My kids are in heaven with this latest recipe. Apricots are ripe at our house now, so expect lots and lots of apricot recipes... I hope someone else out there can use them, too!

Apricot Yogurt Popsicles

Ingredients
2-1/4 cups apricot puree (Recipe below)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup greek yogurt
(An optional delight) 1/4-cup organic fresh & heavy cream

Directions
1. Whisk all ingredients together to make the apricot-yogurt mix.
2. Pour apricot-yogurt mix into individual popsicle containers. Fill container to about 1/4-inch from the top, leaving room for the popsicle mix to expand as it freezes.
3. Cover each popsicle container with a plastic wrap. Use a rubber ban to tighten the wrap. (I didn't do this step) Puncture a small hole for the popsicle stick. Place a popsicle stick through the hole. Place popsicles in the freezer to chill until solid.
4. When popsicles are frozen, run warm water over the container to loosen from the mold. DO NOT use boiling water, especially with glass containers, for the glass could break.

Apricot Puree

Ingredients Makes about 3-1/4 cups
2 lbs. Apricots
2 tbsp. to 1/4-cup honey (amount depends on the sweetness of the fruit and personal taste)*

Directions
1. Place apricots in a large pot of boiling water for 2 to 4 minutes, or until the skin begin to peel. Remove from the water and let cool enough to handle (place in the refrigerator to cool faster). Cut into the apricots to discard the seed and stem.
2. Place apricots and honey in a food processor to puree until smooth.
3. Set aside.

*Use any type of sweetener, but adjust amount according to a personal taste.

Original blog post: http://blog.sanuraweathers.com/2011/06/chobani-apricot-yogurt-popsicles-contest/

Soy-glazed Chicken with Stir-fried Vegetables

Here's a new crock pot staple at our house:

This has a flavorful asian sauce and is super easy. It's one of my favorites for days I want to put dinner in early and forget about it. I have also made it with boneless, skinless chicken breasts, although the meat was much drier than when we used thighs. I might try cutting the cooking time down to keep breasts more moist, but for best results, use thighs. They are cheaper, anyway. That's a little shout-out for YOU, Marion :).

Serves 4| Hands-On Time: 30m| Total Time: 4.5-8 hours

Ingredients

• 1/2  cup  packed light brown sugar
• 3  tablespoons  low-sodium soy sauce
• 3  tablespoons  fresh lemon juice
• 2  tablespoons  Asian fish sauce
• 1  tablespoon  grated fresh ginger
• 1/4  teaspoon  crushed red pepper *we use just a pinch to keep it mild for the kiddies
• 1 1/2  pounds  boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8) *I bet bone-in thighs would be even better. Will try.
• 1  cup  long-grain white rice
• 1  tablespoon  canola oil *I used olive oil
• 3/4  pound  snow peas, trimmed
• 2  heads baby bok choy, leaves separated
• 1  red bell pepper, sliced
• 4  scallions, cut into 2-inch lengths
• 2  cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• black pepper

Directions

1. In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, mix together the sugar, soy sauce, lemon juice, fish sauce, ginger, and crushed red pepper. Add the chicken and turn to coat.
2. Cover and cook until the chicken is tender, on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours.
3. Twenty minutes before serving, cook the rice according to the package directions.
4. Meanwhile, transfer the chicken to a plate. Pour the cooking liquid into a large skillet and boil until slightly thickened, 4 to 5 minutes.
5. Heat the oil in a second large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the snow peas, bok choy, bell pepper, scallions, and garlic and cook, tossing frequently, until the vegetables are tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Serve with the chicken and rice; drizzle with the cooking liquid.

Original recipe link: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/soy-glazed-chicken-stir-fried-vegetables-00100000074155/index.html 

Pumpkin Ginger Cheesecake

This is how mine turned out:

CRUST

• 4 T unsalted butter, melted 
• 1 1/2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs (I used Ginger Cats Cookies for people from Trader Joe's) 
• 2 T sugar 
• 1/8 t salt 

1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. 
2. Lightly butter pie plate.
3. Stir together all ingredients in a bowl and press evenly on bottom and up side of pie plate. 
4. Bake until crisp, 12 to 15 minutes, then cool on a rack to room temperature, about 45 minutes. 

FILLING

• 3/4 c sugar 
• 1/4 c chopped crystallized ginger 
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened 
• 2 large eggs 
• 1/4 c whole milk (I didn't actually put any milk in it)
• 1 T all-purpose flour 
• 1/2 t freshly grated nutmeg 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1 c canned solid-pack pumpkin (from a 15-ounces can) 

1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Pulse sugar and ginger in a food processor until ginger is finely chopped, then add cream cheese and pulse until smooth. (I don't have a food processor, so I just chopped the ginger by hand.)
3. Add eggs, milk, flour, nutmeg, and salt and pulse until just combined. 
4. Reserve 2/3 cup cream cheese mixture in a glass measure. (I put mine in a ziploc bag so I could squeeze/decorate with it later, in step 7.)
5. Whisk together remaining 1 1/3 cups cream cheese mixture and pumpkin in a large bowl until combined. 
6. Pour pumpkin mixture into gingersnap crumb crust. 
7. Stir reserved cream cheese mixture (in glass measure) and drizzle decoratively over top of pumpkin mixture, then, if desired, swirl with back of a spoon. (I may have just used my finger... :)
8. Bake until center is just set, 35 to 45 minutes. 
9. Cool to room temperature, about 2 hours, then chill, loosely covered with foil, at least 4 hours. 

(Here's the original recipe.)

Haandi Chicken

This recipe comes from a good friend whose judgement I generally trust, however, I was skeptical. I needn't have been. Ah-May-Zing!
We always double this recipe, but we have a billion children.

Pardon the terrible picture. Hey... even ugly food can taste good!

Haandi Chicken
1lb chicken, cubed
2 onions, diced
1 Tbsp olive oil
6 oz coconut milk
2 Tbsp sour cream (we use Plain Greek Yogurt as it doesn't bother my Lactose Intolerants)
1 tsp each: coriander, chili powder, garam masala, ginger, garlic salt
1/4 tsp cardamom
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
8 oz pineapple pieces
1/2 c cashews
Red pepper flakes

Cook onions in olive oil over medium heat until just tender. Add chicken and cook until browned. Don't over cook (about 2-3 minutes). Add all spices except cilantro and pepper flakes. Add coconut milk, sour cream and pineapple. Simmer on low about 4-5 minutes but don't let it come to a full boil. 1 minute before serving add cilantro and red pepper flakes. Serve over rice. Garnish with cashews (my favorite part!).
Haandi Chicken

Thai Green Curry

Also from Cook's Illustrated...sensing a theme here? :)

Thai Green Curry w/chicken, broccoli, and mushrooms

2 14-oz cans coconut milk (unsweetened), not shaken
2 T store-bought green curry paste or 1/2 c homemade green curry paste
2 T fish sauce
2 T brown sugar
1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed of excess fat and sliced thin across the grain
2 1/2 c broccoli florets
4 oz white mushrooms or shitakes, stems discarded and mushrooms quartered (about 2 cups) (optional)
1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into thin strips (optional)
1 large chile (hot), stemmed, seeded, and quartered lengthwise (optional)
1 T lime juice
1/2 c fresh basil leaves (optional, but good)
1/2 c fresh mint leaves (optional, but good)







Notes: 
-I've had the best luck using Mae Ploy green curry paste and Chaokah coconut milk.  I've found that the coconut milk really affects the final product.
-I substitute whatever vegetables I have on hand at the end.  Carrots, broccoli, and zucchini have worked well in the past.

1. Carefully spoon off about 1 cup of the top layer of cream from one can of coconut milk -- this layer will be thick and possibly solid.  Place the coconut cream and curry paste in a large Dutch oven and bring to a simmer over high heat, whisking to blend, about 2 minutes.  Maintain this brisk simmer and whisk frequently until almost all of the liquid evaporates, 3-5 minutes.  Reduce the heat to medium-high and whisk constantly until the cream separates into a puddle of colored oil and coconut solids, 3-8 minutes.  (You should hear the curry paste starting to fry in the oil.)  (Note: It usually takes me longer than 3-8 minutes.) Continue cooking until the curry paste is very aromatic, 1-2 minutes.

2. Whisk in the remaining coconut milk, the fish sauce, and the brown sugar.  Bring back to a brisk simmer and cook until the flavors meld and the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.  Season the chicken with salt and add it to the pot, stirring until the pieces are separated and evenly coated with the sauce, about 1 minute.  Stir in the broccoli and mushrooms and bring back to a brisk simmer over medium heat.  Cook until the vegetables are almost tender, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the bell pepper and fresh chile, if using, and cook until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes.  Off the heat, stir in the lime juice, basil and mint. Serve immediately.

Greek Style Lamb Pita Sandwiches
from Cooks Illustrated More Best Recipes

For pita burgers:
4 large (8-inch) pita breads (or substitute bread crumbs)
1/2 medium onion, chopped coarse
4 t juice from 1 lemon
1 T minced oregano
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1/2 t salt
1/4 t ground black pepper
1 pound ground lamb (I usually use 1 pound lean ground chuck)
2 t vegetable oil

Toppings:
Tzatziki sauce (see recipe below)
tomato
shredded lettuce
feta cheese

Tzatziki sauce (best if made before and chilled in fridge):
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 medium cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, and seeded
2 T extra virgin olive oil
2 T minced fresh mint and/or dill leaves
1 small garlic clove, minced or pressed through a garlic press
salt and ground black pepper
Note: sauce keeps in fridge, but not for more than a few days.

Shred the cucumber on the large holes of a box grater.  Whisk the yogurt, oil, mint, and garlic together in a medium bowl.  Stir in the cucumber and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.   

Pita burgers:
1. Adjust an oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350.  Cut the top quarter off each pita and tear into 1-inch pieces. Wrap the remainder of the large pitas in foil.
2.  Process the pita pieces, onion, lemon juice, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor until a smooth paste forms, around 30 seconds.  Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, add the lamb or ground chuck and gently mix with your hands until thoroughly combined.
3. Divide the mixture into 12 equal pieces and roll into balls.  Gently flatten the balls into round disks about 1/2 inch thick and 2.5 inches across.
4. Put foil-wrapped pitas directly on an oven rack and heat for 10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking.  Add patties and cooke until well browned and a crust forms, 3-4 minutes.  Flip patties, reduce heat to medium and cook until well browned and a crust forms on second side, about 5 minutes longer.  Transfer to paper-towel lined plate.
6. Put patties into pitas with toppings and enjoy!

Notes:
I like to make a bunch of the patties at once and freeze them -- makes for a really easy dinner later.

Marinated Vegetable Salad

I made this for the Wayne Eng Family Reunion that took place in Branson, MO last summer.  Everyone asked for the recipe! They always do!

Marinated Vegetable Salad

1 can (15 oz.) Le Sueur Peas
1 can (15 oz.) "Shoe Peg" corn
1 can (15 oz.) French Style green beans, chopped
1 small jar chopped pimento
1 green pepper, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 red onion, finely chopped
2-3 green onions, finely chopped
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup vinegar
1/4 extra light tasting olive oil
1 tsp. garlic powder

Drain and mix together the first 4 ingredients. Add the next 4 ingredients.

Heat together the sugar, vinegar and oil until the sugar dissolves. Add garlic powder. Pour the heated mixture over the vegetables. Cover and let stand in the refrigerator over night. Good as a salad or served with tortilla or pita chips as a dip.