Buffalo Chicken Strips

This weekend marks the exciting beginning of the 2009 football season for us Ohio State Buckeyes and one of the most popular places people go to watch the game and eat wings is BW3's. Most people like to eat their hot wings dunked in Blue Cheese Dressing. I think we all know these tasty little wings are near the bottom of the list for healthy chicken and somewhere around the top of the list for fattening chicken.

But what if we could get that Buffalo Wing flavor without the breading? Would it satisfy that craving for hot wings with Blue Cheese? Of course, it's not going to be exactly the same, but we thought it was worth a try.

These Buffalo Chicken Strips are designed for the grill, but they can certainly be made in the oven too. We're giving you a homemade Blue Cheese dressing recipe, but of course, you can always buy yours straight from the store. We'll tell you though - it takes no time at all to make if you're up for it....

Fire up the grill and try these out for the Labor Day weekend - we think you'll be surprised!


Buffalo Chicken Strips

For The Wing Sauce:
4 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
One Tablespoon Hot Sauce (Tabasco or Texas Pete)
One Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper or Chili Powder ( use your favorite)
One Teaspoon Paprika

For The Chicken:
4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast Halves
One Teaspoon Sea Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Prepare your grill.

To make the wing sauce, whisk the butter, oil, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne or chili powder, and paprika together.

Rinse the chicken breasts under cool water and pat them dry with paper towels. Cut the chicken breasts diagonally into 1/2-inch-wide strips and season with salt and pepper. Place the strips in a shallow dish or bowl and pour half the wing sauce over them, and toss to coat evenly.

Brush the grill grates lightly with oil. Place the chicken strips on the grill and grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the breast, until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the grill and serve immediately with the Chunky Blue Cheese Dip, the remaining wing sauce, and of course, celery sticks!

Chunky Blue Cheese Dip
1/2 Cup Well-shaken Buttermilk
2/3 Cup Mayonnaise
One Teaspoon White Wine Vinegar
1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
4 Ounces Crumbled Blue Cheese
2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Chives (optional)

Stir the buttermilk, mayo, vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper together in a medium bowl. Stir in the blue cheese. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste, stir in the chives and transfer the dip to a small serving bowl. Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to one week.

Mango And Tomato Salad with Curry and Basil Dressing

We bet you never made this one before!

Tomatoes and Mangoes brought together by curry and basil?

We never could have dreamt this one up on our own! In fact, I think it's safe to say that had we seen it in a cookbook we would NOT had thought, "Yumm-Mee! That sounds good." But that's the beauty of friends having parties and introducing us to new and exciting treasures. They serve it, we taste it, we're surprised by it, we love it, and then we go out and shout to all the world about our new and intriguing find.

That's how it works.


Mango and Tomato Salad with Curry and Basil Dressing

4 Ripe Plum Tomatoes
One Large Ripe Mango
1-1/2 Tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

One Teaspoon White Wine Vinegar
Pinch of Curry Powder
4-6 Large Basil Leaves
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste

Core the tomatoes and cut into 1/2 inch wedges. Cut the mango from the pit in 1/2 inch slices. Remove from the skin with a small knife. Arrange alternating slices of mango and tomato on a plate.

Using a mortar and pestle, combine the olive oil, white wine vinegar, curry powder, basil leaves, and salt and pepper, pulverizing the basil leaves, Drizzle the dressing over the mangoes and tomatoes and serve immediately.
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Note: You can make this dressing in an electric chopper or with julienned basil, but it won't have the same beautiful green color.

Another Note: Patty served this Salad last at our Tomato Tasting Party making it our dessert for the day (because the day was all about tomatoes) and as much as we liked this fresh and tangy delight, WE are not at that place in our lives to accept a dish such as this as dessert. We ourselves would serve this as an enticing appetizer to wet the palate and serve Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake for dessert - but that's just us......and maybe ALL of you!


Coming Soon for your Labor Day Weekend......Buffalo Chicken Strips and Creamy Cucumbers

Fried Green Tomatoes Over Cherry Tomato Salad

As we mentioned in the Tomato Tasting post, Patty delighted us with this wonderfully fresh tomato salad. The fried green tomatoes resting on the cherries and basil were complimented magnificently by the sun-dried tomato vinaigrette and Feta cheese.

It. Was. Dee-vine.

Patty has since told us that the next day she tried substituting other tomatoes for the cherry ones and it was NOT the same. So, it is imperative that cherry tomatoes are used in this salad - no deviation! You don't hear that from us very often, but sometimes rules do need to be followed....

By the way, in case you want your salad to be as divine as the one we had the pleasure of eating on Sunday, we will share the three types of cherry tomatoes Patty used. They were Snow White, Sun Sugar, and Chocolate Cherry. Don't they just sound like a party on a plate?!


Don't wait! Make this salad TODAY before all the juicy, ripe tomatoes are gone!


Fried Green Tomatoes over Cherry Tomato Salad

One Pint Cherry Tomatoes
One Teaspoon Sea Salt, plus more to taste
1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1/2 Cup Flour
1/2 Cup Yellow Cornmeal
Two Tablespoons Sugar
One Large Egg
1/2 Cup well-shaken Buttermilk
1/2 Cup or so Oil for frying
4 Large Green Tomatoes, cored, sliced 1/2 inch thick
4 Ounces Goat Cheese, crumbled ( about one cup)
Sweet Basil Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
8 Fresh Basil Leaves, cut in to strips

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.

Arrange the ripe tomato slices in one layer on a large platter or on individual plates. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Stir in the flour, cornmeal, sugar, one teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl.

Whisk the egg and buttermilk together in a separate small bowl.

Pour enough oil in a large skillet to fill to 1/4 inch deep and heat over medium-high heat to about 375 degrees, or until the oil sizzles when you drop a small amount of flour into the skillet.

Dip a green tomato slice in the egg-buttermilk mixture to coat both sides, dredge it in the flour mixture to coat both sides, and place it in the hot oil. Repeat with enough tomato slices to fill the skillet without crowding and fry until the under sides are golden brown. Turn and fry the other side until golden brown. ( Try to only turn the tomatoes once - any more and the coating may fall off.) Use tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer the fried tomato slices to the prepared baking sheet to drain. Place the sheet in the oven while you fry the remaining green tomatoes.

Arrange the fried tomato slices on top of the fresh cherry tomato slices. Sprinkle with the crumbled goat cheese. Drizzle with 1/2 cup of the vinaigrette and top with the basil strips. Season with additional salt and pepper and add more vinaigrette to taste. Serve immediately.

Note: Patty cut the Fried Green Tomatoes in fourths so they would be easier to serve and eat. Not a bad idea....


Sweet Basil Vinaigrette

1/2 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
Juice of One Lime
5 to 7 Fresh Basil Leaves, cut into thin strips
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper to taste
1/2 Cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

Whisk the vinegar, lime juice, basil, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl. Slowly add the olive oil, whisking until all the oil is incorporated. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Use immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to one week.
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Note: Our local news just did a report on a Tomato Tasting event at a nearby nursery. They tasted many more than nine tomatoes, but they did say that the Sweet 100 Cherry Tomato was the runaway winner among the crowd. As far as Heirloom tomatoes go, the Cherokee Purple, who got Honorable Mention at our "event" was a close second among tasters behind the Mexico Tomato.

Tomato Tasting

The Almighty Tomato!

We don't know what you did this past weekend - we sure hope it was fun - but we're confident that we outdid you all with our Tomato Tasting Party hosted so fabulously by Patty. She certainly outdid herself and raised the bar for future parties, but we like that! We had two new fun faces at the table: Bob, Patty's main squeeze - first boy ever allowed at the table and Teri, a friend of Patty's. They were both fantastic additions to the party and we were are happy they were there!

We didn't hesitate to ask Teri back for future parties because her enthusiasm and passion for great food is just what we're looking for, and Bob....well, as much as we thoroughly enjoyed his sparkling personality and sincerely appreciated all the help he gave Patty in preparing for this affair, we're just not ready to make it official that men are allowed yet. I do believe that day will come and when it does, Bob's on the list!

So, let's get down to business and talk tomatoes, shall we?! We tasted nine different tomatoes and the only one to show up in everyone's top three was the Red Brandywine, pictured at the top. It's known for it's consistently high yield and it's resistance to disease and we all loved it because it was mighty and meaty with a touch of sweet - the ultimate tomato.

Do you notice how it's beauty permeates all the way through to the middle when sliced? Seated beside the Red Brandywine is the Yellow Brandywine, which wins for good-looking insides, but is considerably milder and less acidic. None of us were overly impressed with the yellow beauty after experiencing the robust flavor of the Red.

The Black Seaman is a Russian Heirloom Tomato and it impressed the majority of our tasters. Supposedly it's an outstanding tomato for sandwiches and salads.

Check out how beauuuuutiful he is when sliced wide open! His deep, reddish green color is matched by his full-bodied, complex flavor. It would be a wonderful tomato to plant in your garden next year, but it also grows quite well in mid-sized containers.

And then there was the Green Zebra, which was a little funky-looking! But funky-looking or not, it had a wonderful zip and zing to it. It's flavor was described by Jen and Patty as "clean" and Teri thought if she closed her eyes she might be fooled into thinking she was eating a cucumber. Interesting! Carrie and I agreed with that.....

Before you cut this baby open, you almost have to remind yourself it's really a tomato! But as you can see, once the knife does it's thing, the evidence is revealed. Sharing the plate with the Green Zebra is the Red Zebra, which had a hint more zing, but couldn't come out ahead of the the Green. These Zebras probably shouldn't take center stage when it comes to tomatoes, but it would be a perfect addition to any salad or dish that asked for several types of tomatoes. In other words, if you love toasting bread, buttering it, topping it with a fat slice of garden tomato, and dropping a dash of salt and pepper on it, this Zebra would not be our first choice of tomato - that would be the Red Brandywine.

And then we have the Cherokee Purple Tomato. About half the table awarded this tomato with Top Three honors because of it's deep, rich flavor.

And then there was what we considered the novelty tomato - the Peach Tomato. He was cute, felt like a peach,

and looked like a lemon when sliced, but the flavor was mild and the consensus was that this tomato had us feeling as though we were getting away from the authentic tomato and what makes him so grand.


The Black Prince and Black Krim were two other tomatoes we tasted, but they failed to "Wow us" when stacked up next to the others. The great thing about all the tomatoes mentioned above is that they can all be grown right here in Ohio in your own backyard! Patty found these particular tomatoes at the North Market in downtown Columbus, so check it out.

This party was super fun and we all went home with fabulous parting gifts. Carrie brought some Romas and Pear Tomatoes from her garden for everyone......

And spunky newcomer Teri, showed up with these adorable little jars of salsa.....Yum!

And because of the line of work she's in, she showed up with a box of twenty-some Mangoes for us to take home and enjoy.... more Yum! Stay tuned for future Mango recipes......

And just when we thought our party was over, because we had tasted all the tomatoes....oh wait.....we forgot to mention that we tasted these tomatoes with slices of toasted bread, a killer spread that Bob made with mayo, Dijon mustard, and crumbled turkey bacon, and four mouth-watering cheeses: Manouri, which is a sheep's cheese from Greece, Piave, an Italian cow cheese much like the beloved Parmesan, the classic Buffalo Mozzarella, and a Garlic/Herb cheese. Patty even plucked some fresh herbs from the garden for us to pair with our tomatoes and she served Portuguese Green Wine for us to sip on while we indulged. We're telling you people, it was a fine way to spend the afternoon!

AND THEN, she brought out a beautiful platter of Fried Green Tomatoes atop freshly sliced cherry tomatoes of different colors and flavors with basil leaves sprinkled in and a sun-dried tomato vinaigrette lightly drizzled on top. Can you say sensational? More wine please.....

AND THEN, she brought three different kinds of hot peppers stuffed with three varieties of goat cheese and homemade pesto. I know!! The fun part about eating the peppers was that she and Bob picked these from their garden but had no idea how hot each one was. They knew they weren't fire-alarm hot, but it was a little like playing Russian Roulette when you took each bite. More wine please......and maybe some Jasmine Tea with ice........no milk necessary. They were wonderfully flavored with just enough heat to get your attention.

AND THEN, they picked some random mushrooms and lightly sauteed them and they were phenomenal!

Now this next part is where it gets tricky because WE are dessert people, Jen and I, and when we think dessert, we think chocolate, ice cream, cheesecake, cobblers - you get the picture - but Patty served a dessert that was nothing like that. Her finale involved thick slices of Plum tomatoes and ripe mangoes arranged beautifully on a white plate with a white wine vinaigrette drizzled all over it. Everything she had prepared up until now had been simply stellar, so we saw no reason not to try it.

Yep! It was good. It was very good. So good that the photo and recipe will be coming soon, along with the Fried Green Tomato recipe. So, if you have so many tomatoes that you're storing them in your spare bathtub, no worries....we've got you covered!

Thank you Patty and Bob for an afternoon of fresh foods, fantastic flavors, and fun friends. And thanks to Carrie and Teri for sharing their wonderful produce with us.

What Are We Tasting Next, You Ask?

Apples!!!

Stay tuned in September...

Chicken Salad with Spiced Pecans

We all know how to make chicken salad, don't we? Of course, there are many variations when it comes to recipes so the possibilities are endless. With that said, we have never put Granny Smith apples in our chicken salad before. Mandarin oranges, grapes, celery, and pineapple have all been paired up with our chicken and mayo, but never the apple.

This dish is simple, wonderfully flavored and the spiced pecans are a stunning compliment to this salad. You must spice up your pecans to get the full effect of this delight!


Chicken Salad With Spiced Pecans

4 Cooked Chicken Breast Halves, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
One Granny Smith Apple, chopped
One Cup Chopped Red or Green Seedless Grapes
1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Flat-leaf Parsley
One Cup Mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
Sea Salt and Ground Black Pepper to taste

One Cup Spicy Pecans

Stir the mayo and mustard in a medium sized bowl. Add the chicken, apple, grapes, and parsley. Salt and Pepper to taste.

Serve on bed of lettuce and top with a handful of spiced pecans.


Spiced Pecans

3 Cups Pecan Halves
3 Tablespoons Vanilla Extract
One Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Dried Rosemary
One Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
One Teaspoon Sea Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

Combine pecans, vanilla, and olive oil in a medium bowl and toss to mix. Mix all the dry ingredients together and pour over pecans - stir to coat. Spread pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for 15 minutes, stirring regularly. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. If you're storing your newly spiced pecans for another day, be certain the pecans are completely dry before storing in a resealable bag or container so they don't get soft.

Try to eat just one! We dare ya!

Coming Soon.... The Results of Our Fabulous Tomato Tasting Party

Sarafina's Greek Pasta Salad

Listen up, folks, because this is the grandmother of all pasta salads!

This recipe comes straight from our friend Sarah's mom...and she does NOT mess around when it comes to food. This is pasta salad for serious pasta salad lovers. And yes, the ingredient list may look just a little intimidating, and making the vinegar 2 weeks ahead of time may make you run for the hills, but we can assure you that this recipe is worth it. But really, it's pasta salad, so once you have all the ingredients, you just mix them together, and it's done! It's actually pretty fast, when you think about it!

It is also important to note here, that we have made this pasta salad many times on the spur of the moment, having not prepared the Garlic Peppercorn Vinegar...we just used regular vinegar or garlic-infused vinegar instead. Say it with me, folks...JUST WING IT!!! The same can be said for the feta with peppercorns...regular will do just fine, but if you really want to impress the crowd, make the special vinegar and try to find the feta with peppercorns. It adds unbelievable flavor!!


Sarafina's Greek Pasta Salad

Garlic Peppercorn Vinegar:
5 whole black peppercorns
2 large garlic cloves
2 c. white vinegar

Place peppercorns in a clean jar. Thread garlic on a wooden skewer and place in the jar. Add vinegar. Microwave on high for 2 1/2-3 minutes (the jar should be warm). Cover, and let stand in cool, dark place for 2 weeks to blend flavors.

Dressing:
2/3 c. oil
3 tbsp. Garlic Peppercorn Vinegar*
1/4 c. chopped fresh basil
2 tbsp. chopped fresh green onions
2 tbsp. grated parmesean cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. oregano

Salad:
3 c. uncooked tri-color rotini
1 small green pepper, cut into strips
1 small red pepper, cut into strips
1 medium tomato, cut into wedges
1/2 c. pitted Greek olives
6 oz. feta cheese w/ peppercorns, crumbled

In a blender container, combine all dressing ingredients. Blend until smooth. Cook pasta, drain, rinse with cold water. In a large bowl, combine all salad ingredients. Pour dressing over salad and toss gently. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving to blend flavors.

Be prepared to hand out the recipe!!!

Buttered Bellas with Garden Tomatoes

So how's your garden doing?

Is it blooming beautifully and blessing you with an abundance of produce like Jen's garden, or is it withering away before your eyes, barely bestowing on you enough food to create a simple meal, like Sheri's? Well, whether you're collecting baskets and baskets of fresh produce from your own garden, or accepting the generous handouts of friends, family, or neighbors, we have a quick delight for you today that will showcase the best of garden flavors.

This dish is light, fresh, flavorful, and seasonal. Enjoy!


Buttered Bellas with Garden Tomatoes

2 Cups Baby Bella Mushrooms, sliced
2 Tablespoons Butter
One Clove Garlic
1/4 Cup Chopped Green Onion
1/4 Cup Shaved Parmesan Cheese
4 Beautiful Red Tomatoes, straight from the garden
One Spaghetti Squash from the garden OR 4 Ounces Capellini Pasta
2 Tablespoons Toasted Pine Nuts
Sprinkle of Salt
Turkey Sausage (optional)

In a wok or skillet, melt butter and garlic over medium/low heat. Add sliced Bellas and cover. Saute' until softened and juices have released. Add green onions, turn off heat, and cover.

If you have a spaghetti squash cooked and "noodles" removed - great! If you're not doing the squash, then boil water and cook pasta until al dente. Drain.

Slice the top of a tomato and scoop out the inside. Open the tomato so it lays flat.

Place tomato on center of plate. Top with desired amount of spaghetti squash or pasta. Spoon sauteed mushrooms with juice over spaghetti. Top with Parmesan cheese and pine nuts.

Serve immediately.

Note: If you're looking for even more protein and flavor with this meal, replace the pine nuts with some turkey sausage - yum.....

Zucchini Slaw

We've made a lot of great dishes with zucchini on this blog, but this one is extra special because the zucchini in this recipe is completely raw, just the way the Man upstairs intended. We seriously doubt when He came up with the idea of zucchini, He was thinking to Himself, "Hey, they could also use this vegetable in a chocolate cake - that way Sheri and Jen could eat their rich dark chocolate cake with only half the guilt!"

But we choose to believe He does like us stretching our imagination, our minds, and our appetites to discover new and inventive ways to appreciate all the foods we grow, so we happily bake our beloved chocolate and green zucchini in the same cake - just not today.

Today, we're making this fabulous recipe! What we love most about this slaw is it's lightness, tang, and flexibility. The recipe calls for zucchini, yellow squash, red peppers, carrots, and scallions, but the first time we ate it, our minds started racing as we imagined how fantastic cucumbers, leeks, radishes, red cabbage, and all the other colors in the pepper family would taste in this dish.

Make the marinade today and stash it in the fridge, so on any particular day when you're cutting up some veggies, you can douse a little magic marinade on them and create a wonderful vegetable side salad.

We could all use a little magic in our lives!


Zucchini Slaw

2 medium zucchini, ends removed and cut into 2-inch julienne
2 medium yellow summer squash, ends removed and cut into 2-inch julienne
2 carrots, cut into 2-inch julienne
4 scallions, julienned (white and green parts)
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and julienned
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste

Sweet and Tart Slaw Dressing
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in a jar. Put the lid on tightly and shake the jar until the sugar dissolves.

Combine zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, scallions, bell pepper if using, and parsley in a large bowl as you cut them. Drizzle the vegetables with the dressing, season with salt and pepper and toss. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container.

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Just a thought: Have you ever made a Cheesy Vegetable Sandwich? Two pieces of bread with a dab of mustard, dollop of mayo, one or two leaves of leafy lettuce, a fabulous mouth-watering cheese, and then some cucumbers and peppers. If you haven't gone to this heavenly place we speak of, then a little slice of paradise is somewhere in your future.
Anyway! Imagine if you will, how fabulous these marinated veggies would taste on that Cheesy Vegetable Sandwich! Oh, can't you just taste it?........

Pesto and Artichoke Spread

Someone invites you to a party and the first thing you think is, "What am I going to bring?" We're always looking for something new and scrumptious to bring - that dish everyone goes ga-ga for, the one that everyone's hovering over until it's all gone, and the one every person wants the recipe for. We love to discover that fabulous new appetizer that everybody likes.

Everybody does think that way, don't they? Or is it just us? Are we the only crazies out there that make it our mission to find the next great masterpiece in the kitchen that will make everyone positively giddy when they eat it?

We hope not!

We believe deep down, that we are all in search of that easy to make, easy to transport, and impossible to walk away from after the first bite is taken, recipe.

Sooooo, if you have a party coming up and you want to try something new, here's a little something that just might knock everyone's sock's off!

Pesto and Artichoke Spread

8 Ounces Cream Cheese, softened
1/3 Cup Mayonnaise

1/4 Cup Pesto (freshly made or store-bought)
1/2 Cup Artichoke, diced small
1/3 Cup Roasted Red Peppers, Diced small
1/2 Cup Italian Cheeses, or Mozzarella

Beat cream cheese and mayo on high with beater until smooth. Spread thinly on large platter. Then layer every other ingredient in the order listed.

Special Note: We gave you specific measurements for the toppings because that is the recipe, but we do not limit ourselves like that. We spread the pesto thick because we like it that way, we load on the artichokes because we think they taste great!, we dump on the red peppers because we can, and we sprinkle cheese until it looks good. So, as always, do what you want!

Serve with vegetables or stoneground or wheat crackers

Lemon Raspberry Muffins

Look, when I said we love muffins around here, I wasn't kidding. Muffins and pancakes, baby... that's what we love to have on hand for breakfast to go with our big bowl of fresh, scrambled eggs!!

Now, these are not as healthy as the whole wheat blueberry muffins we just featured, but let us tell you, they are super yummy! The lemon flavor is just perfect and pairs beautifully with the raspberries. Of course, remember our rule of "Winging It"...feel free! In fact, the muffins in the above picture were made with fresh blackberries and they were divine. We've also made them with blueberries, which are sensational as well.

We always make these with the intention of just having a few and freezing the rest, but the freezing rarely happens. Fresh berries abound! Get out there and bake some muffins!

Lemon Raspberry Muffins

2 c. flour
1 c. sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 c. half & half
1/2 c. canola oil
1 tsp. lemon extract or lemon juice
1 c. fresh or frozen raspberries

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl combine the eggs, cream, oil and lemon extract/juice. Stir the wet ingredients in to the dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the raspberries.

Fill muffin cups 2/3 full and bake at 400 degrees for 22-25 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan.

Tuna with Sunflowers and Apples

How do you feel about tuna out of the can?

Are you okay with the idea?

Good!

We group up on tuna mixed with mayo, hard boiled eggs, and pickles spread on toasted wheat bread - which was great - but today we have a fun and refreshing new way to dress up tuna out of the can.

As the recipe suggests, dill, basil, or parsley can used in this recipe, which means you have three different recipes here - how fun is that?! We chose parsley today over the basil, just because basil gets used in so many other places, we felt it only fair to let parsley have a turn. We didn't grow it in the garden for nothing.....

Also, we are not huge avocado fans, but since many people are, we decided to give you the option to add or not to add. We figured if you were that avocado-loving freak, it just might make your face light up at the idea of adding it to your tuna salad, and if that were the case, who are we to deny you that?!

This is a wonderful and refreshing way to liven up your tuna! Enjoy!


Tuna with Sunflowers and Apples

12 Ounces of Solid White Tuna, packed in water, drained
1/4 Cup Sunflower Seeds
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1/3 Cup Mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Dill, Basil, or Parsley
One Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
One Tart Granny Smith Apple, chopped small
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper to taste

TOTALLY & COMPLETELY OPTIONAL:
One Avocado, peeled, pitted, halved, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Combine all the ingredients - except for the totally optional avocado - in a medium sized bowl and mix and stir together. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight to let the flavors mingle.

IF you like your avocado, just before serving, add the cubed avocado and toss very gently.

Serve over tomatoes, sprouts, bread, toasted rice cake, or simply a bed of beautiful fresh greens.