If you can't take the heat, it's OK because recipe researcher Sheila Kern did all the work in the Shop Cheap kitchen. All you have to do is enjoy the recipes. Lots of the items are on sale this week, like Bing cherries, grapes and green beans at Save Mart and Kraft salad dressing at Safeway. Corn on the cob is low-priced at Raley's and Safeway. Enjoy!
Fresh Bing Cherry Salad with Melon and Mint
Serves 6
Ingredients
1/4 honeydew melon, seeds and skin removed, and cut into 1/2" cubes
1/4 cup minced fresh mint plus mint sprigs for garnish
2 tablespoons light honey
1 1/2 cups pitted fresh cherries
lemon juice
juice of 2 limes
Directions
Put the cantaloupe, honeydew melon, and minced fresh mint in a bowl and turn several times. Put the honey in a bowl with the lemon juice and stir until the honey dissolves, a minute or two. Pour this over the melons and turn several times. Add the cherries, turning them in as well. Pour the lime juice over all, garnish with mint sprigs and serve.
Chocolate-Dipped Cherry Treats
From www.calcherry.com
Ingredients
1 to 2 pounds fresh California Bing cherries.
6 oz. semi sweet chocolate chips
Directions
1. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Heat chocolate over medium heat, stirring often with a wooden spoon until melted, about five minutes. (Note: Use a double boiler. Or fill a saucepan half full with water and place chocolate in a small, deep heatproof bowl that fits snugly on the saucepan, but does not touch the water.)
3. Wash cherries with stems on and let dry.
Optional pitting instructions: Using a cherry pitting device, carefully remove the pit going through the cherry cross-ways rather than from top to bottom. This will allow the stem to remain intact. The hole in the middle of the cherry will be covered with chocolate when dipped.
4. Carefully pick cherries up by the stem and dip just over half-way into the melted chocolate. Let excess chocolate drip back into the pan or bowl.
5. Place on aluminum-lined cookie sheet and set in the refrigerator until the chocolate has set, about 15 minutes.
6. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
BLUEBERRY-LEMON POUND CAKE
From www.molliekatzen.com
Yield 1 large cake (12-16 servings)
Ingredients
Nonstick spray for the pan
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3 cups sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
6 large eggs
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups blueberries --fresh, or frozen (NOT defrosted)
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon extract
Optional Powdered sugar for the top
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously spray the interior of a standard-size tube pan or bundt pan with nonstick spray.
2. Add the sugar to the softened butter, and beat with an electric mixer at high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the lemon zest.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each.
4. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a second bowl. Stir in the blueberries.
5. Mix together the milk,, lemon juice, and extracts. Add the dry and wet mixtures alternately to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the dry mix. (dry- wet- dry-wet-dry). Stir gently from the bottom of the bowl after each addition - just enough to blend. Try not to overmix and also try to avoid crushing too many of the blueberries in the process.
6. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a sharp knife inserted all the way into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes in the pan, then rap the pan sharply and invert the cake onto a plate. Cool completely before slicing. If desired, sprinkle the powdered sugar on top of cake.
Lemony Chicken and Red Grape Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Chicken:
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts (preferably organic)
Juice and zest from 1 lemon
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme (optional)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
Yogurt Dressing:
3/4 cup plain yogurt
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/4 cup finely diced celery
1/4 cup finely diced green apple
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped basil
1/2 cup seedless red grapes, halved
Pita bread
Instructions
1. In a medium bowl, combine chicken, lemon juice and zest and juice, thyme and garlic and let sit in the refrigerator 30 minutes. Remove chicken from bowl and season with pepper and salt. Using an outdoor grill or stove-top grill pan, cook over medium heat 5 to 8 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Cool and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
2. To make the dressing, combine yogurt, mayonnaise, celery, apples, vinegar, parsley, basil and grapes; mix well. Add cooked chicken and let sit in the refrigerator 10 minutes.
3. Cut pita in half and stuff with chicken salad. Serves 6.
Turkey salad with cherries and walnuts
From www.familyoven.com
Ingredients
3/4 lb. cooked turkey, chopped (about 2 cups)
2 cups Bing cherries, pitted, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/3 cup KRAFT Mayo Mayonnaise
1 bag (8 oz.) mixed baby salad greens or spring salad mix
1/2 cup KRAFT Light Red Wine Vinaigrette Dressing
1/2 cup PLANTERS Walnut Pieces, toasted
Instructions
Mix turkey, cherries, onions, celery and mayo; cover. Refrigerate at least 30 min.
Toss salad greens with dressing. Divide among 6 salad plates. Top evenly with the turkey mixture.
Sprinkle with walnuts just before serving.
Green Beans and Tomatoes Italian
From www.kraftfoods.com
Makes 6 servings, 3/4 cup each
Ingredients
3 cups hot cooked fresh green beans (1 lb.)
2 plum tomatoes, cut into thin wedges
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup KRAFT Light House Italian Dressing
Directions
Combine ingredients.
Fresh-from-the-Cob Corn Salad
From www.kraftfoods.com
Ingredients
1/2 cup KRAFT Light House Italian Dressing
2 Tbsp. GREY POUPON Dijon Mustard
4 medium ears corn on the cob, cooked, cooled slightly
1/2 lb. green beans, trimmed, cut into 1-inch lengths (about 2 cups), cooked
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
Directions
Mix dressing and mustard until well blended.
Cut off the kernels from the ears of corn. Add corn to dressing mixture; mix well.
Add remaining ingredients; toss to coat. Serve immediately.
Kraft Kitchens Tips
How to Remove the Kernels from the Cooked Ears of Corn
Cut off the tips of the ears to flatten the ends. Stand the cobs upright on the flat ends. Using a very sharp knife, cut downward, removing 3 or 4 rows of kernels at a time.
Make Ahead
The vegetables can be mixed together the day before and stored in a resealable plastic bag in the refrigerator. Toss with the dressing mixture just before serving.
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