August favorites: recipes from our readers, tested in Sunset's kitchen

Sunset, August, 2006 by Molly Watson

Zucchini Cookies

JACOB GROSS, LOMPOC, CA

You can't taste the zucchini in these cookies, but it adds vitamins, fiber, and a nice moist texture.

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PREP AND COOK TIME: 1 hour

MAKES: 5 dozen cookies

    1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
    2 large eggs
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    2 cups grated zucchini
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
    2 teaspoons baking powder
    1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    1 teaspoon salt
    1 cup walnuts, chopped
    1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  1/2 cup raisins
    1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 350[degrees]. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in zucchini. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add to zucchini mixture. Stir in nuts, chocolate chips, raisins, and coconut. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto buttered cookie sheets. Bake until lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes, and transfer to a rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough.

Per cookie: 106 Cal., 48% (51 Cal.) from fat; 1.3 g protein; 5.7 g fat (2.9 g sat.); 13 g carbo (0.6 g fiber); 93 mg sodium; 15 mg chol.

Roasted Salmon with Dill-Yogurt Sauce

CAROLYN LARSEN, KENNEWICK, WA

PREP AND COOK TIME: 25 minutes

MAKES: 4 servings

  1/2 English (seedless) cucumber, grated and excess water squeezed out
  1/2 cup each sour cream and plain yogurt
    2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill, plus extra sprigs for garnish
      (optional)
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    2 tablespoons lemon juice Salt and pepper
1 1/2 pounds 1-inch-thick salmon fillet with skin

1. Preheat oven to 350[degrees]. In a small bowl, stir together the cucumber, sour cream, yogurt, dill, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

2. Line a large baking pan with aluminum foil. Rinse salmon and pat dry; put skin side down in the pan. Sprinkle with remaining minced garlic clove, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Bake until barely opaque in the center, 10 to 15 minutes.

3. Serve salmon warm or cold with yogurt sauce. Garnish with dill sprigs, if you like.

Per serving: 381 Cal., 57% (216 Cal.) from fat; 35 g protein; 24 g fat (7.5 g sat.); 5.5 g carbo (0.7 g fiber); 131 mg sodium; 108 mg chol.

Grilled Fusion Chicken

JANET HUBBARD, SANTA ROSA, CA

PREP AND COOK TIME: 1 hour

MAKES: 4 servings

NOTES: You can substitute 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus 2 teaspoons minced garlic for the garlic-infused olive oil.

    4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
  1/2 cup garlic-infused olive oil (see notes)
    2 tablespoons each tequila and fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons hot sauce
    1 teaspoon Worcestershire
    1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
    1 teaspoon ground dried chipotle chile
    1 teaspoon salt
  1/3 cup heavy whipping cream Chopped cilantro (optional)

1. Pound chicken to 1/4-inch thickness. In a shallow dish, whisk oil, tequila, lime juice, hot sauce, Worcestershire, ginger, chile, and salt. Reserve 1/3 cup of this marinade, then put the chicken in dish, turn to coat, and marinate 30 minutes.

2. Grill chicken on a charcoal or gas grill over medium heat (you can hold your hand 1 to 2 inches above grill level only 4 to 5 seconds), turning once, until cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes total.

3. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, simmer reserved marinade until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the cream, then remove from heat. Serve chicken drizzled with sauce and garnished with cilantro, if you like. Serve extra sauce and a green salad on the side.

Per serving: 383 Cal., 68% (261 Cal.) from fat; 28 g protein; 29 g fat (7.7 g sat.); 1.5 g carbo (0.1 g fiber); 498 mg sodium; 95 mg chol.

Deep-Dish Blueberry Pie

LOUISE GALEN, WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA

PREP AND COOK TIME: 1 1/2 hours

MAKES: 8 servings

3/4 cup plus 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
  1 teaspoon plus 3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup chilled butter, cut into small pieces
  4 cups fresh blueberries
  1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, pulse 3/4 cup flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon sugar with the butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add 3 tablespoons cold water and pulse until dough just comes together. Quickly shape the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 450[degrees]. In a large bowl, combine blueberries with the remaining 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 3/4 cup sugar, and the lemon juice and cinnamon. Pour into a 1 1/2- to 2 1/2-quart souffle dish.

3. Unwrap chilled dough on a floured surface and roll to a 1/8-inch thickness. Cut dough into 1/2-inch-thick strips, then arrange over blueberries in a lattice pattern (see "Weave a Lattice Crust," at left). Press edges to seal.

4. Bake 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350[degrees] and bake until top is golden brown and berries are tender, about 45 minutes.

Per serving: 286 Cal., 38% (108 Cal.) from fat; 2.6 g protein; 12 g fat (7.2 g sat.); 44 g carbo (2.2 g fiber); 267 mg sodium; 31 mg chol.