seared chicken with avocado. {winner!}

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Seared Chicken with Avocado from Shalee:

1 1/2 tsp blackened seasoning

4 (6 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1 tsp olive oil

1 diced peeled avocado

2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

1 jalepeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped

2 Tbsp fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)

1 lime, cut into fourths

Sprinkle seasoning on both sides of chicken. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add chicken; cook 1 minute or until seared. Reduce heat to medium; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done.

Combine avocado and next four ingredients. Squeeze lime over chicken before serving. Top with avocado mixture.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and 1/4 cup avocado mixture).

peanut chicken with nectarine salsa.

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Peanut Chicken with Nectarine Salsa from Erin:

Chicken Marinade:

1/4 cup chili sauce

1/2 cup hot water

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

2 Tbsp vinegar

4 cloves garlic

1/2 tsp ginger

6 chicken breasts

BBQ chicken and eat with salsa.

Salsa:

2 nectarines, peeled and diced

1 cucumber, diced

2-4 green onions, chopped

cilantro to taste

1 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp oil

1 Tbsp vinegar

1 tsp. lemon juice

orange sorbet.

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Orange Sorbet from Randi:

2 oranges peeled, halved

2 T sugar or other sweetener to taste

4 cups ice cubes

Blend and enjoy!

chocolate zucchini bread.

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Chocolate Zucchini Bread from Heidi:
via Our Best Bites

2 cups flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
6 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream
3 cups grated zucchini
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
optional: zest from one orange

Topping:
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp white sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two loaf pans and set aside. Mix topping ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.

With a stand or hand mixer beat oil, white sugar, brown sugar, and eggs until combined and slightly fluffy. 1-2 minutes.

Add vanilla and sour cream and mix until combined.

Gently stir in the grated zucchini (and zest if you're using).

Take a spoonful of the flour mixture and stir in with the chocolate chips (this will help them keep them evenly distributed.) If you only have regular chocolate chips, or a chocolate bar, just give it a chop so its the size of mini chocolate chips.

Add the remaining flour mixture to the batter and stir until just combined. Add chocolate chips and stir to combine.

Divide the batter between the two pans and sprinkle topping over each. Place pans on a cookie sheet for easy moving.

Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 50-60 minutes. I set my timer for 45 minutes and then keep an eye on it for the remainder. When it's done a toothpick or skewer should come out clean.

Allow to cool on a rack for 5-10 minutes and then remove from the pans.

blueberry lemon cookies.

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Blueberry Lemon Cookies from Melanie:

1 cup butter softened

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

Mix dry ingredients

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

3 1/3 cups flour

zest of 1 lemon (could add another but I like 1)

5 oz. dried blueberries (Costco has these)

5 oz. white chocolate chips (can leave out just add more blueberries)

refrigerate 1 hour

bake 325-- not sure of the time yet 8 to 9 minutes

(my kids don't like these cookies so I take some dough and make choc. chip cookies for them).

grilled salmon with mango salsa.

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Grilled Salmon with Mango Salsa from Brittany:
from Sara Gillespie

1-2 cups cantaloupe, diced
1 cup pineapple, diced
1 mango, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
Juice of 1 lime
10 sprigs of cilantro
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup green onions
1 cucumber, diced
Add salt to taste..

Prepare and Grill Salmon to your liking. We use butter, lemon, garlic, onion, salt and pepper. Top with Mango Salsa.

lemon cookies.

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Lemon Cookies from Beckie:

from Sara Jezek

3 cubes imperial (brand) margarine

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 small packages lemon instant pudding

3 tsp vanilla

2-3 tsp lemon extract

1 tsp lemon zest

1 1/2 tsp soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

4 1/2 cup flour

Cream butter and sugar, pudding, eggs, extracts, sodas, and flour. Form into balls (about ping pong size). Bake 11 minutes at 350 degrees.

Frosting:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 bag (1 lb) powdered sugar

1/2 cup lemon juice (2 lemons)