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.