Tortilla Wrap

And don’t forget these fabulously zesty and kid-pleasing Clementine recipes! (Yes, you can substitute oranges!)

New clothes … new teachers … new friends … Yes, going back to school brings many new and exciting changes; however, year after year the brown bag special seems to include the same
boring basics. Case in point, the average American child consumes a whopping 1,500 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches by the time high school graduation rolls around. While everyone loves a classic PB&J every now and then, the culinary experts at Santa Barbara Bay Foods agree it’s time to
add some punch to the student lunch!

The good news is that sandwich solutions are easily within reach. For example, simply swapping out your run-of-the-mill mayonnaise for your favorite dill or onion dip can add an interesting depth of flavor to a sandwich or wrap. This school year, why not try the following easy, delicious sandwich recipes featuring best-selling dips and spreads from Santa Barbara Bay:

Southwestern Deli Wrap
Ingredients:
— 1 large tortilla (your choice of whole wheat, flour or sun-dried tomato varieties)
— 1/4 lb deli-sliced turkey or ham
— 1 tbsp Santa Barbara Bay Caramelized Onion and Roasted Garlic Dip
— 2 tbsp shredded cheddar or Jack cheese
— 1/2 medium ripe avocado, diced
— Chopped sun-dried tomatoes
— Shredded carrots
Directions: Lay tortilla flat and cover completely with onion and garlic dip. Distribute deli meat evenly across the tortilla and sprinkle with cheese, avocado, sun-dried tomato and carrots. Roll all ingredients up in the tortilla and cut in half to serve.

Dill-iscious Salmon Sandwich
Ingredients:
— 1 sandwich-size bakery roll
— 1 filet grilled salmon
— 1 tbsp Santa Barbara Bay Garden Dill Dip
— 1 tsp capers
— Sliced tomato
— Sliced red onion
— Romaine or baby lettuce
Directions: Open bakery roll and spread dill dip on each side. Arrange lettuce, onion and tomato on the bottom half of the roll as desired. Top with grilled salmon, capers and roll top, and enjoy.

Armed with these unique recipes, it’s easy to boost your back-to-school sandwich arsenal from ho-hum to yum-yum.

In addition to the product varieties used in these sandwiches, Santa Barbara Bay carries a traditional line of premium refrigerated dips, spreads and salads, with popular flavors including Spinach, Artichoke,
Chili Con Queso, Raspberry Chipotle, Roasted Garlic Ranch and Cajun Krab Dips. Full product descriptions, featured recipes and distribution information are available online at ttp://www.santabarbarabay.com.

Peach Bellini
6oz champagne (cheap is fine!)
1 oz peach schnapps
Fresh frozen juicy peaches (throw in a couple in the freezer for 2 hours — you can use canned peach nectar instead if you must)
5 ice cubes

Throw it all in a blender and mix it up! You can also throw in a half a shot of grenadine to make it look pink.

Fantastic Hot Fudge Sauce for Ice Cream
1 1/2 cups corn syrup
3/4 cup cocoa
1/4 tsp. salt
2/3 cup butter
1 tsp. Vanilla

In a saucepan, combine corn syrup, cocoa and salt. Stir constantly over medium heat until mixture begins to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Makes 2 cups of sauce. Keeps well in the fridge and can be re-heated. Great with vanilla ice cream.

Chicken Oregano
2 ½-3 pounds chicken (I use breasts)
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup olive or vegetable oil
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup lemon juice
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
Lemon slices

Place chicken in an ungreased 9×13-inch baking dish. Mix remaining ingredients, except lemon slices. Pour over chicken. Cook, uncovered, at 375 for 30 minutes, spooning oil mixture over chicken occasionally. Turn chicken. Bake 30 minutes more. Garnish with lemon slices.

I had a conversation with an American friend’s young daughter today. She wanted to know when I was going to have another tea party at my house. (I occasionally have tea parties for my son and our young friends.) I told her I would have one soon when we all got home. She asked if I could make more chocolate cookies. Sure! While grown folks often prefter plain shortbread or tea cakes, the little ones love this chocolate variation.

Chocolate Tea Cakes

Ingredients:
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup Cocoa (powdered — buy it in the baking section)
1 bag (9 oz.) Hershey’s Kisses Chocolates, unwrapped
Powdered sugar

In large bowl, with an electric mixer beat butter, sugar and vanilla until creamy. Add flour and cocoa. With an electric mixer, beat on low speed until well blended. Refrigerate dough about 1 hour or until firm enough to handle.

Heat oven to 375′F. Mold scant tablespoon of dough around each unwrapped chocolate piece, covering chocolate piece completely. Shape into balls; place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Roll in powdered sugar. Roll in sugar again before serving, if desired.

Stephanie’s Baked Fries

3 medium-sized red skin potatoes
Pam cooking spray or olive oil in a spray bottle
Seasoned Salt (I like Penzey’s)

First, take a cookie sheet and pizza sheet and lightly spray it with Pam spray or olive oil. Pre-heat oven to 375.

Slice the red skin potatoes (skin-on — it adds fiber!) into the shape of shoe-string fries. (You know, the kind you would get at McDonald’s!)

Place the “fries” on the cookie sheet, making sure they don’t touch each other. Dust with seasoned salt.

Bake at 375 until done (usually about 15 minutes, but can be longer, depending on how thick you cut your fries!)

Voila! Easy and at least somewhat healthy!

And if this recipe somehow gets you on a potato kick, let me re-recommend the grilled potato salad recipe I shared for Labor Day. This has a bit of a kick, but it’s fantastic! You start with the grill and some rice vinegar (which I love!) If you have a hard time finding rice vinegar, you might want to check the oriental section of your supermarket! Sometimes they store it with the vinegars/oils, other stores shelf it with the oriental selections.

Italian Casserole

8 oz. twist pasta (cooked and drained)
1 lb. hamburger
1 jar spaghetti sauce
shredded cheddar cheese

Brown hamburger & drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce & pasta. Place in a casserole dish. Top with shredded cheddar cheese and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Bake at 350′F for 30 minutes.

Cinnamon Roll Cookies

1 yellow cake mix
2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup oil
2 eggs
1 cup cinnamon chips (find these by the chocolate chips)

Mix together. Roll into 1 inch balls. Roll in cinnamon/sugar mixture:
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes.

Put icing on cookies as soon as they come out of oven so it melts on top. You can use canned cream cheese icing or homemade.

Do you know anyone who’s a Type-A personality? A multi-tasking, go-getter? Well, if fruit could take personality tests, the cranberry would turn out to be Type-A. There’s a lot of good stuff in these little red gems. But the antioxidants deserve some special attention.

Cranberries have a wide array of antioxidants, but one kind that is unique to cranberries is proanthocyanidins. This type of flavonoid antioxidant keeps certain bacteria from adhering to the walls of your bladder, helping you maintain a healthy urinary tract. In fact, research suggests daily consumption of cranberry juice cocktail can help maintain urinary tract health.

Fruits and vegetables, which supply fiber and essential vitamins and minerals, are important for good health and in reducing the risk to certain chronic diseases, including heart disease. So, when trying to meet the daily recommendations for fruit intake, don’t forget about the cranberry. The cranberry’s one-two punch of anti-adhesion and antioxidants means that doing good things for your health can be easy and delicious.

You can include cranberries throughout the day whether you enjoy fresh cranberries, dried cranberries, cranberry juice, or cranberry sauce. Try these simple tips:

– Start your day with a cup of 100 percent cranberry juice blend. According the latest Agricultural Research Service Report from the USDA, one cup of 100 percent cranberry juice blend has more naturally occurring antioxidants than one cup of orange juice or apple juice.

– Toss dried cranberries on your salad, or mix them in chicken salad for a sweet twist on a lunchtime sandwich.

– Create a satisfying afternoon snack by combining dried cranberries and your favorite nuts and seeds.

– Add cranberries to whole grain rice pilaf - you get added color and flavor!

Power Lunch Pita Pockets

Trade your routine sandwich for a cranberry-studded tuna pocket that everyone in the family will enjoy. Swap canned chicken for tuna if desired.

Makes: 3 sandwiches

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 large (12-ounce) can tuna packed in water, drained, flaked

3 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 cup chopped lettuce

1/2 cup grated low-fat cheddar cheese

1/2 cup grated carrot

3 whole wheat pita bread pockets

Mix tuna and mayonnaise in a medium bowl until well combined. Mix in the remaining ingredients, except the pita bread. Cut each piece of pita bread in half, carefully open the pocket and spoon the mixture in.

For more information on cranberries, visit http://www.uscranberries.com.

If you’re looking for a quick dinner idea, Jackie had a burst of feta-loaded brilliance here!