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

2 pounds chicken tenders (about 16)

Nonstick cooking spray

1. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the first 6 ingredients until blended. Add chicken; turn bag to coat. Refrigerate and let the chicken marinate at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours. Turn the bag a few times while marinating.

2. If you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in water at least 30 minutes before cooking to prevent them from scorching. Lightly coat a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

3. Preheat broiler. Remove chicken from the marinade, setting aside the marinade. Slide 1 tender on each skewer lengthwise, threading so the tenders are securely attached. Place the skewers on the prepared baking sheet and broil about 4 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and golden brown, turning once.

4. Pour reserved marinade into a small pan and bring it to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium; let the marinade simmer 4 minutes, until it’s reduced and slightly syrupy. Pour the marinade into a small bowl for drizzling over skewers.

TIP: The size and weight of packaged chicken tenders vary greatly. The cooking time and resulting number of skewers depend on the size of the tenders used.

WINTER

Retro Stuffed Mushrooms

Stuffed mushroom caps are a classic party hors d’oeuvre. Serve them with a green salad for a light dinner.

Makes about 12

12 large button or cremini mushrooms

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus additional for greasing baking sheet

2 tablespoons minced onions

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons bread crumbs

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

Salt and black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Twist off the stem of each mushroom; finely chop the stems. Place caps, cavity-side up, on a lightly greased baking sheet.

2. Melt butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add chopped mushroom stems, onions and garlic; cook 4 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat, stir in bread crumbs. Stuff caps with mixture. Sprinkle with cheese; season with salt and pepper. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, until mushrooms are softened and warmed through.

TIP: You can use plain or seasoned bread crumbs.

WINTER

Parmesan-Dusted Kale Chips

These addictive salty snacks are a lighter and certainly more nutritious alternative to chips and dip before a holiday feast.

Serves 6

1 bunch kale, any variety

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, finely grated

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Slice woody stems off each kale stalk. Coarsely chop leaves.

2. In a large bowl, combine chopped kale, oil and salt. Using your hands, toss until kale is well coated. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Spread mixture evenly onto prepared sheets. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, stirring several times and rotating baking sheets once. Chips should be light and crisp but not browned. Transfer sheets to a wire rack to cool. Store chips in a tightly covered container.

TIP: Kale chips are very delicate and won’t hold up to a dip, so handle them gently.

WINTER

Sweet Potato Biscuits

Serve these special-occasion biscuits warm, with butter.

Makes 8

2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1½ pounds), pricked all over with a fork

1 tablespoon orange juice

1½ cups plus 2 tablespoons cake flour

3 tablespoons light-brown sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons (½ stick) cold unsalted butter, chopped

2 tablespoons shortening, chopped

1. Place pricked sweet potatoes on a plate; microwave 15 minutes, until very soft, turning sweet potatoes a few times during cooking. Remove to a cutting board; slice in half. Scoop flesh into a bowl; add orange juice and mash until smooth. You should have about 1¼ cups. Let cool to room temperature.

2. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking pad. In a food processor, pulse flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, butter and shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add potatoes; pulse until blended.

3. Dump dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead a few minutes until dough holds together. Form dough into a 1-inch-thick circle. Using a 2-inch biscuit cutter, cut out as many rounds as possible. Transfer rounds to the prepared baking sheet. Gather the remaining dough, form into a 1-inch-thick circle, cut out additional biscuits and place them on the baking sheet. Bake 18 minutes, until golden and just firm. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

TIP: The dough will be crumbly at first; try to handle it as little as possible as you work to form the biscuits. If cake flour is unavailable, you can substitute all-purpose flour, keeping in mind that 1 cup cake flour is the equivalent of 1 cup all-purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons.

WINTER

Garlic Green Beans with Toasted Hazelnuts

Every holiday table benefits from a steaming bowl of bright green beans. Especially when they are embellished with crunchy nuts, as these are.

Serves 8–10

2 pounds green beans, trimmed