Recipe(tried): Southwestern Lime Chicken with Ancho Chili Sauce, Cornbread Salad, Peach, Strawberry and Blueberry Fruit Salad

This is what we had for dinner last night. Both the chicken and Cornbread Salad recipes were new ones, to me, that I wanted to try. I did not use the side dishes that were suggested as go alongs with the chicken since the Cornbread and Fruit Salads were the side dishes I served with this. I halved the chicken marinade but only made two chicken breasts, saving the extra marinade to use for two more breasts when we have the leftovers of the Cornbread Salad which we will probably have tonight. I have to say that both recipes were just wonderful, at least to us :-) I think they were both meant to be main dishes but this made a nice and very colorful meal. The Fruit salad is one we have frequently in the summer and it is one of our favorites.

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SOUTHWESTERN LIME CHICKEN WITH ANCHO CHILI SAUCE
Makes 8

Set out black beans, rice, lettuce, salsa and hot flour tortillas to go with the chicken. I halved the recipe.

MARINADE:
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
6 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
8 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
8 slices Monterey Jack cheese
Ancho Chili Sauce (recipe follows)

Combine marinade ingredients in medium bowl; whisk to blend. Place chicken in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Pour marinade over. Cover and refrigerate overnight, turning occasionally.

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat).

Remove chicken breasts from marinade. Grill chicken until just cooked through, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes. Place 1 cheese slice atop each chicken breast half; cover barbecue and cook until cheese melts, about 2 minutes. Transfer chicken breasts to plates. Serve with Ancho Chili Sauce.

ANCHO CHILI SAUCE
Makes about 1 1/4 cups

3 dried Ancho chilies, stemmed, seeded, torn into pieces*
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons (packed) brown sugar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Place chilies in medium metal bowl. Pour enough boiling water over chilies to cover. Let stand until chilies are soft, about 30 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup soaking liquid.

Puree chilies, 3 tablespoons soaking liquid and lime juice in blender until smooth. Transfer to small bowl. Whisk in mayonnaise, brown sugar, oregano, rosemary and cumin. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

Bring to room temperature before using, adding water by tablespoonfuls and stirring if very thick.)

*I used 1 1/2 canned Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce. They gave the sauce a nice, smokey flavor. It was good but the chicken was great without it so it is superfluous and not necessary, in my opinion.

Bon Appetit, R.S.V.P., July 1998
Golden Annie's Mesquite Bar & Grill, Frisco CO

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CORNBREAD SALAD
Servings: 10

I made a full recipe of the cornbread but halved everything else, figuring I could freeze the cornbread for another time when I want to make the salad again.

CORNBREAD:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 cups buttermilk
2 egg
2 cups cornmeal, yellow
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup jalapeno chile pepper, chopped (I used 1/2 fresh and 1/2 pickled jalapenos since I only had two fresh jalapenos.)
DRESSING:
(I used Kraft Peppercorn Ranch Dressing instead of this one.)
1 package Ranch salad dressing
8 ounces sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
SALAD:
1 recipe cornbread
2 (16 ounce) can pinto beans, drained
3 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
3 large tomato, chopped
1/2 cup green bell peppers, chopped
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1/8 to 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped (optional)
1/2 cup green chiles, chopped (I used 1/2 of a 4 oz. can.)
1 1/2 cup bacon bits (For 1/2 recipe, I used 7 slices - about 3/4 cup - of bacon, cooked and broken into pieces.)
1 (15 ounce) can corn drained (For 1/2 recipe, I used 1 cup of Trader Joe's frozen corn, thawed.)

TO MAKE THE CORNBREAD:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Coat bottom and sides of a 10-inch cast iron skillet with vegetable oil and heat in oven.

In a medium bowl combine buttermilk and eggs, and stir. Add cornmeal, backing soda, baking powder, salt, and jalapeno peppers, while stirring briskly. Pour batter into hot skillet.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned.

TO ASSEMBLE THE SALAD:
Combine ranch dressing mix, sour cream and mayonnaise and set aside.

Place 1/2 of the crumbled cornbread in the bottom of a large serving bowl. Top with 1 can of pinto beans. Follow with 1/2 of the cheese, tomatoes, bell peppers, green onions, cilantro, chile peppers, bacon, corn, and dressing mixture. Repeat ending with the dressing mixture. Cover and chill at least 2 hours before serving.

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PEACH, STRAWBERRY AND BLUEBERRY FRUIT SALAD

I don't feel that this fruit salad needs any dressing but feel free to add some if you like.

2 ripe peaches or nectarines, peeled and sliced
1/2 pint strawberries, rinsed and hulled
1/2 pint blueberries, rinsed and picked over discarding stems and bad berries
Sugar to taste (I like about 1/2 Tbsp.)
1/2 to 1 tsp.? Fruit Fresh* (I just sprinkle it on, then mix it in with the sugar)

Bring a deep pan of water to a boil over high heat (deep enough to cover the peaches with the water). With a sharp paring knife, cut a small X in the end of each peach or nectarine. Place them in the boiling water for 20 seconds. Remove immediately and set aside to cool for a few minutes.

Peel and slice the peaches and place in a bowl. Sprinkle with the sugar and Fruit Fresh and mix.

Slice the strawberries and place in the bowl with the peaches. Add the blueberries and mix the fruits. Place salad in the refrigerator, covered, until ready to serve.

*Fruit Fresh is a powdered ascorbic acid which keeps the peaches from turning brown.