Soul Satisfying Tastes for Today

West African Peanut Chicken Stew
Black-Eyed Pea and Cornbread Salad
Cinnamon "Fried" Ice Cream
Sweet Potato Pie Smoothies

(Family Features) - Soulful Sunday dinner: It's a cherished tradition that goes back generations, and it's just as relevant today as ever before. But gathering family and friends at the table for food, fellowship and fun shouldn't be reserved for Sundays - or holidays - alone. Extend the togetherness by starting a supper club where laughter and good times are as delicious and satisfying as the menu.

Making it easy for women to host family gatherings and girls' nights out at home calls for tools to more confidently prepare and serve soulful treats. General Mills has teamed up with celebrity hostess and entrepreneur B. Smith to create the Serving Up Soul Web site to help bring back the supper club and to encourage people to slow down, reconnect, and "dine in" more frequently.

Tasty, crowd-pleasing soul food dishes to grace your table are just a click away at www.ServingUpSoul.com. West African Peanut Chicken Stew, Black-Eyed Pea Cornbread Salad and Sweet Potato Pie Smoothies are among the downloadable recipes that offer all the traditional flavors you savor, while also saving time in the kitchen. The site also can help satisfy your appetite for entertaining and for soul food favorites with the following great ideas, tasty recipes, and creative entertaining tips and tools from B. Smith:

• Layer in a Theme: Celebrate a holiday, host a pre-gathering for a special event, or plan a monthly couples night-in.
• Go for Girl Talk: Host girlfriends for a rotating themed potluck night in.
• Savor Kitchen Time: Bonding with the kids when cooking helps preserve family traditions, teaches kitchen skills, and builds self-esteem.
• Stock Up on Staples: Find out the basics every soul kitchen should have, from cast-iron cookware to special serving pieces, for serving up traditional favorites.
• Sharpen Skills: Hone your party-planning skills with a hostess timeline and checklist from the experts to ensure stress-free gatherings.
• Share the Soul: Tap into secrets, tips, traditional family recipes made easy for today, and inspired ideas from B. Smith at www.ServingUpSoul.com.

West African Peanut Chicken Stew
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Start to Finish: 50 Minutes

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 4)
1 box Betty Crocker Chicken Helper jambalaya
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 1/2 cups hot water
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with onion and pepper, undrained
1/2 lb sliced fully cooked Polish or kielbasa sausage, if desired
2 tablespoons peanut butter

1. Cut chicken into strips, about 2x1/4 inch. In 3- to 4-quart saucepan, stir chicken and chicken seasoning (from Chicken Helper box) until chicken is evenly coated; stir in oil. (For best results, use saucepan with nonstick finish.)
2. Cook chicken uncovered over medium-high heat about 8 minutes, turning chicken over after 5 minutes, until dark brown on both sides. Stir in hot water, the sauce mix and uncooked rice (from Chicken Helper box), the tomatoes and sausage. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; cover and simmer about 25 minutes, stirring once, until rice is tender.
3. Stir in peanut butter. Cook about 2 minutes longer, until mixture is thickened. Cover; let stand about 5 minutes or until most of liquid is absorbed.

5 servings

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Increase water to 2 3/4 cups.

1 Serving: Calories 350 (Calories from Fat 110); Total Fat 12g (Saturated Fat 2.5g); Cholesterol 55mg; Sodium 1080mg; Total Carbohydrate 34g (Dietary Fiber 2g); Protein 25g

% Daily Value: Vitamin A 10%; Vitamin C 6%; Calcium 8%; Iron 15%
Exchanges: 1 1/2 Starch, 1/2 Other Carbohydrate, 1 Vegetable, 2 1/2 Very Lean Meat, 2 Fat

Carbohydrate Choices: 2

Black-Eyed Pea and Cornbread Salad
Your search for the perfect salad ends here, with this brilliant mix of layered flavors, including bacon, black-eyed peas, tomatoes, bell pepper, celery and sweet cornbread.
Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Start to Finish: 1 Hour 30 Minutes

Cornbread
1 pouch (6.5 oz) Betty Crocker cornbread & muffin mix
Milk, butter and egg called for on cornbread pouch
Salad
3 slices bacon
1 can (15 to 16 oz) black-eyed peas, drained, rinsed
2 cups chopped tomatoes (2 large)
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped red or sweet onion
1/4 cup thinly sliced celery
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 cup zesty Italian salad dressing

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Make cornbread as directed on pouch for cornbread baked in oven. Cool 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Cut cornbread into 1-inch cubes; place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until crisp; set aside.
2. In 8-inch skillet, cook bacon over low heat 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Crumble bacon.
3. In medium bowl, mix bacon, black-eyed peas, tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, celery and seasoned salt.
4. In large serving bowl, arrange half of the cornbread cubes. Spoon half of the tomato mixture over cornbread. Top with remaining cornbread and tomato mixture. Drizzle dressing over salad. Refrigerate at least 20 minutes before serving.

8 servings

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): After cutting cornbread into cubes, bake 9 to 11 minutes.

1 Serving: Calories 230 (Calories from Fat 80); Total Fat 8g (Saturated Fat 3g); Cholesterol 40mg; Sodium 610mg; Total Carbohydrate 32g (Dietary Fiber 3g); Protein 8g

% Daily Value: Vitamin A 10%; Vitamin C 8%; Calcium 4%; Iron 10%

Exchanges: 1 1/2 Starch, 1/2 Other Carbohydrate, 1/2 Very Lean Meat, 1 1/2 Fat

Carbohydrate Choices: 2

Cinnamon "Fried" Ice Cream
Here's an easy way to "fry" your ice cream. A quick finish under the broiler makes it authentic.
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Start to Finish: 2 Hours 20 Minutes

3 cups Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal
6 scoops (1/2 cup each) vanilla ice cream
4 tablespoons honey

1. Place cereal in resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag and crush with rolling pin or meat mallet. Place crushed cereal in shallow dish. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the honey over cereal.
2. Quickly roll 1 scoop ice cream at a time in cereal to coat. Place coated scoops of ice cream in ungreased 15x10x1-inch pan. Cover; freeze about 2 hours or until firm.
3. Set oven control to broil. Uncover pan. Broil scoops with tops 6 inches from heat about 30 seconds or until coating is light brown. Immediately place scoops in individual serving dishes. In small microwavable bowl, microwave remaining 2 tablespoons honey on High 10 to 30 seconds until warm. Drizzle 1 teaspoon warm honey over each serving.

6 servings

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): No change.

1 Serving: Calories 240 (Calories from Fat 90); Total Fat 10g (Saturated Fat 5g); Cholesterol 30mg; Sodium 200mg; Total Carbohydrate 33g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 3g

% Daily Value: Vitamin A 15%; Vitamin C 8%; Calcium 15%; Iron 15%

Exchanges: 1 Starch, 1 Other Carbohydrate, 2 Fat

Carbohydrate Choices: 2

Special Touch: Surround servings of this "fried" ice cream with bowls of your favorite sundae toppings, and let guests pile 'em on!

Sweet Potato Pie Smoothies
Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Start to Finish: 5 Minutes

1 1/4 cups 8th Continent vanilla soymilk
1/4 cup cooked sweet potato, cold
1 container (6 oz) Yoplait Original 99% Fat Free French vanilla yogurt
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1. Place ingredients in blender or food processor. Cover; blend on high speed about 1 minute or until smooth.
2. Pour into 2 glasses. Serve immediately.

2 servings (1 cup each)

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): No change.

1 Serving: Calories 190 (Calories from Fat 25); Total Fat 3g (Saturated Fat 1g); Cholesterol 5mg; Sodium 150mg; Total Carbohydrate 35g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 7g

% Daily Value: Vitamin A 110%; Vitamin C 2%; Calcium 30%; Iron 6%

Exchanges: 1 1/2 Other Carbohydrate, 1 Skim Milk

Carbohydrate Choices: 2

SOURCE: Serving Up Soul