In A Nutshell

These cookies are so yummy... I like to use salted, roasted pistachios rather than raw unsalted because I think they add more depth to the flavor; the recipe is adapted from Bon Appétit magazine. I really love cookie recipes that you can make ahead of time and bake when needed. 2 1/2 cups flour 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch process) 3/4 t salt 1/2 t baking soda 3 sticks (12 oz.) butter 1 1/2 cups lightly packed light brown sugar 1 t vanilla 1 egg white 5 oz. bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped fine 1 cup salted, roasted pistachios, chopped Maldon sea salt (for sprinkling on top) Cream the butter, brown sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy- about 4 minutes. Whisk the dry ingredients together (I skip this step) and add to the butter on low speed. Mix just to combine. Add the egg white and mix. Slowly mix in the pistachios and the chocolate. Divide dough into 4 and form into logs about 1 1/2" in diameter. Chill at least 4 hours (logs...

This delicious and festive cheesecake is a marriage of two different recipes and my own changes as well. I can't get enough cranberries during the holiday season! I especially like this recipe; there is just a hint of orange in the cheesecake and the topping as well- it's a match made in heaven. Crust : 9 oz. box chocolate wafer cookies 5 T unsalted butter, melted 2 T sugar Filling : 4- 8oz. packages cream cheese, softened 4 eggs, room temp. 3/4 cup sour cream 1 1/3 cup sugar 1 T flour 1 t vanilla extract 1 t orange extract 2 t grated orange zest Topping : 12 oz. cranberries 1/2 cup honey 3/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup water 2-4 T Cointreau (depending upon how much you want to taste it) 1 t cornstarch For the crust: In a food processor, chop the cookies along with the sugar until they are a fine powder. Add the butter and pulse until mixed. Pat into a 9" springform and bake at 350º for about 5 or 6 minutes. For the filling: Using the paddle attachmen...

These meatballs, adapted from Bon Appétit, are SO light and tender; they go well in spaghetti sauce or served with a little marinara sauce on the side as an appetizer. 1/2 cup ricotta cheese 1/4 cup bread crumbs 1/4 c milk 1 T chopped parsley 1/2 t garlic powder 1 t salt 1/2 t crushed red pepper flakes 1 egg 1/3 cup parmesan 1 lb ground beef  Put the breadcrumbs in a large bowl and pour the milk over. Let sit for about 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and work together with your hands gently- don't overwork this. Form into meatballs, the size of your choice and fry them in a large non-stick skillet. If you are using them for a sauce, just brown them but if you are going to have them as an appetizer, cook them through.

This is a recipe I have adapted from Barefoot Contessa Parties ; we have it each year at Thanksgiving and also for Christmas dinner. I absolutely love it! 2 cups pomegranate juice 1 cup sugar 12 oz. bag of fresh cranberries 1 apple, diced and peeled grated zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon 3/4 cup chopped walnuts 3/4 cup dried cherries Cook the cranberries, juice and sugar until cranberries start to pop (about 5 minutes); add the apple and dried cherries and cook for about 15 minutes. Add the nuts and let it cool overnight. Easy!

This is basically pumpkin bread, caramel, vanilla pudding, whip cream and pecans in individual servings. I try to assemble them in little jars or these tiny martini glasses so that you get 2 or 3 bites; after a big Thanksgiving meal, no one wants to be overwhelmed with too much dessert. They are so yummy- absolute comfort food. Make the proportions how you like them; I happen to love a lot of pudding so I go heavy on that. It's anything goes.... 1 recipe pumpkin bread , cut into 1" cubes- as many cubes as you need; I do this as I go 1 recipe vanilla pudding 1 recipe caramel sauce (comes from  The Pie and Pastry Bible) whip cream chopped toasted pecans Vanilla Pudding : 3 cups whole milk 3/4 cup sugar 4 egg yolks 3 T cornstarch pinch of salt 2 t vanilla 1 T unsalted butter, room temp. In a bowl using a whisk, combine the yolks and the cornstarch. In a heavy saucepan, combine the milk, pinch of salt and sugar. Cook, stirring with a heatproof spatula until li...

These are to die for.... the frosting is so light (as in fluffy, not as in low in calories....) and delicious I could just shovel that in by the spoonful by itself! The recipe for the moist cake is from Ina Garten (the superhero of decadent and delicious food!) and I did not change anything except to make the batter into cupcakes rather than layer cakes. The recipe made more than 30 cupcakes! For the Cake : 1 3/4 cup flour 2 cups sugar 3/4 cup good cocoa powder (I like Valrhona) 2 t baking soda 1 t baking powder 1 t kosher salt 1 cup buttermilk 1/2 cup canola oil 2 eggs, room temp. 1 t vanilla 1 cup hot coffee Preheat oven to 350º and line muffin tins with paper. Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. You can sift the cocoa powder if it is especially lumpy. In another bowl combine all the remaining ingredients EXCEPT the coffee. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix on low just until combined; add the coffee slowly and stir with a wooden spoon unt...

This recipe comes from Bon Appétit magazine; the pork was succulent and tender and the smell in the house while it was slow cooking in the oven was divine. We ate this two nights in a row; the first night in taco form and the next with rice and beans. I loved it both ways! Delicious with a Negro Modelo. If you have the opportunity to make this the day before you want to serve it, keep the shredded meat separate from the pan juice and the next day skim the fat from the top. 4 large dried ancho chiles 2 dried chiles de árbol 2 T sugar 1 T fresh lime juice 5 lb pork shoulder salt and pepper 2 T vegetable oil 1 large onion, chopped 3 garlic cloves, chopped 2 bay leaves 2 t Mexican dried oregano 2 t ground coriander 2 t ground cumin 1/2 t ground allspice 1 12-oz. Negro Modelo Accompaniments : corn tortillas radishes, diced pickled red onions salsa verde Place the chiles in a medium bowl and cover with boiling water; set a plate on the chiles to keep them sub...

This recipe is adapted from Fine Cooking; the combo of chocolate and pumpkin is very nice. The recipe instructs you to wrap the cheesecake pan like a mummy in aluminum foil and then put it in a boiling hot water bath. I never do a water bath for cheesecakes because the risk of severe burns and a waterlogged cheesecake is too great (in my opinion)-- also it seems like a lot of extra work. I don't mind a couple of cracks on the top and I do not feel that the flavor or texture is compromised. In the spirit of disclosure, I did not make the whipped cream; it seemed kind of unnecessary but I will put the recipe down in case you decide to make it. For the Crust : 5 oz. Nabisco Famous chocolate wafer cookies 2 T sugar 3 T butter, melted Preheat oven to 350º; process the cookies and sugar until finely ground. Add the melted butter and pulse a few times until well-combined. Press the crumbs into a 9" springform and bake for 8 minutes. For the Filling : 1 lb cream cheese, s...

This could easily be made into a vegetarian soup by using vegetable broth and leaving out the bacon bits topping. The recipe was ever so slightly adapted from Food Network magazine. 2 butternut squash (about 4 lbs total) 2 T EVOO 2 corn tortillas, torn into pieces 4 carrots, chopped 1 red onion, chopped 2 Fresno chiles, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 t cumin 2 t chili powder 1 T vegeta or chicken bouillon 8 cups chicken broth Toppings : pomegranate seeds toasted, salted pumpkin seeds bacon bits (or pancetta) chopped green onion sour cream with lime zest Preheat the oven to 400º; poke holes in the squash with a fork and place on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake for about 1 hour 10 minutes until you can pierce the squash easily. Let cool. Discard the seeds and string stuff and scoop out the flesh. Heat the EVOO in a large pot and add the carrots, onion, chiles and garlic; saute over medium heat for about 8 minutes. Add the tortilla pieces and cook for 3 or 4 m...

After some binge-eating at a Mexican restaurant the night before, I decided that a nice yet satisfying salad would be just the thing for the next evening's meal. The recipe is adapted from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook ; she uses fresh grilled tuna-- I know it's low-brow but I like canned tuna better.... If you don't feel like grilling the potatoes, you can easily get by with merely boiling them. I won't give proportions here- just make how much you want or need. For the Salad : green beans, cooked in salted water for 4-6 minutes (depending upon how al dente you want them) hard boiled eggs sliced tomatoes tuna, fresh or canned arugula nicoise olives potato-scallion salad (recipe follows) champagne vinaigrette (recipe follows) flaked sea salt freshly ground pepper Arrange the salad as pictured above with the arugula as a base below the potatoes; drizzle with the vinaigrette and sprinkle with flaked sea salt and fresh pepper. For the Potato Salad ...

I saw this recipe in Good Housekeeping magazine while I was waiting at the dentist. I changed it just a little... 1 cup flour 1 cup white whole wheat flour 1 T baking powder 1 t pumpkin pie spice 1/2 t baking soda 1/2 t salt 1 1/2 cup buttermilk 1/2 cup pumpkin puree 3 T brown sugar 2 eggs 2 T vegetable oil chocolate chips (optional add-in) Mix the buttermilk, eggs, pumpkin, brown sugar and vegetable oil with a whisk in a large bowl. You can mix the dry ingredients together first if you want; I don't do this because I am too lazy and don't want an extra bowl to wash. Add the dry ingredients to the moist and whisk only until just combined. You may need to add a little more buttermilk if it's too thick. Cook the pancakes on a non-stick skillet until golden and cooked through. I liked them with the chocolate chips and without. I just sprinkled them on the individual pancake directly- that way we could have them both ways.

This was so hearty and delicious; I love the smell in the house when something has been cooking in the crock pot all day-- especially on a cold and gloomy day. This is adapted from Food and Wine. It goes with either red or white wine, according to the magazine. I have a crock pot that can be used on the stove top which is very convenient as it then only requires the one pan.  1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or about 5 or 6) 1/2 lb Italian sausage (you can use pork, chicken or turkey) 2 T olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 1 medium fennel bulb, cored and diced 1 carrot, diced 4 garlic cloves, chopped 1 t fresh rosemary, chopped fine 1/2 to 1 t thyme (to taste) 1 1/2 cup chicken stock 2- 15 oz. cans cannellini beans, drained but not rinsed For the topping : 1/2 cup panko 1 T EVOO 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese Season the chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper; in either a large skillet or a crock pot pan, brown the thighs in the...

This pumpkin tart is absolutely delicious;  I probably wouldn't bother with the candied pumpkin seeds (although they are great on salads!) because I don't feel that they do anything to take the dessert over the top and therefore are an unnecessary extra step. Next time I make this I will just put some chopped toasted pecans around the edges and save myself a bit of work. I did not change this recipe at all so will just give you the link here: pumpkin caramel-bourbon tart I will make one comment regarding the crust, however; because it has cornmeal it turns out to be a pretty sturdy crust rather than light and flaky. If you think you won't like that gritty texture, you could always substitute a graham cracker crust or use a regular pie crust.

These are moist and delicious- my dog Milo LOVES these too; last year he ate 12 pumpkin cupcakes off the counter-- paper and all; he's looking like he wants a repeat of that action! The recipe is adapted from Bon Appetit. I like to add chopped walnuts on top of the frosting as well. This makes about 18 cupcakes. 2 cups flour 3 t baking powder 1 t salt 1 t pumpkin pie spice 2 eggs 1 1/3 cups light brown sugar 1 cup canned pumpkin 2/3 cup vegetable or canola oil 2/3 cup sour cream 1 t vanilla 8 oz. cream cheese, softened 4 oz. unsalted butter (1 stick) 1/4 t vanilla 2 cups powdered sugar Preheat oven to 350º and line muffin cups. With the paddle attachment or a whisk, mix the eggs, brown sugar, pumpkin, oil, sour cream, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla. Add the flour, baking powder and salt (you can mix these dry ingredients separately first if you choose) and mix just until combined. Bake for 23 minutes. Cream the butter and cream cheese; add the vanilla and p...

I love this soup in the cool weather- it is hearty enough for a meal, especially if you have a nice crusty bread to go along with it and could not be easier to make. 1 T olive oil 8 garlic cloves, minced 8 cups chicken broth (preferably home made) vegeta seasoning or chicken bouillon  12 oz. cheese tortellini 2- 14 oz. cans diced tomatoes with their liquid (Muir Glen fire-roasted are best for this soup) 1 lb baby spinach leftover chicken from a roasted or rotisserie chicken (optional) grated parmesan Heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the garlic cloves, stirring until fragrant. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Add vegeta and a pinch of white pepper. Add the tortellini and cook according to package directions. Stir in the spinach (it will wilt immediately) and serve with parmesan cheese alongside.

This comes from Rachel Ray magazine; it's deliciousness hinges on the olives you use for the tapenade. I used the spicy olive mix from the Whole Foods olive bar because they are the stuff dreams are made of.... 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 3/4 cup mixed pitted olives 2 T EVOO plus 2 T for cooking the chicken 1/4 c chopped parsley (which I happened to forget) 1 T minced shallot 1 lemon, zested and juiced (a small lemon) Mix everything except the chicken in a small bowl. Season the chicken with salt, pepper and any other seasonings that you like. Fry the breasts in the 2 T EVOO for about 4-6 minutes per side, depending upon thickness. Spoon the tapenade over the chicken.

This delicious recipe comes from Fine Cooking Magazine; I didn't make any changes to their recipe but I think that next time I might make a little more streusel because you can never have enough streusel in my opinion. If it's possible, weigh the flour; I dumped two cups on my scale and it was about 2 oz. more than what the recipe calls for- it would have made for a dry cake if I hadn't weighed the flour. For the Streusel : 1/2 cup chopped, toasted pecans 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar 1/4 cup flour 3/4 t cinnamon 1/4 t kosher salt 2 T unsalted butter, melted Stir together all the ingredients. For the Topping : 3 T unsalted butter 3/4 cup sugar 3 cups cranberries (1 bag) 3 T water Butter a 9"X 2" round cake pan and line with parchment- butter the parchment as well. Combine butter and sugar in a 2 quart saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Keep cooking, stirring occasionally, until the mixture looks a litt...

Delicious and healthy.... what more can I say? I used tangerine balsamic vinegar from The Olive Tap; if you can't find an orange balsamic vinegar, use regular and add grated zest from either an orange or a tangerine or clementine. 4 cups very finely chopped kale 1 small red onion, halved and sliced thinly dried cherries orange or clementine segments shredded parmesan cheese chopped toasted hazelnuts 1/4 cup tangerine balsamic vinegar 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil hearty pinch of salt freshly ground pepper 1/2 t honey 1/2 t dijon mustard Mix vinegar, EVOO, salt, pepper, honey and dijon in a large bowl with a whisk. Add the red onion and let it macerate while you are preparing the remaining ingredients. Add everything else except the cheese and the hazelnuts; let sit for about 20 minutes to soften. Add the nuts and cheese right before serving.

This is kind of a hodge-podge of different recipes; it's very comforting, hearty and delicious. I like to make it the day before serving because it will thicken overnight, therefore requiring less flour.  If you want to serve it the same day, I would suggest using 6 cups of chicken broth to make it thicker and you can always thin it out the next day. 8 cups chicken broth 2 cups whole milk 1/2 cup white wine 4 T butter 1/4 cup flour 2 T olive oil 2 carrots, sliced 1 lb white button mushrooms, sliced 1 small onion, diced leftover chicken meat from a roasted or rotisserie chicken 1 cup wild rice (I used Lundberg Wild Blend), cooked according to package directions 2 -3 T vegeta seasoning (or Maggi chicken bouillon) white pepper, to taste 2 T sherry Heat the olive oil in a large pot; add the onions and saute until softened for about 5 minutes.  Add the mushrooms and cook on high heat until all the liquid has evaporated; add the carrots and stir to combin...

This is adapted from Rachel Ray magazine. It's a beautiful salad- best served the day it's made. 1 medium red cabbage, shredded or cut very very thin (I used the mandoline for this) 1 large beet (raw), peeled and shredded (I used the food processor for this) 1/4 cup chopped parsley 1/4 cup chopped walnuts 1/4 cup dried cherries or cranberries 3 T EVOO 3 T balsamic vinegar 1 T cherry jam (I used Smucker's homestyle Cranberry-Cherry jam) 1 heaping teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/2 t kosher salt pepper Whisk the EVOO, jam, vinegar, Dijon, salt and pepper in a large bowl.  Add the beet, dried cherries and cabbage and mix well. Garnish with the walnuts and parsley right before serving. Add more salt and pepper if needed. Let stand about 15 minutes before serving.

This is adapted from Rachel Ray magazine; it's my farewell to summer dish... For the Chicken : 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts juice from 2 small lemons 8 garlic cloves, chopped fine 1 t kosher salt 1 t Dijon mustard freshly ground pepper 2 T extra-virgin olive oil Mix the marinade ingredients; poke holes in the chicken with a fork and put into a glass dish along with the marinade. Let sit for at least a few hours. Grill over high heat for 6 minutes per side. For the Saute : 3 zucchini, cut lengthwise in half and then sliced crosswise into half moons 2 ears of sweet corn, kernels cut off the cob 1 bunch green onions, sliced 1 Fresno pepper, diced 1 cup cherry tomatoes 1/2 cup chopped parsley hearty handful of arugula 2 T EVOO 1/2 T butter Heat the EVOO and add the corn; saute over high heat for a few minutes. Add the zucchini, green onion and Fresno pepper and stir over high heat for about 3 or 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and then the butter. When t...

This was super flavorful and very easy to make. Adapted from Fine Cooking magazine. Tilapia fillets (however many you need) coconut oil charmoula spice blend Charmoula Spice Blend : 2 T ground cumin 1 T ground coriander 1 1/2 t chili powder 1 1/2 t sweet paprika 1 t ground cinnamon 3/4 t ground allspice 3/4 t ground ginger 1/2 t cayenne 1/2 t turmeric Season fish with salt and pepper; rub both sides with some of the spice blend to cover well. Heat 1 T coconut oil in a large skillet over medium high heat and cook for about 2 minutes per side. I served this with lemon wedges.

I kind of have a love/hate relationship with deviled eggs- every once in a blue moon I get a yen for them but I can only eat them if I make them myself. I don't know why but they sort of gross me out otherwise... it probably has something to do with my aversion towards mayo. I buy a really small jar just for the occasion and that way I know it hasn't been sitting around the fridge indefinitely or else I make my own aioli. At any rate, these were delicious. They are adapted from a segment in Fine Cooking on variations of deviled eggs. 4 peeled hard cooked eggs, cut in half lengthwise 1 heaping tablespoon of mayo (or up to 2 T if you must) 1/2 t Dijon mustard a dash of Tabasco salt and pepper 1 T finely chopped parsley 2 slices chopped, cooked bacon smoked paprika Mash the 4 yolks with the back of a fork; add the mayo, parsley and hot sauce and mash until smooth. Add the bacon and season to taste with salt and pepper. Fill the egg whites and sprinkle with paprika.

I love desserts like this for many reasons; they are comforting, beautiful and everything can be assembled well in advance for ease of serving. You can make the streusel whenever you want and freeze it until you are ready to use it. The lemon custard should be made the day before you are planning to serve the desserts and the blueberry mixture right before assembling them-- it spreads out better if it slightly warm. This is a marriage of two different Fine Cooking recipes. For the Streusel : 2/3 cup flour 1/2 cup oats 6 T unsalted butter, cut into cubes 1/2 cup slivered almonds or walnuts 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 t kosher salt Pulse all the ingredients in a food processor until crumbly. Spread the streusel on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 325º for about 20 minutes, stirring it every 5 minutes (until golden- don't overbake). Set aside to cool For the Lemon Custard : 3 egg yolks 3 T sugar 1 cup heavy cream (although I'm going to try this with w...

This recipe is slightly adapted from a long-ago issue of Midwest Living magazine; I used tomatoes from my parents' garden-- you can see the vibrant color and the taste of a home grown tomato is unparalleled. My brother recently told me that the most awesome (and truly foolproof) pie crust he has ever made came from Cook's Illustrated so I decided to try it out. He was totally right! CI has one of these irritating web sites where they actually expect you to PAY in order to use it!!! The nerve! Here is a link to the pie crust recipe ; you won't get the lengthy scientific explanation with the free version but you can trust that they've spent countless hours building humidity chambers to get this recipe right. 1 unbaked pie crust (1/2 recipe for a 9" pie)-- be sure to leave out the sugar for a savory tart; needless to say, I have a spare pie crust in the fridge because I didn't think of that the first time around..... 6 oz. shredded provolone or mozzarella c...

This is one of my favorite sandwiches ever; I LOVE the tapenade and all the cured meats. It's a great sandwich to take on a picnic because it's actually better when the tapenade soaks into the bread a bit. You need to ask for the meats to be sliced really really thin. I like to use the Trader Joe's tapenade found in the refrigerator section; I also used some artichoke tapenade from a jar in this sandwich although I think next time I will stick to only the olive. 1 round loaf of Italian bread (about 1 1/2 lbs) 2 oz. very very thinly sliced mortadella 2 oz. very thinly sliced smoked ham (such as Tavern or Black Forest) 2 oz. thinly sliced Genoa or hard salami 2 oz. very thinly sliced capicola sliced provolone cheese olive tapenade (artichoke as well if you want to add it) sliced red onion Slice the loaf horizontally and hollow out the top (you can use that bread for fresh bread crumbs or bread salad... don't throw it out!). Put a layer of tapenade on the bot...

This ice cream is definitely for bourbon lovers, not for the faint of heart or children (unless said children are bourbon lovers). I think this would be fabulous with pumpkin pie or sweet potato cake. This is another recipe from Jeni's Ice Cream.   I don't think I will ever need to look at another ice cream recipe book again. For the buttered pecans : 3/4 cup pecans 1 T unsalted butter, melted 1/2 t fine sea salt Combine ingredients and bake in a single layer on a baking sheet at 350º for about 10-15 minutes, stirring once. Let cool and coarsely chop. For the ice cream : 2 cups whole milk 1 T plus 1 t cornstarch 3 T cream cheese, softened in a stainless steel bowl (one size smaller than your ice bath) 1 cup heavy cream 2/3 cup sugar 2 T light corn syrup 1 t vanilla bean paste 1/4 cup bourbon Mix about 2 T of the milk with the cornstarch to form a slurry. Fill a large stainless steel bowl with ice and water. Combine the remaining milk, cream, sugar, corn sy...

I absolutely LOVE green zebra tomatoes- the chipmunks seem to prefer my red tomatoes so I've had an abundance of these green ones. Normally I would put a bit of basil leaf between the slices but there was a monsoon-like rain yesterday so I skipped going outside to pick basil. tomatoes of different colors (definitely include the green zebra) sliced fresh mozzarella, preferably buffalo top quality extra-virgin olive oil fresh pepper Maldon sea salt Layer and drizzle.

My friend Carol was kind enough to bring me some delicious sour cherries from Door County; it seems impossible to find them around here so it was quite a treat to have a real cherry pie. Double Pie Crust (store bought or homemade ) For the filling : 1 cup sugar 1 T lemon zest 3 T cornstarch 3 lb pitted sour cherries (I love this cherry pitter ) 1 egg beaten with 1 t water for egg wash  Roll out the dough to fit the pie pan and let that rest in the fridge for about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 425º. Mix the filling ingredients and load into the pie pan. Roll out the other disc of dough and either do a lattice top or a regular top with a couple of cutouts to vent steam. Brush with the egg wash---you can put coarse sugar over the top if you like. Chill the assembled pie for about 30 minutes to relax the gluten. Place the pie on a foil or parchment lined rimmed baking sheet (it will overflow) and bake on the lowest rack (preferably on a preheated pizza stone) for 30 minutes; c...

This is very fresh, very good with garden tomatoes and garden cucumbers (thanks Mom!). Comes from Rachel Ray magazine. 1 cup quinoa, rinsed 1/4 cup lemon juice 3 T EVOO 1/2 t allspice salt and pepper 1 diced and seeded cucumber 1 cup chopped garden tomatoes 1 large bunch parsley, washed well and finely chopped 5 radishes, small diced 4 green onions, sliced Cook quinoa in salted boiling water for 12 minutes; drain and cool somewhat (I'm never patient enough to wait until it's completely cool) . In a salad bowl whisk the lemon juice with the EVOO, allspice and plenty of salt and pepper. Add the remaining ingredients. This salad is really best eaten the day it's made.

This recipe is adapted ever so slightly from Fine Cooking magazine; I use beef instead of lamb-- it's just a personal preference. I served the kebabs with  quinoa tabbouleh naan and grilled slices of eggplant (I used the leftover grilled eggplant for eggplant caprese salad ). Washed it all down with French rosé (as per the magazine's pairing recommendation). For the spice mix : 1 T ground cumin 1 t dried oregano 1 t sweet paprika 1 t hot paprika 1 t black pepper For the yogurt sauce : 1/2 cup plain or Greek yogurt 1 T pomegranate molasses 2 T chopped mint or parsley 1 t ground sumac (or 1/2 t lemon juice) For the kebabs : 1 lb ground lamb or beef 1 T spice mix 1 plum tomato, seed and finely diced 1/4 cup finely chopped red or white onion 1 t pomegranate molasses 3/4 t kosher salt Mix kebab ingredients together and divide into 8 portions. Press the meat portions around (Pam sprayed) flat skewers (I like to use metal skewers because it seems no matter h...

(with a couple of teeny tiny little anchovies)... I would not describe myself as an anchovy fan, frankly they gross me out a little. But... I think they really add a depth of flavor to foods; in this pasta, you would never guess that there are a couple of little anchovies in there.  If you want to do a vegetarian version, leave out the anchovies but bump up the garlic to intensify the flavor. Not the greatest picture but the pasta was absolutely delicious (surprisingly so given the few ingredients). Adapted from Bon Appetit. 2 T butter 2 T extra-virgin olive oil 4 large garlic cloves, sliced hearty pinch of crushed red pepper (optional yet recommended) 2 anchovies 2 lbs garden tomatoes 8 oz. spaghetti mixed chopped herbs of your choice (I used chives and parsley) While the spaghetti is cooking, heat the butter, EVOO, anchovies, CRP and garlic. Cook over medium high heat until the anchovies have broken down (the house will smell delicious at this point!); add the tomat...

This is another variation in the caprese salad series; it's a great starter and I feel could be eaten as a meal itself with a nice crusty bread. Very delicious and very easy. eggplant tomatoes, sliced buffalo mozzarella (available at Costco or use regular fresh mozzarella), sliced extra-virgin olive oil Maldon sea salt Using a paring knife, cut some narrow strips of skin off of the eggplant lenghtwise (to create a striped pattern). Cut into 3/4" slices and brush both sides with EVOO; sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper. Grill using a grill pan over high heat for about 5 minutes per side. Let cool to room temp.  Layer the eggplant, mozzarella and tomatoes and drizzle with EVOO. Sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

I can't even believe how much I LOVED this dish-- it's a fresh to death explosion of delicious flavor. It makes a great entree (throw a fried egg on top to make it more substantial) or can be a loving companion to grilled salmon (in my case, tandoori salmon ). The recipe calls for ordinary curry powder but I can't stand the stuff so I used tandoori spice (a premixed version). I will also give you a recipe for tandoori spice if you would prefer to make it yourself. If you like curry powder, still use the tandoori spice because I like that better. Best of all, the entire recipe, start to finish, takes about a total of 10 minutes! What could be better??? 3 T canola oil 1 small red or white onion, sliced 2 T finely chopped fresh ginger 1 T tandoori spice 1 t garam masala 1/8 t cayenne pepper 1 1/4 t salt 15 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, preferably Muir Glen fire-roasted (do not drain) 8 oz. baby spinach 1/4 c chopped cilantro ...

There was a recent Bon Appetit issue that did a page on various "caprese" salads you could make- there are good ideas to get you thinking outside the box. This one was very easy and tasty. red peppers feta cheese extra-virgin olive oil Maldon sea salt Roast the peppers on the grill until charred; put them in a bowl and cover them until they cool. Peel the peppers and layer them on a little plate with feta cheese. Drizzle EVOO over them and some sea salt and freshly ground pepper. A little parsley would be nice on here too- I just happened to run out.

I made two back-to-back pies- one with a lattice crust and one with these cutesie little stars cut out of the pastry. I think I preferred the lattice crust. This recipe is a marriage of  Julia Child's Nectarine and Blueberry Pie recipe with Fine Cooking's Classic Blueberry Pie. I borrowed Julia's technique of cooking half the blueberries on the stove top and then adding the remaining fresh in order to reduce the baking time from 1 hr. 30 minutes to 50 minutes. Also, there was much less filling overflowing with Julia's method. It seems that I am missing the crucial lattice making gene- I am incapable of doing it right no matter how detailed the instructions. Here are some instructions for making a lattice pie crust -- maybe you'll have better luck! The pie is delicious served with Sweet Corn Ice Cream Double Pie Crust Recipe from Smitten Kitchen For the Filling : 6 cups blueberries (30 oz.) 2/3 cup sugar 1/3 cup flour zest of one lemon plus 1 T juice...

This salad is stealth delicious. The flavor combination is simple yet perfectly balanced. It is adapted from Fine Cooking. 5 oz. arugula (I also threw in a handful of baby spinach because I had only a 4 oz. bag of arugula) 2 dark plums, cut into wedges 2 T EVOO 1 1/2 T white wine vinegar good pinch of salt 1/2 red onion, sliced thinly toasted slivered almonds crumbled feta Whisk the EVOO, vinegar and salt in a bowl. Add the red onion and let it macerate for about 10-15 minutes to take the bite out of it. Add the remaining ingredients and toss.

The recipe is ever so slightly adapted from Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home which is indeed a splendid book. There are a lot of unusual flavors but what I love is that she gives you a great base with which to work and many good ideas to come up with your own flavors and combos. Use good quality milk and cream- it really does make a difference. Give yourself two days for chilling time. This ice cream goes really well with  Blueberry Pie (or any blueberry cake); it also goes well with Smitten Kitchen's Cherry Cornmeal Cake (in this case I leave out the blueberry swirl). 1 ear sweet corn, husked 2 cups whole milk 1 cup (half pint) heavy cream 1 T plus 1 t cornstarch 3 T cream cheese, softened 2/3 cup sugar 2 T Karo light corn syrup 1 T vodka Blueberry Sauce (recipe follows) Have ready a large stainless steel bowl of ice water. Put the cream cheese in a medium stainless steel bowl. In a small bowl, mix about 2 T of milk with the cornstarch and set aside....

I had told my good friend Julie about making these shrimp and how the recipe advised using a cazuela; not having one, I used my trusty cast iron skillet, but lo and behold-- Julie gave me a cazuela for my birthday! So the next time I make this it will be in my brand new, beautiful cazuela. Thank you Julie! Adapted from Saveur magazine. 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 10 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 4-6 fresh red Thai chiles (I couldn't find these fresh so I used Fresno peppers and chopped them) 1 1/2 lb raw medium shrimp, peeled and with the tails removed (I forgot to follow this direction) 2 T chopped parsley good crusty bread for dipping into the yummy, garlicky, shrimpy oil Heat the cazuela or large cast iron pan on the grill over high heat; add the EVOO, garlic and chiles. Cook until garlic is fragrant. Add the shrimp, salt and pepper and cook, stirring until shrimp are no longer pink (2-3 minutes). Stir in the parsley and serve with the best bread you can find a...

A very flavorful chicken marinade- the leftover grilled chicken works really well chopped up in quesadillas or salad with a Latin flair. This quantity of marinade was enough for 4 chicken breasts. 2 T EVOO 1 T Maggi sauce 1 t chili powder (I used McCormick) 2 T lime juice 1/4 t chipotle flakes 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 1 t salt Whisk marinade ingredients and marinate the chicken for at least 4 hours but preferably overnight. Grill over medium high heat for around 6 minutes per side, depending upon how thick the chicken breasts are.

I'm not super crazy about green beans- except when my mom makes them; my antidote to the problem of not liking certain vegetables is to roast them- anything tastes pretty good roasted with olive oil. This wound up being a really delicious salad and side dish. You could easily add other vegetables to it or make it a substantial course by adding leftover grilled chicken or a can of tuna. 1 14 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 2 lbs green beans (I used French green beans, trimmed and cut into 1" pieces- although I was too lazy to do that) 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling 2 T chopped fresh chives 2 T capers, drained or rinsed if packed in salt zest of 1 lemon 2 T lemon juice 1/2 t kosher salt freshly ground pepper 1/2 t Aleppo pepper flakes Drizzle the green beans with some EVOO and roast in a 425º oven for about 25 minutes; alternatively you can steam them or saute them. Just cook them somehow! Put the chickpeas and green beans in a bowl....

Who knew that prickly pears were such a gorgeous color??? My daughter had one of these in a Mexican restaurant and I was compelled to try and duplicate it. This is an adaptation of an adaptation of a Rick Bayless recipe via the Chicago Sun Times. I added quite a bit more tequila because, well.... it kind of tasted like a glass of juice, and I firmly believe that juice is for children. Don't wear white clothing while drinking this libation! 1 cup prickly pear puree (recipe follows) 3/4 to 1 cup fresh lime juice (depending upon how tart you like it- I thought 3/4 was good) 1/2 cup agave syrup 1/2 cup Torres orange liquor or triple sec 1 1/2 cups blue agave blanco tequila (I like the Kirkland brand at Costco- a great bargain also) kosher salt mixed with chili powder for the rims Mix all ingredients except the salt in a pitcher. Pour over ice in a shaker and shake for a good 20 seconds or so; strain into chili salt-rimmed glasses (trust me- the chili salt is goooooooood) ...