Dear $$firstname$$,

Greetings from Taste of Home! The end of summer may be fast approaching, but there's still time to enjoy some favorite foods on the grill. In this month's newsletter you'll also find lighter recipes and some quick and easy summer desserts.

Click on the name of any recipe below to view it in our online Recipe Finder, print it and save it to your own "recipe box."

• In this issue:
• Grilled Chicken Meal
• Grilling Tips
• Looking for Lighter Fare?
• Summer Desserts

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Grilled Chicken Meal

Try this meal for an easy end-of-summer cookout. You won't have to pack a lot of supplies to stir up the marinade shared by Dorothy Smith of El Dorado, Arkansas. It requires only three ingredients and gives fabulous lime flavor to tender chicken breasts in Honey-Lime Grilled Chicken.

"I created Orange Vegetable Kabobs to add some zip to grilled vegetables," says Laurie Whitney from Bradford, Massachusetts. "Their color, crispness and taste are tempting to all ages. Even my young son eats his veggies when I prepare them this way."

Glowing campfire coals are not needed to enjoy the traditional taste of s'mores with this recipe from Kristine Brown of Rio Rancho, New Mexico. S'mores Bars are a tasty take-along treat that make a sweet snack any time of day.

HONEY-LIME GRILLED CHICKEN

• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)

In a resealable plastic bag, combine the honey, soy sauce and lime juice; add chicken. Seal and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 30-45 minutes.

Drain and discard marinade. Grill chicken, uncovered, over medium heat for 6-7 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. Yield: 4 servings.

ORANGE VEGETABLE KABOBS

• 1 large sweet onion
• 1 large unpeeled navel orange
• 1 medium sweet red pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 medium sweet yellow pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 8 medium fresh mushrooms
• 8 cherry tomatoes
• 2 small yellow summer squash, cut into 1-inch slices


MARINADE:
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt, optional
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons orange juice

Cut the onion and orange into eight wedges; halve each wedge. Alternately thread vegetables and orange pieces onto eight metal or soaked wooden skewers. Place in a shallow oblong dish.

In a small bowl, whisk the oil, lemon juice, sugar, salt if desired, garlic powder and pepper. Pour over skewers. Marinate for 15 minutes, turning and basting frequently. Drain and discard marinade.

Prepare grill for indirect heat. Grill, covered, over medium indirect heat for 10-14 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Brush with orange juice just before serving. Yield: 8 kabobs.

Nutrition Facts: One kabob (calculated without salt) equals 111 calories, 7 g fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 13 mg sodium, 12 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 2 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 vegetable, 1 fat.

S'MORES BARS

• 8 to 10 whole graham crackers
• 1 package fudge brownie mix (13-inch x 9-inch pan size)
• 2 cups miniature marshmallows
• 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• 2/3 cup chopped peanuts

Arrange graham crackers in a single layer in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan. Prepare the brownie batter according to package directions. Spread over crackers. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Sprinkle with marshmallows, chocolate chips and peanuts. Bake 5 minutes longer or until marshmallows are slightly puffed and golden brown. Cool on a wire rack before cutting. Yield: 2 dozen.

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Grilling Tips

• When grilling, it's not safe to reuse a platter that held uncooked meat without washing it first. Rather than dirty two platters, I cover one with heavy-duty foil before placing the raw meat on it. While the food is on the grill, I remove the foil so I can reuse the dish to hold the cooked meat. —Mitzi Sentiff, Alexandria, Virginia
• When boneless chicken breasts are on sale, I buy several pounds, flatten them slightly, brush them with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and grill them. I store leftovers in the freezer for later meals. Simply defrost as many as needed, cover with Dijon mustard, salsa or bottled gravy, and heat in the microwave for a time-saving entree. —Thomas Mills, Babylon, New York
• Here's an easy way to enjoy sweet potatoes in the summer. Just peel and wash them, then cut into 1/2-inch slices. Cook them on the grill, brushing each side with butter several times and turning them often until tender. —Keri Hains Riker, Wellesley, Massachusetts
• Trying to get those lovely grill marks on food, but always miss the mark? Add a little honey to your marinade or sauce. The sugar in the honey caramelizes when grilled and creates the grill marks. One teaspoon to 1 tablespoon should do the trick, depending on the amount of marinade or sauce. You can even use this trick when cooking foods on the stove. Brush meat, chicken or fish with honey and saute in a nonstick pan coated with cooking spray to give it a golden-brown color. —Lisa Meyers, Spring Valley, New York

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Looking for Lighter Fare?

There's a tasty surprise tucked inside these rolled chicken breasts from Anna Free of Plymouth, Ohio. The flavorful mushroom-mozzarella filling of Mushroom Cheese Chicken is perked up with chives and pimientos. A golden crumb topping adds a bit of crunch to the tender chicken bundles. They're sure to impress guests.

"Because my husband's garden produced an overabundance of parsnips, I experimented and came up with Parsnip Carrot Salad," says Marge Campbell of Waymart, Pennsylvania. "This can be served as an appetizer, salad or side dish. We like it with duck or chicken."

"When peaches are in season, we order them by the bushel," says Stephanie Nohr of Cornell, Wisconsin. "Peach Frozen Yogurt is a quick and creamy frozen treat that has wonderful fresh fruit flavor. It's a big hit with everyone in my family."

MUSHROOM CHEESE CHICKEN

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (5 ounces each)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Dash pepper
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup canned mushroom stems and pieces
• 1 tablespoon diced pimientos
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon minced chives


TOPPING:
• 1 tablespoon reduced-fat plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon dry bread crumbs
• 1/8 teaspoon paprika

Flatten chicken to 1/8-in. thickness; sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine the flour and yogurt until smooth. Stir in the cheese, mushrooms, pimientos, parsley and chives. Spread down the center of each piece of chicken. Roll up and tuck in ends; secure with toothpicks. Place seam side down in an 11-in. x 7-in. x 2-in. baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray.

Brush yogurt over chicken. Combine bread crumbs and paprika; sprinkle over the top. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until chicken juices run clear. Discard toothpicks before serving. Yield: 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts: One serving equals 222 calories, 5 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 92 mg cholesterol, 544 mg sodium, 4 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 39 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 4 lean meat.

PARSNIP CARROT SALAD

• 3 cups sliced peeled parsnips
• 3/4 cup sliced peeled carrots
• 3 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 tablespoon olive or canola oil
• 1-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 3/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons minced chives
• 3/4 teaspoon celery seed

Place the parsnips and carrots in a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until crisp-tender. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the orange juice, oil, lemon juice and mustard until blended.

Drain the vegetables; add orange juice mixture and toss to coat. Sprinkle with the chives and celery seed. Serve warm. Yield: 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts: One serving (1/2 cup) equals 124 calories, 4 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 42 mg sodium, 22 g carbohydrate, 6 g fiber, 2 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 1/2 fat.

PEACH FROZEN YOGURT

• 2 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened sliced peaches, thawed
• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups (16 ounces) reduced-fat vanilla yogurt

Place the peaches in a blender or food processor; cover and process until pureed. Set aside. In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over cold water; let stand for 1 minute. Stir in sugar. Cook and stir over low heat until gelatin and sugar are dissolved.

In a bowl, combine the yogurt, peach puree and gelatin mixture until blended. Pour into an ungreased 9-in. square dish. Cover and freeze for 3-4 hours or until partially set. Cut into pieces and place in a mixing bowl; beat on medium speed until smooth. Transfer to a freezer container. Cover and freeze until firm, about 2 hours. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts: One serving (1/2 cup) equals 179 calories, 1 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 4 mg cholesterol, 57 mg sodium, 39 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 5 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 fruit, 1 fat-free milk.

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Summer Desserts

These dazzling desserts may look fancy, but you can make them in about 15 minutes. Impress your guests with these quick-and-easy treats next time they surprise you with an unexpected visit.

BLUEBERRY LEMON TRIFLE
A refreshing lemon filling and fresh blueberries give this sunny dessert sensation plenty of color. "Don't worry about heating up the oven," says Ellen Peden of Houston, Texas. "This doesn't require baking."

MAKE-AHEAD SHORTCAKE
From Gove, Kansas, Karen Bland shares the recipe for this lovely layered dessert that showcases strawberries. "This family favorite has all the satisfaction of traditional strawberry shortcake with just a dash of distinction," she promises.

ALMOND MOCHA PIE
Edna Johnson of St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin received this recipe from an aunt years ago. "The creamy chocolate pie—with a hint of coffee—is nice to have in the freezer for a quick reward on a hectic day," she notes.

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