Mangoes, which are native to South/Southeast Asia, come in many colors including yellow, orange, red, green, and some have skins that feature several of those colors.  Inside the fruit, there is a large oblong pit that contains the seed which can be difficult to detach from the fruit.  Mangoes feature prominently in the cuisines of Southeast Asia including the Philippines and India, where it is the national fruit.   They can be found in jams, jellies, chutneys, curries, salads, smoothies, ice cream, and they can also be eaten raw.

Using mangoes can be somewhat challenging because of the pit.  Generally, mangoes should have the skins removed before using because, while they are edible, they can cause an allergic reaction in some people.  Once the skin is removed, the fruit must be chopped away from the pit.

Mangoes contain about 60 calories per 3.5 ounces and are high in both Vitamin C and folate.  They are also rich in antioxidants.

Here are some great ways for you to use mangoes this month to fill your family’s plate  with fresh, nutritious food.

1. Mango Lassi
2. Mango Chutney
3. Grilled Red Chile Buttermilk Chicken with Spicy Mango Honey Glaze
4. Mango, Strawberry, and Pineapple Smoothie
5. Mambo Chicken with Mango Salsa
6. Chipotle Mango BBQ Chicken
7. Mexican Mango Cake
8. Strawberry, Mango, and Mesclun Salad
9. Avocado Mango Salsa
10. Macadamia Crusted Sea Bass with Mango Cream Sauce
11. Mahi Mahi with Coconut Rice and Mango Salsa
12. Mango Blueberry Muffins with Coconut Streusel
13. Bourbon Mango Pulled Pork
14. Spicy Indian Chicken and Mango Curry
15. Spicy Mango Sweet Potato Chicken
16. Chicken and Pasta in a Mango Cream Sauce
17. Chunky Mango Guacamole
18. Mango and Red Cabbage Slaw
19. Strawberry Mango Pound Cake Shortcakes
20. Grilled Yellowtail with Mango Salsa
21. Jerk Chicken with Mango Chutney and Fried Plantains
22. Caprese Salad with Roasted Mango Dressing
23. Jay’s Potato Crusted Fish with Mango Salsa
24. Mango Cheesecake with Basil Lemon Syrup
25. Cucumber Mango Salsa
26. Curried Mango Chicken
27. Jerk Turkey Burgers with Mango Salsa
28. Homemade Mango and Jalapeno Jelly
29. Chicken with Mango Barbecue Sauce
30. Coconut Lime Cheesecake with Mango Coulis
31. Mango Salsa Chicken
32. Mango Cardamom Bread Pudding
33. Spicy Mango Salad
34. Poblano Pepper and Mango Quesadillas
35. Grilled Chicken with Apple Mango Chutney
36. Kale Salad with Mango Vinaigrette
37. Mango Lime Cream Pie
38. Mango Chicken Piccata
39. Cilantro Lime Quinoa
40. Chipotle Tilapia Tacos with Mango Cilantro Salsa

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Who doesn’t love the velvet texture and sweet juicy flavor of a perfectly ripe mango?  This month, we wanted to shine a light on this colorful fruit that is as healthy as it is delicious.  Mangoes are packed with anti-oxidants, fiber, vitamin A, and vitamin C.  But even with all that nutrition, most people eat them simply because they taste so good.  Here are some of the ways you can use mangoes this month to punch up the flavor and add a little color when you fill your plate.

1. Mango Chutney
2. Frozen Mango Margarita
3. Chipotle Mango BBQ Chicken
4. Mambo Chicken with Mango Salsa
5. Seared Mahi Mahi with Grilled Mango Pineapple Salsa, Green Rice, and Black Beans
6. Coconut Water Smoothie with Mango, Banana, and Strawberries
7. Mexican Mango Cake
8. Seared Tuna with Mango Salsa
9. Grilled Jerk Chicken with Mango Cilantro Salsa
10. Jerk Turkey Burgers with Mango Slaw
11. Strawberry Mango Mesclun Salad
12. Avocado Mango Salsa
13. Mango Blueberry Muffins with Coconut Streusel
14. Mango-licious Tilapia
15. Spicy Indian Chicken and Mango Curry
16. Bourbon Mango Pulled Pork
17. Spicy Mango Sweet Potato Chicken
18. Chicken and Pasta in Mango Cream Sauce
19. Curried Mango Chicken
20. Buttermilk Mango Berry Crumb Cake
21. Cucumber Mango Salsa
22. Curried Tilapia with Mango Salsa
23. Spicy Black Beans with Rice and Mangoes
24. Garlic Lime Grilled Chicken with Mango Salsa
25. Coconut Chicken Fingers with 30 Minute Mango Chutney
26. Spicy Coconut Shrimp with Spicy Mango Basil Salsa and Lime Jasmine Rice
27. Mango Ice Tea
28. Crunchy Jicama and Mango Salad with Chile and Lime
29. Coconut Lime Cheesecake with Mango Coulis
30. Mango Cardamom Bread Pudding
31. Mango, Peach, and Pineapple Salsa
32. Chicken Avocado and Mango Salad
33. Grilled Poblano Pepper and Mango Quesadillas
34. Caribbean Grilled Crab Cakes
35. Chili and Lime Grilled Mangoes
36. Mango Barbecued Chicken
37. Mango Shrimp
38. Blueberry and Mango Fruit Salad
39. Banana and Mango Apple Rice Kugel 
40. Chipotle Tilapia Tacos with Mango Cilantro Salsa
41. Two Bean and Mango Salad
42. Mango Custard Pie
43. Mango Guacamole
44. Mango Pineapple Salad with Mint
45. Mesclun and Mango Salad with Ginger Carrot Dressing
46. Grilled Sea-Bass with Jalapeno Mango Salsa Recipe
47. Ceviche Shrimp and Grouper with Serrano Chiles, Mango Smoked Tomatoes, and Crispy Plantain Chips
48. Mango Peach Sangria 
49. Mango Black Pepper Glazed Grilled Pork Chops with Mango Black Bean and Green Onion Salsa and Yucca Fries
50. Mango Sorbet

Related Articles:

• Get to Know these Neglected Grains (fillyourplate.org)
• Hey Kids! What’s Cooking? (fillyourplate.org)
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For many families, time spent together in the kitchen can be the best time to strengthen bonds and spend a solid quantity of quality time together.  There was a time when this happened regularly as mothers passed the family recipes on to their daughters, but these days, simply making supper at home is a novelty for some families.  Making an effort to spend time together in shared activities like cooking and baking is beneficial to everyone involved and it is a crucial part of creating the memories, traditions, and sense of belonging that creates the kinds of family relationships that last a lifetime.

Here are some great ideas for getting everyone together in the kitchen for some family fun with delicious results.

1.     Cookie Time

One of the first things most of us did in the kitchen was helping our mom or grandmother bake cookies.  Granted, we weren’t always that much help and probably ate a little too much raw dough, but there is something magical for little kids about the first few batches of cookies that they helped make from scratch.  Spend an hour or two this weekend with your kids in the kitchen and make a batch or two of everyone’s favorite cookies.  You can cook them all or take half the dough and freeze it so you can have fresh, homemade cookies throughout the week.  Try these recipes from the Fill Your Plate recipe box.

• He-Man Cowboy Cookies
• Pumpkin Cake Cookies
• Cardamom Goat Cheese Cookies

2.     When Life Hands You Lemons…

Making lemonade from scratch can be really fun for kids of all ages.  It is also an easy way to do something together in the kitchen that doesn’t involve a lot of things little ones can’t help with.  Make a big pitcher for the fridge and you might end up inspiring your kids to start a lemonade stand this summer.  Try these two lemonade recipes.

• Fresh Lemonade
• Rosemary Lemonade

3.     Make Your Own Take Out

Another great way to spend some together time in the kitchen is to eat in, instead of going out, and have everyone help out with making the meal.  Common take-out items like tacos, burritos, and pizza are great things for kids to help make.  Older kids can learn the fine art of chopping vegetables while littler ones grate cheese or work the assembly line.  They will have fun making the meal and have a more nutritious meal to eat than they would if you got it from a drive-thru window.   Best of all, you will be teaching them valuable lessons about working together and helping out around the house.  Here are some great recipes to make with the kids.

• Abby’s Yummy Veggie Pizza
• Chicken Enchilada Dip
• Corn and Black Bean Salsa
• Smothered Burritos
• Tostadas

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When you think of October and sweet treats it is likely that your mind immediately goes to the candy associated with Halloween and trick-or-treating.  But there is another sweet treat celebrated during October, cookies.  October is National Cookie Month and here is everything you need to know to pay homage to cookies of all types, shapes, and sizes.

Where Did Cookies Come From

Well, to start, we may need to decide what makes a cookie a cookie.  Here in the U.S., a cookie means a small, relatively flat, often baked dessert.  However, in other parts of the world a different word is used to describe these kinds of treats.  The origin of the word cookie as we use it today is believed to come from a Dutch word, koekie which is a small cake.  It came to North America with Dutch immigrants and was transformed over time to the modern term, cookie.  It is likely that many of our English ancestors would have called “cookies” “biscuits” which is still the word used to describe these treats today.

What Makes Cookies Different

If a cookie is a small, flat, often baked dessert, how do you differentiate between a cookie and a cake, which can have those exact characteristics?  The main differentiator is that cookies do not usually rely on water to keep the other ingredients together, they rely on fat.  When water is used, in a cake for example, the batter is thinner and the water helps create the fluffy light texture commonly associated with cake.  By using oil instead of water, cookie recipes result in the denser texture associated with cookies.

Cookie Types

It may seem like a cookie is a cookie, regardless of its flavor but there are actually a wide range of cookie types that are defined primarily by how the cookies are made.  It would also be a mistake to assume that all cookies are baked since some are not.

• Dropped cookies are dropped or placed on cookie sheets by the spoonful that spread out during baking.
• Rolled cookies are made from stiff dough that is rolled out with a rolling pin and then cut into shapes, generally using cookie cutters, before baking.
• Filled cookies contain some kind of filling, often fruit or jam.
• Pressed cookies are made from a specific kind of dough that works well with a cookie press and enables cookies to be made in extravagant shapes and large volumes.
• Refrigerator or icebox cookies are made from very stiff dough that achieves the desired stiffness when placed in the refrigerator for a specified amount of time.   These cookies are usually rolled into cylinders once stiffened and then sliced into rounds to be baked.
• Molded cookies are made from dough that has a stiffer texture enabled it to be shaped or molded by hand prior to baking.
• Sandwich cookies are generally made from two rolled or pressed cookies that are used to create a sandwich with a sweet filling after they are baked.
• Bar cookies are made from batter that is cooked more like a cake in a single pan and then cut into bars to be served.
• No bake cookies are made by mixing ingredients like cereal into a melted binder, like marshmallows to create a cookie or bar that hardens as the melted binder cools.

How to Celebrate National Cookie Day

• Bake cookies for someone special
• Take cookies to a local nursing home, homeless shelter, or community group
• Teach someone to bake a favorite cookie recipe
• Have a cookie swap
• Host a cookie party

Cookie Recipes

• Cardamom Goat Cheese Cookies
• He-Man Cowboy Cookies
• Pumpkin Cake Cookies

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There is no question that we Americans love cheese.  We put it on sandwiches, sprinkle it on soup, serve it in salads, and mix it into a wide range of dishes throughout our family’s menu.  This month, as you reach for your family’s favorite cheese, we encourage you to step outside of your comfort zone a little by adding a variety of cheese that may not be as familiar.  Goat cheese or chevre is made with goat’s milk and has a creamy rich texture.  It has a slightly tangier taste than cheese made from cow’s milk which can add a little something extra to any recipe.

If you are looking to limit your calories, goat cheese can be beneficial because you can get the flavor and texture you are looking for with fewer calories and less fat.  One ounce of goat cheese contains 80 calories and 6 grams of fat.  Goat cheese can also help you meet your daily dietary requirements.  It provides Vitamins A, B2, and B6, phosphorus, niacin, potassium, and of course, a hearty helping of calcium.  It is also a great source of protein, providing 8.7 grams per cup.

Take a chance this month and get to know this delicious dairy product.  Here are 31 ways, one for each day, to fill your plate with delicious dishes featuring goat cheese.

1. Almond Cheese Log
2. Baked Goat Cheese Crostini
3. Baked Goat Cheese Appetizer with Shrimp and Basil
4. Cardamom Goat Cheese Cookies
5. Goat Cheese Lettuce Wraps
6. Golden Beet, Avocado, and Fennel Salad
7. Mixed Greens with Goat Cheese Dressing
8. Goat Feta with Black Pepper and Thyme
9. Chèvre Truffles
10. Goat Cheese and Spinach Turkey Burgers
11. Swiss Chard with Pinto Beans and Goat Cheese
12. Apple Goat Cheese Bruschetta
13. Asparagus and Goat Cheese Quesadillas
14. Portobello Mushrooms, Fresh Peppers, and Goat Cheese Pizza
15. Arugula Salad with Beets and Goat Cheese
16. Goat Cheese Cake with Mixed Berries
17. Penne with Shrimp, Red Onion, and Goat Cheese
18. Jalapeño Goat Cheese Hushpuppies
19. Goat Cheese with Chipotle and Roasted Red Pepper
20. Roasted Garlic and Olive Relish with Toast and Goat Cheese
21. Herbed Goat Cheese and Roasted Vegetable Sandwiches
22. Penne with Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese
23. Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts
24. Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese and Walnuts
25. Filet Mignon with Balsamic Syrup and Goat Cheese
26. Tomato and Goat Cheese Tarts 
27. Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken Breast with Herbed Goat Cheese
28. Angel Hair with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Goat Cheese
29. Pasta with Onion, Bacon and Goat Cheese
30. Asparagus Goat Cheese Pasta
31. Eggplant and Goat Cheese Lasagna

Now that you have some great ideas for getting goat cheese into your menu this month, here are some of the places you can find goat cheese products fresh from the farm.

• Chile Acres – Tonopah
• Crow’s Dairy, Inc – Buckeye
• Fiore di Papra – Pomerene
• Foote’s Hold Dairy  – Dudleyville
• The Simple Farm – Scottsdale

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June is National Dairy Month and here in Arizona there are dozens of reasons to celebrate.   Dairy products like milk and cheese contain nine essential nutrients and are filled with calcium and potassium.  These delicious and nutritious products have a place at every meal and when you select Arizona made dairy products you support local dairy farmers.   Here are some great ways to fill your family’s plates with delicious dairy products this month.

• 5 Minute Stuffed Medjool Date Appetizers – cream cheese
• Abby’s BMR Chevre Cheesecake – goat cheese, cream cheese, heavy cream
• Abby’s Yummy Veggie Pizza – sour cream, cheddar cheese
• Applesauce Bread Pudding – milk
• Arizona Quiche – jack cheese
• Arroz Con Chilie Verde – sour cream, Monterey jack cheese
• Avocado Appetizer – jack cheese, butter
• Avocado and Pistachio Ice Cream – milk, heavy cream
• Baked Corn Dish – milk, butter, cheddar cheese
• Baked Goat Cheese Crostini – goat cheese
• Baked Goat Cheese Appetizer with Shrimp and Basil – goat cheese, parmesan cheese
• Baked Ham and Egg Casserole – butter, milk, cheddar cheese
• Calabacitas – Cojita cheese
• Cardamom Goat Cheese Cookies – goat cheese
• Cha Chas Chili Cornbread – cottage cheese, butter, Colby jack cheese
• Cheri’s Classic Prickly Pear Cactus Cheesecake – butter, cream cheese, sour cream
• Chicken Breasts with Cheese and Chilies – jack cheese, sour cream
• Chicken Enchilada Dip – cream cheese, cheddar cheese
• Chicken Spaghetti – cheddar cheese
• Chili Chicken – milk, sour cream, Colby jack cheese
• Chili Egg Puff – cottage cheese, shredded cheese, butter
• Chopped Medjool Date Salad – goat cheese
• Comforting Corn Chowder – milk, Monterey jack cheese
• Corn and Green Bean Casserole – sour cream, grated cheese, butter
• Cream of Cauliflower Soup – cheese, milk, butter
• Creamy Potatoes – butter, sour cream, cheese
• Deanna’s Potatoes Deluxe – sour cream, cheddar cheese
• Farmer’s Mud Pie – ice cream
• French Bread Pot – cream cheese, sour cream, jack cheese
• Garlic Cheese Fingers – parmesan cheese
• Goat Cheese Lettuce Wraps – goat cheese
• Golden Beet, Fennel, and Avocado Salad – goat cheese
• Green Chile Wontons – jack cheese
• Grilled Romaine with Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette – parmesan cheese
• Golden Beet and Pomegranate Salad – feta cheese
• Ham and Potato Casserole – cheddar cheese
• Hickman’s Jalapeno Bacon Egg Bake – sour cream, milk, Colby jack cheese
• Join the Party Salad – cheddar cheese
• Meal in One Potatoes – milk, sour cream, swiss or cheddar cheese
• Mixed Greens with Goat Cheese Dressing – goat cheese, buttermilk
• Pork Loin Cutlets with Goat Cheese Apricot Stuffing – goat cheese, butter
• Potato Cheese Soup – milk, cheese, butter
• Pumpkin Milkshake – chevre, goat milk, ice cream, whipped cream
• Quiche Lorraine – butter, swiss cheese, light cream
• Rice Quiche – swiss cheese, cheddar cheese
• Scalloped Potatoes with Goat Cheese – goat cheese, heavy cream
• Sweet Potato Zucchini Frittata – cream cheese, milk, cheddar cheese
• Tortilla Quiche – milk, Mexican cheese
• Tostados – cheddar cheese, sour cream
• Tri-Color Penne with Cherry Tomatoes and Cheese – mozzarella cheese, parmesan reggiano cheese
• Twice Baked Potato Casserole – cheddar cheese, sour cream
• Zesty Papa Protein Scramble – cheese, butter
• Zucchini Casserole – cheese

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One of the best things about the holidays is all the delicious desserts and delicacies that seem to come with the season.  There is no other time during the year where you are likely to find a variety of cookies, some pie, homemade candy, and even fudge in most Arizona kitchens.  When it comes to things we look forward to about the holidays, getting presents is the only thing that beats out all the sweets and treats.

While many of us have family favorites that have been handed down from our parents and grandparents, there is always room in the holiday season to try some new recipes.  Here are some of our favorites, many of which are made using ingredients grown right here in Arizona.   No matter what the occasion or event, you are sure to find something on this list that will tempt your taste buds and help you fill each and every holiday plate from now until New Year’s.

Christmas Morning or Holiday Brunch

• Yummy Nutmeg Donuts
• Applesauce Bread Pudding
• Applesauce Spice Cake
• Baked Apples
• Classic Banana Nut Bread

Arizona Specialties

• Arizona Melon Dessert
• Arizona Sunshine Lemon Pie
• Avocado and Pistachio Ice Cream
• Cheri’s Classic Prickly Pear Cheesecake
• Red Hot Stuffed Apples

Delicious Desserts

• Apple Crisp
• Apple Mesquite Crunch
• Apples and Cream Crumb
• Blackberry Cobbler
• Watergate Torte
• Healthy Coconut Pudding
• Medjool No Bake Date Roll
• Peach Paradise
• Sauteed Apples

Candy

• Chevre Truffles
• Medjool Date Fudge

Cookie Swap

• Seven Layer Bars
• Harvest Pumpkin Bars with Icing
• He-Man Cowboy Cookies
• Nuts Over Brownies
• Pumpkin Cake Cookies
• Christy’s Yummy Gooey Bars
• Glazed Cinnamon Bars
• Cardamom Goat Cheese Cookies
• Cheerios and Trix Treat Bars

Pie

• Strawberry Cheese Pie
• Greek Cheese Pie
• Farmer’s Mud Pie
• Grandma Gertie’s Pumpkin Pie
• Grandma Howard’s Apple Pie
• Grandma Nell Hickman’s Christmas Pie
• Apple Raspberry Pie

Cake

• Tiffany’s Pumpkin Pie Cake
• Vanilla Chocolate Chip Cake
• Zucchini Squash Spice Cake
• Deans’ Sour Cream Cake with Buttercream Frosting
• Banana Nut Cake

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History

• Ginger is a plant native to India and China which is prized throughout the world for its culinary and medicinal uses.
• Gingerbread is made from ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, anise and is generally sweetened with molasses or honey.  
• The term gingerbread is used to describe a variety of foods ranging from the hard biscuits used to make gingerbread houses to soft loaf cakes more reminiscent of bread. 
• To be considered gingerbread, the recipe must feature ginger as a dominant flavor and use either honey or molasses to add sweetness.
• It is made using the gingerbread method which requires the fat to be melted and then all ingredients to be mixed together at once in a bowl.  This is much easier than other baking techniques.
• Originating in the East, gingerbread is said to have been brought to Europe in 992 by a monk and was used to treat indigestion and upset stomachs.
• Both the Greeks and Egyptians used gingerbread in their ceremonies.
• In the 16^th century, Gingerbread was used to create news displays by pressing the rolled dough into carved wooden molds before baking.  It often showed the portrait of a new king, a religious symbol or some other important image.
• Queen Elizabeth I is believed to be responsible for the first gingerbread man as she had them made to resemble visiting dignitaries and then presented them to the dignitaries as a gift.
• After the Brothers Grimm published “Hansel and Gretel” in the 19^th century, gingerbread houses became very popular in Germany.
• The tradition of making gingerbread and building gingerbread houses was brought to America by early German settlers.

Around the World

• English gingerbread is a dense, spice cake or bread that can include mustard, pepper, raisins, apples, or nuts.
• In Northern England, a hard form gingerbread made with oatmeal called Parkin is popular.
• Although pain d’epices from France is similar to gingerbread, it is always made with honey rather than molasses.
• Both the hard biscuit style gingerbread and the soft cake version can be found throughout Germany.
• In Norway and Sweden, a version of gingerbread is used to create window decorations that are decorated with icing and candy.

Gingerbread Houses

• The tradition of using gingerbread to display news and creating gingerbread men as gifts is longstanding and likely lead to the creation of the first gingerbread house. 
• The most common type of gingerbread used to build houses is the harder biscuit style popular in Germany.
• In Norway, the town of Bergen creates an entire city made from gingerbread houses each year. 
• The world’s largest gingerbread house was built at the Mall of America in Minnesota in 2001 and required 9 days to build.  Once completed, it stood 67 feet tall and was decorated with 1,800 Hershey bars, 1,200 feet of Twizzlers, 100 pounds of tootsie rolls, 100 whirly pops and thousands of other pieces of candy.
• While gingerbread houses are fairly popular in the United States and much of Europe, they are not popular in England.

Holiday Gingerbread Events Around the Valley:

• Glendale Gingerbread Nights 
• Gingerbread Village on Display at the Four Seasons Resort, Scottsdale
• Gingerbread House Contest at the Arizona Biltmore
• Gingerbread Houses on Display at the Arizona Science Center
• LON’s Art of Cooking Series: Build the Perfect Gingerbread House