In A Nutshell

This recipe also comes from the Chicago Tribune; it was absolutely delicious and just as good cold for lunch the next day. The grilling method of 7-6-5 comes from Fine Cooking magazine via my friend Mary. Marinade: 2 shallots, finely chopped 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup lemon juice 2 T freshly grated ginger (I use a mini food processor to do this) 2 t coriander 2 t sugar 1 t salt 1 t ground cumin 1/2 t cayenne pepper Mix all ingredients and marinade two pork tenderloins (about 1 lb each) overnight in a ziplock bag. Heat the grill to high and grill on one side for 7 minutes, turn it over and grill for 6 minutes longer. Turn off the grill and leave the tenderloin on the grill with the lid closed for another 5 minutes-- it will be perfectly cooked.

This recipe comes from the Chicago Tribune food section; I altered it a bit mainly by greatly reducing the amount of sugar in the marinade. Leftover chicken is great sliced up in an Asian-style salad. Marinade : 6 T Asian chili paste with garlic 1 T sugar 2 T soy sauce 2 T unseasoned rice vinegar 2 T sesame oil 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped or pressed 1 T fresh ginger, chopped in a mini food processor or grated Mix all ingredients and pour the marinade over as many chicken breasts as you want to grill (I used all the marinade for about 3 lbs of chicken breasts). I let this marinade overnight and then grill chicken breasts for 6 minutes per side on high heat (if they are very thick I go 6 1/2 minutes). Note: I like to trim the chicken breasts of fat and gross stuff and then, using a fork, poke a lot of holes on both sides in order for the marinade to be able to penetrate the chicken.

In my opinion the margarita forms the foundation of the hedonist food pyramid; it's nature's supreme offering to us-- take a moment here to fully appreciate that.... you're welcome!!! 2 strawberries 2 oz. tequila 1/2 oz. triple sec 1 oz. lime juice 1/4 oz. simple syrup (adjust according to the sweetness of the strawberries) Muddle the strawberries in your glass (preferably salt-rimmed). Add ice. In a shaker with a bit of ice, add the remaining ingredients and shake vigorously (try to think of this as your muscle toning exercise for the day). Pour over the strawberries and enjoy!

This drink recipe comes from the Rachel Ray magazine; it calls for serrano peppers, however, I really love the taste of Fresno peppers-- you can use whichever you prefer. 1 T coarse salt 1/2 t chili powder Combine and put onto a small plate. Moisten your glass and coat the rim with chili salt. 1 1/2 oz. fresh lime juice 3 thin slices Fresno pepper, serrano or Jalapeño 3 sprigs of cilantro 2 1/4 oz. silver tequila (I probably round up a bit here.... who can even measure a 1/4 oz???) 1 1/2 oz. triple sec 1 oz. simple syrup In a cocktail shaker, muddle the pepper slices with the cilantro. Fill the shaker halfway with ice and add the remaining ingredients. Shake with gusto for about 20-30 seconds and strain into the salt-rimmed glass (with or without ice... your choice). 

Keep the defibrillator nearby... Adapted from Rachel Ray magazine. 2 T butter 1 t onion powder 1/2 t garlic powder 1 cup dry white wine 3 cups heavy cream 1- 8 oz. container cheddar cheese spread (yeah... that stuff in a tub!) 8 oz. cream cheese 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp yellow cheddar 1 lb shells or elbow macaroni 1 cup panko plus 1 T butter chopped parsley for garnish if desired (I did not desire the extra work...) In a large saucepan, heat the butter along with the two powders; add the wine, bring to a boil and cook for about 5 minutes until some of the liquid evaporates. Add the broth and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the cream and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes; add all the cheeses and cook over low heat, whisking until smooth. While you are doing this cook the pasta following the instructions for al dente. At this point, I will tell you that the cheese sauce will be very thin-- add the pasta; if you are like me, you want to get this done a little ...