Cherry Glazed Chicken

PREP TIME: 10 mins | COOK TIME: 45 to 50 mins

Ingredients

Makes 6 servings

Rinse chicken; pat dry with paper towels. Pour milk into a shallow container.
Combine flour, thyme, salt and pepper. Dip chicken first in milk, then in flour mixture; coat evenly.
Heat oil in a large skillet. Add chicken; brown on all sides.
Put chicken in a 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Bake covered with aluminum foil, in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, drain Montmorency tart cherries, reserving 1/2-cup of Montmorency tart cherry juice. Combine Montmorency tart cherry juice, brown sugar and granulated sugar in a small saucepan; mix well.
Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat. Add mustard; mix well. Cook 5 minutes, or until sauce is slightly thickened. Stir in Montmorency tart cherries.
After chicken has cooked 30 minutes, remove from oven and uncover. Spoon hot tart cherry mixture over chicken.
Bake, uncovered, 15 to 20 minutes, or until chicken is tender. Serve immediately.

PREP TIME: 5 mins | COOK TIME: 15 mins

1/3 to 1/2 cup dried Montmorency tart cherries
2 boneless pork loin chops, about 1-inch thick
Salt and black pepper, freshly ground, to taste (used 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons orange marmalade
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Dried red pepper flakes, to taste (used 1/8 teaspoon pepper)

Makes 2 entreés

Season pork chops with salt and pepper.
Heat oil in a large skillet on high heat. Add pork chops; brown well, about 3 minutes per side. Remove to plate.
Add onions to skillet; cook until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add chicken broth, dried Montmorency tart cherries, orange marmalade, vinegar and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil; boil rapidly on medium heat until broth is reduced by half. Reduce heat.
Add pork chops to pan to heat through, 5 to 6 minutes. (Cook pork chops longer on lower heat if pork chops are very thick or have a bone in them.) Internal temperature of the pork should be about 160 degrees F.
Add chicken broth or water, if needed.
Serve pork chops with cherry sauce spooned over them.

PREP TIME: 15 to 20 mins | COOK TIME: 20 to 25 mins

Makes 8 to 10 granola bars

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line bottom and sides of an 8 x 8 x 2-inch baking pan with foil. Spray the foil lightly with nonstick spray. Set aside.
Combine dried Montmorency tart cherries, granola, oats, flour, almonds and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.
Stir together egg whites, honey, brown sugar and oil. Add to granola mixture, stirring until all is coated. Press mixture evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until bars are light brown.
Let cool completely (about 10 minutes) on a wire rack. Use foil to remove from pan. Cut into bars.

Makes 16 servings

Preheat oven to 325 F.
Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, oil, eggs and vanilla; mix on low speed of electric mixer until blended.
Mix 1 minute on medium speed. Batter will be thick.
Spread half of batter in oiled and floured 9-inch baking pan.
Toss cherries in small amount of flour.
Scatter cherries over batter; spread remaining batter over cherries.
Sprinkle pecans over top.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean.
Cool on rack and cut into 16 pieces.

Chocolate Chip Variation: Sprinkle 1/2 cup chocolate chips over batter with pecans.

Per Serving: 207 Calories, 2.2 g protein, 28.2 g carbohydrate, 9.9 g fat (42% Cal. from fat), 27 mg cholesterol, 0.6 g fiber, 88 mg sodium.