Sunset's kitchen cabinet - recipes

Sunset, March, 1996 by Betsy Reynolds Bateson

Readers' family favorites tested in our kitchens

Quick Chicken Mole Maureen Valentine, SeaTac, Washington

When newspaper editors in SeaTac, just south of Seattle, learned that Maureen Valentine's recipes had been published in Sunset Magazine, they wanted her to write a food feature. Instant career? Well, not exactly. Valentine entered her first cooking contest at age 10, then about 10 years ago began submitting recipes to magazines. Her Quick Chicken Mole evolved from watching a travel video about Mexico that featured a woman making mole.

Cooking time: About 30 minutes Prep time: About 5 minutes Makes: 4 servings

1 teaspoon olive or salad oil 1 onion (about 6 oz.), minced 2 cloves garlic, minced 3/4 cup chicken broth 1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce 1 ripe banana (about 1/4 lb.), mashed 1 tablespoon each chili powder and unsweetened cocoa powder 1 teaspoon each ground cinnamon and ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon each black pepper and cayenne 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves Hot cooked rice 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds 2 tablespoons raisins Warm corn tortillas

1. To a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium-high heat, add oil, onion, and garlic. Cook, stirring, until onion is tinged brown; deglaze pan with 1 tablespoon of the broth.

2. Add tomato sauce, remaining broth, banana, chili powder, cocoa, cinnamon, cumin, pepper, and cayenne. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Add chicken; continue to simmer until chicken is just firm, and opaque when cut in thickest part, about 15 minutes longer.

3. To serve, place a breast half and sauce atop rice on each of 4 dinner plates; top equally with almonds and raisins. Offer tortillas for scooping and dipping.

Per serving: 258 cal., 24% (63 cal.) from fat; 31 g protein; 7 g fat (1.1 g sat.); 20 g carbo.; 464 mg sodium; 68 mg chol.

St. Paddy's Day Salad Mickey Strang, McKinleyville, California

The first of many recipes submitted by Mickey Strang was published in Sunset almost 50 years ago. She developed this dinner salad as separate components, but soon began mixing them together. Strang cooks her own corned beef with apple juice; however, you can purchase cooked corned beef from a deli.

Prep time: About 30 minutes Makes: 4 to 5 servings

2 cups (about 3/4 lb.) shredded or slivered cooked corned beef 2 cups thinly sliced cooked potatoes (about 1 1/4 lb.) 2 cups shredded green cabbage (about 1/3 lb.) 1/2 cup each thinly sliced radishes and celery 1/2 cup grated carrot 1/2 cup chopped green onion 1/2 cup each sour cream and unflavored nonfat yogurt 2 tablespoons each mayonnaise and cider vinegar Salt and pepper Parsley sprigs (optional)

1. In a large, shallow bowl, combine corned beef, potatoes, cabbage, radishes, celery, carrot, and onion.

2. Mix together sour cream, yogurt, mayonnaise, and vinegar.

3. Gently fold sour cream mixture into meat and vegetables; add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with parsley. Serve, or cover and chill up to 2 hours. Stir just before serving.

Per serving: 390 cal., 51% (198 cal.) from fat; 17 g protein; 22 g fat (8 g sat.); 31 g carbo.; 863 mg sodium; 81 mg chol.

Lemon Cheesecake Souffle Gemma Sciabica, Modesto, California

A family favorite handed down from Gemma Sciabica's mother, this cheesecake souffle has all the flavor of traditional cheesecake but a lot less cholesterol and fat. When we tested it, the cake rose out of the cheesecake pan, so we put the mixture into a souffle dish.

Cooking time: About 45 minutes Prep time: About 30 minutes Makes: 10 to 12 servings

About 1 tablespoon butter or margarine 1/2 cup almond biscotti crumbs 1 container (15 oz.) low-fat ricotta cheese 1 cup unflavored nonfat yogurt 3/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 large eggs, separated, plus 2 large egg whites 1 tablespoon cherry liqueur or maraschino cherry juice 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar Sliced strawberries

1. Lightly butter bottom and sides of a 2 1/2- to 3-quart souffle dish. Coat with biscotti crumbs, leaving any loose crumbs in bottom of dish.

2. To a bowl, add ricotta, yogurt, 1/2 cup sugar, flour, lemon peel and juice, vanilla, salt, 2 yolks, and liqueur. With mixer, blend until smooth.

3. In another bowl, with clean beaters, beat the 4 egg whites and cream of tartar on high speed until soft peaks form; gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, continuing to beat until sugar is thoroughly incorporated. Gently fold whites into ricotta mixture.

4. Pour into prepared dish; bake in a 350 [degrees] oven until center is firm and top is golden brown, about 45 minutes. Spoon warm souffle into bowls; top with berries.

Per serving: 150 cal., 27% (41 cal.) from fat; 8.1 g protein; 4.6 g fat (2.1 g sat.); 20 g carbo.; 180 mg sodium; 45 mg chol.

Everybody's Chili Alan Azulay, Federal Way, Washington

Alan Azulay created this recipe because he wanted a dish that would satisfy everyone at potlucks. It also needed to be easy to make ahead and to reheat in a microwave. His flavor secret is menudo spice mix, which you'll find in the ethnic section at most supermarkets, or in Latino markets.