Thyme Out

My long lost friend Karen sent me this recipe. Last 4th of July, Karen’s daughter, Dana Hinchliffe, won a blue ribbon in the Northern Maine Fair with this recipe. I wish Karen lived closer so we could sit down and enjoy some of Dana’s cookies with a cup of coffee. Thanks for sharing Dana!

(makes 3 dozen cookies 2 ½ inches)

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 2 sticks softened butter
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 2/3 cup white chocolate chips
• 2/3 cup dried cranberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Blend together eggs, butter, white sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract.
3. Slowly add flour, baking soda, and salt.
4. Stir in semisweet chocolate, white chocolate chips and cranberries.
5. Bake for 10 minutes on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Quinoa has a great texture, nutty flavor, and unlike most grains, is high in protein. Also, it is fat burning and heart healthy. So, make a little extra than the recipe calls for and throw some in whatever you are making. Soup, salad, tacos, smoothie. Whatever.

This is one of my favorite summertime sides. The secret is in preparing the quinoa. Make sure to soak it, so that it’s not bitter, and don’t overcook it so that it’s not mushy. It’s a great salad to bring along to a friends BBQ—the perfect complement to ribs, and also goes well with chicken and burgers. And like I said before, its good for you!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups dry quinoa
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 2 cups black beans
• 1 cup sweet corn
• 1 cup roasted red peppers

Dressing:

• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons organic ground cumin
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon organic ground black pepper

Directions

1. Soak quinoa in cold water for 10 minutes. Scrub the grains together between your hands to remove the bitter coating.
2. Strain and rinse through a fine sieve.
3. Bring quinoa to a boil in 3 cups of water.
4. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and let cool.
6. Add red onion, black beans, corn and red peppers to quinoa.
7. Combine the dressing ingredients and pour over the rest of salad ingredients. Stir until well blended.
8. Chill and serve!

Kids are notoriously finicky, and if you have friends with children coming for dinner, even mac & cheese isn’t a sure fire hit. You may have used penne when the kid only eats elbows, or ruined it for a cheddar cheese purist by adding Parmesan. But I’ve discovered that warm garlic bread is universally met with enthusiasm. The only possible error is not making enough. With your basic  spices on hand, it’s a fast and easy crowd-pleaser.

Ingredients:

• big loaf of ciabatta, or baguette if you prefer
• butter
• good quality olive oil
• 2 teaspoons organic garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons organic parsley
• couple cloves of fresh garlic (optional; tastes delicious without as well)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° .
2. Slice bread horizontally, almost all the way through, and open flat.
3. Microwave butter and olive oil in Pyrex cup or bowl until butter is melted.
4. Brush butter/olive oil mixture on inside of loaf.
5. Sprinkle parsley flakes and garlic powder.
6. Warm in oven until slightly crusty and golden.
7. Slice bread in vertical sections and place in basket.

Simple, easy and sooo tasty!

Ingredients

• 2 pork chops
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons organic Rosemary·Garlic Rub

Directions

1. Whisk the mustard, vinegar, and oil together.
2. Rub oil mixture onto surface of the pork chops.
3. Sprinkle both sides of the chops with rosemary garlic blend.
4. Grill over medium heat until done.

We eat a lot of chicken, so I am always looking for a way to mix it up a little bit. This is easy to make, but has an exotic taste, like you spent a lot of time in the kitchen. In testing our new spice blends, we made this recipe twice. First with Garam Masala, then with Chinese 5 Spice Powder. In our kitchen the Garam Masala version won hands down, however, if you are a fan of anise, you may prefer the Chinese 5 Spice version.

If you plan ahead and marinate the chicken overnight, the flavors are richer and the chicken is more moist.

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons Champagne vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon organic ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoon organic Garam Masala (or organic Chinese 5 Spice Powder)
• 2 chicken breasts

Directions

1. Make a marinade by whisking together the mustard, vinegar, olive oil and spices.
2. Pound the chicken breasts to 1/2 inch thick and even in height.
3. Marinate the chicken breasts overnight in a plastic bag.
4. Grill chicken over medium heat until done.