Peppers are beginning to produce well in the garden. In addition to jalapeños, banana and green peppers, I usually plant large chili peppers called Big Daddy. Those peppers are similar to large Hatch chilies. I use them like green peppers, but occasionally I grill them, cover and once cooled, I remove the seeds and blackened skin. They are ready for use in preparing dishes that call for mild chilies or can be frozen for later.

Last Thursday I used them along with avocadoes to make a yummy green enchilada dish.

Creamy Chicken and Avocado Enchiladas
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
Salt, pepper and chili powder for seasoning
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 onions, chopped
5 mild chili peppers, roasted and chopped
6 oz. Monterrey jack cheese, shredded
12 wheat tortillas

Avocado Cream Sauce
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. flour
2 cups chicken broth
3⁄4 cup sour cream
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1⁄2 tsp. pepper
3 avocados, pitted and peeled
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1 lemon, juiced

Garnishes may include fresh chopped cilantro, sour cream, cheese and jalapeño slices.

Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper and chili powder and brown each side in a large skillet. Remove breasts and sauté onions and peppers in the same skillet. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and return to the pan. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until chicken is done.

Meanwhile prepare the avocado cream sauce by melting butter over medium-high heat. Add flour and stir until golden. Slowly stir in broth, bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in sour cream, cumin, salt, garlic and pepper. Remove from heat and transfer mixture to a blender or food processor. Add avocados, cilantro and lemon juice. Pulse until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings.

To assemble the enchiladas, spread a spoonful of avocado cream sauce down the middle of the tortilla. Then layer the chicken, onion and pepper mixture followed with cheese. Roll tortilla and place seam side down in a lightly greased baking dish. Continue building and rolling the rest of the tortillas. Drizzle about half of the remaining avocado cream sauce on top, cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes in a 375-degree oven.

Serve enchiladas with a dollop of avocado cream sauce and the garnishes of your choice.

I made extra avocado cream sauce because it is great as a dip for chips or vegetables. Also, if you don’t have time to grill chilies, use a can of roasted chilies.

Corn, lovely sweet corn, is still the topic of this week’s column. Last week I grilled dozens of ears, and still have more left from the harvest. I froze a few, shared some with neighbors and grilled a few more. My husband comes home from work and eats one before dinner for a healthy snack. Corn is like gold in my house.

I sell my garden produce at a farmers’ market in Sulphur Springs, but I never bring corn with my vegetables. I explain to the customers who purchase eggs, tomatoes, okra, cucs, zucs, eggplant, yellow squash and freshly baked breads that my husband has declared the corn his own. One lady asked, “Do you not have enough to sell?” I replied, “As far as my husband is concerned, there will never be enough corn.” So, there you go.

I managed to pull aside half a dozen ears for the following recipe. It is the perfect summer-time salad that keeps well in the fridge and is the hit side-dish at any barbecue or cookout. It goes well with just about everything, and is even great alone for a light dinner.

Corn and Black Bean Salad
6 ears of corn, grilled and cut from the cob
2 15-oz. cans black beans (low sodium)
4 cups tomatoes, diced
1 cup red onions, diced
4 tsp. garlic, minced
1 lemon, zested
2 lemons, juiced
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1⁄4 cup red wine vinegar
1⁄2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. fresh oregano, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
3 avocadoes, diced
3-4 jalapeños, minced

Mix the first 12 ingredients together and marinate in the fridge for up to 4 hours. I substituted a can of pinto beans instead of one of the black bean cans. That’s just the way I like it. I also like my avocadoes firm, so I cut them and add them right before serving. The jalapeños are a must for me, but one family member doesn’t handle them well. Trust me, life is often better when you slice them on the side and add them to your own salad if you want the heat.

Please try this delectable salad. It serves many. Go to a local farmers’ market and pick-up as much of the local produce as possible. Subsidize with canned or grocery-store produce as necessary. But seriously, this dish is fresh, easy to make and so good for you and the entire family. Sunday night, I served it with sliced roasted chicken breasts. It was delicious.

Saltimbocca in Italian means “jumps in the mouth.” I’m not sure if that’s because the flavors are so delightful when eating the dish or if it tastes so good that one can’t resist another bite. It is usually made with veal but I’ve always made it with chicken. The dish is common in southern Switzerland, Italy, Spain and Greece.

Each country has its own version and flavor preferences, so there are many variations. I’ve modified my recipe and the following version is low-cal and low-fat.

Stuffed Chicken Saltimbocca
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
6 oz. reduced-fat feta cheese
1 Tbsp. fat free Half & Half
6-8 sage leaves, chopped
1 tsp. garlic salt
1⁄2 tsp. cracked black pepper
1 tsp. olive oil

Butterfly-cut the chicken breast halves by slicing widthwise almost to the other edge. Lay a large piece of plastic wrap on the cutting board. Open each breast, keeping the edge intact, and spread across the plastic wrap. Place another piece of wrap on top of the chicken. Gently pound the chicken with the flat side of a meat mallet, using a down-and-away motion until it is about 1⁄4 inch thick. The plastic wrap contains the raw chicken, reducing contamination and making clean-up easier.

Crumble the feta cheese into a bowl and mix in the Half & Half, sage, garlic salt and pepper. Place a spoonful of the mixture on each flattened chicken breast. Roll up and place on a baking pan. Brush olive oil on each roll and season with a little salt and pepper. Cook in a 400-degree oven for 25 minutes.

Clean the cutting board, utensils and work surface with hot soapy water. Always wash your hands after handling raw chicken and never reuse the cutting board without thoroughly cleaning it first. In fact, it is best to have separate cutting boards when making this dish – one for the raw chicken prep and one for processing the herbs and vegetables.

Salad with Seasoned Bread Crumb Topping
1 Tbsp. butter
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
1 tsp. garlic salt
3 tomatoes, sliced
1 head romaine lettuce

In a small frying pan, melt butter and add bread crumbs, thyme and garlic salt. Cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, until the bread crumbs are lightly toasted. Wash, drain and tear the lettuce into bite-sized pieces. Serve with tomato slices, a splash of lemon juice (or your preferred dressing) and top with the toasted seasoned bread crumbs.

The stuffed chicken saltimbocca and side salad serves 4, and each serving has about 368 calories and 15 grams of fat. For a full fat version, consider using grated provolone cheese instead of feta and wrapping each breast with thinly sliced bacon or prosciutto before baking.