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BROILED CHICKEN WITH AVOCADO SALSA

1 medium-size ripe avocado
1 medium tomato, diced
1 green onion (scallion) minced
1 tablespoon minced cilantro
3 tablespoons naturally brewed lite soy sauce, divided (Kikkoman)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
4 chicken breast halves, boned
1 clove garlic, pressed

Cut avocado in half lengthwise; discard seed and peel. Coarsely mash avocado; gently combine with tomato, green onion, cilantro and 1 tablespoon lite soy sauce, lemon juice and hot pepper sauce. Cover and set aside. Place chicken breasts, skin side down, on rack in broiler pan. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons lite soy sauce and garlic; brush chicken with half of mixture. Broil 4 inches from heat 7 minutes. Turn chicken over; brush with remaining soy sauce mixture. Broil 7 minutes longer or until tender. Serve with avocado salsa. Makes 4 servings.

POTATO DISHES WILL PLEASE PICKIEST PALATE

If you're pressed for time, look to the vast range of convenience food products that make meal preparation easier and quicker. And don't feel guilty when you reach for that package of instant mashed potatoes or frozen hash browns, because you can turn them into dishes that will please the pickiest palate. Evidence? See the recipes that follow. Instant mashed potatoes make the patties that enfold shrimp. Buy peeled, deveined raw shrimp and cook them a few minutes, or look for precooked shrimp. The Southwest Home Fries with a refreshing fresh fruit medley makes an excellent luncheon entree. The eggs are cooked as you would a thin omelet and then are cut into strips.

SHRIMP-STUFFED POTATO PATTIES

2 cups prepared instant mashed Idaho potatoes following package directions for 4 servings
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) or plain breadcrumbs
8 medium sized cooked shrimp, peeled and chopped (thawed, if frozen)
1/2 cup reduced-fat, reduced-sodium Swiss cheese, diced
2 teaspoons vegetable oil

In medium mixing bowl, combine cooked mashed potatoes, chives and black pepper, stirring to mix well; set aside. Place panko in shallow bowl; set aside. In small mixing bowl, toss together shrimp and Swiss cheese. On sheet of plastic wrap or wax paper, divide shrimp-cheese mixture into 4 equal portions. With clean hand, form potato mixture into patties. Press one portion of filling mix into center of each patty, shaping potato patty to enclose filling. Flatten patties slightly, being careful not to disturb filling. Place patties, one at a time, into breadcrumbs. With spatula, gently flip patty to coat both sides with crumbs. Place all patties on a plate, cover and refrigerate until ready to cook. Warm oil in large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Cook patties about 4 minutes on each side, until golden brown and cooked through. Serve immediately.

SOUTHWEST HOME FRIES WITH FRESH FRUIT SALSA

3 cups Southern Style frozen Idaho potato hash browns, thawed Cooking spray
4 eggs OR 6 egg whites, slightly beaten
1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper* 1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper*
1/3 cup chopped yellow bell pepper*
1/2 cup chopped onion Fresh Fruit Salsa**
*If desired, use 1 cup of one color pepper.

Drain thawed potatoes on paper-towel-lined cookie sheet; set aside. Coat a large non-stick skillet with plenty of cooking spray and warm over medium heat until hot. Cook eggs without stirring but lifting edges to allow uncooked egg to flow underneath (as you would an omelet). Cook 1 to 2 minutes. Do not overcook. Flip skillet over clean cutting board, releasing cooked eggs. Cool slightly and cut eggs into thin strips about 1/4 inch wide by 3 inches long; set aside. Spray skillet again. Cook potatoes over medium heat until golden, 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally. With a spatula, push potatoes to one side. Add onions to cleared portion of pan; Cook about 3 minutes. Push onions to side with potatoes. Add peppers to cleared area; cook 2 minutes, then stir peppers, onions and potatoes together. Add egg strips and cook briefly to reheat. Serve at once with Fresh Fruit Salsa (recipe follows). Makes 6 servings.

**Fresh Fruit Salsa: Peel, core and chop 1 each of three of your favorite fruits such as apple, mango, kiwi, etc. Place in a small bowl; add 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion and 1/2 cup chopped cilantro or 1/4 cup chopped Italian (flat-leaf) parsley. Gently mix and serve with Southwest Home Fries.

MUSHROOMS ARE NATURAL FLAVOR ENHANCERS

Well-seasoned cooks are undaunted when they need to come up with an appealing meatless dish. They know they can rely on meaty substitutes that satisfy, such as mushrooms and eggplant. Mushrooms are natural flavor enhancers that share their essence with the other ingredients in a dish. Just looking at the Polenta Pie sets the taste buds working. I suggest using the yellow polenta or cornmeal for picture-perfect appeal. Eggplant is one of my favorite vegetables, and it's extra scrumptious as part of a ratatouille that's flavor-heightened with mushrooms. Serve it as a side dish, a first course, as a sandwich-filler in French or Italian bread, or as an entree accompanied by a mixed green salad.

POLENTA PIE WITH FRESH MUSHROOMS AND SPINACH

1 pound fresh white mushrooms
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/4 cup prepared pesto
1 cup instant polenta or cornmeal

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Lightly coat a 9-inch pie plate with butter or nonstick cooking spray. Trim mushrooms; cut in thin slices. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over high heat until hot. Add mushrooms; cook and stir until tender and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove 1 cup of mushrooms to a small bowl; stir in 1 tablespoon cheese; set aside. Into mushrooms remaining in skillet, stir spinach and pesto; cook until hot, about 2 minutes.
3. Cook polenta according to package directions. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 7 tablespoons cheese. Spread half the polenta in the prepared pie plate. Spoon mushroom-spinach mixture over polenta; with spatula or knife, spread remaining polenta on top; top with reserved mushroom-cheese mixture. Bake, uncovered, until heated through, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes; cut in wedges. Serve on a bed of tomato sauce or top with a dollop of pesto, if desired. Make-ahead hint: Cover pie with aluminum foil; refrigerate up to 24 hours. To reheat, bake in preheated 375 F oven until heated through, about 30 minutes. Yields 4 to 6 portions.

MUSHROOM RATATOUILLE

1 pound fresh white mushrooms
2 large onions (about 1 pound)
1 medium eggplant (about 1 pound)
2 medium zucchini (about 1 pound)
1 large sweet red bell pepper (about 8 ounces)
2 large ripe tomatoes (about 1 pound)
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Cut mushrooms in thick slices; slice onions lengthwise; cut eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper and tomatoes in 1-inch cubes. In a large (12-inch) skillet (preferably nonstick), heat oil over medium heat. Add onions; cook and stir until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute. Add mushrooms and eggplant; cook and stir until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add zucchini, bell pepper, tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, just until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Serve in four grilled portabella caps on a bed of couscous, if desired. Yields 6 to 8 portions (8 cups).

SAY GOODBYE TO BORING CHICKEN DISHES CHICKEN, OLIVES ARE A WINNING COMBO

There are so many ways to prepare chicken that you can serve it several times a week and know that it will get a good reception. Chicken meals should not be boring and needn't be. Varying the parts you choose and the seasonings, the herbs and spices, is a sure way to keep meals interesting and appealing. For example, here are two dishes. The first is for breasts with packaged herb-seasoned stuffing, its flavor intensified with black, ripe olives. The second gives breasts a Southwest taste with enchilada sauce or cooking salsa and pimento-stuffed olives. Try them both.

ROAST CHICKEN ON BLACK OLIVE STUFFING

1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 cups packaged herb-seasoned dry bread cube stuffing
1 (2.25-ounce) can Lindsay black ripe sliced olives, drained
2 tablespoons Dijon or honey Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 large clove garlic, minced
4 (8 to 10 ounces each) bone-in chicken breasts, skinned Paprika, optional

Preheat oven to 375 F. Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add broth; bring to simmer. Remove from heat. Add stuffing and olives, tossing well. Spoon stuffing in 4 mounds into a greased 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Combine mustard, thyme and garlic; spread over chicken. Place chicken over stuffing, covering mounds completely; sprinkle paprika over chicken, if desired. Bake uncovered 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Makes 4 servings.

CUMIN CHICKEN IN SPICY OLIVE-BACON SAUCE

3 slices thick-cut bacon or pancetta, diced
1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon salt
4 (5 to 6 ounces each) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup bottled enchilada sauce or spicy cooking salsa
1/2 cup sliced Lindsay manzanilla pimento-stuffed olives

Cook bacon in large non-stick skillet over medium-low heat until crisp, 5 to 6 minutes. With slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel, leaving drippings in skillet. Add chicken to skillet; sprinkle cumin and salt over chicken. Cook 4 minutes. Turn chicken breasts; add garlic to skillet and continue cooking 4 minutes. Pour sauce over chicken; add olives; bring to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer chicken and sauce to serving plate; top with reserved bacon or pancetta. Makes 4 servings.

(c) 2004 King Features Syndicate

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