OREGANO OLIVE CHICKEN and CAPER ROSEMARY SALMON

Even though they are both pickled and Mediterranean, olives and capers are not part of the same family.
Fruit and flower bud are featured in these flavorful recipes, perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.

OLIVE OREGANO CHICKEN

4 chicken breasts
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup chopped pimiento-stuffed olives
1/4 cup capers, drained
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped

Sprinkle chicken with pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, brown chicken on all sides in oil. Remove and keep warm. Drain drippings from skillet.
Combine remaining ingredients, pour into skillet, stirring to loosen browned bits. Bring to a boil. Carefully return chicken to pan. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 to 25 minutes or until chicken juices run clear.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Readers Digest
www.rd.com/food/

CAPER ROSEMARY SALMON

6 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons drained capers
4 teaspoons liquid from capers in jar
4 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
2 teaspoons finely minced fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon sea salt
large pinch of dried crushed red pepper
pinch of sugar
1 small onion, diced
6 salmon fillets

Whisk first nine ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in onion. Transfer mixture to resealable plastic bag. Add salmon and seal bag, let marinate for one hour, turning occasionally.
Prepare grill, remove salmon from bag. Grill until just cooked to the center, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.
Pour marinade into small saucepan, bring just to simmer.
Place one salmon fillet on each plate, spoon warm marinade over. Serve with a green salad.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit, August 2008
www.bonappetit.com

COCONUT LEMON SOUR and TUNA AND CAPER DIP and COCONUT LIME CHICKEN TACOS and BANANA SOUR CREAM MASCARPONE CAKE

I invited friends over for cocktails by the pool - but we moved up to the back deck once the kids, chilly and exhausted from swimming, decided they would rather play indoors.
We Mums could faintly hear the music from the Ice Cream truck at the park, and in an attempt to entice the kids outside once more, I called one of the drivers I know - a better connection than Santa Claus this balmy time of year - and not 6 minutes later, he was in our driveway dispensing his frozen treats, and merry music - the kids were ecstatic!
I developed my menu for the adults, around the Coconut Lemon Sour cocktail - which I had first tried at a friends informal gathering, and was excited to replicate and share.

COCONUT LEMON SOUR

2.5 ounces of coconut water
1.5 ounces of coconut vodka
.75 ounces of lemon juice
.75 ounces of simple syrup or agave nectar

Mix all ingredients together and pour over ice.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from PF Changs Bar Drinks
quizlet.com/5964635/pf-changs-bar-drinks-flash-cards/‎

TUNA AND CAPER DIP

In a medium bowl, mix together 1 can (5 ounces) of tuna packed in oil, drained, 1/3 cup sour cream (I used fat free), 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped, 2 teaspoons of capers, drained and chopped, two anchovies, chopped, 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Everyday Food
www.marthastewart.com/everydayfood‎

COCONUT LIME CHICKEN TACOS

2 to 3 chicken breasts
1 can coconut milk
1 teaspoon ground cumin
zest and juice of 1 lime
splash of hot sauce
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
tortillas
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and chopped

Combine the chicken breasts, coconut milk, cumin, lime zest and juice, and hot sauce. Simmer until chicken is cooked through. Coarsely chop chicken and return to the pot, continue cooking until liquid has mostly boiled away. Season with salt and pepper, remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro. Divide among the warmed flour tortillas, or tortilla cases (I cut rounds from the tortillas, put them into mini muffin pans, and baked them for 7 to 10 minutes at 375F until they were lightly browned and crisp).
To serve, top each tortilla with avocado.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Arkansas Democrat Gazette, July 2012
www.arkansasonline.com/news/features/food/‎

BANANA SOUR CREAM MASCARPONE CAKE

1 package yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1 cup mashed bananas
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mascarpone
1/4 cup oil
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
4 cups powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350F.
Beat cake mix, eggs, bananas, sour cream, mascarpone and oil with mixer on low until moistened, scraping bottom of bowl as needed. Beat on medium speed for 5 minutes.
Pour into greased 13 by 9 inch pan. Bake for 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake completely in pan on wire rack.
Beat cream cheese and butter with mixer on medium until blended, add vanilla essence. Gradually add sugar, beating well after each addition.
Remove cake from pan, carefully cut cake crosswise in half.
Place 1 cake half, top side down, on a plate, spread the top with frosting. Top with the remaining cake half, frost the top and sides.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Food and Family, Winter 2009
www.kraftrecipes.com/foodfamilyarchive/foodandfamilyarchivelanding....‎

GREEK SALAD WITH AVOCADO, SHRIMP AND CAPER VINAIGRETTE and HELLO DOLLY BARS

The kids were out of school Friday, for Parent-Teacher conferences. Thankfully there were no surprises to be had during the meetings, and we feel very fortunate to have incredible teachers, who work extremely hard, and want the very best for their students.
With the day ahead of us, and the kids having earned some fun, we invited friends over for lunch and play. It was fruit, sandwiches and chips for the kids and a Greek salad for the adults - however we were all able to come together over dessert, and agree it was a scrumptious success for all ages.

GREEK SALAD WITH AVOCADO, SHRIMP AND CAPER VINAIGRETTE

VINAIGRETTE
1/4 cup olive oil
1 4 ounce jar of capers with liquid
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
3 hard boiled eggs, white part only, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped roasted red peppers from a jar
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
SALAD
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 to 3 avocados, halved, pitted, peeled and diced
3 cups of shredded hearts of romaine lettuce
1 1/2 cups feta cheese
1 1/2 cups cooked shrimp

VINAIGRETTE
Whisk all ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
SALAD
Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Add vinaigrette to salad and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit
www.bonappetit.com/recipes

HELLO DOLLY BARS

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup melted butter
3 tablespoons sugar
2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup chocolate morsels
2/3 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 (14 ounce) can of sweetened condensed milk

Heat oven to 350F.
Combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and sugar in a medium bowl. Press mixture onto bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9 inch pan. Bake for 8 minutes. Sprinkle pecans, chocolate morsels, and coconut over hot crust. Pour condensed milk over top.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned and edges are bubbly. Let cool for 1 hour on a wire rack. Cut into bars.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living, April 2001
www.southernliving.com/food/kitchen-assistant/