This is a really tasty meal for summer, and we usually make about double this amount. I'm kind of guessing on the amounts of the seasoning, because I just sprinkle and adjust by sight.

12 boneless (skinless or not) chicken thighs, or 6 chicken breasts, cut in half (but chicken thighs are better)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon roasted chile powder (or ancho chile powder)
1 teaspoon paprika

3/4 cup vinegar based hot sauce (but not Tabasco)
1 1/2 sticks of butter

12 buns
bleu cheese dressing
lettuce/mixed greens
carrot and celery sticks, to serve (optional)

Mix the salt, pepper, chile powder and paprika and season the chicken with it. I just lay them on a platter, sprinkle everything on, turn and repeat.

Grill over medium coals or on medium heat on a gas grill until they are cooked.

Put hot sauce and butter in a saucepan and melt over medium-low heat.

When the chicken is cooked, dip each piece into the sauce to coat, slap it on a toasted bun with a dollop of bleu cheese dressing and some lettuce. Serve with carrot and celery sticks on the side. Eat. Repeat.

Strawberry Mango Salad with Lime Dressing

It has been pretty hot around here, though we had a little reprieve last week. This salad is really more like a dessert, but it is cool, refreshing, and delicious. Strawberries are already almost out of season here, but they are still available. We are blessed to have a WinCo where mangoes are only about $0.50 each, so this salad is fairly economical for us, too. If you have any Mexican or Hispanic or Indian or Middle Eastern markets, you can often find mangoes for a great deal, too. We double the recipe, because the kids love it so much.

1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3 cups trimmed, sliced strawberries (about 2 pounds)
3 cups peeled, diced mangoes (2 - 3 large mangoes)

Combine sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until sugar has dissolved - about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Stir in lime zest and juice and allow to cool to room temperature.

Mix strawberries and mangoes in a large bowl. Add syrup and gently stir until well mixed. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes or until ready to serve.

This lasts about a week (maybe longer, but we eat it all before that) sealed in the refrigerator.

Ricotta Fritters

This is another recipe from my beloved Fine Cooking. It is simple and tasty to make. I think it was intended as a dessert, but honestly, it makes a pretty good breakfast. It's not any worse for you than pancakes, and maybe better because of the higher protein from the ricotta. I've tripled it here, because a dessert serving isn't enough for breakfast. This would make a great dish for a brunch buffet, too. This recipe makes about 36 fritters, which is just about right for eight or nine people.

light oil like safflower for frying
3 large eggs
9 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 cup whole-milk ricotta
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup unbleached pastry flour
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 1/2 cup pure maple syrup

Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Line two baking sheets with cooling racks.

Whisk the egg, sugar, ricotta, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Whisk in the flour and salt.

Carefully drop 6 individual tablespoonfuls of batter into the hot oil (test the oil by dropping a little bit of batter into it; it should bubble up—if it doesn’t, let the oil heat some more). Fry, turning once, until the fritters are golden brown on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes total. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the fritters to the baking sheet to drain. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Drizzle 3 tablespoons maple syrup on each of 8 plates. Arrange the fritters on top of the maple syrup, and serve immediately.

Labels: Homemaking, Recipes, Tales from the Kitchen

// posted by Ranee @ Arabian Knits @ 6:32 AM