Pecan -Chocolate Chip Oat Biscotti

Pecan -Chocolate Chip Oat Biscotti 

Okay, raise your hand if you knew that biscotti is a plural noun and that the singular is biscotto. You’ll notice I’m not raising my hand…… you learn something new every day.  But I wonder why we even need a singular form, since it might be impossible to eat just one of these cookies.  I cut mine smaller than the original recipe so I can have two without increasing the calories. Psychology at work.

These are really easy to make, in spite of the two step baking process. Mixing is not fussy, and after the first bake & slicing, all they ask is to be turned over halfway through the second bake so they’ll get crunchy on both sides.

These cookies will keep for up to one week in an airtight container. 

2 cups regular oats

3/4 cup all-purpose flour (about 3⅓ ounces)

3/4 cup sugar 

2 teaspoons baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 Tbl tablespoons water

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

⅓ cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Cooking spray

¼ cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°.

Place oats in a food processor; process until finely ground. Place ground oats in a large bowl. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon to oats; stir well with a whisk.  Combine 2 tablespoons water and eggs; stir with a whisk. Add egg mixture to oat mixture, and stir well. Stir in pecans and mini chips.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly 7 times. Shape dough into 2(8-inch-long) rolls. Place rolls 3 inches apart on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; pat to 1-inch thickness. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.  Remove rolls from baking sheet; cool 10 minutes on a wire rack.

Reduce oven temperature to 325°.

Cut each of the rolls diagonally into. 10 slices. Place, cut sides down, on baking sheet. Bake at 325° for 10 minutes.  Turn cookies over; bake an additional 10 minutes (cookies will harden as they cool). Remove from baking sheet; cool completely on wire rack.

Combine 1/4 chocolate chips and oil in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 30 seconds or until chips melt; stir gently. Drizzle over biscotti. 

Yield:

20 biscotti (serving size: 1 biscotto).  

CALORIES 111(29% from fat); FAT 3.5g (sat 0.8g, mono 1.5g. poly 0.7g); PROTEIN 2.6g; CARB 18.2g: FIBER 1.1g; CHOL 21mg: IRON

0.8mg; SODIUM 117mg; CALC 41mg

Bourbon Pork and Squash Risotto

Happy holidays to you and your family!  It was just the two of us this year, snug at home and consciously choosing a no-agenda day. Nothing to do but relax and enjoy peace & quiet . Still, It’s Christmas and we did want a nice dinner .

The pork is not difficult or time consuming. The risotto takes a little more work, but is still doable.   Start the bourbon sauce and bake the squash first, then work on the risotto. When the risotto is about 1/2 done, start to cook the meat. We poured the bourbon sauce over the meat in the pan right before it went to the table, but make sure to turn your gas stove burners off before pouring the sauce, just in case there’s residual alcohol fumes from the bourbon.

Spiced Pork with Bourbon Reduction Sauce

Substitute chicken broth for bourbon; if you prefer. Serve with couscous or rice.

SAUCE:

½ cup bourbon

¼ cup packed dark brown sugar

¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

1½ teaspoons bottled minced garlic

½ teaspoon black pepper

PORK:

½ teaspoon chili powder

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon teaspoon ground allspice

⅛ teaspoon salt

1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed

Cooking spray

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a medium saucepan; bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, cook until reduced to ½ cup (about 11 minutes), stirring frequently.  Remove from heat. 

To prepare pork, Combine chili powder, cinnamon, allspice, and salt, stirring well; rub evenly over pork. Cut pork crosswise into thick slices. 

Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Serve with sauce.

Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto with Sugared Walnuts

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about cup risotto, 1½ teaspoons cheese, and 1 tablespoon nuts)

½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1 teaspoon brown sugar 

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 cups (1/2 inch) cubed peeled butternut squash

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic

4 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth

½ cup water

1 ounce pancetta, finely chopped (about ¼ cup)

1 cup finely chopped onion

1¼ cups uncooked Arborio rice

2 cup chardonnay

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh lemon thyme or 1/½ tablespoons thyine plus ½ teaspoon grated lemon rind

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup (1 ounce) shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preheat oven to 400°.

Arrange nuts in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan. Bake at 400° for 5 minutes or until toasted, stirring twice. Place nuts in a bowl. Drizzle butter over warm nuts; sprinkle with sugar and ⅛ teaspoon pepper. Toss well to coat.

Combine squash and 1 tablespoon oil, tossing to coat.

Arrange squash in a single layer on jelly-roll pan. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until squash is just tender. Remove from pan; stir in garlic. Set aside

Bring broth and ½ cup water to a simmer in a saucepan (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat.

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add pancetta to saucepan; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently. Add onion; cook 3 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add rice; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add wine; cook 1 minute or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Add broth mixture, ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next about 20 minutes total). Stir in squash, thyme, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Top with cheese and nuts.

CALORIES per serving.   259; FAT 10.7g (sat 2.7 g, mono 2.6g, poly 3.8g); PROTEIN 7.5g; CARB 35.5g;

FIBER 3.9g; CHOL 9mg; IRON 1.3mg; SODIUM 397mg; CALC 95mg

PY:

Cranberry Quick Bread with Raisins and Nuts

Some mornings at my house we just want a sweet treat. But not too sweet. And it should have enough of the right ingredients that allow us to pretend it’s healthy: whole grains, fruit, protein in the form of nuts.  

(I hear you saying “But it has sugar!!” Just ignore that!  Keep your eye on the whole wheat flour!)

The original recipe is from Cooking Light Magazine.

Cranberry Quick Bread with Raisins and Nuts

The batter is a pale tan, but the finished bread is a rich golden brown. The fruit in this easy quick bread helps it stay moist. You can use walnuts or pecans in place of the hazelnuts.

1⅓ cups all-purpose flour

⅔ cup whole wheat flour

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup apple juice (dilute with water if you want it to be a bit less sweet)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon grated orange rind

1 large egg

1⅓ cups chopped fresh cranberries

⅓ cup raisins

¼ cup chopped nuts

Cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knite. Combine flours and next 4 ingredients (flours through salt) in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Combine juice, oil, rind, and egg; add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Fold in cranber-ries, raisins, and hazelnuts.
3. Spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 slice).

CALORIES 162 (23% from fat); FAT 4.2g (sat 0.6g, mono 1.6g, poly

1.88); PROTEIN 2.6g; CARB 29.6g; FIBER 1.6g; CHOL 13mg; IRON

1mg; SODIUM 112mg; CALC 27 mg

Mini Walnut Molasses Brandy Pies

I have been an avid canner for over 20 years and love to compete in county and state fairs with my jellies, jams and pickles. A dear friend gave me a set of 4 ounce quilted jelly jars to use in my competitions but the fair required at least an 8 ounce jar so I had to figure out another use for this thoughtful gift. I modified my Best of Show pie entry to make some mini pies and had no idea what a winning dish I created!  It was perfect for our annual family Christmas celebration. Everyone loves having their own, portable dessert and the jelly jars let everyone know it was from me.

Mini Walnut Molasses Brandy Pies

I package Pillsbury™ Pie Crusts 9 Inch 14.1 oz. (2 ct)- It was Christmas so I used this shortcut. You can use your own homemade pie crust recipe or see the one below *

6 eggs

1 1/4 cups dark corn syrup

1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar

2/3 cup butter, melted

2 tablespoon brandy ( or 1 1/2 teaspoon brandy extract)

1/2 cup molasses

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray mason jars with cooking spray. Roll out pie crusts with rolling pin to extend to 10 inches on cutting board or counter.Using a 3 1/2 inch cookie cutter or canning ring, cut  out 20 rounds from both crusts, rerolling as necessary. Press rounds into mason jars, extending up over sides and do a mini crimp on each jar.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs, corn syrup, sugar, butter, brandy or extract, molasses and salt until well combined. Stir in nuts.

Pour a scant 1/4 cup into each muffin cup and bake in oven 25-30 minutes, or until an instant thermometer registers 200 degrees. Cool for at least an hour before serving allowing for pies to cool and set. Feel free to add whipped cream or ice cream as a topper.

*My favorite pie crust that has served me well is 2 to 2 1/4 cups flour with 1 teaspoon salt. Pulse in food processor to combine and then cut up 3/4 cup of butter flavored shortening into flour and pulse until crumbly like cornmeal. Slowly add 6 tablespoons of ice water and pulse just to combine. Pour onto floured board or counter, gather into a ball and knead for just 20 sections to bring it together. Form into disk, cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes before using. (makes 2 crusts)

I have tried many variations over the years, using an egg and white vinegar - even substituting the ice water for vodka or apple juice but this one is my standby.

Stuffed Pretzel Pizza Jalapeno Bites

This is a mash up recipe I created to blend two of my favorite appetizers for a contest I entered. You can also skip the boiling step, but that is the pretzel part - my favorite!

Stuffed Pretzel Pizza Jalapeno Bites

30 bites

15 jalapeno peppers

10 pepper jack or cheddar cheese sticks cut into three pieces each

1 can (13.8 oz) refrigerated classic pizza crust. (Or homemade is great)

1/3 cup baking soda 

1 egg, slightly beaten with one teaspoon of water

2 teaspoons kosher (coarse) salt

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2 Cut each jalapeno pepper in half and remove seeds (use rubber gloves if desired)

2. Roll out pizza dough on top of a cutting board to an approximate size of 15" x 12"

3. Cut dough into 3" by 2" squares (with pizza cutter), place one piece of cheese in center of half of a jalapeno pepper and wrap in a dough square, sealing all edges.

4. Boil 6 cups of water in a medium pan, add baking soda, stir.

5. Add poppers, 6 at a time, and cook for 30 seconds.

6. Remove popper with a slotted spoon, and place on clean hand towel to drain.

6 Transfer poppers to cookie sheet covered in parchment paper.

7. Brush with of the egg on top of each popper, then sprinkle generously with salt.

8. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to serving dish, cool for 5 minutes and serve.

Serve with ranch dipping sauce if desired.

Blue Ribbon Apple Struedel

 Our annual county fair had two special contests every year - apple pie and non pie apple dessert. It had to really show off the apples to be a contender. I won first prize with this recipe - my secret ingredient is dried apricots- shhhhh - don't tell anyone. It was so fun to see the rest of it being auctioned off for charity after it won. I was also thrilled to be asked to contribute this recipe to an article for the local paper that year. A great dessert for the fall - but best served right after the 15 minutes cooling to really enjoy the crispiness. Yum!

Blue Ribbon Apple Strudel

 

Apple Filling

 

3 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced

1 tablespoon lemon juice

½ cup chopped walnuts, lightly toasted

1/2cup golden raisins, soaked in Spiced Rum for 10 minutes, if desired, then drained.

¼ cup minced dried apricots.

2 tablespoons sugar

 

Spiced Crumb Mixture

 

2 tablespoons plain bread crumbs

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoons melted butter or margarine

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon grated lemon zest

4 sheets (12 x 17 – inch) filo pastry, thawed if frozen

1/3 cup melted butter or margarine

Confectioner’s sugar for dusting

1 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon milk

1 tablespoon confectioner’s sugar

 

1) Heat oven to 400 degrees F.; lightly grease baking sheet. Prepare. Apple Filling: In large bowl, toss apples with lemon juice. Add walnuts, raisins, apricots, and sugar; mix well. Set aside.

 2) Prepare Spiced Crumb Mixture: In small bowl, combine bread crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and lemon zest. Sprinkle with butter and toss until well combined. Set aside.

 3) To assemble strudel, place two stacked sheets of filo on tea towel on work surface. Brush all over with melted butter. Top with two more sheets filo; brush with butter.  Sprinkle Spicy Crumb Mixture over filo; spread Apple Filling along one short end. Using towel to lift, roll pastry jelly-roll fashion to enclose filling. Place seam side down on baking sheet and tuck in ends. Brush with melted butter.

 4) Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool at least 15 minutes. Mix cream cheese, milk and sugar and spoon into plastic sandwich bag. Squeeze mixture to edge of bag and cut end. Decorate strudel with cream cheese mixture and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Chili Dip

Had fun throwing this together at the last minute when heading out to a Nascar party in the neighborhood. Came together in no time and was a surprise hit! 

Chili Dip

1 8 oz package softened cream cheese

16 oz can of chili with no beans

1/2 minced white onion

1 teaspoon hot sauce - like Tabasco

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

8 oz of sharp cheddar or cheddar jack, shredded

sliced black olives (optional)

sliced pepperoncinis (optional)

chopped tomatoes and lettuce (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Spread softened cream cheese on bottom of pie plate

3. Cover with chili

4. Sprinkle with onion, hot sauce and ground pepper

5. Sprinkle cheese on top and arrange olives and pepperoncinis on top of cheese

6. Bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly.

7. Wait for 10 minutes and then decorate with tomatoes, then lettuce around edge of pie plate

Serve with fritos or tortilla chips

Sun-Dried Tomato and Feta White Bean Dip

I'm always on the lookout for snacks to take along when we're out on the boat that can be made ahead, are portable and that will hold over if we nosh on them for multiple days.  Variations on the bean dip idea have come up, but this is the first one I really liked. It probably stood out due to the sun dried tomatoes, nominated for my Ingredient of the Year.  They seem to make everything yummy and lend a lovely color to food.

You couldn't ask for easier: rinse a can of beans and throw them into a food processor with all the other ingredients and whirl away till it becomes smooth like hummus.  It was good made according to the recipe, but you know me....at that point I start to adjust the flavors. I added extra black pepper, cayenne and salt, but not much else.  Still, it would also be good with some smoked paprika or Ancho chili powder to deepen the unami.

Sun-Dried Tomato and Feta White Bean Dip

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

¼ cup water

2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (1/2 cup)

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano leaves

1 small garlic clove, minced

⅛ teaspoon table salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

Pinch cayenne pepper

Process beans, 3 tablespoons oil, sun-dried tomatoes, water, feta, lemon juice, oregano, garlic, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and cayenne in food processor until smooth, about 45 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

Transfer to serving bowl, cover, and let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and serve.

https://www.cookscountry.com/recipes/8014-sun-dried-tomato-and-feta-white-bean-dip?t=1664814389

Chicken or Turkey Divan

It seems to have become an unofficial tradition that after we have a holiday

turkey, we first make Turkey Soup from the bones and scraps of meat (No recipe- just

boil 'em down and add veggies and noodles), and then we make Turkey Divan.

The recipe came to me from Brent's mother (Andrea Sparks) after we were

married. We were visiting his parents at their house in Forsyth, Mo, and I

started copying down all the recipes that Andrea told me were Brent's favorites.

About 200 index cards later, I had the start of my married life recipe collection.

The wording is just like it was copied down, except I changed "1 can peas" to

broccoli. You can thank me for that later. 

6 servings

1 whole chicken, cooked and boned

(Or leftover turkey from Thanksgiving)

3 cups chopped broccoli

1 can cream of chicken soup

2/3 cup mayonaise

1/3 cup evaporated milk

1 Tbl yellow curry powder (or to taste...I use *a lot* more, but I like it strong)

1/2 to 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Bread crumbs

Blanch broccoli till bright green, drain. Place in buttered casserole dish. Mix

remaining ingredients together except bread crumbs. Pour over broccoli; cover

with bread crumbs and dot with butter. Bake at 350deg F for 30-45 minutes.

Serve over rice.

This freezes really well without the rice and it's one of those dishes that gets better if it ages a couple days in the frig or freezer.

And speaking of curry powder........

When we lived in Singapore we would get the curry spice mix during our every

Saturday morning trip to the open air market on Serangoon Road in Little India.

The food sold on each table was a different vendor and they had a specialty: fresh fruit & vegetables,  spices, meat, poultry, fish, flowers. One man only* sold fresh coconut ground to order!  The spice vendor would ask what you wanted to cook, you told the name of the dish, and they would custom grind a packet of powder or paste for you containing

all the just-right ingredients to take home.

* (Once he also offered to sell a box of eight 6 week old kittens to my daughters, but I declined.  The girls nominated me for the Meanest Mom of the Year Award for the third year running.)

10-Minute Cornbread AND Cornbread Turkey Stuffing

This is my favorite cornbread because it bakes so quickly.  It also serves as a key ingredient in some really awesome turkey stuffing that is featured on our Thanksgiving table every year.   

The cornbread is tolerant of added ingredients if you're feeling frisky. Some ideas for additions:

    

    *1/2 can of whole kernel corn

    *diced red bell pepper

    *roasted sunflower or pumpkin                seeds

    *chopped jalepenos (my fav!)

    *cooked sausage or chorizo

10-MINUTE CORN BREAD

3/4 cup yellow corn meal

3/4 all purpose flour

5 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

4 Tbl sugar

mix together:

1 egg

1 Tbl vegetable oil

enough milk to make 1 cup

Preheat oven to 450F. (Its important to have the oven hot & ready before mixing batter!)  Grease a cast iron skillet or 9" round cake pan. Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl just until no lumps remain.  Pour into prepared pan and bake for 10 mnutes. 

CORNBREAD TURKEY STUFFING

For turkey stuffing, make the cornbread the day before and crumble onto a cookie sheet. Leave it to dry out overnight.

Be warned- this recipe makes a large quantity of stuffing!  Leftovers will freeze in an airtight package. Any non-holiday day of the year you can halve  or quarter the quantities to stuff a whole chicken or bake solo in a well greased casserole at 375F for 30-40 minutes uncovered .

1 recipe cornbread, crumbled

4 slices stale whole wheat bread or toast, crumbled (can also use store bought bread cubes)

1 cup chopped celery

1-1/2 cu chopped onion

3/4 cup chopped green pepper

6 oz Italian sausage, browned & crumbled

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

4 large eggs, beaten

21 oz turkey or chicken broth

1 tsp ground thyme

1 tsp ground sage

1 tsp poultry seasoning

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp kosher salt

All these ingredients just get dumped into the biggest bowl you've got, mixed up and stuffed inside a Thanksgiving turkey. I've been known to divide the big batch into two parts and drop a dozen oysters and  a few dashes of Old Bay Seasoning in one. Substitute some of the oyster's liquid for part of the broth if you really love oysters. Before baking the mixture should be a little on the wet side so the oysters get steamed.

Sweet Potatoes with Tahini Butter

I love a good baked sweet potato: slathered in melted butter and sprinkled with enough cinnamon sugar to undoubtedly cancel out the sweet tater's status as a healthy superfood.

But even that yummyness gets old. This is a very nice change of pace. A side dish that's savory from the tahini, sassy from the lime juice.  

Originally from Bonappetit.com

Servings: 2 servings 

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. sweet potatoes, any color (6 small or 3 large), scrubbed

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature

1/12 cup fresh lime juice

2/3 Tbsp. tahini

1/3 Tbsp. soy sauce

2/3 tsp. toasted sesame oil

kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

Flaky sea salt

Toasted sesame seeds and lime wedges (for serving)

DIRECTIONS

Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a medium pot fitted with a steamer basket. Halve

sweet potatoes crosswise if large and place in steamer. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and

steam until fork-tender, 25-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, smash together butter, lime juice, tahini, soy sauce, and sesame oil in a small

bowl with a fork until smooth, about 3 minutes. Season tahini butter with kosher salt and

lots of pepper

Arrange sweet potatoes on a platter or a large plate. Let cool until you can just handle them,

then split open and generously spread tahini butter over. Season with sea salt; top liberally

with sesame seeds. Serve with lime wedges (this dish really comes alive with lots of bright citrus)

Pork Chops with Pomengranate Glaze

Pomengranate molasses is my current go-to when I'm not feeling creative about how to season a dish.  Like tonight, for instance: pork chops were on the menu, but I didn't want our usual versions. I consulted "le intrenet"  and found this recipe. The result was quite tasty.

Did you notice I said pomengranate MOLASSES but the recipe calls for JUICE? Pomengranate Molasses is a Middle Eastern ingredient that is a super concentrated form of the juice. It isn't sweet like what Americans think of as molasses (an ingredient in gingerbread). Instead it's tart/sour and most recipes that include pomengranate molasses as an ingredient, IMHO, usually need some honey to balance the sourness. 

BTW, pomengranate molasses is amazing on sauted veggies like brussel sprouts or winter squash, too.

In addition to the onion smothered pork chop, the plate contains (clockwise) tabullah, cuban beans and sauteed plantain.  Perhaps an odd combo, but it worked!

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes

4 servings 

Source:Simplyrecipes.com

INGREDIENTS

4 bone-in center cut pork chops, about 1-inch thick

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots

11/2 cups pomegranate juice

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 sprigs thyme

1 tablespoon cold, unsalted butter

2 tablespoons chopped parsley (for garnish)

Seeds from 1 pomegranate (for garnish)

DIRECTIONS

1 Generously sprinkle the pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper.

2 Sear the chops: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the pork chops

to the pan and cook for 3 to 5 minutes on a side, or until they are golden brown on both sides and a thermometer inserted into the center of a chop registers 145F.  Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil to keep the chops warm while you make the glaze.

3 Make the glaze: Pour off and discard all but a thin layer of oil from the pan and return the pan to the heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, for 45 seconds. Scrape up any browned

bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pan.  Add the pomegranate juice, honey, vinegar and thyme. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until thickened slightly. Take the pan off the heat. Remove the thyme sprigs and whisk in the butter.

4 To serve: Transfer chops to a serving platter or individual plates. Spoon the glaze over top and sprinkle with parsley and pomegranate seeds.

(Pretty Close to Car Wash's) Chicken Salad

Our town has a lovely little restaurant called Car Wash Cafe that's located, yep you guessed it, in the city's car wash.  The owner & her staff are delightful and friendly and you always feel like they're glad to see you. They have many signature dishes on the menu, and I suspect every patron would have a different favorite. Personally I love Taco Salad Tuesday, but sadly in 2020 Covid times that is a dish they're no longer offering 😥  Instead I have fixated on their Chicken Salad, served over greens with a generous amount of fresh fruit or on a grilled sandwich with a decadent order of shoestring French fries. Mmmmm.  It's also occasionally available at the deli of our local grocery store, but apparently my timing is pretty bad to pick some up there because it's hard to find.

I really, really, really wanted that chicken salad!   So I went on a frantic internet search.  After several batches that weren't even close, I hit pay dirt.  This recipe is pretty doggone close, and is simple to make.  Ah, I'm happy now.

The recipe to cook the chicken is given, but I used a store-bought rotisserie chicken.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/chicken-salad-recipe-2011682

Chicken Salad

4 cups diced poached chicken, recipe follows

1 stalk celery, cut into 1/4-inch dice

4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced or 1/4 cup sweet onion cut into 1/4-inch dice

1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh tarragon or fresh dill

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

1 cup prepared or homemade mayonnaise

2 teaspoons strained freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

POACHED CHICKEN FOR SALADS:

10 sprigs parsley

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 small onion, halved

1 small carrot, halved

1 stalk celery, halved

3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts halves, fat trimmed

5 to 6 cups chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium store bought

Toss together the chicken, celery, scallions, dill and parsley in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper to taste. Add to the chicken and mix gently until combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Put the parsley, thyme, onion, carrot, celery, and chicken breasts in a medium saucepan. Cover with the broth, and bring just to a boil. Lower the heat to very low and cover. Poach the chicken until firm to the touch, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, uncover and cool the chicken in the liquid for 30 minutes.

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and reserve the liquid. Bone and skin the chicken and roughly chop the meat into about 1-inch pieces. Discard the bones and skin.

Strain the broth and store, covered, in the refrigerator for 3 days or freeze for later use. Remove any fat from the surface of the broth before using.

Serve on a bed of lettuce with sliced tomatoes, in half an avocado or in a chicken club sandwich made with artisanal bread, crispy smoked bacon, vine-ripened tomatoes and lettuce.