function junction, Author at Function Junction

Spring Has Sprung

As spring gives way to summer temperatures and the sun decides to stick around for more than just a moment, my thoughts turn to being outside, nurturing my garden and eavesdropping on the gossip of neighborhood birds. I love the long hours of daylight and try to get as much done in my yard and garden as possible, which doesn’t leave much time for food preparation. One of my favorite go-to meals is a chicken salad. I can make up a big batch and eat on it for almost a week. It is quick, easy, and healthier than a drive-thru hamburger (a weakness, I must admit). Just the other day I wanted to make up [...]

Apricot Pecan Chicken Salad

Apricot Pecan Chicken Salad Course: Salad Cuisine: American Prep Time: 30 minutes Servings: 8 Calories: 180 kcal Print Ingredients Ingredients: 1 chicken breast tenderized ½ tsp salt ½ tsp ground pepper coarse Aromatics to go in the bag: 1 orange juiced 1/2 lemon zest 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped coarse 2 sprigs fresh tarragon Salad: ½ cup water 6 apricots dried, cut in quarters ½ cup sweet onion 1 stalk celery cut lengthwise then diced small ½ cup mayonnaise adjust to preference orange zest Fresh Tarragon to taste coarsely chopped (I use three sprigs) Salt to taste about ½ teaspoon ¼ cup pecans toasted then chopped for garnish 12 red seedless grapes cut in quarters (optional) Instructions Bring water to boil in a 2qt saucepan. Dry chicken breast with paper towels and tenderize using a blade tenderizer. Rub chicken with salt and pepper. Place in Stasher Bag with orange juice, lemon zest, chopped parsley, and tarragon. Seal tightly and place in boiling water. Boil for 20 minutes or until cooked through. Remove bag from pot. Chicken should be firm when [...]

Fiesta Taco Seasoning

Fiesta Taco Seasoning Cuisine: Mexican Prep Time: 15 minutes Calories: 107 kcal Print Ingredients 2 tbsp chili powder 1 tbsp cumin 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp salt 1 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp onion powder 1/2 tsp black pepper fine 1 tsp oregano ground fine 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp black pepper 1/2 tsp turmeric Instructions Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Transfer to a spice jar and seal tightly. Use seasoning for beef, chicken or pork. Recipe Notes Recipe by Mary C. Merola Function Junction Culinary April 2015 Nutrition Facts Fiesta Taco Seasoning Amount Per Serving Calories 107 Calories from Fat 36 % Daily Value* Total Fat 4g 6% Saturated Fat 0g 0% Cholesterol 0mg 0% Sodium 2603mg 108% Potassium 508mg 15% Total Carbohydrates 19g 6% Dietary Fiber 9g 36% Sugars 1g Protein 4g 8% Vitamin A 122.8% Calcium 13.8% Iron 45.9% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Chicken Tacos with Cabbage Slaw

Shredded Chicken Tacos with Cabbage Slaw Course: Main Course Cuisine: Mexican Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 35 minutes Servings: 12 tacos Calories: 135 kcal Print Ingredients For the slaw 1/2 cup red onion very thinly sliced 2 cups red cabbage thinly sliced 1/4 cup cilantro leaves coarse chopped 1 fresh lime rolled and juiced* 1 tbsp olive oil 1/2 tsp kosher salt For the chicken 1 lb chicken breast boneless skinless (about 2 half breasts) 1 tbsp Fiesta Taco Seasoning See recipe 2 cups water 1/2 lime rolled and juiced* ½ tsp sugar 1/2 cup cilantro stems handful 1 tbsp olive oil 1 onion medium, sliced 2 cloves garlic smashed 12 corn tortillas hard or soft as you prefer Mary’s Guacamole See recipe Fresh cilantro leaves Instructions Combine cabbage, lime juice, olive oil, and salt in a large bowl. Toss and let stand for 10 minutes. Add onion and cilantro, then gently mix prior to serving. Dry chicken with paper towels, removing all moisture. Sprinkle Fiesta Taco Seasoning over chicken breasts and rub in. Add water, cilantro stems, lime juice, sugar and chicken to a 2qt saucepan [...]

Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo, or the 5th of May, marks the day the Battle of Puebla was won in Mexico back in 1862, when Mexico was fighting France’s attempt to conquer as a means of recovering a debt. Today in the USA, people celebrate the Mexican culture and revel in the music, foods and festivities associated with our neighbors to the south. In my youth, I paid homage to tequila with salt and lime, but as the years stack up the high octane has been replaced with high nutrition…like avocados, for example. Avocados are considered to be a “super food” due to the healthful benefits when added to your meal planning. I love almost every way [...]

Hold the Straw, Please!

One of my favorite things I used to do was to hit a drive through or convenience store for a fountain pop. The satisfaction of sipping an ice-cold beverage through a straw while tooling about my day was a regular treat. But what happens to all those straws once I’ve gotten my refreshing fix? My beverage may have lasted a couple of hours, but that disposable straw will last forever. I know, it sounds melodramatic, but really, just because I toss it in the trash and it’s out of my sight, doesn’t mean it is really gone. I am only one person, but the number of straws I’ve discarded over my lifetime is staggering. Don’t get me [...]

Raspberry-Chocolate Chip Muffins

Raspberry-Chocolate Chip Muffins Course: Dessert Cuisine: American Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Total Time: 45 minutes Servings: 12 muffins Calories: 369 kcal These tender, moist muffins, packed with chocolate chips, feature a bright red heart: fresh raspberries in the center. Print Ingredients Topping 1/2 cup flour King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 tsp cinnamon salt pinch 3 tbsp butter melted 1/4 tsp vanilla extract Batter 1/2 cup butter melted 3/4 cup milk preferably at room temperature 2 eggs large, preferably at room temperature 1 3/4 cups flour King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose 3/4 cup sugar 1 tbsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1 1/3 cups chocolate chips 24 to 36 raspberries fresh or frozen whole Instructions Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease (or line with cupcake papers) a 12-cup square or standard muffin pan, or lightly grease a silicone muffin pan. To make the topping: Mix the ingredients together until the mixture is very moist and crumbly. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, milk, and eggs. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, [...]

Royal Chicken Kabobs

Royal Chicken Kabobs Course: Main Course Cuisine: American Servings: 8 Calories: 221 kcal Print Ingredients Marinade 1 cup pineapple juice 3 tbsp brown sugar packed 2 tbsp canola or sesame oil not toasted ¼ cup soy sauce use sweet dark if available ¼ cup Ketchup 4 cloves garlic smashed and minced 2 pieces ginger peeled and grated ¼ tsp salt ¼ tsp white pepper fine ground Meat & Veggies 3 chicken breasts boneless skinless half-breasts, dried, trimmed and pierced* cut into 1 ½ inch cubes 2 green bell peppers cut into 1 ½ inch pieces 3 red bell peppers cut into 1 ½ inch pieces 1 large red onion cut into 1 ½ inch pieces (only use large pieces) 2 cups fresh pineapple cut into 1 ½ inch pieces Instructions Mix the first 9 ingredients together and whisk to create the marinade. Set aside. Dry the chicken with paper towels and trim any fat or connective tissue. *Using a blade tenderizer or sharp fork, pierce the breasts both front and back sides. Cut into 1 ½ inch [...]

Opening Day Tailgating

Spring is in the air, flowers are exploding into bloom, birds are building nests, and baseball season has arrived! What better way to prepare for our Royals opener than tailgating with friends before the game? At Function Junction, we’ve developed a game plan to help you hit it out of the park on opening day. For starters, select those of your friends who have great positive energy, love and accept you as you are and are kind-hearted to others. A great sense of humor is optional, but always a welcome addition. Add plenty of team spirit, delicious food and pleasant weather and the season is off to a fabulous start! Tune in to Fox4KC this Thursday morning to [...]

Guacamole

Guacamole Course: Appetizer Cuisine: Mexican Prep Time: 20 minutes Resting Time: 1 hour Total Time: 20 minutes Servings: 10 servings Calories: 135 kcal Print Ingredients 4 avocados pitted, scooped and mashed 1 lime juiced 1/2 tsp fine sea salt 1/2 tsp fresh black pepper coarse-ground 2 tsp fresh jalapeno seeded and finely minced 1/2 cup red onion finely diced 3 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped 1 Roma tomato finely diced Dash Tabasco sauce or other favorite hot sauce optional Instructions In a medium bowl, mash together the avocados. Add lime juice, salt and pepper. Mix in jalapeno, onion, cilantro and tomatoes. Add hot sauce if using. Place in airtight bowl for 1 hour to allow flavors to meld or serve immediately with fresh tortilla chips. About 10 ¼ cup servings. Recipe Notes Recipe by Mary C. Merola - June 2010. Function Junction Culinary Studio Nutrition Facts Guacamole Amount Per Serving Calories 135 Calories from Fat 99 % Daily Value* Total Fat 11g 17% Saturated Fat 1g 5% Cholesterol 0mg 0% Sodium 122mg 5% Potassium 423mg 12% Total Carbohydrates 8g 3% Dietary Fiber 5g 20% Sugars 1g Protein 1g 2% Vitamin A 3.8% Vitamin [...]

Author - function junction

Spring Has Sprung

Apricot Pecan Chicken Salad

Fiesta Taco Seasoning

Chicken Tacos with Cabbage Slaw

Cinco de Mayo

Hold the Straw, Please!

Raspberry-Chocolate Chip Muffins

Royal Chicken Kabobs

Opening Day Tailgating

Guacamole

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