Creamy Chicken Pesto & Bowtie Pasta

Recipe Time: 22 Min Prep Time: 10 Min

Ingredients:
1 LB Boneless Chicken Breast
1 Cup Frozen Peas
1/3 Cup Red Pepper Strips
1 Tub PHILADELPHIA Creamy Pesto Cooking Cremé
2 Cups Hot Cooked Bowtie Pasta (I Used Pene Pasta)
1/2 Cup Kraft Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Cook and stir chicken in a large nonstick skillet on medium heat for 5 to 7 minuets or until done. Add peas and peppers;
cook 2 to 3 minuets or until heated through, stirring occasionally.

Add cooking cremé; cook and stir 2 minuets

Stir in Pasta; top with mozzarella

Source:www.kraftbrands.com

Here’s the latest from the “farm” ~

Apple, Cranberry & Gorgonzola Salad and
Watermelon Slushy

It’s summer time! Here are two fun recipes for your next family gathering or cook out!

Apple, Cranberry & Gorgonzola Salad

Ingredients:

2 Large Fuji apples, cored and roughly chopped ( I used Green apples)
1 Medium cucumber, peeled and roughly cut
1/2 cup walnuts, halved
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup cream cheese
2 tablespoons milk (I used Almond Milk)
pinch of salt
pinch of black pepper
1 Large cucumber, thinly sliced horizontally
Toothpicks

Instructions:
Place the apples in a food processor and blend until chopped. Remove the apples and place in a mixing bowl. Place the cucumber and walnuts in the food processor.
Blend for a few seconds until roughly chopped. Remove and add to the apples. Add the dried cranberries and toss. Set aside.

Place the Gorgonzola cheese, sour cream, creme cheese, milk, salt and pepper in the food processor. Blend until mostly smooth. Remove and set aside.

To serve, form the long slices of cucumber into circular shapes and use a wooden pick to secure. Place each on a salad plate. Fill the cucumber cups with the apple,
cucumber mixture and top each salad with the Gorgonzola salad dressing.
Serves 4 (We had a lot left over.)

Ingredients:
5 cups 1/2- inch cubes seeded Watermelon ( I used 3 cups, and that is a lot.)
1 cup orange juice, chilled
1 (6 ounce) can frozen limeade or lemonade concentrate, undiluted

Instructions:
Arrange the watermelon in a single layer on a baking sheet; freeze it for 45 minutes to an hour or until semi frozen
(I did not freeze the watermelon, I used 3 cups of ice.)

Combine the watermelon, orange juice, and limeade into blender and process until smooth. Spoon the slush into cups and serve with a straw, or cover and freeze for
later.
Serves 4 to 6.

Source Recipe #1: Ninja1100 Recipe Book
Source Recipe #2: Family Fun Magazine

Related articles

• Cool Cucumber Recipe Ideas(wholefoodsmarket.com)

  ---

• Three Unique and Healthy Watermelon Recipes(self.com)

  ---

Many children receive free and reduced-price breakfast and lunch through the School Breakfast and National School Lunch Programs. The vacation months can be very challenging for families. Consider sponsoring, hosting or volunteering through a local organization that offers meals during the summer. Learn how at the USDA website here. To locate a meal site in your area, call the toll-free National Hunger Hotline at 1-866-3-HUNGRY or 1-877-8-HAMBRE.

“We heard stories of nurses who would actually buy food, bring it into the health center, and distribute it to their clients, because that was the only way for them to get food,” Perry says.

This NPR article provides a clear understanding of the dilemma in a simplest terms. One of my concerns regarding the local foods movement is that most farmer’s markets are not easily accessible. Many lower income urban residents rely on public transportation, as well.  As more neighborhood corner convenience stores begin to incorporate fresh produce into their inventories, we can see a more rapid decline in the food desert problems. I hope more incentives are extended for these small local merchants to help cover the expenses for refrigeration, shelving, lighting, etc. Read or listen to the NPR podcast here.

Not sure if there is a food desert in your state? Check the United States Department of Agriculture Food Desert Locator database.

Related articles

• Actor to bring quality groceries to “food deserts”(cbsnews.com)

  ---

• White House Chef: Food-Desert Fight Is Real(theroot.com)

  ---

• What Will Make the Food Desert Bloom?(wnyc.org)

  ---

The book is a collection of opinions and voices expressing current thought on the spirituality of food, gratitude, eating together, feeding the hungry, the treatment of animals, fasting, etc.

This is the SKYPE video chat recording from the Miami Book Fair International 2011.

Related articles

• From planting to blessings, Boulder gets into Jewish food movement (jta.org)

Portlandia (TV series) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

‘If you want fruit platters, go to Safeway. We’re organic.’ I finally bought a small cake and some strawberries and then at the check stand, the guy was like ‘You didn’t bring your own bag? I need to charge you if you didn’t bring your own bag.’ It was like a ‘Portlandia skit.’ They were so snotty and arrogant.”

The above quote is from an NBC Today article that expresses the frustration that a consumer experienced when she visited a local farmer’s market. I must say that I recently had a similar experience. I asked if the merchant accepted credit cards because I was not carrying cash that afternoon. Rather than respond directly to me, she called out to her colleague,”She doesn’t have any money.” Suddenly the conversation shifted around me. I tried several times to reintroduce myself into the discussion about the produce and their business. However, I had become persona non-grata = not buying. Eye contact ceased until I was uncomfortable enough to step out of line. As I did, I strongly recommended to the  couple that they step into 2012 and mobile e-commerce. “Get a Square.” However, I won’t be returning to find out if they embrace the technology or not.

Would love to know if you have experienced food snobs during your visits to the local markets?

Related articles

• Buying Organic Makes You A Jerk, Study Says(inquisitr.com)

  ---

• Mobile Payments Platform Square Finds A Foothold At Art Fairs And Farmers’ Markets(techcrunch.com)

  ---