Mandarin-Pineapple-Chicken Wraps

This dish is adapted from an internet recipe from several years ago.  I no longer remember the source, but this makes a delicious light lunch with a lot of different textures and crunch going on.  I highly recommend just a light drizzle of sesame oil – the mild, smoky flavor is wonderful.

• Servings: 4
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• 4 burrito size wraps
• 6 oz. cream cheese, divided
• 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded
• Sesame oil for drizzling
• 2 green onions, chopped, including green part
• ½ cup red bell pepper, diced
• 8 oz. can of pineapple tidbits, drained*
• 8-10 oz. can of mandarin oranges, drained*
• ½ cup salted cashews

*Save the drained juice for other uses – too good to throw away.  I always have a jar in the freezer to save bits of drained juice and just mix it together to use in gelatin desserts.

Place burrito wrap on a flat surface and spread burrito with ¼ of the cream cheese.

Add ½ cup of chicken breast, drizzle lightly with sesame oil.  Add ¼ of green onions,

bell pepper, pineapple, oranges

and salted cashews.

Fold top and bottom of wrap, roll from one side to make a tight roll.

Cover with plastic wrap.  Repeat with remaining three wraps.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

When ready to serve, remove plastic wrap, place burrito on plate and cut in half on diagonal.

4 servings 

Spicy Mandarin Orange Muffins

The recipe for these muffins is adapted from one in the cookbook, Seasoned with Sunshine.  In 1988, my son babysat their two young children and my daughter-in-law came to work in my office one day a week to make a little extra cash.  We had a one-hour commute each way and she never ate breakfast before she left, so I made these muffins to take along for a quick snack after we arrived.  They are extra-tasty and freeze well.  These also won a ribbon in the 1988 Hamilton County (Cincinnati) Fair.

• Servings: 12
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• 11 oz. can of mandarin oranges
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-3/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/3 tsp. salt
• 1/3 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. allspice
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup Canola oil
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 egg

Topping:

• 3 Tblsp.  butter, melted
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar mixed with 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Drain oranges well and spread out on paper towel while mixing batter.

Place flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, allspice and sugar in a medium bowl and whisk together.  Combine oil, milk and egg in a shaker or small bowl and mix well.  Add egg mixture all at once to the flour mixture and stir until just moistened.

Dough will be quite stiff at this point.  Add drained oranges and mix lightly.

Spoon into greased muffin tins and bake @ 350 degrees F for 20 minutes.  Immediately remove muffins from pans.  While hot, dip tops of muffins in melted butter, then in sugar mixed with cinnamon.

Yield:  12 small muffins – just the right size to have with a nice cup of coffee.