"Flavors of Home," a new cookbook sponsored by Families and Friends of Castle High School, is a fundraiser for Castle’s Project Grad 2011. It features the work of local artist Jocelyn Cheng, who has been illustrating the books since 2003, when the first of her three sons graduated from Castle.

"Flavors of Home" costs $12. For more details, call Pamela Kino at 247-7808 or e-mail her at pskino@hawaiiantel.net. Find the book in Kaneohe at First Hawaiian Bank; the office of Lynette C. Yamashiro, CPA; Haiku Veterinary Clinic; Hair in Action; the office of Terrance Tajima, D.D.S.; and Times Coffee Shop.

Also, find it at these craft fairs: Season’s Best Craft Fair at Aliiolani Elementary on Dec. 4, Windward Holiday Craft Fair & Taste of Castle at Castle High School on Dec. 5 and Season’s Best Craft Fair at Aiea Elementary and Moanalua High School Craft Fair on Dec. 11.

Here’s a sampling of tasty recipes.

LEAN LAYERED TACO DIP
1 medium avocado, mashed with a bit of lemon or lime
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 can (4 ounces) green diced chilies
1 can (16 ounces) no-fat refried beans
8 ounces fat-free sour cream
1/2 cup salsa
4 ounces fat-free or reduced-fat cheddar or taco cheese
1 large tomato, diced
1 cup pitted olives, diced

In bowl, mix together avocado, onion and green chilies.

In 9-by-9-inch dish, layer beans, avocado mixture, sour cream, salsa and cheese. Top with tomato and olives.

Serve with tortilla chips. Makes 8 servings.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving (not including chips): 160 calories, 5 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 650 mg sodium, 21 g carbohydrate, 6 g fiber, 3 g sugar, 9 g protein

BUTTERMILK CHICKEN
3/4 cup flour
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1-1/2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup butter
1 small can (10 ounces) cream of chicken soup

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Season flour with salt and pepper. Dip chicken into 1/2 cup buttermilk, then roll in seasoned flour.

Melt butter in 9-by-13-inch pan. Put chicken pieces in pan and bake 20 minutes. Turn over chicken and bake another 15 minutes.

Blend remaining cup of buttermilk and soup, and pour over chicken. Bake additional 15 minutes, or until chicken is done. Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 480 calories, 19 g fat, 9 g saturated fat, 140 mg cholesterol, greater than 1,700 mg sodium, 28 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 5 g sugar, 47 g protein

UNBELIEVABLE PEANUT BUTTER M&M COOKIES
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 bag (1.63 ounces) peanut butter M&M’s

Grease 2 cookie sheets. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix peanut butter, sugar and egg, and let rest a few minutes. (Note: There is no flour in this recipe.)

Roll into 30 1-inch balls and place on cookie sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Cookies will crack a little, pull out first sheet (leaving second cookie sheet in oven) and place M&M’s on cookies immediately, while still soft. After first sheet is done, take out second sheet and place M&M’s. Makes 30 cookies.

Approximate nutritional information, per cookie: 90 calories, 5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 10 mg cholesterol, 45 mg sodium, 9 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 8 g sugar, 3 g protein

More Hawaiian Electric Co. recipes are available at www.heco.com.