Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Today's yummy offerings include Turkey Chili, Hot Mustard and Honey Glazed Chicken and Smash Burgers. Enjoy!

APRICOT SEMIFREDDO WITH BLACKBERRY SAUCE

This comes from Vegetarian Times (July/August 2005 issue, page 62), and begins, "Semifreddo' means partially frozen—and that makes this the perfect treat for a hot-weather day." Serves 12

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/apricot-semifreddo-with-blackberry-sauce-recipe/.

Ingredients

Apricot Semifreddo

2 large eggs, separated

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups low-fat milk

1/2 cup dried apricots

1 1/2 cups sliced fresh apricots

1/3 cup low-fat sour cream

1/8 tsp. almond extract

1 pint fresh blackberries

Blackberry sauce

1/2 pint fresh blackberries

2 Tbs. sugar

1 tsp. lemon juice

Preparation

To make Apricot Semifreddo: Line 4-cup loaf pan with plastic wrap. Whisk egg yolks and 1/4 cup sugar in medium bowl until thick and light yellow, about 1 minute. Bring milk to a boil in saucepan. Slowly pour hot milk over egg mixture, whisking constantly. Return to saucepan; cook over medium-low heat (do not boil), stirring often, until custard is thick enough to coat the back of spoon, about 5 minutes. Strain, and cool.

Meanwhile, place dried apricots in heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water, and let stand 15 minutes, or until softened. Drain, and cool. Put in food processor with fresh apricots, and purée until smooth. Transfer to large bowl. Add custard, sour cream and almond extract.

Put egg whites in large bowl; beat until soft peaks form. Add remaining 1/4 cup sugar; continue beating until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into apricot mixture. Pour half of mixture into prepared pan. Place 3 rows of blackberries on their sides down the center of loaf pan; top with remaining mixture. Cover; freeze at least 4 hours.

To make Blackberry Sauce: Press blackberries through fine-meshed sieve into bowl. Stir in sugar and lemon juice. Set aside.

Remove Apricot Semifreddo from freezer; let stand 10 minutes. Unmold onto plate, and cut into 10 slices. Drizzle with Blackberry Sauce; serve.

QUICK CHICKEN QUESADILLAS

This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "Feeding a family is a snap with this dinner that's on the table in less than 30 minutes."

Prep Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes; Makes 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/quick-chicken-quesadillas.

Ingredients

6 oz refrigerated cooked Southwest-flavor chicken breast strips (from 9- or 12-oz package)

1/2 cup Old El Paso™ Thick 'n Chunky salsa

1 package (11 oz) Old El Paso™ flour tortillas for burritos (8 inch; 8 tortillas)

Cooking spray

2 cups finely shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese blend (8 oz)

1/4 cup sour cream

Preparation

Cut chicken into bite-size pieces. In small bowl, mix chicken and salsa.

Spray 1 side of 1 tortilla with cooking spray; place sprayed side down in 10-inch nonstick skillet. Layer with one-fourth of the chicken mixture and 1/2 cup of the cheese. Top with another tortilla; spray top of tortilla with cooking spray.

Cook uncovered over medium heat 4 to 6 minutes, carefully turning after 2 minutes, until golden brown. Repeat with remaining tortillas, chicken mixture and cheese. To serve, cut quesadillas into wedges. Serve with sour cream and, if desired, additional salsa.

Expert Tips

If you can't find the refrigerated seasoned chicken, substitute 1 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken.

A salad of fresh melon chunks, pineapple and berries, plus glasses of lemonade or iced tea will add a cool, fresh touch to these yummy quesadillas.

To make Quick Chicken-Vegetable Quesadillas, sprinkle 2 tablespoons chopped tomato, 1 tablespoon sliced ripe olives and 1 tablespoon sliced green onions over the cheese for each quesadilla.

HEARTY HAM AND WHITE BEAN SOUP

This is by Pam Anderson and was in the January 2010 issue of Runner's World (page 44; "The Athlete's Palate"). It begins, "The cabbage in this dish is rich in vitamin C and fiber, as well as phytonutrients that helpl protect against some cancers. To save time and speed up the cooking process, heat the broth and tomatoes in the microwave while chopping the vegetables."

Pam Anderson has a really great cooking site, called Three Many Cooks. I really recommend it. Go ahead, I'll wait. (Tap, tap, tap

And now, on to the soup.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 sweet onion, diced into medium pieces

1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

2 large carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced thin

1/2 cabbage, cored, cut into bite-size shreds

12 ounces lean ham steak, diced into small pieces

1 quart chicken broth

1 14.5-ounce can petite-diced tomatoes

2 cans (15 oz each) white beans, undrained

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

Heat the oil over medium-high in a soup kettles. Add the onion, saute until soft and golden, about five minutes. Add the Italian seasoning and saute until fragrant, about one minute. Add the remaining ingredients, then bring to a full simmer, skimming any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce heat to low, simmer gently (partially covered) until the vegetables are just cooked and flavors blended, about 15 minutes. Stir in the parsley; cover and let stand five minutes. Serve's six.

HOT MUSTARD AND HONEY GLAZED CHICKEN

This is from Kay Chun in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Kay wrote, "Asian hot mustard powder is a versatile pantry staple that can quickly transform into a spicy sauce, glaze or dressing. Here, the hot mustard is tamed with sweet honey and balanced by fragrant garlic for a savory glaze that caramelizes on chicken when roasted. Once cooked, the chicken receives a final basting for a fresh burst of spicy flavor. Make a double batch of the glaze, as it also tastes great on pork chops and grilled shrimp. Leftover chicken can quickly become a salad the next day; just chop and toss with spinach or romaine and a simple vinaigrette."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 45 minutes

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023080-hot-mustard-and-honey-glazed-chicken.

This can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023080-hot-mustard-and-honey-glazed-chicken. Also, check out Melissa Clark's guide, "How to Make a Sheet-Pan Dinner".

Ingredients

1/4 cup hot Asian mustard powder (or English dry mustard, such as Colman’s)

6 tablespoons mild honey, such as clove or acacia

3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon grated garlic

Kosher salt (Diamond Crystal) and black pepper

1 pound carrots, peeled and quartered lengthwise

1 pound fingerling potatoes, sliced 1/2-inch thick

1/4 cup neutral oil, such as safflower or canola

6 chicken legs (about 3 1/2 pounds), drumsticks and thighs separated

Chopped scallions or chives, for garnish

Lemon wedges, for serving

Preparation

Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a large heatproof bowl, whisk mustard powder with 1/4 cup very hot water until well combined; let stand 5 minutes. (The heat of the water will activate and release the mustard’s spicy flavor.) Add honey, soy sauce, garlic and 1 teaspoon salt, and whisk to combine. Reserve half of the sauce in a small bowl for basting.

On a rimmed sheet tray, combine carrots, potatoes and 2 tablespoons of the oil. Season with salt and pepper, toss to evenly coat, and spread in an even layer.

Rub chicken with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and season with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Add to the large bowl with the sauce and toss to evenly coat, then arrange on top of the vegetables.

Roast until vegetables are tender and chicken is golden and cooked through, about 30 minutes. Divide chicken and vegetables among plates and baste chicken all over with the remaining sauce. Pour sheet pan juices into a small bowl and skim off any excess fat.

Spoon over pan juices, garnish with scallions and serve with lemon wedges.

TURKEY CHILI

This is from American Heart Association, and begins, "Warm up on a cool evening with this classic chili dish. Our version is full of fiber, low in sodium, and extraordinarily delicious." Makes 6 servings; serving size: 1 1/3 cups

To view this online, go to https://recipes.heart.org/en/recipes/turkey-chili.

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons canola or corn oil

1 medium or large onion, chopped

20 ounces ground skinless turkey breast

2 large garlic cloves, minced

OR

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 15.5-ounce can no-salt-added pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1 15.5-ounce can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained

1 14.5-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained

1 3/4 cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn

1 6-ounce can no-salt-added tomato paste

4 medium green onions (green part only), sliced

Directions

In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat, swirling to coat the bottom. Cook the chopped onion for 3 minutes, or until soft, stirring occasionally.

Reduce the heat to medium. Stir in the turkey. Cook for 5 minutes, or until browned, stirring frequently to turn and break up the turkey.

Stir in the garlic, chili powder, pepper, and cumin. Stir in the remaining ingredients except the green onions. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until heated through, stirring frequently. Just before serving, sprinkle with the green onions.

SMASH BURGERS

This is from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Sam wrote, "This is the traditional, griddled hamburger of diners and takeaway spots, smashed thin and cooked crisp on its edges. It is best to cook in a heavy, cast-iron skillet slicked with oil or fat, and not on a grill. For meat, ask a butcher for coarse-ground chuck steak, with at least a 20 percent fat content, or grind your own. Keep it in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook, and try not to handle it with your fingers — use an ice-cream scoop or spoon instead. Plop down a few ounces in the pan, smash it with a spatula, salt it, let it go crisp and flip. Add cheese and get your bun toasted. The process moves quickly."

Yield: 4 to 8 servings; Time: 20 minutes

This as featured in "Deconstructing the Perfect Burger", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016595-smash-burgers.

Another like you should check out to to Sam Sifton's guide, "How to Make Burgers". Even if you've been making burgers almost forever, it's still well worth checking out.

Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon neutral oil, like canola, or a pat of unsalted butter

2 pounds ground chuck, at least 20 percent fat

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

8 slices cheese (optional)

8 soft hamburger buns, lightly toasted

Lettuce leaves, sliced tomatoes and condiments, as desired

Directions

Add oil or butter to a large cast-iron or stainless-steel skillet and place over medium heat. Gently divide ground beef into 8 small piles of around 4 ounces each, and even more gently gather them together into orbs that are about 2 inches in height. Do not form patties.

Increase heat under skillet to high. Put half the orbs into the skillet with plenty of distance between them and, using a stiff metal spatula, press down on each one to form a burger that is around 4 inches in diameter and about 1/2 inch thick. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook without moving until patties have achieved a deep, burnished crust, a little less than 2 minutes. Use the spatula to scrape free and carefully turn burgers over. If using cheese, lay slices on meat.

Continue to cook until meat is cooked through, approximately a minute or so longer. Remove burgers from skillet, place on buns and top as desired. Repeat process with remaining burgers. Serving two hamburgers on a single bun is not an outrageous option.