In A Nutshell

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)

This recipe is adapted from Rachel Ray's magazine. I loved the bright contrasting colors and flavors of the three different toppings. I purchased the mango salsa and made the pickled red onions and guacamole but it would be easier and just as delicious to use purchased guacamole and add some cooked corn to it. I used baby corn tortillas that I bought in a Hispanic market; they're very nice if you can find them.   Purchased Mango Salsa For the corn guacamole : 2 avocados, flesh scooped out and mashed with a fork 2 small tomatoes, diced juice from 1 lime 1 cup of cooked corn 1 small white onion, finely chopped 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped 1 Fresno pepper, small diced chopped cilantro, to taste For the pickled red onion : 1 red onion, halved and sliced thinly 1/4 cup white vinegar 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice 1/2 t kosher salt pinch of Mexican oregano Combine all ingredients and refrigerate overnight. This lasts a while in the fridge. For the fi

I LOVE mini anythings- especially pies!  The great thing about these is that you can form the pies, brush them with the egg wash and then freeze them unbaked. Then you can bake them on an as-needed basis or bake just one if you're alone and really have a hankering for a peach pie but don't want to bake an entire pie. Or in the middle of winter when all hope is gone... 1 1/2 recipes Smitten Kitchen pie crust (or purchased pie crust) For the filling : 2 1/2 lbs peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced into 1/4" pieces (roughly.... you don't have to get out the ruler) 1 6 oz. container raspberries 2/3 cup sugar 2 1/2 T cornstarch pinch of salt squeeze of lemon Mix all the ingredients together and put into a 13X9 inch glass baking dish. Roast at 375º for about 40 minutes or until thick and bubbly, stirring once during the baking. Let the filling cool- this can be made one or two days in advance. For the pies : Roll out 1 disc of pie dough to about 1/4" th

This is a very fresh, easy and healthy salad; it is a good accompaniment to any grilled meat or fish. 2 medium zucchini, ends cut off 1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 T extra-virgin olive oil toasted, chopped hazelnuts shaved Manchego or Parmesan cheese Maldon sea salt Whisk the lemon juice and EVOO in a little bowl. Shave strips of zucchini lengthwise using a potato peeler (this gets difficult as you get near the end). Toss the zucchini strips with the dressing mixture; sprinkle with sea salt flakes, shaved cheese and hazelnuts.

Cream-filled fresh mozzarella??? It's the stuff dreams are made of.... Layer some sliced ripe, delicious and sweet peaches with sliced (as best you can) burrata cheese (available at Trader Joe's). Drizzle with high quality extra-virgin olive oil; sprinkle with Maldon sea salt, freshly ground pepper and a chiffonade of basil. Serve with grilled baguette slices. I had a glass of vinho verde alongside and thought it went nicely.

This is such a nice summer sandwich; the pesto recipe is adapted from Everyday Pasta by Giada De Laurentiis . I like that it's a little less garlicky than other pesto recipes. For the pesto: 3 scant cups basil leaves 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts 1 garlic clove zest of 1/2 lemon juice of 1/2 lemon 1/2 t salt freshly ground pepper 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 cup grated parmesan cheese Process the first 7 ingredients until finely chopped; add the EVOO in a steady stream while the machine is running and then pulse in the cheese. For the sandwich : pesto fresh mozzarella good tomatoes (garden or heirloom) arugula baguette or ciabatta Spread a layer of pesto on the bread, to taste. Layer the remaining ingredients. I'm thinking you could unvegetarian it by adding a little bacon or prosciutto but it's quite delicious as is. We ate these with a supremely delicious drink made of rosé wine that my sister-in-law Jennifer made.

This is a simple, pretty and refreshing starter; the fresh mint (not normally my favorite) is actually a very good flavor pairing here. Layer some sliced cantaloupe along with thinly sliced scamorza cheese; drizzle with good quality extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with Maldon sea salt, freshly ground pepper and thin slivers of fresh mint.

This is adapted from Fine Cooking magazine; I like to serve the avocado alongside the salad so that it doesn't get all muddled and mushy in there. You can add leftover grilled chicken and make it an entree salad. 6 ears corn, grilled (grill for about 12 minutes, turning occasionally) and cooled 1/2 red onion, finely diced 1 red bell pepper, diced 1-15 1/2 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained chopped cilantro, to taste 2 to 3 oz. queso fresco, grated (to taste) 6 T extra virgin olive oil 2 T cider vinegar 1 T lime juice 1 t salt freshly ground pepper sliced avocado Whisk the EVOO, cider vinegar, lime juice, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the diced red onion and let it mellow. Meanwhile, cut the corn off the cob; add to the dressing along with the remaining ingredients. Slice some avocado alongside if desired.

This was crazy good! I served it with the peach and radicchio salad and loved the combo. For each sandwich : 2 slices of Italian bread (I used Turano sliced Italian loaf- it's sturdy and great for panini) 2 slices picante provolone or havarti cheese 3 slices deli turkey (I prefer Boar's Head Ovengold) arugula sour cherry jam Dijon mustard extra-virgin olive oil Brush the outside of both slices of bread with the EVOO. Spread a thin veneer of Dijon mustard on one slice and a thin veneer of cherry jam on the other slice. Lay the cheese on one slice and then layer the turkey and arugula. In a heated skillet, cook the sandwich until nicely browned on both sides. Enjoy!

There is a nice juxtaposition of bitter and sweet in this simple salad. The recipe is adapted from Rachel Ray magazine; I used fresh mozzarella in this case because I had a few balls of it that needed to be used up. I served the salad with a panini sandwich but I think it would go quite well with grilled pork tenderloin. 2 T extra-virgin olive oil 1 T tangerine balsamic vinegar (any balsamic would be fine-- our local shop has chocolate balsamic vinegar which I bet would be awesome in this salad) good pinch of salt freshly ground pepper 1 peach, thinly sliced 2 T chopped red onion or shallot handful of arugula 1 small head of radicchio, leaves torn into manageable pieces feta cheese (or fresh mozzarella) Whisk the EVOO, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Add the red onion or shallot and let it sit while prepping the rest of the salad. Add remaining ingredients and toss. 

This is such a delightful starter; I think it would go well with a glass of prosecco. The peaches must be ripe and tasty for a good result. The bread should not be too thick- no thicker than 1/2"; I used the large round sliced Turano Italian bread, which is excellent for crostini and panini as well. I am not giving specific amounts- just make how much you need. sliced Italian bread EVOO for brushing the bread and for drizzling 1 peach, sliced very thinly (one peach goes a long way) prosciutto or serrano ham, very thinly sliced fresh ricotta honey for drizzling flaked salt (such as Maldon) freshly ground pepper Brush the bread slices with EVOO and either grill them until nicely crisp or use a panini maker to grill them. Let them cool for a bit; spread each slice with some ricotta cheese then drape a bit of prosciutto over the cheese. Put a couple thin slices of peach and drizzle the whole thing with some good quality extra-virgin olive oil and a little honey. Sprinkl

The success of this salad hinges on the sweetness of the peaches; it is crisp and refreshing-- perfect for summer. 1 large ripe peach, cut into cubes 3 Persian cucumbers, sliced 2 T finely chopped red onion 1 T chopped cilantro 1 T lime juice 2 T extra-virgin olive oil 1 t honey 1/4 t salt freshly ground pepper Whisk the lime juice, EVOO, honey, salt and pepper. Add the red onion and let it marinate while preparing the rest of the salad. Cut the peach into cubes and add to the sliced cukes. Toss with dressing to taste and garnish with cilantro and Maldon sea salt.