A little bit of this, a little bit of that

By Susan McClanahan

A little of this and a little of that; Recipe Swap has no particular theme today, just a little bit of everything. In searching for a recipe recently I came across a few recipes I have been wanting to try, but have not taken the time to do so. For today's column I pulled them out as an incentive to give them a try.

But first, this recipe sent in by Martha Maxton of Cape Girardeau sounds delicious. Martha prepared this recipe for 12 people during a recent vacation with family in Florida and it was a hit. She added a few comments to the recipe, including her favorite choice for stir fry vegetables, which is included in the recipe, but also mentioned she used ground ginger in place of the fresh. She served this meal with a side of fresh fruit to make a complete meal.

Citrus Chicken Breast Stir Fry

Marinade:

• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/3 cup teriyaki sauce
• 1/2 cup pineapple juice (if desired)
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced

Combine all ingredients and set aside.

• 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut up in 1-inch cubes

For the sauce:

• 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 large package frozen stir fry vegetables (Martha likes sugar snap pea stir-fry in a 16-ounce bag)

Combine marinade ingredients. Pour marinade over chicken, cover and place in refrigerator. Marinate for 2 hours.

While chicken is marinating, make the sauce by combining 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce and 1/4 cup honey. Combine cornstarch and a tablespoon of water. Add to the teriyaki and honey.

Remove chicken pieces from the marinade and discard the marinade.

Heat a wok or skillet, add oil and cook chicken until no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Add vegetables and sauce mixture. Cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Serve over seasoned or brown rice.

Grilled BLT Salad

• 1/2 pound thick-sliced bacon, cut into bite-sized pieces
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons minced shallot
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 pints cherry tomatoes, stemmed
• 1 large crusty sandwich roll, split
• 1 or 2 medium heads butter lettuce
• 2 or 3 scallions (white and light-green parts only), thinly sliced

Prepare the grill for direct cooking over medium heat (350 to 450 degrees) and preheat the grill pan.

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp. With a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to paper towels, reserving the bacon fat. Add enough oil to the bacon fat to make 6 tablespoons.

In a small bowl, mix the shallots, vinegar, thyme, salt and pepper. Whisk in the bacon fat/oil mixture in a steady stream to make a dressing.

Lightly coat the tomatoes with some of the dressing. Grill the tomatoes in the grill pan over direct medium heat, with the lid closed, until their skins begin to char and crack, 5 to 6 minutes, shaking the grill pan with tongs to turn them. Wearing insulated barbecue mitts or gloves, carefully remove the grill pan from the grill and pour the tomatoes into a bowl.

Brush the cut side of the roll with some of the dressing and grill over direct medium heat, with the lid open, until toasted, about 1 minute. Remove from the grill and cut into large croutons.

Arrange the lettuce leaves in a serving bowl. Scatter the tomatoes with their juices and the croutons among the lettuce. Whisk the dressing one more time and spoon some of it over the salad (you may not need all the dressing). Top with the cooked bacon pieces and finish with the scallions. Serve immediately.

Slow Cooker Balsamic Roasted Chicken

• 2 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 12)
• 1 1/4 cups balsamic vinaigrette dressing
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh garlic
• 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped

Spray a 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place chicken thighs in slow cooker, layering if necessary. Top with 1/2 cup of the dressing and sprinkle with garlic; refrigerate remaining dressing for later use. Cover and cook on low heat setting 4 to 4 1/2 hours or until juice of chicken is clear when thickest part is cut or at least 165 degrees. Remove chicken to rimmed serving dish and discard cooking liquid. To serve, drizzle remaining 3/4 cup dressing over chicken; top with tomatoes and basil.

Loaded Cream Cheese Cookie Bars

For the crust:

• 8 ounces animal cookies
• 1 stick butter
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

For the icing:

• 1/2 stick butter
• 1/2 of and 8 ounce package cream cheese
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

For the batter:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 stick butter, softened or just barely melted
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• Sprinkles, to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Crush the 8 ounces of animal crackers in a bag until fine and grainy. Pour into a bowl and add in the stick of melted butter, honey and cinnamon to make crust. Stir and then place in the bottom of an 8x8-inch baking pan. Place the crust in the oven until it's golden brown, approximately 10 minutes.

To prepare the icing, take the 1/2 stick butter, 1/2 package of cream cheese and 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and stir mixture over low heat until melted together. Place in freezer or fridge for 5 or so minutes to cool slightly.

While that is cooling, make the cookie batter. Mix the flour, sugar and baking powder together in a bowl. Then mix in the two eggs (lightly beaten together), vanilla and butter. Add the white chocolate chips and sprinkles to the cookie batter.

To assemble, you actually have the icing layer between the crust and the cookie mixture. Spread the icing very thinly over the baked crust. Then spread out the batter in an even layer on top of the icing, being careful not to mix some of the crust in with the icing and batter.

Place in oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Have a great week and, until next time, happy cooking.