Susan Mallery's Fool's Gold Cookbook: A Love Story Told Through 150 Recipes (Fool's Gold #12.1)

SPRING

Chipotle Chicken Taco Bake

Make taco night festive by serving the tacos nestled in a bed of yellow rice.

Serves 4

1 package (10 ounces) Spanish or Mexican rice blend

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ red onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground coriander

Salt and black pepper

1 canned chipotle chili in adobo sauce, seeded and minced

1 cup canned tomatoes, diced

2 cups cooked chicken, shredded

8 taco shells

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed

¾ cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Garnishes

Sour cream

Avocado, diced

Fresh cilantro, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Prepare rice according to package directions. Retain in the covered cooking pot to keep warm.

2. Meanwhile, warm oil in a large ovenproof skillet. Add onions; cook 6 minutes, until softened, stirring often. Add garlic, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper; cook 30 seconds, stirring. Stir in chili, tomatoes and chicken; cook until warmed through. Transfer mixture to a bowl.

3. Spoon cooked rice mixture into the same skillet (no need to clean). Spoon the chicken mixture evenly into the taco shells; top with beans and cheese. Nestle tacos into the rice mixture. Place skillet in the oven and bake for 10 minutes, until the cheese melts and the dish is hot. Serve with garnishes.

TIP: If chipotle chilies aren’t available, substitute a chopped jalapeño pepper.

SPRING

Chopped Chicken Cobb Salad

A perfect option for a springtime dinner party: a make-ahead, main-dish salad.

Serves 6

Dressing

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons sherry or red-wine vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard

¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

¼ teaspoon granulated sugar

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt and black pepper

2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped

Salad

6 strips bacon

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Salt and black pepper

1 small head iceberg lettuce, chopped

1 bunch watercress, trimmed and chopped

3 hard-boiled eggs, diced

2 medium tomatoes, diced

1 avocado, diced

2 ounces blue cheese, or another favorite cheese

For dressing:

In a medium bowl, preferably one with a spout, whisk all dressing ingredients until well blended.

For salad:

1. In a large heavy skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate to drain; crumble. Drain most of the drippings from the skillet; place the skillet on medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper; add to pan and cook 6 minutes per side, until cooked through. Let cool slightly; cut into cubes.

2. On a large platter, toss lettuce, water-cress and about half the dressing to coat. Arrange chicken, bacon and all remaining salad ingredients on top of the lettuce, setting them in rows. Just before serving, drizzle the remaining dressing over the entire salad.

TIP: Use extra-virgin olive oil for uncooked dishes, when you can really taste the oil. In cooked dishes, less expensive regular pressed oil is fine.

SPRING

Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumble Bars

These bars feature a rich shortbread base, a sweet-tart fruit layer and a crunchy crumb topping. They make great picnic or bake sale fare.

Makes 16

Filling

1 medium rhubarb stalk (about ¾ pound), thinly sliced

⅓ cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Cinnamon stick

1 pint strawberries, hulled and quartered

Crust

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ cup light-brown sugar

½ teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 8 pieces, plus additional to grease the foil

Crumble

¾ cup old-fashioned oats

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup light-brown sugar

½ cup walnuts, chopped

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of salt

4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 8 pieces

For filling:

1. In a medium saucepan, combine rhubarb,

sugar and cornstarch. Let it sit 10 minutes to release juices. Add the cinnamon stick and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat; simmer 8 minutes, until softened. Remove from heat; let cool slightly. Stir in strawberries.

For crust:

1. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch-square baking pan with foil; grease foil. In a food processor, pulse flour, brown sugar and salt. Add butter; pulse until mixture comes together. Press dough evenly into the prepared pan. Bake 25 minutes, until lightly golden. Transfer to a wire rack. Spread filling over crust.

For crumble:

1. In a medium bowl, combine oats, flour, brown sugar, walnuts, cinnamon and salt. Add butter chunks and mix with your fingers or a fork until mixture holds together in pea-sized chunks. Sprinkle evenly over filling. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until crumble is crispy and fruit is bubbling. Cool on a wire rack.

TIP: If you use frozen rhubarb, make sure to thaw and thoroughly drain it.

SPRING

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