Sleuth’s Corner

Q. I have been reading your column since inception. Even when I was transferred to Atlanta in 1999, I would still pull up The Miami Herald on Thursdays to read your recipe finds. I am now semi-retired in Fort Myers and have a request for a recipe from the ’60s. My mom used to make a lime Jell-O mold with a mayonnaise dressing that would be poured on top or served on the side with crabmeat. I believe she may have even put cucumbers and carrots in the mold. I was wondering if anyone has a similar recipe.

Ann Divine

Bread

Peppy Apple-Cheese Bread

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine

2/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1 1/2 cups shredded apple

1/2 cup nuts

Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl; set aside.

Beat the butter until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the sugar until no crystals remain, about 3 minutes longer. Beat in the eggs. Blend in the dry ingredients, half at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the cheese, apples and nuts.

Turn batter into prepared pan, and bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes. Cool before slicing. Makes 12 thick slices.

Per slice: 239 calories (43 percent from fat), 12 g fat (6 g saturated fat, 4 g monounsaturated fat), 61 mg cholesterol, 5 g protein, 29 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 148 mg sodium.

Main Dish

Cherry-Stuffed Grilled Chicken

1 1/2 cups pitted and coarsely chopped fresh sweet cherries

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage

1/2 teaspoon each salt and chopped fresh thyme

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

Combine cherries, onion, sage, salt, and thyme; mix well.

Cut a pocket on the thicker side of each chicken breast; sprinkle lightly with salt if desired. Stuff 1/4 of cherry mixture into each pocket; close opening with metal skewers or wooden picks.

Combine oil, vinegar, garlic salt, and pepper, mixing well. Pour over stuffed chicken breasts and marinate 1/2 hour in refrigerator.

Broil or grill chicken, brushing with marinade, until fully cooked and juices run clear when sliced. (Or bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes, until juices run clear.) Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: 305 calories, 32.4 g protein, 11.5 g carbohydrate, 14.3 g fat (42 percent calories from fat), 86 mg cholesterol, 1.1 g fiber, 1,130 mg sodium.

Bar cookies

M&M Bars

2 3/4 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup vegetable shortening, at room temperature

1 cup (packed) light brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

4 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons sour cream (do not use low-fat or nonfat)

2 cups (12 ounces) milk chocolate M&Ms

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper, using enough to form “handles” on the short sides of the pan.

Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.

Beat the butter and shortening until smooth and well blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add both sugars, and beat on low, then on medium speed for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one a time, beating after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and sour cream.

Gradually add the sifted ingredients to form a soft dough. Stir in the M&Ms by hand. Transfer the dough to the pan, patting it in evenly and smoothing the surface.

Bake about 25 minutes, until puffed and golden. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake 5 to 10 minutes more, until center is set.

Cool completely in the pan. Loosen the edges with a spatula, then use the parchment paper to lift and transfer to a cutting board before cutting. Makes 24 bars.

Per bar: 276 calories (43 percent from fat), 13 g fat (5 g saturated fat, 2 g monounsaturated fat), 48 mg cholesterol, 3 g protein, 36 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 310 mg sodium.