HOME & LIVING
TUESDAY, JULY 13, 2021
APPETIZERS
Continued from Page B1
1. Divide the goat cheese into
24 equal-sized balls. With your
fi ngers, mold the cheese around
each grape until the fruit is com-
pletely covered. Keep cold.
2. Mix the walnuts and chives
together in a small mixing bowl.
Roll each coated grape, one at a
time, in the walnut mixture until
covered. Place in a single layer
in a low, fl at dish, and refrigerate
until ready to serve.
Per serving: 81 calories; 6 g fat;
2 g saturated fat; 7 mg choles-
terol; 4 g protein; 4 g carbohy-
drate; 3 g sugar; 1 g fi ber; 53 mg
sodium; 28 mg calcium
Recipe from “The Berghoff
Family Cookbook” by Carlyn
Berghoff and Jan Berghoff with
Nancy Ross Ryan
MARINATED
MUSHROOMS
Yield: 6 servings
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon ground
black pepper
1 pound small white
button mushrooms,
washed and trimmed
Salt, to taste
2 cups dry white wine
1 heaping tablespoon
THE OBSERVER & BAKER CITY HERALD — B3
8 ounces low-fat mozzarella
cheese, grated
2 garlic cloves, peeled
and minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh
marjoram or 1 teaspoon dried
2 tablespoons chopped fresh
oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
Pinch of ground black pepper
tomato paste
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped
fresh cilantro
1. Place the coriander seeds in
a dry skillet over medium-high
heat. Cook a few minutes, stirring
frequently, until the seeds are
fragrant. Remove to a plate to
cool. Grind to a powder in a spice
grinder, with a mortar and pestle
or by carefully crushing with a
cast-iron skillet.
2. In a large skillet, heat 3
tablespoons of the oil over me-
dium-low heat. Add the shallots
and garlic and cook until soft but
not browned, about 4 minutes.
Reduce the heat if they begin to
color. Add the thyme, coriander,
bay leaf and pepper. Cook for 1
minute.
3. Stir in the mushrooms
and cook for 5 minutes, stirring
occasionally. Season with salt.
Add the wine and tomato paste,
and bring to a simmer. Cover and
cook until soft, about 10 minutes
more. Cool the mushrooms in the
cooking liquid.
4. To serve, spoon the mush-
rooms and some of the cooking
liquid into a bowl, drizzle with
the lemon juice and the remain-
ing 2 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle
with the chopped cilantro.
Per serving: 190 calories; 12 g
fat; 2 g saturated fat; no choles-
terol; 3 g protein; 6 g carbohy-
drate; 2 g sugar; 2 g fi ber; 394 mg
sodium; 16 mg calcium
Adapted from “Bistro Laurent
Tourondel” by Laurent Tourondel
and Michele Scicolone
Hillary Levin-St. Louis Post Dispatch/TNS
Herbed Quesadillas appetizers.
BLACK AND
WHITE BEAN
SALSA
Yield: 8 servings
3 tablespoons corn oil, divided
1 1/4 cups fresh corn kernels
or frozen, thawed
1 (15- or 16-ounce) can black
beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15- or 16-ounce) can Great
Northern beans, drained
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
3/4 cup chopped red onion
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 garlic cloves, minced,
pressed or mashed
1 large jalapeño, seeded
and minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh
oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
Note: Can be made 2 days ahead.
Cover and chill. Bring to room
temperature before serving.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil
in a heavy, large skillet over high
heat. Add corn and sauté until
light brown, about 3 minutes.
Transfer to a large bowl. Add
remaining 2 tablespoons oil to
skillet along with both beans,
pepper, onion, lime juice, garlic,
jalapeño, oregano, chili powder
and cumin. Cook just until spices
no longer taste raw, about 2
minutes. Season generously with
salt and pepper.
Per serving: 175 calories; 6 g
fat; 1 g saturated fat; no choles-
terol; 7 g protein; 25 g carbohy-
drate; 4 g sugar; 4 g fi ber; 360 mg
sodium; 58 mg calcium
Adapted from “The Bon Appé-
tit Fast Easy Fresh Cookbook” by
Barbara Fairchild
HERBED
QUESADILLAS
Yield: 16 servings
1/2 red onion, peeled and
cut into 3/4-inch slices
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
8 (8-inch) fl our tortillas
1 red bell pepper, roasted,
peeled, seeded and cut
into ½-inch strips
1. Preheat a grill or broiler.
Brush the onion slices with 1
tablespoon of the oil and grill or
broil 6 inches from the heat for 4
minutes on each side. Separate
the rings and set aside.
2. Heat a skillet over high heat.
Soften the tortillas by grilling 30
seconds on each side.
3. Mix the onion, red pepper
strips, mozzarella, garlic, marjo-
ram, oregano and pepper. Divide
evenly between 4 tortillas and
top with the remaining 4 tortillas,
pressing them down gently.
4. Heat a skillet at least 8
inches wide over medium-high
heat. Place a quesadilla on the
hot skillet and cook until bottom
is lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes.
Flip and cook until other side is
lightly browned and cheese has
melted, another 2 to 3 minutes.
Cut into quarters and repeat with
the remaining quesadillas.
Per serving: 124 calories; 5 g
fat; 2 g saturated fat; 9 mg choles-
terol; 6 g protein; 15 g carbohy-
drate; 1 g sugar; 1 g fi ber; 318 mg
sodium; 173 mg calcium
Adapted from “The Gourmet
Gazelle Cookbook” by Ellen Brown
Mistaken identity: Cicada killer
wasps aren’t Asian giant hornets
By MIA RYDER-MARKS
Capital Press
Gretchen McKay-Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS
Chicken taco lettuce cups are a hand-held take on the popular Mexican 7-layer dip served at parties.
Dinner tucked between lett uce leaves
Chicken taco lettuce cups inspired by Mexican 7-layer dip
By GRETCHEN McKAY
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Mexican 7-layer dip is a
staple at parties, potlucks
and summer barbecues for
a reason. It’s easy to throw
together, doesn’t require
any special ingredients
and can be served at room
temperature.
Now that it’s offi cially
summer and the living
is supposed to be easy,
shouldn’t dinner be, too?
It is with chicken taco
lettuce cups. They’re
inspired by the popular
appetizer but more fi lling
and easier to eat because all
the ingredients are tucked
neatly together inside a let-
tuce leaf.
I used Boston lettuce,
which has large, supple
leaves that make perfect
“cups” for meat and veg-
gies, but Bibb lettuce,
which has smaller leaves,
would work perfectly, and
so would Romaine if you
desire extra crunch. To
spice things up, I opted for
Trader Joe’s chicken sha-
warma thighs instead of my
go-to shredded rotisserie
chicken. They come already
seasoned and only take
20 minutes to roast. I also
subbed in black beans for
refried beans.
A zesty cilantro-lime
dressing, made extra
creamy with Greek yogurt,
is drizzled on top. Leftovers
can be used as a dip for cru-
dites or sauce for chicken,
steak or fi sh.
CHICKEN TACO
LETTUCE CUPS
For dressing
2 bunches fresh cilantro, rinsed
1 garlic clove, halved
Zest and juice of 2 limes
2 teaspoons honey
Pinch of ground cumin
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
For salad
12 Boston or Bibb lettuce leaves
1 cup fresh corn kernels
(from 2 ears)
2 cups cooked, chopped
chicken, warmed
1/2 small red onion, minced
1 cup black beans,
drained and rinsed
1 avocado, peeled and diced
2 or 3 plum tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup crumbled Cotija cheese
Crumbled corn tortillas,
optional, for garnish
When your computer is in despair
Prepare dressing: Remove
stems from cilantro by twisting
the bunch between your hands,
separating the top leaves from
the bottom stems. Place cilantro
leaves, garlic, lime juice and zest,
honey, cumin and salt into a food
processor or blender. Pulse until
smooth. Then, with the blade
running, pour in the olive oil and
yogurt and process until smooth.
Taste and adjust seasoning. Pour
dressing into glass container
and set aside while you make
the tacos. (Makes about 1 cup of
dressing).
Prepare tacos: Wash and pat
dry lettuce leaves with a paper
towel, then place on individual
plates or a large platter.
Place corn in a small saucepan
set over medium heat, and toss
until it is slightly charred and
warmed through.
Divide chopped chicken
among the lettuce leaves. Top
each with minced onion, corn,
black beans, diced avocado and
diced tomato. Drizzle cilantro-lime
dressing on top of lettuce wraps,
then garnish with crumbled Cotija
cheese and crumbled corn torti-
llas, if desired. Serve immediately
with your favorite cold Mexican
lager.
Serves 4.
In her 17 years working
as an extension entomol-
ogist in Eastern Oregon,
Silvia Rondon has never
received more reports,
emails, phone calls and
texts with questions
asking what type of wasp
they just saw.
After the Asian giant
hornet showed up in
Washington last year,
many Oregonians have
been on alert. However,
experts such as Rondon
want you to know the
wasp you come across is
more than likely a cicada
killer wasp — which is
fairly harmless to humans
and pets.
“This insect, unless
you’re messing with
them and trying to touch
them, they shouldn’t be
a bother. They are a nui-
sance, and they’re impres-
sive, because they’re very
large,” said Rondon.
Cicada killer wasps
are native to Oregon and
emerge during summer.
They live 60 to 75 days
before they migrate back
underground until the
next year. Oregonians can
expect to see the insect
until September.
Hot spots for the wasps
are primarily in Cen-
tral and Eastern Oregon.
Rondon said about 70%
of her calls come from the
Pendleton area.
Jim LaBonte, a retired
entomologist from the
state Department of Agri-
culture’s insect pest pre-
vention and management
program, said Eastern
Oregon makes a suitable
habitat for the wasps as
the area is blanketed with
sandy soil and trees.
But for the most part,
the cicada killer wasp
is harmless toward
humans, he said. Their
prey is another insect
— the cicada.
The female wasp par-
alyzes a cicada with one
sting and then drags the
insect back to its hole,
which is dug 10 inches
below the surface of the
soil. Sometimes, this can
be an all-day endeavor.
Karla Salp/Contributed Photo
An Asian giant hornet.
Once inside the nest,
the wasp will dump the
cicada into a side chamber
and lay eggs. As the eggs
hatch, starved larvae
eat the cicada alive —
which could take weeks,
LaBonte said.
The male wasps keep
themselves busy by
fi ghting for a mate and
vomiting on their own
heads to stay cool in the
summer heat.
They may sting
humans or pets if they feel
threatened, such as if they
are stepped on or their
underground burrow is
disturbed.
“If you disturb their
nest, they’ll get a little agi-
tated,” said Tracy Wilson,
agricultural literacy coor-
dinator at Oregon State
University, but the wasps
are solitary by nature,
so you probably will not
see a swarm of them,
decreasing the risk factor.
People in agriculture or
who have home gardens
shouldn’t worry either;
they only cause min-
imal landscaping damage
as the wasp digs into the
ground to create a nest for
its eggs.
There are a few dif-
ferences between the two
wasps. Asian giant hor-
nets are larger, about 2
inches long, and have
unbroken bands of yellow
and brown across their
abdomen.
The cicada killer wasp
has three large stripes of
yellow and black around
it, and are about 1 to 1½
inches long and have a
long stinger.
There have been no
traces of the Asian giant
hornet in Oregon.
Wilson said people can
send samples or photo-
graphs their way if they
can’t tell the diff erence.
This will help ease the
worry and help the ODA
track the wasps.
Though Asian giant
hornets are not a worry
for Oregonians, Rondon,
the entomologist, does
have one bit of advice for
anyone who comes across
a cicada killer wasp:
“In general, stay away
from them.”
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