,” she said.
Take her cantaloupe and cucumber salad, for example. Add some Greek-style yogurt, lime juice, honey, fresh mint and sliced almonds and create an interesting dish with a Mediterranean flair.
“This is a very simple dish, but it has several layers of flavors and textures. It’s a very refreshing salad, and it’s really good for a meal on a hot summer day,” Galal said.
Who doesn’t like barbecue? Although most people think of pulled pork, Galal uses chicken for a variation of this classic favorite.
“Chicken has a lighter texture, and depending on how it’s cooked, can have fewer calories. You can also adjust the sauce to be as mild or spicy as you and your family like it. This is a meal where you can control the fat, salt and calories easily and still have a savory, satisfying meal,” she said.
Combine your favorite barbecue sauce with onions, garlic, apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper and hot sauce (or not, depending on your preferences for spicy heat). Served on a Kaiser roll and topped with cheese, a pulled chicken sandwich is a meal to be enjoyed by all ages.
When it comes to satisfying that urge for dessert, oatmeal-raisin bars with cream cheese frosting adds just enough decadence for a perfect ending to virtually any meal.
Old-fashioned or quick-cooking rolled oats will do for the basis of this favorite cookie.
“The oats and walnuts make this a fairly healthy cookie, because those ingredients have lots of good nutrients, healthy fats and fiber,” Galal said. “The raisins provide a good source of antioxidants, which are thought to be good cancer fighters.”
Combined with light brown sugar, vanilla extract, some butter and flour, the cookies need to bake only about 20 minutes.
Confectioners’ sugar and cream cheese make an easy, creamy frosting.
“These bars are good for snacking. They’re great with a cup of coffee or tea for a little mid-morning or mid-afternoon break, or they can be a good choice for a dessert at the end of a light meal,” Galal said.
These recipes were adapted from “Every Day with Rachel Ray.”
1/2 cup yogurt, preferably Greek-style
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 cantaloupe, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 kirby cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced
2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
2 teaspoon chopped fresh mint
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
In a large serving bowl, whisk together the yogurt, lime juice and honey.
Add the cantaloupe, cucumbers, celery and mint to the dressing; toss to combine.
Sprinkle with the toasted almonds.
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
(about 2 pounds)
Salt and pepper
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1-1/3 cups barbecue sauce
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
Hot pepper sauce
6 Kaiser or French rolls, split
6 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
(about 1-1/2 cups)
Season the chicken with salt and pepper and place in a heavy pot with the onion, garlic and just enough water to cover (about 1-1/2 cups).
Add the barbecue sauce, vinegar and a few drops hot sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove the chicken from the sauce and shred with two forks.
Boil the sauce, skimming occasionally, until reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the shredded chicken and heat through. Spoon the mixture onto the rolls and top with the cheese.
1 stick (4 ounces) plus 2 tablespoons
unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1 cup old-fashioned or quick-cooking rolled oats
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
One 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. and butter a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking pan. In a large bowl using a wooden spoon, cream the 1 stick butter with the brown sugar, egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, oats, raisins, walnuts, cinnamon, baking soda and salt and stir into the butter mixture until combined.
Spread the dough in the prepared pan and press into an even layer with floured fingers. Bake until firm in the center, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan.
Using an electric mixer or a wooden spoon, blend the cream cheese with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, the confectioners’ sugar and the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla until smooth. Spread on top of the cooled cake and cut into 24 bars.
— E-mail:
bdavis@register-herald.com
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Photos
Cantaloupe and cucumber salad makes a perfect side dish for pulled chicken sandwiches. Register-Herald Photographer