Chicken with Chimichurri Sauce

Hearing so much about the latest sauce du jour, chimichurri, I had to try it. This recipe, adapted from the June 2008 issue of Better Homes and Gardens, is delicious, easy and acceptable to even the pickiest of eaters (I know, because I'm also one of them). Of course, if you want to keep everything authentic, go with flank (or skirt) steak and serve with some simple bruschetta... grilled Pugliese or Tuscan bread rubbed with garlic and served with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Chicken with Chimichurri Sauce

3 to 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup Italian parsley, packed
handful of basil leaves
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 garlic gloves, peeled and halved
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
juice of 1 lemon
salt and additional pepper to taste

Combine olive oil, parsley, basil, vinegar, garlic and lemon juice in a small food processor until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place chicken in a zipper bag and pour sauce over chicken. Seal bag and marinate chicken while grill heats (or longer for maximum flavor). Remove chicken from marinade and grill over medium heat until chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees.

Lemon Bars

Sometimes, all you need is a little slice of sunshine. These luscious lemon bars, complete with a buttery, shortbread crust and slightly tart filling, will brighten any day. This recipe, so much better than others with oil in the crust, appears in The Lady & Sons, Too: A Whole New Batch of Recipes from Savannah by Paula Deen.

Lemon Bars

Crust
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup powdered sugar
Pinch of salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

Filling
4 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. To make the crust, combine the flour, powdered sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl. Cut in the butter to make a crumbly mixture and press into a lightly greased 13 by 9 pan. Bake for 20 minutes.

In the meantime, whisk the eggs, sugar, flour and lemon juice together. Pour over baked shortbread crust and put in the oven for an additional 25 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

Pork Chops with Escalloped Apples

There's nothing quite like the all-American classic, pork chops and apples. But who says it has to be plain Jane? This absolutely delicious recipe, from Paula Deen & Friends: Living it Up, Southern Style, was originally created for a pork tenderloin prepared on the grill. The marinade works equally well with 1-inch thick boneless chops on the stove, though. For the apples, I've added some additional sugar and a hint of cinnamon to Rachael Ray's simple recipe.

Sweet & Savory Pork Tenderloin

4 to 8 boneless pork chops or 2 lb. pork tenderloin
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons dry red wine
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced or sliced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated (or more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup Vidalia onion or green onion, chopped

Combine soy sauce, red wine, honey, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, cinnamon and onion in a resealable plastic bag. Place the chops or tenderloin in the bag, ensuring meat is immersed in marinade. Refrigerate overnight.

For chops: Remove meat from marinade and pat dry; reserve marinade. Sear chops over medium-high heat on both sides approximately 5 minutes per side or until meat reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees.

For tenderloin: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove meat from marinade and pat dry; reserve marinade. Bake tenderloin for approximately 45 minutes or until meat reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Allow to rest before slicing.

While meat cooks, simmer reserved marinade until reduced to about 2 tablespoons. Spoon over meat before serving.

Escalloped Apples

3 tablespoons butter
4 large apples, peeled, cored and sliced
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons sugar (or more to taste)
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add apples and cook for approximately 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. When apples are nicely tender, sprinkle with flour, lemon juice, sugar and cinnamon, stirring well. Serve warm.

Potato Salad

Who doesn't love potato salad (except for my daughter, of course)? I thought it would be interesting to try this recipe from Virginia Willis, author of Bon Appetit, Y'All, who was profiled in the April/May 2008 issue of Taste of the South. She uses the French technique of pouring vinegar over the hot potatoes to enhance their flavor. If you find the taste of white wine vinegar a little strong, try pickle juice instead. I added the pickles, because it just doesn't seem right without them.

Potato Salad

2 lbs. small Yukon Gold potatoes, halved
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 Vidalia onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/4 cup pickle (or more to taste)
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, if desired
salt and pepper to taste

Place potatoes in a large pot with ample cold water and a teaspoon of kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, simmering until potatoes are tender. Drain well. While potatoes are still hot, drizzle with vinegar (or pickle juice) and allow to cool slightly.

Add mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, onion, celery and pickle to potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle parsley on top, if desired, and serve warm or at room temperature.

Pasta with Red Pepper Sauce

I discovered this simple recipe in the February 2008 issue of Food & Wine. I cut 1/4 cup of the olive oil, since it's plenty rich with just a couple of tablespoonfuls. I suggest roasting your own peppers, since they're so much sweeter than their jarred counterparts. Put peppers on the grill or under the broiler until every side is blistered (not completely charred, though, or they'll be too bitter). Place in a covered bowl for about 20 or so minutes, then remove the skin. Store with a tablespoon or two of extra virgin olive oil, a garlic clove and a bit of salt and pepper in the refrigerator. Lovely for antipasto, too.

Pasta with Red Pepper Sauce

3/4 lb. imported Italian pasta (gemelli or cavatappi)
2 whole roasted red peppers
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (or more to taste)
2 oil-packed sun-dried tomato halves, drained
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 garlic clove
1/2 lb.s fresh mozzarella cheese, cubed
handful of basil leaves
salt and pepper to taste

Cook the pasta (according to package directions) in a large pot with ample amounts of salt (1 to 2 tablespoons). Drain thoroughly.

Meanwhile, puree roasted peppers with the olive oil, sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste and garlic until smooth. Pour into a large bowl and toss with the pasta and fresh mozzarella. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Tear a few basil leaves over the pasta and serve.

Coconut Cake

Even my daughter, who turns up her nose at anything with nary a shred of coconut in it, loves this cake. I simply leave off the coconut for her or anyone else who doesn't care for its distinctive taste and texture. This will, undoubtedly, become you're new, go-to white cake recipe. Adapted from The Cake Mix Doctor, I've omitted the toasted, unsweetened, grated coconut and replaced it with the much sweeter Baker's Angel Flake. Serve this delicious cake with a generous scoop of French vanilla ice cream.

Coconut Cake
1 package plain white cake mix
1 cup + 1 tablespoons sour cream (Daisy is excellent)
1 cup cream of coconut
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
Cream Cheese Frosting
Baker's Angel Flake for sprinkling (if desired)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13 by 9 baking pan with vegetable spray (preferably one with flour).

Combine the cake mix, sour cream, cream of coconut, vegetable oil and eggs with a mixer on low. Beat for 1 minute before stopping and scraping down the sides of the bowl. Beat on medium another 2 minutes. Pour into prepared pan and bake for approximately 40 minutes. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 to 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or less to taste)
pinch of salt
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 to 2 tablespoons whole milk

Beat the cream cheese and butter with a mixer until well-blended and free of lumps. Turn off the machine and add the powdered sugar, salt and vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk. Beat on low until all ingredients are incorporated, then increase the speed of the mixer and beat for another 2 minutes, or until frosting is light and fluffy, adding additional milk if needed. Spread over cake and serve.

Frozen Raspberry Lemonade Pie

I hope you've had a chance to watch "Down Home with the Neelys" on Food Network. They made a Frozen Lemonade Pie recently that you've just got to try. I simplified their recipe even more by freezing the graham cracker crust, and added my own touch by using raspberry lemonade and fresh whipped cream. Although reminiscent of a semifreddo, a certain someone let me know it tasted "very Southern." That's music to the ears of us folks all the way in the Northwest.

Raspberry Lemonade Pie

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk, chilled
6 oz. Minute Maid Raspberry Lemonade concentrate, frozen
1 cup old-fashioned whipping cream
1 to 2 tablespoons powdered sugar (or more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
graham cracker crust

For filling, whip cream with 1 to 2 tablespoons powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract until peaks form. Carefully fold in chilled sweetened condensed milk and frozen raspberry lemonade concentrate. Pour into prepared graham cracker crust and freeze until set (approximately 8 hours).

Graham Cracker Crust
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted

Combine ingredients and press mixture on the bottom of a 13 x 9 baking dish or on the bottom and sides of a 9-inch, deep dish pie pan. Freeze until set, about 20 to 30 minutes.