Italian Panzanella

Ingredients:

6 (1/2-inch thick) slices day-old sourdough bread, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
2 lbs. (4 large) ripe tomatoes, cored, seeded & cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded & cut into chunks
1/2 cup finely sliced red onion
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into julienne strips
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided in half
2 cloves garlic, pressed
Red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

1. Brush bread pieces with half of the olive oil. Place bread on baking sheet and place in a 350° F oven until lightly toasted and slightly dry, for about 8-10 minutes. Set bread aside to cool.
2. Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine tomatoes, cucumber, onion, basil and garlic. Add cooled bread pieces; toss well.
3. Drizzle salad with remaining olive oil and season to taste with red wine vinegar, salt and pepper.
4. Tip: To serve bread salad, simply cut and discard a thin slice from the top of a large, round loaf of sourdough bread. Hollow out the loaf and leave a 1/2-inch rim. Cut the bread from the center into cubes (this bread can be used for the recipe). Place salad into hollowed out bowl and serve.
5. Thrifty Italian cooks who wanted a way to use day-old bread created this salad. This salad is perfect for the summer months when tomatoes are at their juiciest and other fresh garden vegetables and herbs abound.
   Serves 6-8
   Preparation time: 20 minutes

Chinese Chilli Chicken

Ingredients:

• 500 -600 gms Boneless Chicken
• 2 tbsp Soya Sauce
• 1 Egg
• 2 tbsp Corn Flour/Corn Starch
• 5-6 Chopped Green Chilies
• 2 Green Onion Chopped
• 1 tsp Garlic Paste
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp White Pepper Powder
• 1 tsp Sugar
• A pinch of ajinomoto
• 2 cups chicken Broth/ Water
• 1 tbsp Oil
• Oil to fry

Preparation:

Cut the boneless chicken pieces into1 " cubes.

Take 1tbsp. Soya sauce, 1tbsp. corn flour, salt, egg in a bowl and marinate chicken pieces in the the mixture for about 10-15 minutes.

Heat oil and deep fry the marinated chicken pieces till golden brown.

Now in a separate wok / kadhai heat 1 tbsp. oil and add garlic paste and green chilies and sauté for few seconds.

Add 2 cups of chicken broth or water. Bring to boil and add sugar, pepper powder, salt , ajinomoto and remaining Soya sauce.

Add fried chicken pieces to it and cook for few minutes.

Dissolve the remaining corn flour in 1/2 cup water and add to the curry stirring constantly to avoid lumps.

Cook for 2-3 minutes.

Serve chinese chili chicken hot garnished with chopped green onion tops.

Chinese chili chicken goes well with steamed / boiled rice.

Kung Pao Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 7 to 8 ounces each
• Marinade:
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• Sauce:
• 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Other:
• 8 small dried red chili peppers
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 green onions (spring onions, scallions)
• 4 tablespoons oil for stir-frying, or as needed
• 1 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorn, optional
• 1/2 cup peanuts or cashews
• a few drops sesame oil, optional

PREPARATION:

Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes. Combine with the marinade ingredients, adding the cornstarch last. Marinate the chicken for 25 minutes.

While the chicken is marinating, prepare the sauce and vegetables: In a small bowl, combine the dark soy sauce, rice wine, and sugar.

Set aside.

Cut the chilies in half so that they are approximately the same size as the chicken cubes. Remove the seeds. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Cut the green onion on the diagonal into thirds.

Heat the wok over medium-high to high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the chicken. Stir-fry until it turns white and is 80 percent cooked. Remove from the wok.

Add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and stir-fry until aromatic (about 30 seconds). Add the chili peppers and the Szechuan peppercorn if using. Stir-fry briefly until they turn dark red.

Add the sauce to the wok. Bring to a boil. Add the chicken back into the pan. Stir in the peanuts and the green onion. Remove from the heat and stir in the sesame oil. Serve hot.

Sunrise Punch

1 32-ounce bottle apple juice or apple cider, chilled
1 32-ounce bottle cranberry juice, chilled
2 cups soda, chilled
Ice cubes
Orange slices

In a punch bowl combine apple juice or cider and cranberry juice; carefully add soda. Pour punch over ice in glasses, and add an orange slice to the rim of each glass.
You can also make it ahead for up to 12 hours tops! but you have to rearrange the above steps ... stir together apple juice or cider and cranberry juice. Chill in refridgerator. Just before serving, add the soda.

Fruit Smoothy

2 cups strawberry-flavored juice blend or strawberry drink, chilled
2 cups fresh or frozen, unsweetened strawberries
1 8-ounce carton plain yogurt
2 to 4 tablespoons sugar or honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In a blender combine strawberry juice blend, strawberries, yogurt, sugar, and vanilla. Cover and blend until nearly smooth (there should be small chunks of strawberry still visible).

Drinks for Summer

In Summer, when the temperatures are high, and you need something yummy, cool and light to gulp down, the best thing to have is a smoothie, or healthy drink. It is easy to make, cold and extremely healthy, and it also fills up your stomach!

Here are the recipes to two great smoothies; Wonder Blend and Cantaloupe Smoothie.

Wonder Blend

2 frozen Bananas
1/2 cup orange juice
1 1/2 cup plain yogurt

Combine in a blender, blend until smooth.

Cantaloupe Smoothie

½ cantaloupe - peeled, seeded and cubed
½ cup plain yogurt
1 cup strawberries
3 tablespoons white sugar

In a blender, combine cantaloupe chunks, yogurt, strawberries and sugar. Blend until
smooth. Pour into glasses and serve.

Mango Ice Cream

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups ripe mango, diced, peeled
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 cups milk
• 5 egg yolks
• 1 cup whipping cream

PREPARATION:

Combine mango, 1/2 cup of sugar and lime juice in a non-metallic bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Make a custard by scalding the milk in a 2-quart saucepan. Whisk the egg yolks and 3/4 cup sugar in a mixing bowl.

Add the hot milk in a thin stream while whisking. Return the mixture to the pan and cook over medium heat, uncovered, until thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 3 minutes. Do not let it boil. Strain into a bowl, and let cool to room temperature. Stir the mango mixture into the custard mixture. Stir in the cream. Taste for sweetness and add more sugar if desired. Freeze in an electric or crank ice cream maker, following the manufacturer's instructions.

Coffee Ice Cream with Walnuts

NGREDIENTS:

• 4 teaspoons instant coffee powder
• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 2 1/2 cups cold black coffee
• 6 egg yolks, slightly beaten
• 5 cups heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons vanilla
• 2 cups chopped walnuts

PREPARATION:

In a large saucepan combine coffee powder, sugar, flour, and salt. Gradually stir in milk and black coffee. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is slightly thickened. Pour some of the hot mixture over the slightly beaten egg yolks then return egg yolk mixture to the hot mixture in saucepan.

Stir and cook for 1 minute. Chill thoroughly; stir in cream, vanilla, and chopped walnuts. Pour into a 1-gallon ice cream freezer container, filling 3/4 full. Follow ice cream freezer directions for making and freezing the ice cream.

Makes 1 gallon of coffee walnut ice cream.

Peach Ice Cream

Peach ice cream is a custard type ice cream with diced peaches and eggs and vanilla.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups milk
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 2 tablespoons vanilla
• 4 cups whipping cream
• 2 1/2 cups crushed or pureed peaches, sweetened to taste

PREPARATION:

Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in top of double boiler; gradually blend in milk. Cook over hot water, stirring occasionally, for about 12 to 15 minutes, or until thickened. Stir a small amount of the hot mixture into the beaten eggs, then return egg mixture to pan with remaining hot mixture.

Cook over hot water, stirring constantly, for 4 to 5 minutes, until it is about as thick as pudding. Chill thoroughly, about 3 hours. Stir vanilla and cream into the chilled mixture. Pour into a 1-gallon ice cream freezer; freeze according to manufacturer's directions. Remove dasher and stir in crushed or pureed sweetened peaches; repack ice cream freezer with 1 part rock salt to 6 parts crushed ice and let ripen for 2 hours.

Banana / Vanilla Sizzle Ice Cream

One of my favorite desserts in summer is the one and only Ice Cream!
You can do millions of things with simple ingredients ... and you can do that to your favorite ice cream flavor.

This is a recipe that makes simple vanilla ice cream a sophisticated dessert!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 bananas, peeled and sliced lengthwise and crosswise
1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 pint vanilla ice cream

In a large, deep skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. When mixture begins to bubble, place bananas and walnuts in pan. Cook until bananas are hot, 1 to 2 minutes.
Serve at once over vanilla ice cream.