GRAPE RECIPES: Peanut Butter and Grape Jelly Bars . . . Fish Fillets with Grits, Greens and Grapes

Peanut Butter and Grape Jelly Bars

3 cups flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1½ teaspoons baking powder

2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened

1 egg

1 cup Concord grape jelly

1 10-ounce bag peanut butter chips

Heat oven to 375 degrees; mix flour, sugar and baking powder in a large bowl. Blend in butter with a pastry blender to make crumbs the size of peas. Set aside 1½ cups of the mixture; beat egg into remainder.

Press egg-crumb mixture firmly into a greased 13-by-9-inch baking pan; spread grape jelly over crust. Sprinkle peanut butter chips over jelly; top with reserved crumb mixture.

Bake until crust turns golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool on wire rack, about 30 minutes; cut into squares.

Yield: 22 bars.

Approximate nutritional analysis per bar: 240 calories, 45 percent of calories from fat, 12 grams fat (7 grams saturated), 30 milligrams cholesterol, 150 milligrams sodium, 30 grams carbohydrates, 4.4 grams protein, 1.5 grams fiber.

Fish Fillets with Grits, Greens and Grapes

½ cup each: white grape juice, half-and-half

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves plus 8 optional thyme sprigs

1 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon ground red pepper, optional

4 mild, thin fish fillets, such as tilapia, trout, sole or perch, each cut in half crosswise

¾ cup white or red seedless grapes, halved

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 10-ounce package baby spinach

1 16-ounce tube organic Southern-style grits, prepared according to package instructions.

Combine grape juice, half-and-half, mustard, parsley, thyme leaves, ½ teaspoon of salt, black pepper to taste and red pepper in a large skillet; heat just to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the fish fillets; lower heat to a simmer. Cover; cook until fillets flake easily with a fork, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer fillets to a platter to keep warm.

Increase heat under skillet to medium-high; stir in the grapes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce reduces by half, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add the spinach. Cook until wilted, 2 minutes; stir in the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt. Set aside. Return fish fillets to the skillet; cook until warmed through, about 1 minute.

Spoon grits into pasta bowls; top each with spinach. Spoon fish and grapes over all. Garnish with thyme sprigs.

Yield: Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 520 calories, 33 percent of calories from fat, 19 grams fat (5 grams saturated), 112 milligrams cholesterol, 44 grams carbohydrates, 41 grams protein, 1,408 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.

Tags: grape recipes, peanut butter and grape jelly bars, fish fillets with grits,  greens and grapes, features, food, recipes