Grilled Chicken Breasts with Honeydew Salsa

I made this recipe out of the newest issue of Bon Appétit and it was really good. It was a really refreshing combination. My store doesn't sell boneless chicken with the skin on, so I used boneless skinless chicken breasts. They rarely have serranos either, so I used a jalapeno. I made rice to go with it, cooked in a combination of pineapple juice and water, with some sautéed garlic and shallots in it. After we sat down to eat, I kind of wished I had also made some black beans, but it was plenty of food.

The recipe hasn't been posted to epicurious.com yet, so I'll post it here once it's up somewhere.



Grilled Chicken Breasts with Honeydew Salsa
Bon Appétit August 2009

Makes 4 servings

The salsa has a perfect sweet-spicy balance, and it's an easy way to turn simple grilled chicken breasts into a dish that's dinner-party special.
1 ⅓ cups finely diced peeled seeded honeydew or other melon
¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro plus 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
¼ cup finely diced red onion
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons finely grated lime peel
1 teaspoon finely chopped seeded serrano chile
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
4 boneless chicken breast halves with skin
Combine diced melon, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, finely diced red onion, lime juice, olive oil, grated lime peel, and chopped serrano chile in medium bowl. Toss to blend flavors. Season melon salsa to taste with salt and pepper.

Spray grill with nonstick vegetable oil spray; prepare barbecue (medium heat). Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Grill chicken breasts until skin is crisp and brown and chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.

Slice chicken breasts and arrange on plates. Top with melon salsa and cilantro leaves and serve.

MacGourmet Rating: 4 Stars

White Sangria

This is the white sangria recipe that I created - it's awesome! You can add whatever fruit you like - frozen green grapes would be a good idea that way they keep your drink cool without watering it down. This was a huge hit again...it'll definitely liven up any party!



White Sangria
Ashley Covelli

1.5 L Pinot Grigio
1 L ginger ale
2c . Peachtree Schnapps
2 green apples, sliced
1 orange, sliced

Mix all ingredients in a large pitcher and refrigerate until ready to serve. Add ice to glasses, pour in sangria and use ladle to make sure each glass gets plenty of fruit.

Enjoy!

MacGourmet Rating: 5 Stars

How-to Smoke Ribs for Steven Raichlen's Memphis-Style Ribs

It is absolutely possible to create amazing BBQ in your backyard, and this pictorial documentary should prove it. We used a $60 charcoal grill, and with the right set-up you would never know the ribs weren't cooked in an industrial smoker. Probably the most difficult part of this entire process is having patience.

Below is the how-to. For the rub and "mop sauce" recipes, see the older post.

Step 1: Prepare the Ribs
Remove the thin, papery skin from the back of each rack of ribs by pulling it off in a sheet with your fingers, using the corner of a kitchen towel to gain a secure grip, or with pliers.

Here is a helpful instructional video from YouTube:


Step 2: Rub and Cure
Rub two thirds of the dry rub over the ribs on both sides, then transfer the ribs to a roasting pan. Cover and let cure, in the refrigerator, for 4 to 8 hours.


Step 3: Soak the Wood Chips
Soak three handfuls of wood chips, completely submerging them in liquid. Use water, beer or both. For pork, apple wood or hickory are recommended. We had mesquite chips on hand, but generally speaking the mesquite flavor works better with chicken or beef.

Soak the chips in the water/beer bath for a full hour.


While waiting for the wood chips to soak, follow the recipe for creating the mop sauce.

Step 4: The Grill Setup
Smoking meat on the grill requires indirect grilling. After the coals are lit, separate them into two piles on the outer edges, making room for a large drip pan in the center. Drain and place all of the wood chips in the smoker box, or directly on the coals if you do not have one.


Reduce the heat to medium. Our grill has a vent underneath that allows air to flow in and upwards, so we opened this vent halfway for a "medium" setting.

Step 5: Drop and Cover
Brush the grill grate with oil.


Arrange the ribs on the hot grate over the drip pan making sure the ribs are not being hit by direct heat from the coals. Cover the grill and smoke-cook the ribs for 1 hour.


Step 6: Mop and Flip

When the ribs have cooked for an hour, uncover the grill. You will need to add about six fresh coals to each side, and this step pretty much requires a second person. Using two potholders, pull the grill grate off and have your partner add the coals.

Place the grill grate back over the coals. Brush the ribs with the mop sauce. Flip the ribs and brush them again with the mop sauce. Re-cover the grill and continue cooking the ribs until tender and almost done, 1/4 to 1/2 hour longer for baby back ribs, 1/2 to 1 hour longer for spareribs.




Step 7 (optional): Render BBQ Sauce
This step was not in the instructions we were following, however we did not want to waste the remaining mop sauce. To the mop sauce we added and whisked in a good amount of brown sugar (to taste), some lemon juice, half a stick of butter and 1 tsp of cayenne pepper. We let that simmer over low heat on the stove for the remaining cooking time of the ribs. This reduced to an absolutely delicious and tangy, mustard-based BBQ sauce.

Step 8: Dust the Meat
The ribs are done when the meat is very tender and has shrunk back from the ends of the bones. Fifteen minutes before the ribs are done, season them with the remaining rub, sprinkling it on.


Step 9: Cut and Serve
Slice the ribs an drop them in a large bowl. We cut every other rib so that you'd get two ribs per serving, and because we were starving and this cut the serving time in half. :)


Step 10: Eat and Enjoy
If you followed all the steps correctly, chances are you will be blown away at how amazing the ribs taste. Invite everyone you know over to try them; they will never believe you otherwise.

4th of July: Memphis-Style Ribs

This recipe takes a lot of time, but it's so worth it! I put the spice rub on the ribs when I woke up, and about 5 hours later, Dino fired up the grill with some mesquite wood chips. He ended up taking inspiration from this Mustard Sauce recipe - he took the leftover mop and added dark brown sugar, cayenne, melted butter and lemon juice. It was an awesome accompaniment to the spicy ribs. They were dubbed "the best ribs EVER" by everyone at the table. YUM!



I also made Cole Slaw and Deviled Eggs, and heated up some baked beans to round out the festivities.



Memphis-Style Ribs
The Barbecue Bible - Steven Raichlen (via epicurious.com)

yield: Makes 6 servings

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from The Barbecue! Bible 10th Anniversary Edition, by Steven Raichlen. To read more about Raichlen and barbecue, go to our feature The Best Barbecue in the U.S.A.

It never fails to amaze me how one simple idea can give birth to so many great regional variations. Consider ribs. The pork rib is one of the most perfect morsels ever to occupy a grill. The meat is generously marbled, which keeps it moist during prolonged cooking. As the fat melts, it crisps the meat fibers and bastes the meat naturally. The bones impart a rich meaty flavor (meat next to the bone always tastes best), while literally providing a physical support—a gnawable rack on which to cook the meat. Yet depending on whether you eat ribs in Birmingham or Kansas City, or Bangkok or Paris for that matter, you'll get a completely different preparation.

I've always been partial to Memphis-style ribs. Memphians don't mess around with a lot of sugary sauces. Instead, they favor dry rubs—full-flavored mixtures of paprika, black pepper, and cayenne, with just a touch of brown sugar for sweetness. The rub is massaged into the meat the night before grilling, and additional rub is sprinkled on the ribs at the end of cooking. This double application of spices creates incredible character and depth of flavor, while at the same time preserving the natural taste of the pork. Sometimes a vinegar and mustard based sauce—aptly called a mop sauce—is swabbed over the ribs (with said mop) during cooking; I've included one here, for you to use if you like.

You can choose any type of rib for this recipe: baby back ribs, long ends, short ends, rib tips—you name it. Cooking times are approximate. The ribs are done when the ends of the bones protrude and the meat is tender enough to pull apart with your fingers. I like my ribs served dry, in the style of Memphis's legendary barbecue haunt, the Rendezvous. If you want to serve them with a sauce, you'll find a number to choose from in this chapter.

Grilling Method
Indirect grilling

Advance preparation
4 to 8 hours for marinating the ribs

Special equipment
1 1/2 cups wood chips or chunks (preferably hickory), soaked for 1 hour in cold water to cover and drained

For the ribs and rub
3 racks baby back pork ribs (about 7 pounds), or 2 racks pork spareribs (6 to 8 pounds total)
¼ cup sweet paprika
4 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
4 ½ teaspoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons celery salt
1 ½ teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
1 ½ teaspoons dry mustard
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin

For the mop sauce (optional)
2 cups cider vinegar
½ cup yellow (ballpark) mustard
2 teaspoons salt

1. Prepare the ribs and rub: Remove the thin, papery skin from the back of each rack of ribs by pulling it off in a sheet with your fingers, using the corner of a kitchen towel to gain a secure grip, or with pliers.

2. Combine the paprika, black pepper, brown sugar, salt, celery salt, cayenne, garlic powder, dry mustard, and cumin in a small bowl and whisk to mix. Rub two thirds of this mixture over the ribs on both sides, then transfer the ribs to a roasting pan. Cover and let cure, in the refrigerator, for 4 to 8 hours.

3. Prepare the mop sauce (if using): Mix together the cider vinegar, mustard, and salt in a bowl and set aside.

4. Set up the grill for indirect grilling and place a large drip pan in the center.

If using a gas grill, place all of the wood chips in the smoker box and preheat the grill to high; when smoke appears, reduce the heat to medium.

If using a charcoal grill, preheat it to medium.

5. When ready to cook, if using a charcoal grill, toss the wood chips on the coals. Brush and oil the grill grate. Arrange the ribs on the hot grate over the drip pan. Cover the grill and smoke cook the ribs for 1 hour.

6. When the ribs have cooked for an hour, uncover the grill and brush the ribs with the mop sauce (if using). Re-cover the grill and continue cooking the ribs until tender and almost done, 1/4 to 1/2 hour longer for baby back ribs, 1/2 to 1 hour longer for spareribs. The ribs are done when the meat is very tender and has shrunk back from the ends of the bones. If using a charcoal grill, you'll need to add 10 to 12 fresh coals to each side after 1 hour. Fifteen minutes before the ribs are done, season them with the remaining rub, sprinkling it on.

7. To serve, cut the racks in half or, for a plate-burying effect, just leave them whole.

MacGourmet Rating: 5 Stars

We took pictures of the step-by-step process for this and will be posting it shortly.

Farro, Avocado, Cucumber, and Cherry Tomato Salad

This is one of our all time favorite recipes. It's perfect in the summer with any combination of fresh veggies. I added sliced red onion and feta cheese this time. If you've never tried farro, this is the recipe for you!



Farro, Avocado, Cucumber, and Cherry Tomato Salad
Cooking Light July 2008

Farro is a whole grain with a pleasantly chewy texture. Look for it at specialty markets and gourmet grocers or health food stores. With crunchy cucumber, sweet cherry tomatoes, and buttery avocado, this dish makes a refreshing lunch. Pair it with a simple starter soup and whole-grain crackers for dinner.

1 cup uncooked farro or spelt
4 teaspoons extravirgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon fresh grated lime rind
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 cups red, orange, and yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
1 ¾ cups chopped seeded English cucumber (about 1 small)
¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
¾ cup sliced peeled avocado (about 1 small)

1. Place farro in a large saucepan; cover with water to 2 inches above farro. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain well.

2. Combine oil, rind, juice, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Add farro, tomatoes, cucumber, and cilantro; toss gently to coat. Place about 1 cup farro mixture on each of 5 plates; garnish evenly with avocado. Serve immediately.
Yield

5 servings

Nutritional notes:
CALORIES 208(36% from fat); FAT 8.3g (sat 1.1g,mono 4.8g,poly 1g); IRON 2.1mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 16mg; CARBOHYDRATE 33.4g; SODIUM 363mg; PROTEIN 5.6g; FIBER 6.1g

MacGourmet Rating: 5 Stars

Mint Julep

A friend gave us a bunch of mint from his garden, so Dino decided to make Mint Juleps. He skipped the crushed ice, used club soda instead of water and used some vanilla syrup to sweeten them. They turned out so strong that we ended up tweaking them a lot. We definitely have to do more searching to find the best recipe for this one.



Mint Julep
supercocktails.com

4 Fresh Mint Sprigs
2 ½ ounces Bourbon
1 teaspoon Powdered Sugar
2 teaspoons Water

Blending Instructions:

Muddle mint leaves, powdered sugar, and water in a collins glass
Fill glass with shaved or crushed ice and add bourbon
Top with more ice and garnish with a mint sprig
Serve with a straw

MacGourmet Rating: 3 Stars

Fresh Plum Ice Cream

I bought a bag of plums, so I thought I'd try out an ice cream recipe. This is really good - it feels really summery. The texture is a little more icy than I was expecting for an ice cream, but it was still really good.



Fresh Plum Ice Cream
spaghettiicecream.com

8 Ripe red plums
4 Eggs
1 ⅓ cups Sugar
2 tsp Lemon juice
1 pint Half and half

Wash plums; remove and discard pits. In blender or food processor, puree half of plums with 2 eggs 3/4 cup sugar until well blended. Pour into a large bowl. Repeat with remaining plums, eggs and sugar. Combine with previously pureed mixture. Stir in lemon juice and half and half. Pour into ice cream canister. Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions. Makes 2 quarts.

MacGourmet Rating: 4 Stars

Crispy Tofu Pad Thai

This is the best Pad Thai recipe I've tried - it has a lot of flavor, and the tofu is great. Next time I'll find the right noodles - the rice sticks were a little too thin, and it threw off the "normal" Pad Thai texture. I'll definitely be making this one again!



Crispy Tofu Pad Thai
Cooking Light January 2009

Plant-based proteins like tofu and peanuts are abundant sources of protein.

1 (12.3-ounce) package reduced-fat, firm tofu, drained
1 tablespoon cornstarch
6 ounces flat uncooked rice noodles
½ cup ketchup
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon Sriracha (hot chile sauce, such as Huy Fong)
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
½ cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts, chopped
4 lime wedges

1. Place tofu on several layers of paper towels; cover with additional paper towels. Let stand 30 minutes, pressing down occasionally. Cut tofu into 1/2-inch cubes, and toss with cornstarch.

2. Prepare noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain well; set aside.

3. Combine ketchup, sugar, fish sauce, and Sriracha. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu to pan; sauté 7 minutes or until golden. Remove tofu from pan.

4. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in pan. Add eggs and egg white; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from pan. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in pan. Add noodles; cook 3 minutes. Stir in ketchup mixture; cook 30 seconds. Add egg mixture; cook 1 minute, stirring often. Remove from heat; stir in onions and cilantro. Place 1 cup noodle mixture on each of 4 plates. Top each with 1/2 cup tofu and 1 1/2 teaspoons peanuts. Serve with lime wedges.


Yield: 4 servings

Nutritional notes:
CALORIES 419 (0.0% from fat); FAT 14.4g (sat 1.7g,mono 6.8g,poly 3.5g); IRON 3.3mg; CHOLESTEROL 106mg; CALCIUM 374mg; CARBOHYDRATE 57.5g; SODIUM 845mg; PROTEIN 15.4g; FIBER 2.8g

MacGourmet Rating: 5 Stars

Turkey Breast with Cranberry Sauce

This is the second time I've made this recipe. It's a really easy way to have a Thanksgiving-ish dinner any time of the year! I boiled down some of the sauce afterward, and mixed in a little slurry and a dab of butter to make a thicker gravy. I'm not sure what the original source is for this one, but it's great!



Turkey Breast with Cranberry Sauce

1 turkey breast - frozen, 4-6 pounds
1 can cranberry sauce
1 package Lipton Onion Soup

Cook on Low for 10-12 hours

MacGourmet Rating: 5 Stars

Bow Ties with Tomatoes, Feta, and Balsamic Dressing

I made this meal out of the current issue of Cooking Light hoping that the combination of ingredients would work well. It sounded weird, but just weird enough to maybe be great! It has a lot of components but they're all really fresh and tasty. It tasted better than I had hoped - there are a lot of different flavors going on. You have sweet from the grapes, tang from the vinegar and capers, salty feta, and juicy tomatoes. The only change I made was to use fresh garlic. It's a really unique dish, and the vinaigrette really pulls it all together.



Bow Ties with Tomatoes, Feta, and Balsamic Dressing
Cooking Light July 2009

Serve with pan-grilled asparagus. Combine 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 1 pound trimmed asparagus. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add asparagus to pan; cook 5 minutes or until tender, turning once.

Yield 4 servings (serving size: 2 cups)

6 ounces uncooked farfalle (bow tie pasta)
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup seedless green grapes, halved
⅓ cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
2 teaspoons capers
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon bottled minced garlic
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 (4-ounce) package crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain. Combine cooked pasta, tomatoes, grapes, and basil in a large bowl.

2. While pasta cooks, combine vinegar and next 6 ingredients (through pepper) in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add oil to vinegar mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Drizzle vinaigrette over pasta mixture; toss well to coat. Add cheese; toss to combine.

Nutritional notes:
Calories: 320
Fat: 9.9g (sat 3.8g,mono 3.6g,poly 0.7g)
Protein: 14g
Carbohydrate: 45.6g
Fiber: 3.4g
Cholesterol: 10mg
Iron: 2mg
Sodium: 822mg
Calcium: 130mg

MacGourmet Rating: 4 Stars

I made the suggested side dish and it was great, too!

A Family Heirloom - The Star Cook Book

I was recently given an old family cookbook from my aunt. This cookbook was passed down from aunts to nieces for three generations now. It's a collection of recipes from a group of ladies called the "Star Society" from the Grace M. E. Church in Pekin, Illinois. This is a third edition published in 1922, given to my great grandma's sister from her aunt in 1924. She gave it to my aunt Janis, and when my aunt saw me drooling over these old recipes, she decided to pass it on to me. I think she figured I'd actually put it to good use!

The way these recipes are written is so different than how they're written now, and I love how each section starts off with a food/cooking/eating related quote.


To Sue from Aunt Pink Aug. 1924.


We may live without poetry, music and art;
We may live without conscience, live without heart;
We may live without friends, we may live without books;
But civilized man can not live without cooks.

We may live without books : what is knowledge but grieving?
We may live without hope : what is hope but deceiving?
We may live without love : what is passion but pining? --
But where is the man that can live without dining?
-Owen Meredith.


The ladies of the "Star Society" of the Grace M. E. Church of Pekin, Illinois have been gratified because the real merit of The Star Cook Book has been so widely recognized. There has been a constant demand during the past four years for a Third Edition, and the time has come when it can no longer be disregarded.

The Star Cook Book has been thoroly revised and improved by eliminating duplicate recipes, and by adding many new ones, all of which have been found practical in economy, food-value, and appetizing quality, and are vouched for by those whose signature they bear. In addition the ladies of the "Star Society" have tested and approved each recipe.

Confident that they are making a valuable contribution to the art of Home Cooking, this Third Edition of the "Star Cook Book" is sent upon its mission by the ladies of "The Star Society."
Grace M. E. Church,
Pekin, Ill.
March 10, 1922

I'm excited to sift through this book and find some fun old recipes to try. There are definitely some in there that I won't, but I know there will be some real winners in there! I love the thought of making the same recipes that my family made before I was around. Wish me luck!

Buttermilk Pumpkin Waffles

Dino made these for breakfast today, and we really liked them! He was inspired to use some of the leftover Orange-Honey Butter from the biscuits I made a few days ago. So he took the waffle part of a recipe and we topped them with the butter and some maple syrup. They were really tasty, and super fluffy. We prefer our waffles to have a bit of crispiness on the outside, and these didn't. He cut the recipe in half, and it made 3 waffles - I have no idea what world they're living in where the amount of batter in the full recipe makes 16 waffles!



Buttermilk Pumpkin Waffles
Sunset October 2008

From Buttermilk Pumpkin Waffles with Apples and Apple Cider Syrup.

Makes 16 waffles

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large eggs, separated
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 cups buttermilk
¾ cup canned pumpkin
Cooking-oil spray

Make waffles: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon. In another medium bowl, whisk egg yolks until pale yellow; whisk in oil, buttermilk, and pumpkin.

In bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the balloon whisk, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add egg yolk mixture to flour mixture, stirring to combine. Gently fold in egg whites just until blended.

Preheat oven to 200°. Preheat a waffle iron and coat it with cooking-oil spray. Ladle 1 cup batter (or amount directed by waffle-iron maker) onto hot iron, spreading with a spatula, and cook until nicely browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer waffle directly to oven rack. Repeat with remaining batter. Meanwhile, reheat apples and syrup.

Nutritional notes:
Calories:
552 (38% from fat)
Protein:
7.4g
Fat:
23g (sat 9.8)
Carbohydrate:
82g
Fiber:
3.1g
Sodium:
623mg
Cholesterol:
90mg

MacGourmet Rating: 4 Stars

Pineapple Upside Down Martini

I decided to try to make a martini version of a shot that a bartender made for me a few nights ago. It turned out pretty close! It's not quite there yet, but I'll just have to keep trying them out until I perfect it. Darn!



Pineapple Upside Down Martini
Inspired by Korova Milk Bar - White Plains, NY

3 ounces Stoli Vanilla
1 ounce Malibu
1 ounce pineapple juice
grenadine

Mix first 3 ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Pour into chilled martini glass and drizzle a little bit of grenadine right down the center. Enjoy!

Made Martini

This martini didn't turn out well, but we found another version to try out next time. Oh well, at least it looked pretty!



Made Martini

2 ounces Maker's Mark
1 ounce Rose's Lime Juice
½ ounce grenadine
1 ounce Triple Sec

Combine all ingredients in cocktail shaker. Pour into chilled martini glass.

Meatloaf

When I was little, I didn't really eat much ground beef, so I'd always complain when my mom made meatloaf. Well, things have changed so I asked her how she made her meatloaf. Let's just say I was really missing out all those years! It's super easy and really tasty. It stays really moist, and the dark bits around the edges of the loaf are wonderful! Sorry I ever doubted you, mom!



Meatloaf
Adapted from Mom

1-½ to 2 lb. ground beef
1 cup oatmeal
1 egg
1 cup ketchup, plus extra for topping
1 small onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
olive oil

Sauté the onion and green pepper in olive oil. Mix remaining ingredients in a large bowl and form into a loaf on a baking sheet (a loaf pan will keep too much grease in the meat). Spread some ketchup on top of it and bake at 350 for about an hour.

MacGourmet Rating: 5 Stars

Angel Hair with Peas, Corn and Fresh Herbs

I made this for a quick lunch today and it turned out pretty good. I threw some frozen sweet corn and peas in with the angel hair while it was cooking. After draining, I sauteed some red pepper flakes, chopped shallot and garlic in oil and mixed it all together. I grated in some fresh Parmesan and topped it with some thyme, chives, oregano and basil from my garden. I added a little salt and pepper, topper oil and more Parmesan. It was pretty tasty and easy.

I have a question though - has anyone had basil that starts turning colors shortly after it's chopped? I picked it straight from my garden, and chopped it right at the end and a minute or two later, the edges where I cut it started turning dark. By the time I ate it, all the basil got really dark. I'm not sure if it's just the heat from the pasta, the fact that my plants have been subjected to rain almost every day for the last month or what. Any ideas?

Sweet-and-Sour Cucumbers

I served this on the side of the tofu dish, and it was really good! I wanted to use fresh dill from my garden, but some critters got into the plant and have deterred me from ever growing it again. So I used dried. This was really easy and good - next time I make a similar dish, I'm going to use honey instead of sugar and add some onions and carrots to it. I think that would really knock it out of the park.



Sweet-and-Sour Cucumbers
Cooking Light March 2000

4 cups thinly sliced peeled cucumber (about 3 large)
3 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried dill

Place the first 3 ingredients in a large bowl; toss gently to coat. Stir in vinegar and dill. Cover and chill 2 hours.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1/3 cup)

Nutritional notes:
CALORIES 32 (4% from fat); FAT 0.2g (sat 0.0g,mono 0.1g,poly 0.1g); IRON 0.3mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 17mg; CARBOHYDRATE 7.7g; SODIUM 149mg; PROTEIN 0.6g; FIBER 0.7g

MacGourmet Rating: 4 Stars

Baked Thai-style Tofu

This dish was OK but not great. I might have overdone the lime juice a bit, because it was really sour. The tofu didn't get crispy for me - I think it would have to be baked on the top shelf of the oven to achieve that texture. Or it would need to be baked for longer. The parts of the bell pepper that got a little blackened in the oven were awesome - it was like having freshly roasted red peppers in there. I feel like there were a lot of steps for a dish and it was just OK. I won't be making it again. Some sriracha on top definitely helped it out.



Baked Thai-Style Tofu
Jeanne Lemlin

Serves 3

This method of baking marinated tofu gives it a crispy coating and intensifies all the flavors in the "sauce". You'll also love the ease with which this dish can be put together. A side portion of rice, or plain couscous is the best accompaniment. Don't hesitate to serve this dynamic tofu dish cold; it would make a great lunch to take to work.

The Marinade:
2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
1 tablespoon oriental sesame oil
1 tablespoon canola oil
½ teaspoons minced gingerroot
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 lb. extra firm tofu, cut into 3/4 inch cubes and patted very dry
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips, 1/4 inch by 2 inches

The Sauce
1 tablespoon natural-style peanut butter
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 scallion very thinly sliced
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh basil, or 1/4 tsp dried
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh mint, or 1/2 tsp dried

1. Combine the marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the tofu and red pepper to coat them evenly with the marinade. Let sit 30 minutes at room temperature, or up to 8 hours chilled. Toss occasionally.
2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the tofu mixture and any remaining marinade in a large shallow baking dish so that the tofu rests in one layer. Bake 15 minutes, tossing once with a spatula after about 7 minutes.
3. Meanwhile make the sauce by stirring all its ingredients together with a fork. Remove the tofu from the oven. Spoon on the sauce, then, using a spatula toss the ingredients together until everything is well coated. Return the dish to the oven and bake undisturbed for 10 minutes. Let the tofu sit for at least 10 minutes before serving for it is better when warm, and not piping hot.

MacGourmet Rating: 3 Stars

Banana Coffee Cake

This is by far one of the best desserts I've ever made! I had a few bananas that were on their way out, so I decided to look through my collection and try something new. This was a major winner! It's like banana bread to the extreme! The chocolate chips just melt in your mouth - assuming you're impatient like me and you don't let it fully cool off before diving in. I'll definitely be making this many, many more times in the future!





Banana Coffee Cake
Bon Appétit 2003

1 ¼ cups semisweet chocolate chips
⅔ cup (packed) golden brown sugar
½ cup chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup sugar
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1 ⅓ cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 3 large)
3 tablespoons buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 8x8x2-inch metal baking pan. Stir chocolate chips, brown sugar, walnuts, and cinnamon in small bowl until well blended; set streusel aside. Sift all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, room temperature butter, and egg in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in mashed bananas and buttermilk. Add dry ingredients and blend well.
Spread half of batter (about 2 cups) in prepared baking pan. Sprinkle with half of streusel. Repeat with remaining batter and streusel. Bake coffee cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool coffee cake in pan on rack.

MacGourmet Rating: 5 Stars

Poached Chicken with Grape Relish

I've had this recipe in my (massive) to try pile for quite a while now. I'm so glad I finally got around to making it! It was really tasty and different than most meals. The grape relish is wonderful (as long as you don't mind raw onions) and the sweetness was perfect with the chicken. It's also surprisingly easy for how complex the flavors are - and Rachael doesn't always keep her ingredient lists short! I used whole wheat couscous and picked the thyme and basil from my garden. I'll definitely make this again - it's another one of those recipes that I'd give 4.5 stars if MacGourmet had half star ratings. So it's a very strong 4.



Poached Chicken with Grape Relish
Every Day with Rachael Ray

One 14.5-ounce can chicken broth
5 sprigs fresh thyme
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 3/4 pounds)
1 ½ cups chopped seedless green grapes
¾ cup finely chopped red onion
18 large basil leaves, thinly sliced
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Juice and grated peel of 1 lemon
Salt
One 10-ounce box (1 1/2 cups) instant couscous
Tip: Supersize it - Double the relish recipe and serve with tortilla chips.

1. In a large pot, bring 5 cups salted water, the broth and thyme to a boil. Add the chicken, lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 7 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes, then cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Reserve the poaching liquid.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the grapes, onion, basil, olive oil, lemon juice and half the lemon peel. Season with salt and set aside.
3. Return the poaching liquid to a boil. Pour 1 1/2 cups boiling liquid over the couscous, cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Add the remaining lemon peel and fluff with a fork. Place the chicken over the couscous and top with the grape relish.

MacGourmet Rating: 4 Stars

Basic Buttermilk Pancakes

Dino made pancakes for breakfast and they were really good. The tanginess from the buttermilk is a nice change from "standard" pancakes.



Basic Buttermilk Pancakes
Cottage Living

Makes about 10 pancakes

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup buttermilk
½ cup milk
1 large egg
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled

1. Whisk together first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Combine buttermilk, milk, egg, and butter in a separate bowl; add to flour mixture, and whisk just until blended. Transfer to a large measuring cup, and let stand 10 minutes.

2. Pour 3 to 4 tablespoons of batter onto a hot, lightly greased griddle or nonstick pan. Cook until pancakes are covered with bubbles and edges turn brown. Turn and cook other side 2 minutes or until golden brown.

Fresh Berry Buttermilk Pancakes: Add 1/2 cup fresh blueberries or strawberries to batter, and fold in gently. (Raspberries and blackberries tend to break down and produce very wet pancakes.) Note: Frozen berries are picked when ripe and hold up wonderfully if you're craving berry pancakes out of season.


Apple-Walnut Buttermilk Pancakes: Add 1 peeled and sliced firm apple (such as Granny Smith), 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon to batter.

Orange-Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Pancakes: Add 1 tablespoon grated orange zest and 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips to batter. Serve with your favorite maple syrup. Garnish with more zest and chocolate.

MacGourmet Rating: 4 Stars

Pumpkin Biscuits with Orange-Honey Butter

This is the second time I've made these biscuits and they were even better this time around! They're really fluffy and the pumpkin is comforting. The only change I'd make next time is to cut the amount of honey butter down by at least half. It makes a ton. Well, either that or I'll double the number of biscuits I make - that way I'd use a whole can of pumpkin.



Pumpkin Biscuits with Orange-Honey Butter
Cooking Light

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ cup chilled butter, cut into small pieces
¾ cup fat-free buttermilk
½ cup canned pumpkin
Cooking spray
¼ cup Orange-Honey Butter

Orange-Honey Butter
½ cup butter, softened
½ cup honey
½ teaspoon grated orange rind

Preheat oven to 450º.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour and next 6 ingredients (flour through nutmeg); cut in chilled butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Combine buttermilk and pumpkin; add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly 5 times. Roll dough to about 1/2-inch thickness. Cut into 12 biscuits with a 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter. Place the biscuits on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450° for 11 minutes or until golden. Serve warm with 1/4 cup Orange-Honey Butter.

Orange-Honey Butter

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended.

MacGourmet Rating: 5 Stars

Grilled Steak-and-Sweet Lime Salad

This was a good meal, but nothing special. I added the jalapeno as suggested and it added some nice spiciness to the dressing.



Grilled Steak-and-Sweet Lime Salad
Every Day with Rachael Ray

Serve with toasted baguette slices.

4 Servings
Prep 10 min (plus marinating)
Cook 15 min

Grated peel of 1 lime, plus 3 tablespoons lime juice
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
¼ cup vegetable oil
Salt and pepper
1 lb. flank steak
½ onion, thinly sliced
½ head iceberg lettuce, shredded
One 6-ounce package shredded carrots
¼ cup mint leaves, thinly sliced
Tip: Hot stuff - Add 1 finely chopped jalapeño chile to the lime dressing.

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the lime peel, lime juice, garlic and sugar; whisk in the oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the steak in an 8-inch square baking dish and drizzle with 1/4 cup of the lime dressing. Turn to coat, then let marinate for 15 minutes.
2. Preheat the grill to medium-high. Season the steak with salt and pepper and grill for 6 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Let stand for 10 minutes, then thinly slice.
3. Meanwhile, in a large salad bowl, combine the remaining dressing and the onion. Add the steak, lettuce, carrots and mint; season with salt and pepper and toss.

MacGourmet Rating: 3 Stars

Creamy Shells with Tomatoes and White Beans

This was a really easy and delicious recipe. The combination of beans and tomatoes along with the creamy pasta is a real winner. I'll definitely be making this one again and again! YUM!



Creamy Shells with Tomatoes and White Beans
Every Day with Rachael Ray

This quick, delicious pasta calls for juicy summer tomatoes and fresh chives.

6 Servings
Prep 15 min
Cook 10 min

1 lb. jumbo pasta shells
6 tablespoons butter
1 onion, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
1 cup heavy cream
2-½ lbs. tomatoes, finely chopped
One 16-ounce can navy beans or other small white beans, rinsed
½ cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
½ cup snipped chives
Salt and pepper

1. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until al dente; drain and set aside.
2. In the same pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 6 minutes. Add the cream and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved pasta, the tomatoes and beans and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Toss with the 1/2 cup parmesan and chives, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Pass more parmesan at the table.

MacGourmet Rating: 5 Stars

Grilled Beef Kebabs with Yogurt Sauce

This was a great meal. We just got a cast iron grill pan, so this was the perfect dish to try out on it. My only changes were to sprinkle on a little sumac at the end and to squeeze some lemon juice over them right before eating. The acid really helps this one out. Definitely try to go for Greek yogurt - it's super thick and rich. I'll be using this method for grilling meat again, but with variations on the ingredients.



Grilled Beef Kebabs with Yogurt Sauce
Every Day with Rachael Ray

Look for Greek yogurt in your supermarket's dairy case. It's thicker and creamier than the traditional variety and will really make a difference in this recipe.

PAIR WITH: Sebeka Shiraz-Pinotage "Cape Blend" 2006 (South Africa)

4 Servings
Prep 20 min
Cook 20 min

1-½ cups plain whole-milk yogurt
½ cup grated English cucumber, wrung out in a kitchen towel
1 teaspoon dried dill
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
1-½ lb. ground beef
½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus whole leaves for garnish
1-½ tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Warm pita bread, for serving

Tip: Use ground lamb instead of beef.

1. Soak 8 wooden skewers in water. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, cucumber, dill and half the garlic; season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate.
2. Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high. In a medium bowl, combine the beef, remaining garlic, chopped parsley and cumin. Add salt and pepper to taste. Divide the beef mixture into 4 sections. Roll each section into a 6-inch log. Thread each log lengthwise onto two parallel skewers. Wrap your index finger and thumb around the log and lightly squeeze from top to bottom to make 4 indented rings. Rub the beef kebabs with olive oil and grill for 6 to 8 minutes on each side, or to desired doneness. Top each kebab with the yogurt sauce and parsley leaves and serve on a pita.

MacGourmet Rating: 4 Stars