LITTLE ROCK — SUNDAY: Impress the family with Cumin-Crusted Pork Tenderloin. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Mix 3 tablespoons cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon paprika and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt. Rub all over 2 (1-pound) pork tenderloins. Coat pork and an oven-safe skillet with cooking spray, and heat skillet on medium. Cook pork, turning until browned on all sides. Place skillet in oven and roast 12 minutes, or until meat thermometer registers 145 degrees. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with Fresh Corn and Black Bean Salad. In a large bowl, cut kernels from six ears freshly cooked corn on the cob. Add 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans (rinsed), 1/2 EACH red, yellow and green bell peppers (coarsely chopped), 1 green onion (sliced), 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 3 cloves garlic (minced), 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin and the juice of 2 limes; mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Adapted from I Love Corn by Lisa Skye, Andrews McMeel Publishing.) Add a romaine salad and whole-grain rolls. For dessert, Strawberry Banana Crepes will get everyone’s attention. Spoon about 3 tablespoons frozen whipped topping (thawed) down the center of 10 crepes, then top with 4 or 5 banana slices. Roll and top each with more whipped topping, sliced fresh strawberries and toasted walnuts. Plan ahead: Save enough pork, corn and bean salad, and crepes for Monday. MONDAY: Make pork sandwiches with the leftovers. Layer slices of pork and lettuce on whole-grain bread spread with mango chutney. Serve with leftover corn and bean salad. End with leftover crepes for dessert. TUESDAY: Dinner can’t get much easier than Hot Barbecue Biscuits. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Separate refrigerated buttermilk flaky biscuits (from an eight-count can) into halves and place on baking sheet. Top eight biscuit halves with 2 to 3 tablespoons delicatessen barbecued chicken or beef. Press remaining biscuit halves gently on top. Bake 13 minutes or until biscuits are browned. Remove from oven and serve. (Adapted from 51 Fast and Fun Packaged Dough Recipes by Dolores Kostelni.) Serve these little gems with delicatessen coleslaw. Serve kiwi for dessert. WEDNESDAY: The kids won’t believe what’s inside a cooked spaghetti squash, so show them the magic in Spaghetti Squash With Chunky Sauce (see recipe). Serve with carrot sticks and soft rolls. Nectarines are summer’s best dessert. THURSDAY: Catfish With Lemon Dill Sauce is a low-cost dinner. Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, mix together 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill, and coarse salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Place four catfish filets (about 5 ounces each) in dish and drizzle with fresh lemon juice. Season with coarse salt and pepper. Fold filets in half, sprinkle top with smoked or regular paprika and then top with lemon slices. Bake 20 minutes or until fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Serve with lemon dill sauce. Add red potatoes tossed with a little butter and some salt and pepper, green beans and whole-grain rolls. For dessert, cantaloupe is another summer favorite. FRIDAY: Eat this Vegetable Chili (see recipe) the way they do in Cincinnati and spoon it over spaghetti. Add a spinach salad and whole-grain bread. Fresh cherries make a special dessert. SATURDAY: Chicken With Apricot-Ginger Relish (see recipe) was a prize-winner in a cooking contest. Serve it with jasmine rice, fresh asparagus, a bibb lettuce salad and sourdough bread. For dessert, buy a chocolate cake and top it with vanilla ice cream.
THE RECIPES Spaghetti Squash With Chunky Sauce
1 (3 1/2- to 4 1/2-pound) spaghetti squash 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed 1 small onion, chopped 1 teaspoon minced garlic 2 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise, cut crosswise into3/4-inch slices 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Pierce the squash to the center in several places with a sharp knife. Place squash on several paper towels. Microwave on high (100 percent power) 5 minutes per pound or until squash yields to pressure and feels soft. Turn halfway through cooking; let stand 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a skillet on medium-high. Add sausage and cook, breaking up clumps, 5 minutes or until no longer pink; drain. Add onion and garlic and cook 4 minutes. Add zucchini and tomatoes along with their juice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes or until hot. Remove from heat. Stir in basil.
Call the kids in for a vegetable lesson! Cut squash in half, crosswise. Discard seeds. Let the kids loosen strands of the squash by twisting the flesh with a fork into a large bowl. Top with sauce. Garnish each serving with cheese.
Makes 4 servings.
Vegetable Chili
1 medium onion, chopped 1 (10-ounce) package shredded carrots, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped 2 (15-ounce) cans beans such as pinto, red or kidney, rinsed 2 tablespoons seeded and rinsed pickled jalapeno peppers 1 to 2 teaspoons chili powder 2 teaspoons ground cumin Coarse salt to taste 1 (28-ounce can) fire-roasted diced tomatoes 1/4 cup vegetable broth 1 medium zucchini, halved
lengthwise and sliced 1/4-inch-thick Shredded cheddar cheese
In a 3-quart microwavesafe container, combine onion, carrots, garlic and bell pepper. Cover and microwave on high (100 percent power) 10 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Stir several times; drain. Add beans, jalapeno peppers, chili powder, cumin, salt to taste, tomatoes (along with their juice) and broth. Mix well. Cover and microwave on high 10 minutes, and then on medium (50 percent power) 5 minutes. Stir in zucchini; microwave on high 2 minutes more. Let stand 5 minutes, covered. Serve over spaghetti. Garnish with cheese.
Makes 8 cups.
Chicken With Apricot-Ginger Relish
1/2 cup apricot preserves 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice 2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce 2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne) 4 (5- or 6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 (24-ounce) jar drained apricot halves, diced 1 cucumber, diced 1/2 red onion, sliced 11/2 teaspoons lime zest Lime slices
In a small bowl, combine preserves, juice, tamari sauce, ginger and cayenne pepper. Reserve 2 tablespoons and spoon remainder into a large resealable plastic bag. Add chicken to bag, turn to coat, and refrigerate 15 minutes. Remove chicken and discard marinade.
Heat oil in a large skillet on medium-high. Add chicken and cook 10 minutes, turning once, or until no longer pink and juices run clear.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine apricots, cucumber, reserved preserves mixture, onion and lime zest.
Arrange chicken on serving platter and top each breast half with 2 tablespoons of the relish. Garnish with lime slices. Serve remaining relish on the side.
Makes 4 servings.
Susan Nicholson is an Atlantabased cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by e-mail:
menuplanner@mindspring.com
Food, Pages 33 on 07/25/2012