Penne with steamed asparagus, basil, and ricotta

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 pounds asparagus

1 1/3 cups ricotta cheese

2/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

½ cup minced fresh basil leaves

½ tsp salt

½ tsp freshly ground pepper

1 pound penne pasta

Directions:

Bring 4 quarts of salted water to boil in a large pot for cooking pasta.

Snap off the tough ends from the asparagus spears. Cut the spears in half lengthwise, then slice them on the bias into 1-inch pieces. Steam the asparagus until just tender, about 2 minutes. Set them aside.

Combine ricotta and Parmesan cheese, basil, salt and pepper in bowl. Set aside.

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Just before the pasta is done, carefully remove 1/3 cup cooking liquid and stir into ricotta mixture. The cheese sauce should be smooth and creamy.

Drain the pasta, making sure that some water still clings to the noodles. Toss the hot pasta with the ricotta mixture and the asparagus. Mix well to coat the pasta with the sauce.

Lime Marinated Chicken over “Creamed” Corn

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

5 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 8 oz each), split kernels from 6 large ears of corn

½ cup low-fat milk

1 ¼ tsp salt

freshly ground pepper to taste

4 tsp chopped fresh cilantro

1 tsp jalapeno pepper

½ tsp grated lemon zest

1 tsp oil

Directions:

Place 4 tablespoons of the lime juice in a small, shallow dish. Add chicken and turn to coat on both sides. Marinate for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, place half of the corn in a food processor and pulse just enough to chop coarsely. Scrape into medium saucepan. Put the remained corn in the food processor with milk. Process until pureed. Add to the saucepan.

Place the pan over medium heat and simmer, stirring often, until the mixture is thick, about 10 minutes. Season with 1 tsp. of the salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm.

Preheat a grill or broiler. Remove the chicken from the lime juice and grill or broil until just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. While the chicken is cooking, stir together the remaining lime juice and salt, cilantro, jalapeno, lime zest and olive oil.

Divide the corn mixture among 4 plates, placing it in the center. Lay a piece of chicken over the corn and spoon the cilantro mixture on top.

Oven-baked Turkey Fajitas

Ingredients:

Lime-vinegar marinade

(Mix ¼ cup lime juice, 1 tablespoon balsamic or red wine vinegar, 1 clove garlic minced or pressed, ½ teaspoon honey, and ¼ tsp. ground coriander, ¼ tsp. ground cumin)

1 pound turkey breast tenderloins, rinsed

1 large (about 8 oz.) green bell pepper

1 large red onion

1 tablespoon salad oil

4 warm flour tortillas

lime wedges

Directions:

Pour marinade into a 1 gallon zip-lock bag or large bowl. Add turkey, mix well, and seal bag or cover bowl. Chill at least 20 minutes or up to 1 day, mix often.

Stem, seed, and thinly slice bell pepper and onion. Combine vegetables in a lightly oiled 10 by 15 inch rimmed pan. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes. Push vegetables to side of pan, lift turkey from marinade and lay in pan, save marinade. Spread vegetables around meat.

Frequently baste meat and vegetables with marinade, bake until turkey is no longer pink in the thickest part, about 20 minutes. Turn vegetables often.

Thinly slice turkey and divide equally with vegetables among tortillas.

Serves 4.

Cinnamon-Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients:

¾ cup flour

½ cup sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa

½ tsp. soda

½ tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. salt

½ cup water

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 ½ teaspoon vinegar

½ tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

Combine first ingredients, mix well. Add water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Stir until smooth. Fill muffin cups half full with batter. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes. Yields 10 6 oz cupcakes.

Buttery Cinnamon Frosting

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 ½ cup sifted powdered sugar

¼ teaspoon cinnamon (or more)

pinch of salt

1 tablespoon milk

½ teaspoon vanilla

Beat butter until fluffy. Add ½ cup sugar and cinnamon and salt and beat. Add remaining sugar and milk alternatingly. Add vanilla last.

Summer Berry Buckle

The topping:

½ cup sugar

½ cup dark brown sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

1/3 cup chopped toasted pecans

½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch pieces

The filling:

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

½ cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

6 cups assorted berried (can use frozen berries)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350. Butter and flour 9 by 13 inch baking dish. To make the topping, combine the sugars, flour, nutmeg and pecans in a mixing bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Set aside.

To make the filling, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg. Sift the flour and baking soda together and add to the butter mixture alternatingly with the buttermilk.

Spread the mixture in the prepared dish and top with the berries. Sprinkle the topping over the berries.

Bake until the batter is set and the top is nicely browned, about 45 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream.

Yields 8-10 servings.

Buttermilk-and-Jam Scones

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 cups flour

1/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

14 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced and chilled in the freezer for 5-10 minutes

1 cup buttermilk, plus more if necessary

1 tablespoon lemon zest

¼ cup raspberry jam

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and position a rack in the top third of the oven. Melt the two tablespoons of butter and set aside.

In a large bowel, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using a pastry cutter or a fork, cut the well-chilled butter into the dry ingredients, working quickly, until the dough resembles coarse cornmeal.

Add the buttermilk and the lemon zest, using a fork, combine the ingredients. Work quickly stirring as little as possible, until a soft, shaggy dough forms. Add more buttermilk, a tablespoon at a time, if the dough is too dry.

Gather the dough into a ball and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Pat or roll it into a fat circle about 7 inches across.

Spread the jam over half the dough, fold the unjammed half over the jammed half and roll the dough into a circle this is about ½ inch thick and 12 inches wide. Use a sharp knife to cut the circle into 12 wedge-shaped scones.

Place the scones an inch apart on 1 or more ungreased baking sheets. Brush the top of each with the melted butter and bake 12-15 minutes. Cool.

Yields 12 scones.