It is the weekend.  Who else is doing the happy dance? In a sea of Halloween candy and sweets I thought I would serve up a delicious and light salad.  I have lots of fall baking on calendar this weekend along with a few crafts I have put together for the Creating Memorable Holidays Seminar.

My latest obsession is the hazelnut.  I have been working my way through a few new recipes highlighting this nut.  Wait until I share the caramel corn I added it to last night.  This salad has crisp apples, radicchio and endive, sweet dates and toasted hazelnuts tossed in a light lemony vinaigrette.

If you live in Southern California and would like to win a two tickets to the Creating Memorable Holidays Seminar share one timesaving tip you utilize for the holidays in the comments below. The seminar will take place Saturday, November 19 at Crossline Community Church.

For additional entries tweet about the Seminar and or like the Adventures In The Kitchen Facebook page.  

Apple Hazelnut Radicchio Salad
Serves 4

2 apples, peeled and sliced
2 cups radicchio, torn
2 cups endive, torn into pieces
1/4 cup dates, chopped
1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped

Toss all ingredients with the lemon vinaigrette in a bowl.

Lemon Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
salt
pepper

Whisk together in a small bowl.

When I was little special family dinners included twice baked potatoes.  They were a little crunchy on top and creamy, like mashed potatoes on the inside.  When I knew Mom was making them I would look forward with anticipation all day.

Just last week when I asked a friend of mine what he had for his birthday he said twice baked potatoes.  A few days later, a box of Melissa’s Hatch Chiles arrived and I immediately thought about trying to remake them with the chilies. I turned on the grill and roasted all of them.  I removed the skins and seeds and promptly froze a bunch for future use.  I chopped up a bunch and threw them into the potato mixture.

I discovered Hatch Chilies two years ago.  They are from New Mexico and are only available for a brief period each September.  I have some hot one’s I am looking forward to trying this week but I used the mild ones for this.  They add a smooth mild heat to the dish.  I made this hatch potato casserole last year and it was gobbled up by my guests at a Labor Day barbecue.

Now to decide what to try next…  Don’t forget to enter to win two books by Karen Ehman.

I promised some quick and easy meals.  We’ll talk more about it later but here are few ideas:

•    Grill a package of boneless, skinless chicken breasts
•    Take the basic twice baked potato and leave out chilies if the kids do not like the spice.  Top with Grilled Chicken tossed with a little barbecue sauce.
•    Place chopped grilled chicken in a bowl and stir in salsa until just coated.  Serve with tortillas and grilled peppers and onions for fajita’s.
•    Make chicken tortillas adding grated cheese, vegetables and grilled chicken
•    Make Lime Chipotle Tostada’s

Twice Baked Potatoes with Hatch Chilies
4 baked potatoes
1/3 cup low fat milk
1/4 cup butter, softened
Salt
Pepper
1/3 cup hatch chilies, roasted, skinned and chopped
2/3 cup cheddar cheese
4 slices bacon, crisp and crumbled
1/2 cup corn, roasted

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Bake potatoes for 45 minutes to 1 hour.  A fork should easily go in the potato,

Scoop out the potato and place in mixing bowl.  Add butter and then half the milk.  Stir until well mixed.  Add remaining milk until the consistency is that off mashed potatoes.  Salt and pepper before stirring in the hatch chilies.

Place the potato back into the skins and top with cheese and bacon.  Bake 20 minutes.  Cook until the top is just starting to brown.  Spoon the corn over the top of the potato.  Serve 1 half of potato with the your meal.

I found a new way to make corn yesterday!  If you are a regular reader here you know I have made my share of corn recipes.  This week’s special is Carmelized Corn, Mango and Bacon.  Yes, I said mango and it was delicious.

Last night I came home determined to use up food in my refrigerator.  Sometimes my eyes are much bigger than my schedule when grocery shopping and I hate wasting food.  I had opened up this cookbook Spur of the Moment Cook.  It was a book my friend Deanna first discovered when we were both honing our cooking and entertaining skills.  The recipes are easy to put together and she has interesting flavor combinations.

I cooked the bacon and drained all but 1 teaspoon of it and then added the butter.

With half a jalapeno left, I diced and threw that in which was a smart choice.  A few minutes later I added the fresh corn and maple syrup and cooked a few minutes more.  I topped with mango and it was done.  It is sweet, savory and crunchy all at the same time.  This would be great with grilled fish or chicken.  I think the kids will love it as well, maybe without the jalapeno.

This week our giveaway is week’s worth of meal coaching and a copy of Mary de Muth’sbook 150 Quick Questions To Get Your Kids Talking.

Do you need help with menu planning?

Have a picky eater and want tips?

Want to incorporate healthier recipes?

Want to learn how to cook one meal and end up with 3?

I will coach you for one week via email and provide a meal plan for one week for you and your family.  So here is how to enter – you can enter once or up to four times.  It is your choice!  Thank you all for playing here at Adventures In The Kitchen

To enter leave a comment saying why you want the meal coaching.

For a second entry Sign up for Adventures In The Kitchen newsletter

For a third entry like my Facebook page.

The final way to enter is to send an email to friends and family you feel might enjoy the show or this site! Copy me on the email (cheri@adventuresinthekitchen.com). Then share that you did!

Caramelized Corn, Mango and Bacon
adapted from Spur of the Moment Cook by Perla Myers

4 cups fresh corn
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon bacon fat
1/3 cup bacon, cooked and diced
1 medium onion, peeled and finely minced
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced
4 tablespoons maple syrup
1 large mango, peeled and finely cubed
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat with one tablespoon bacon fat.   Add the onion and jalapeno; cook until soft but not browned.  Add the ban, corn and maple syrup and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper, and fold in the cilantro and mango.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

My first week at work was halted when I came down with some horrid virus.  I don’t think I have ever called in sick on day 3 of a new job!  Have any of you?

Back to potatoes, one of my favorite foods.  These are versatile, throw in different herbs, squeeze some lemon, play around.  If there are left overs, fry them up for breakfast.

Remember to enter the weekly giveaway!

This week you can enter to win a $25 gift certificate to the Tom Kat Studios and a copy of one of Cathe Laurie’s favorite books, The Hidden Art of Homemaking by Edith Schaeffer.

Sign up for my new Adventures In The Kitchen newsletter for one entry.  For a second entry like my Facebook page and leave a comment here. Share “Check on the Tomkat Studio giveway and listen to Adventures In The Kitchen on KKLA 99.5″ on twitter or Facebook for a third one and leave a comment.

On a hot summer day I think many of us are reticent to turn on the oven or even heat up the barbecue. I know I go for easy and refreshing food. One of my good friends was visiting last week and we went to True Foods, a restaurant by.  I had their Summer Chopped Salad and knew I would be home trying to recreate it.

The salad has strawberries, snap peas and fennel topped with a little cheese, toasty almonds and light white balsamic vinaigrette.  I have been loving snap peas this summer.  They are tasty raw or cooked.

This Sunday Adventures In The Kitchen launches on KKLA 99.5 here in Southern California so I thought it was time for a celebration which means a Giveaway!  Cuisinart ICE-21 Frozen Yogurt-Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker along with an ice cream  scoop and a California Milk ice cream freezer container.  If you live in Southern California I’d love your help in sharing with your friends.  The show will air on KKLA  99.5 FM.

This week’s guest is Cathe Laurie from Harvest Fellowship Church and her daughter-in-law Brittany.  We’ll be talking about cooking with family, establishing family traditions with your kids and Cathe will share a favorite recipe with us!  I would love to have you tune in.

To enter to win all you need to do is like Adventures In The Kitchen on Facebook and leave a comment below.  For additional entries Tweet “I just entered Adventures in The Kitchen Radio http://ow.ly/5OJ0z giveaway”  After you tweet, come back here and leave a comment letting me know you did. The contest will close Sunday at 3 pm PST.

For a third entry place “Check out Adventures In The Kitchen Radio on KKLA 99.5 and enter to win the giveaway at http://ow.ly/5ON2R ” on your Facebook status.  Good luck!

Strawberry Chopped Salad

1 bag mixed greens
1 cup chopped strawberries
1 cup snap peas, cut in thirds
1/4 cup fennel, chopped
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup almonds, toasted and chopped
Freshly ground pepper

Toss the mixed greens, strawberries, snap peas and fennel together in a bowl.  Sprinkle the cheese and almonds on top and serve with White Balsamic Vinaigrette.

White Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons honey
1/4 cup olive oil

Whisk together in a bowl.  Will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.

When summer comes around I love mixing grilled fruit with salad so this week made a Grilled Apricot, Cherries, Pancetta and Goat Cheese Salad.  I was at the local farmers market and bought a bag of sweet dark cherries.  They are my summer candy.  I love the dark crimson color and the sweetness of the cherries. They pair beautifully wit the apricots and the salad quickly comes together.

Things have been a bit busy around here.  I have been knee deep in a project that I am so excited about and can’t wait to share with you.  Hopefully soon!

I have also been working on a new site that I will be launching next week that will focus on low fat healthy meals.  My first few weeks on Weight Watchers has inspired me to create delicious low fat meals and thought I would share them with you.  Stay tuned.

I love the early days of summer.  Most Friday nights I hang out with my niece and nephews. They are days away from the end of school.  I remember the anticipation of summer, the days spent playing in the yard, family barbecues and swim lessons.  We would listen for the music of  the ice cream truck so we could run outside to buy a popsicle.

Once a week we would walk to the library.  I loved walking up and down the aisles looking at the books.  Every so often I would ride my bike down the street to my grandparents.

This weekend includes a barbecue with friends.  I am thinking of introducing my friends to an old favorite.  They are a refreshing drink on a hot summer day.  What will you be doing this weekend?  What will you be grilling this weekend?

Grilled Apricot, Cherries, Pancetta and Goat Cheese Salad

4 cups mixed greens or arugula
4 apricots, halved and pit removed
8 cherries, halved and pit removed
3 ounces of pancetta, cooked crisp
3 ounces goat cheese
Balsamic vinaigrette

Heat a medium non stick skillet that has been sprayed by canola spray.  Place the apricots and cherries cut side down and cook until tender but firm, about 5 minutes. Remove cherries after 3 minutes.

Mix together the greens, pancetta and goat cheese.  Plate and then top with 2 apricots and 4 cherries.  Mix with the balsamic vinaigrette.