Grilled Chicken with Havarti

I don't have a picture of this recipe (perhaps because I scarfed it down too fast), but you have to take my word that it is DELICIOUS and so easy!

Grilled Chicken with Havarti

- Two boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Italian salad dressing (Bernstein’s Restaurant Recipe Italian is the best)
- Two slices of Havarti cheese

Place (thawed) chicken breasts in a shallow dish and coat both sides of chicken with Italian dressing. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (more if you’d like).

Once the chicken is done marinating, heat outdoor grill to medium-high heat (around 350 degrees if it has a thermometer). Lightly oil the grill with non-stick spray. Place the chicken breasts directly on the grill and close grill cover.

Check after about 7 minutes and flip chicken to the other side. Continue grilling until chicken is done (no pink!). Flip chicken to the opposite side and top each with a slice of Havarti, being careful that it doesn’t hang over the sides too far. Cover grill for one minute and check to see if the cheese is melted.

Serve with a side of grilled vegetables.

Grilled vegetable ideas: place slices of red bell pepper, zucchini, butternut squash, onions, cherry tomatoes, or other desired vegetables, into a grill basket or wrap in double-foil. Place directly on the grill while the chicken is cooking. If using foil, be sure to add a splash of olive oil to the vegetables to prevent sticking.

This is so moist and delicious.. you will love it. Enjoy!

Key Lime Bars

My parents-in-law recently celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary so all of the siblings put together a Hawaiian-themed party for them and their friends. Being one of the primary organizers/bakers, I was faced with finding foods that were either definitively Hawaiian or at least tropical in nature. The family has Southern roots so their traditional key lime pie came to mind as a good crossover option. However, it's not so great at serving large groups as it tends to be a little messy, especially if children are helping themselves! My next resort was to take a lemon bar recipe from allrecipes.com and adapt it for our use. These tangy and delicious bars were perfect for the occasion - cold, slightly exotic and possessing a summertime flair.

Crust:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 1-1/3 cups confectioners' sugar
  
• 1-1/2 cups butter or margarine, softened

Filling:

• 6 eggs
  
• 1-3/4 cups sugar
  
• 6 T. all-purpose flour
  
• 1 cup key lime juice
  
• 3-4 drops green food coloring, optional
  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.

Combine the crust ingredients and press into the bottom of the pan. Bake crust for 20 minutes or until golden. Meanwhile, beat or whisk together all filling ingredients until frothy. Pour filling over hot crust and return to oven for an additional 20-25 minutes. Bars are done when lightly golden on top and the filling has set all the way into the middle. I jiggle the pan to see that it doesn't make the filling move. Cool the bars and cut into squares to serve. You may need to use a relatively sturdy knife for this task since the crust is thick.

Note: The original recipe says to sprinkle extra powdered sugar on the bars to decorate them after cooling but I found this to be unworkable. The filling is generally too wet and absorbs all the sugar, leaving you with a mottled looking top that is anything but decorative!