Summer & herbs

In an attempt to eat healthier and better quality calories, I've started cooking with more herbs. They add flavor without unnecessary preservatives or additional fat. Yesterday, I tried this super simple Chicken Salad Sandwich recipe from Food Network's Barefoot Contessa. I loved it! So I'm sharing it with you guys in hopes that you'll like it just as much! Now, I just need to start a second herb container to grow tarragon! Enjoy!

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Ingredients

• 4 split (2 whole) chicken breasts, bone-in, skin on
• Good olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup good mayonnaise, plus more for the bread
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves
• 1 cup small-diced celery (2 stalks)
• 8 to 10 slices health or seven-grain bread
• 1 package mesclun salad mix

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts, skin side up, on a sheet pan and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Set aside to cool.

When the chicken is cool, remove and discard the skin and bones and cut the chicken into 3/4-inch dice. Place the chicken in a bowl and add the mayonnaise, tarragon, celery, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and toss well.

To assemble, spread a little mayonnaise on half the bread slices, top with the chicken salad and mesclun mix, and cover with the remaining slices of bread. Cut in half and serve.

Note: I didn't have any mesclun lettuce mix. So instead, I used romaine lettuce and served it on croissants.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Mix in this order:

2 cups butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla
4 cups flour
5 cups oatmeal blended to flour
2 12-oz pkg chocolate chips
(nuts if desired)

Bake at 375 for about 9-10 minutes.
Makes about 10 dozen

Tanner's

Irresistible Peanut Butter Cookies

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup butter flavor Crisco shortening

1 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3 Tbsp. milk
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 3/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. baking soda

1) Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
2) Combine peanut butter, shortening, brown sugar, milk and vanilla. Beat until mixed. Add egg.
3) Combine dry ingredients and add to mix.
4) Drop by tsp. on sheet and press with fork.
5) Bake for 7-8 min.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 C. Butter Flavored Crisco
1 C. Brown Sugar
1/2 C. White Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 1/2 C. Flour
2 C. Rolled Oats (not quick oats)
2 C.  Chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugars, add eggs and vanilla. Mix in dry ingredients. Add a little bit more flour and oats if needed until the dough does not stick to the side of the mixing bowl. Add chocolate chips.

Bake at 375 for 10 minutes

Mandi Petersen

Oatmeal Surprise Cookies

2 Sticks of Butter
1 C. Firmly packed Brown Sugar
1/2 C. White Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 1/2 C. Flour
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Cinnamon
3 C. Uncooked Oats
1 C. Dried Cranberries
1 C. White Chocolate Chips

Cream butter and sugars, add eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda,cinnamon and stir into sugar mixture. Then mix in oats, cranberries and chips. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Makes about 4 Dozen.

Katy Vincent

Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 C. Sugar
1/2 C. Packed Brown Sugar
1/2 C. Butter, room temperature
1/2 C. Peanut Butter
1 Egg
1 1/4 C. Flour
3/4 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 tsp. Salt

Beat the butter until creamy, 2 minutes. Add the sugars, beat for 2 more minutes. Mix in the peanut butter and egg. Mix together the dry ingredients and stir into the sugar and butter mixture. Wrap dough in plastic and refridgerate at least 3 hours. Shape dough into 1 1/4 inch balls. Place 3 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten in a crisscross pattern with a fork. Bake at 375 for 9 to 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheet for 1 minute then transfer to cooking rack.

For chewier cookies bake at 300 for 15 minutes.

Cowboy Cookies

1 1/3 cup quick oats
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
1 1/3 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt

1 stick butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
coconut
craisins
chocolate chips

Mix dry ingredients. Mix together butter, egg, vanilla, coconut, craisins, and chocolate chips. Add all together. If batter seems a little dry, add a small amount of water in order to form cookies. Roll into 1” balls and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 11-13 minutes.

By Leanna Miller