Side Salad

My husband has recently explained the infinity symbol to my son, telling him it is the biggest number. So now, when he wants to tell you some thing is really big or really wonderful, my son uses "the symbol". Tonight, he gave this salad "the symbol thumbs-up".

Cucumber Salad (from EveryDay Food magazine)

1 lbs. cucumbers, peeled, seeded, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/2 inch thick
a handful of chopped mint leaves

dressing:
2 TBSP vegetable oil
2 TBSP rice vinegar
1 TBSP fish sauce
2 tsp minced, peeled ginger
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp sugar

Whisk together dressing ingredients until sugar dissolves. (To store, refrigerate up to three hours) Pour over cucumbers and mint and toss until well coated.

I served this with Pad Thai and it was a great combination.

Tastier Tomatoes

I love a simple pasta dish. Roasting the tomatoes makes even the simplest dish taste better.

Oven-Roasted Tomatoes (from EveryDay Food Magazine)

2 cans (28 oz each) whole peeled tomatoes
3 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
3 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 400. Put tomatoes and juices into a large roasting pan. With your hands, roughly tear each tomato into 1-inch strips. Add garlic and drizzle with olive oil. Roast until mixture thickens and holds a trail, 70 to 80 minutes. Use immediately, or let cool, the refrigerate in an airtight container, up to a week.

I served these over penne pasta with just a little Parmesan cheese. Delicious. These would be awesome on crusty bread or added to soup. A great make-ahead for a busy weeknight.

All Hail Kale

I love risotto but it can be a real ordeal to make. This looked like an easy recipe for it and super healthy. We rarely eat a strictly vegetarian meal but I'm always looking for ways to add more veggies to our diet.

Butternut Squash Baked Risotto (from EveryDay Food magazine)

2 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
2 shallots, diced small
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 1/2 C Arborio rice
coarse salt and pepper
1/2 C dry white wine
1 medium butternut squash (2 lbs.), peeled and diced medium (4 C)
4 C vegetable broth
1 bunch black (Tuscan) or curly kale, tough stems removed, cut cross ways into 1/2-inch strips
grated Parmesan cheese for serving

Preheat oven to 400. In a medium Dutch oven or heavy oven-proof pot with a tight-fitting lid, heat oil over medium high. Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until opaque, about 3 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Add wine and cook until completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Add squash and broth; bring to a boil. Stir in kale. Cover, transfer to oven and bake until rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. To serve, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

My first recommendation is to have all of your ingredients prepped and ready to add. The first few steps go very quickly. Have the wine measured out and ready to pour. I used the Swanson's vegetable broth in the box. One box is 4 cups, which is handy. I used curly kale.

My guys liked this but picked out all the kale. I may have had better luck with spinach. I very much liked this, which is a good thing since I'll be eating all the leftovers. I would probably use slightly less kale if I made this again since the whole bunch rather overwhelmed the other ingredients.

Sweet Side for Fall

I'm always looking for interesting side dishes. This one passed muster with my son.

Honey-Roasted Vegetables (from EveryDay Food magazine)

2 medium sweet potatoes (1 lbs. total), peeled, halved, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 C walnut halves
1/4 C honey
2 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
coarse salt and pepper
3 to 5 springs thyme

Preheat oven to 375. In a 3-quart baking dish, toss together sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, walnuts, honey and oil; season with salt and pepper. Top with thyme sprigs and roast until vegetables are browned at the edges and tender when pierced with a knife, about one hour.

This was easy to throw together and very tasty. I served it alongside grilled chicken and salad. It also made the whole house smell good.

The Food of Kings

So, I've now discovered quinoa. It was eaten by the Incas and now, by my family. I used the basic recipe from EveryDay Food as a guide and threw this together.

Quinoa with Roasted Red Peppers and Parsley (mine, all mine)

1 C quinoa
2 1/2 C water
1 tsp salt
1/2 each red, yellow and orange peppers, roasted and diced
1/4 C finely chopped flat leaf parsley
1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese
coarse salt and ground pepper
juice of one lemon
olive oil

1. Bring quinoa, water and 1 tsp of salt to a boil over high heat. Reduce to medium simmer and cook until water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Move quinoa to a bowl and allow to cool.

2. To roast peppers, place them on a cookie sheet, skins up, and broil until skins are blackened. Remove from oven and place them into a ziploc bag to steam the skins. Once they cool, peel the skins and dice peppers. Add peppers, parsley, cheese, lemon juice and olive oil to quinoa. Toss and season with salt and pepper.

Viva Cubana!

So I got a new EveryDay Food magazine in the mail and I found a Cuban meal I just had to try. I am happy to report it is a major winner. I, unfortunately, had to forgo the recommended accompanying Cuba Libre as I had my first Tae Kwon Do class and needed all the balance I could muster.

Pico de Gallo (all recipes from EveryDay Food magazine)

3 medium tomatoes, diced medium (2 cups)
2/3 C finely diced red onion
1/2 C roughly chopped fresh cilantro
2 TBSP lime juice
1 jalapeno, finely chopped (optional)

Combine all ingredients and season with coarse salt and ground pepper.


Baked Plantain Chips

2 lbs green plantains or green bananas, scored, peeled and sliced thinly on the diagonal
1/4 C vegetable oil

1. Preheat oven to 350 with racks in lower and upper third of the oven. Divide plantain slices between two rimmed baking sheets. Toss with oil then arrange in a single layer on the sheets. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Bake until golden and crisp, 30 to 35 minutes, rotating sheets and flipping plantains halfway through. Drain plantains on paper towels. (To store, place cooled chips in an airtight container, up to 2 days.)


Roasted Pork with Onions and Citrus

3 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
1 lg white onion, diced medium (2 1/2 C)
1 head garlic, cloves peeled and roughly chopped
1 1/4 C strained fresh orange juice (from 4 juice oranges)
1/3 C fresh lime juice (from 6 limes)
coarse salt and ground pepper
1/4 C fresh oregano leaves, roughly chopped
1 boneless pork shoulder roast (3 1/2 to 4 lbs) fat trimmed

1. Preheat oven to 450 with rack in lower third. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to soften, four minutes. Add orange and lime juices and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper, stir in oregano, and remove from heat.

2. Pat pork dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt and pepper and place in a heavy-bottomed ovenproof pot (pork should fit snugly). Pour onion mixture on and around pork, leaving some on top. Roast, uncovered, 30 minutes. Remove pot from oven and reduce temperature to 350. Ladle onion mixture and juices over pork. Cook, uncovered, until cooked through (an instant read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the pork should read 155), 1 1/2 hours, basting pork with onion and juices every 30 minutes. Let rest 15 minutes before slicing. To serve, skim fat from cooking juices and spoon sauce over sliced pork.


Cuban Red Beans and Rice

2 TBSP olive oil
1/4 white onion, diced small (1/2 C)
1/4 green bell pepper, diced small (1/2 C)
2 garlic cloves, minced
coarse salt and ground pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 TBSP chopped fresh oregano leaves
1 C long grain white rice
1 can (15.5 oz) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 C low-sodium chicken broth

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic and cook until onion is soft, 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add cumin, oregano, and rice; stir, and cook one minute. Add beans and broth, stir, then season with salt and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil, then cover. Reduce to a medium simmer and cook until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

All of these items were delicious. I would recommend making the pico de gallo and plantain chips ahead. Otherwise, you are competing for oven space. if you want to use the plantains to scoop up the pico de gallo as intended, cut them on a pretty extreme diagonal. I will warn you that they are not all that easy to peel, but worth the effort. The pork is simple to prepare, just be sure you have two and a half hours to attend to it. The mojo is perfect over the pork and the red beans and rice are excellent on the side. My five year old ate both and loved it. The red beans and rice could presumably be made vegetarian with vegetable broth. It could be great as a light main dish.

Four Alarm Dinner

It's been a crazy summer of guests and travel. I had a birthday and got some fantastic kitchen equipment, some of which is still in boxes. I hope to try it all out soon. I got to use my new Shun chef's knife on this one. It comes from a cookbook put out as a fund raiser for The Terry Farrell Firefighters Fund. Terry Farrell was a New York City firefighter (and a volunteer firefighter out on Long Island) who perished in the September 11 attacks. His brother started The Terry Farrell Firefighters fund in his memory. It's mission is to help fire departments around the country get the equipment they need, either through grants or donations. My cousin is the director of the Pennsylvania branch and has helped move used, donated equipment from departments who are upgrading to departments in need. He also sold me the cookbook.

Sausage and Peppers (from California Firehouse Cookbook, by firefighter Vito Gioiello)

6 links Italian sweet or hot sausage
2 TBSP olive oil
1 yellow onion, sliced
1 red onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 C white wine

Place the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat, and brown on all sides. Remove sausage from the skillet, and slice.

Heat the oil in the skillet. Stir in the vegetables. Season with basil and oregano. Stir in the white wine. Continue to cook and stir until peppers and onions are tender.

Return sausage slices to skillet with the vegetables, Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes, or until sausage is heated through. If you like pasta, mix the sausage with your favorite pasta for a great meal with some vino, if you are off-duty, of course.

This is very easy to make and delicious. You could easily scale this recipe down (it makes 6 servings) or up (if you have big enough pots). I would recommend letting the sausage brown as you slice the vegetable. Whole sausage takes a while to cook through and you can save yourself prep time. I tossed it all with rigatoni and made some take-and-bake bread to round out the meal. And, of course, some red wine. I was off-duty.

Plan B

A few weeks ago, I asked a Vietnamese friend of mine which vermicelli noodles I wanted from the online Asian market for my Vietnamese Summer Rolls. She linked the page she thought was correct. So I ordered 4 bags. Of the wrong noodles. So I found another way to use them.

Asian Noodle Salad with Chicken and Cilantro (from EveryDay Food magazine)

1 TBSP olive oil
1 jalapeno chile, minced (seeds and ribs removed for less heat if desired)
3 TBSP minced fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
coarse salt and ground pepper
1/4 C dark-brown sugar
3/4 C rice vinegar
4 C shredded rotisserie chicken, skin and bones discarded (from one whole chicken), room temp.
1 package (8.8 oz) cellophane (bean thread) noodles, prepared according to package instructions
1 English cucumber, cut into 3-inch strips
2 C fresh cilantro leaves

1. In a small saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add jalapeno, ginger, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Add sugar and vinegar and cook until sauce is slightly thickened, about 6 minutes. Refrigerate until cool, at least 15 minutes (or up to one week).

2. Combine chicken, noodles, cucumber, and cilantro. Drizzle with dressing just before serving.

This was pretty quick and very easy. Using the precooked chicken makes it great for summer since you don't need to turn on the oven. Instead of the bead thread noodles, I used my sweet potato flour vermicelli noodles and they worked very nicely. My husband was skeptical at first because he smelled the vinegar cooking but the flavors blended well. The 5 year old even ate a little. Mostly the chicken.

A new spin on Thursday tacos

I've discovered I love pork prepared just about any old way. I love carnitas so I gave this one a shot.

Pork Carnitas (from EveryDay Food magazine)

2 lbs. pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch pieces
8 C water
4 garlic cloves minced
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 TBSP olive oil
1/2 C fresh orange juice
1/2 C milk
12 corn tortillas, warmed
fresh cilantro leaves, thinly sliced onion, diced avocado, and lime wedges for serving

1. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, combine pork, garlic, and 8 cups of water and season with salt and pepper. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, until pork is tender, 40-45 minutes. Drain well.

2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add pork, orange juice, and milk and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and pork is browned, 8-12 minutes. Serve carnitas in tortillas with cilantro, onion, avocado and lime wedges.

These were very tasty. I served rice and also fresh pico de gallo, which was good in the tacos too. I had trouble finding the correct temperature for simmering the meat. It boiled over a few times. But the meat was delicious when it was done. This was great for a hot night. The toppings are all crisp and fresh.

Old friend, new recipe

We had a dear old friend over for dinner the other night. He's just returned from a year on the war front. It was wonderful to see him. He and my husband sat around and munched on crackers with cheese and bruchetta and olives while I cooked and then we just added this to the snacking table.

Steak Sandwiches with Sauteed Mushrooms and Spinach (from EveryDay Food magazine)

1 tsp vegetable oil
2 New York Strip steaks (shell steaks) (8 oz each)
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
8 oz white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 TBSP red wine vinegar
1 bag (10 oz) baby spinach
4 tsp grainy or Dijon mustard
8 slices crusty bread, toasted

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Season both sides of steaks with salt and pepper. Cook steaks until medium-rare, about 5 minutes per side, flipping once. Transfer to plate: tent loosely with foil to keep warm.

2. Add onion to pan; season with salt and pepper. Cook until onion begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Add mushrooms; season with salt and pepper. Cook until mushrooms brown, about 6 minutes. Add vinegar and any accumulated juices from the steaks; cook until evaporated, about 30 seconds. Transfer mushroom mixture to a medium bowl. Add spinach to pan; season with salt and pepper. Cook stirring, until wilted, about 3 minutes.

3. Thinly slice steaks against the grain. Spread mustard on four slices of bread. Dividing evenly, top with sliced steak, mushroom mixture and spinach. Top with remaining bread. Serve immediately.

The bread I got was not huge, so sandwiches were a little tricky. Since we were noshing anyway, I let everyone build their own sandwiches. I also served macaroni salad. The steaks were delicious and the veggies were outstanding this way. The red wine vinegar was key.

Never Get Off the Boat

I never use mangoes in anything but this sounded so good, I gave it a shot.

Green Mango Salad (from EveryDay Food magazine)

2 TBSP fresh lime juice, plus more to taste
2 TBSP fish sauce (nam pla), plus more to taste
1 tsp sugar, plus more to taste
2 green mangoes, peeled, pitted, and cut into thin strips
3 scallions, very thinly sliced
1/4 C fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 C fresh mint leaves, chopped
2 TBSP chopped peanuts
1/2 tsp red-pepper flakes

In a large bowl, whisk together lime juice, fish sauce, and sugar until sugar dissolves. Add mangoes, scallions, cilantro and mint and toss to coat. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Top with chopped peanuts and red-pepper flakes.

I loved this. It was fresh, juicy, sweet, sour and salty all at once. I served it with grilled pork chops and take-and-bake bread. It would be good with chicken or fish as well. My husband liked it, but wouldn't be super excited if I made it again. He isn't much of a fruit or veggie person, so take that for what it is. The proportions, taste-wise, for the dressing were great, but it seemed like a lot of dressing to me. I'd probably add another mango if I made it again. Also, I would take suggestions on the best way to pit and slice a mango.

It Helps to be a Boy Scout

I was very excited when my recipe magazine showed up this month because it included the recipe for something I've always wanted to try: summer rolls. I often pick these up for lunch and assumed it couldn't be too hard to make them, but I didn't know what materials I would need. But now I know.

Summer Rolls (from Everyday Food magazine)

4 oz vermicelli rice noodles
8-inch spring-roll wrappers
1/2 lb. medium shrimp, peeled, cooked, deveined and halved lengthwise
1/2 C fresh mint leaves
1 medium carrot, cut into matchsticks (1 1/2 C)
1 bunch chives

1. Pour boiling water over vermicelli rice noodles and soak 15 minutes. Drain and rinse. Divide into 8 equal portions. Fill a wide, shallow bowl with cool water. Working with one spring roll wrapper at a time, soak until pliable, about 20 seconds. Transfer to a flat surface and smooth.

2. Place a layer of shrimp, carrots and mint on the bottom third of the wrapper, leaving 1/2 inch border. Top with a portion of noodles and then another layer of fillings.

3. Fold bottom of wrapper tightly over fillings.

4. Roll over once, tuck in sides, and place 3 chives along the leading edge. Continue rolling until all fillings are completely enclosed. Transfer to a plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Repeat, making 8 summer rolls. Serve immediately with dipping sauces (see below) or refrigerate up to 2 hours.

So, the key here is preparation. You need to get all of your fillings prepped before you begin. There were two alternate filling recipes (I'll include them below) but you can basically use anything you like in these. I bought vermicelli noodles, but I somehow ended up with wheat ones instead of rice ones. Ask your grocer. I was only able to find the noodles and wrappers at Whole Foods. You may need to hit an Asian Grocery store to stock up. I did the shrimp, carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, basil, mint and chives. I alternated the mint and basil as fillers. (I used herbs and lettuce from my garden. I'm so fancy.) Once you soak the wrappers for a few seconds, they become pliable and you need to fill and roll them immediately. So do all of your slicing and chopping and have everything assembled within reach in bowls or piles. I lad the wrapper on a cutting board and it worked very well. I did not cover them with the damp paper towel as I went and we ate them right away, so they didn't dry out. I imagine the longer you need to keep them, the more important the damp towel becomes. These would be great for a party. I served them with Sesame Noodles and had minimal leftovers.

Dipping Sauces:

Creamy Peanut Dipping Sauce
1/2 C natural creamy peanut butter
1/2 C warm water
1/4 C fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
1 TBSP soy sauce
4 tsp sugar
1/4 C chopped roasted peanuts

In a medium bowl, whisk together peanut butter and water until smooth. Whisk in lime juice, soy sauce and sugar. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts just before serving.

Spicy Hoisin Dipping Sauce
1/2 C hoison sauce
3 TBSP chili sauce (they recommend sambal oelek, I used sriacha sauce, aka rooster sauce)
2 tsp white vinegar
1/4 C water

Whisk together all ingredients until smooth.

Alternate fillings:

Chicken Mango Summer Rolls
4 oz. chicken cutlets cooked and shredded
1/4 C fresh cilantro leaves
1 medium carrot, cut into matchsticks (1 1/4 C)
1 small ripe mango, peeled and thinly sliced

Vegetarian Summer Rolls
1 avocado, thinly sliced
1/2 C fresh basil leaves
1 medium carrot, cut into matchsticks (1 1/4 C)
1 small cucumber cut into matchsticks (3/4 C)

Dinner with the in-laws

My in-laws are in town and I used them as guinea pigs for new recipes. Thank goodness we had a happy ending.

Pork Milanese with Arugula Salad (from EveryDay Food magazine)

1 small garlic clove, minced
2 TBSP fresh lemon juice
2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 C all-purpose flour
1 1/2 lbs pork cutlets (1/4 inch thick)
2 TBSP vegetable oil, plus more if needed
3 C baby arugula
1 head radicchio or endive, or a combination, thinly sliced
1/3 C red onion, thinly sliced

1. In a small bowl, whisk together garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Set dressing aside. Place flour in a small bowl (I used a glass pie dish). Season pork with salt and pepper and dredge in flour, shaking off excess.

2. In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium high heat. When oil is hot, add cutlets, working in batches and adding more oil if necessary (do not crowd cutlets). Cook until cutlets are golden on bottom, 3 minutes. Flip and cook until cooked through, 3 minutes. Transfer cutlets to large platter.

3. In a large bowl, toss arugula, radicchio and onion with dressing. The top cutlets with salad.

I served this with pan fried gnocchi:

Prepare one package of store-bought gnocchi as directed. Drain well. Melt 2 TBSP butter in a skillet. When it is sizzling, add gnocchi in one layer. Cook over medium heat, undisturbed, until the bottom of the gnocchi are golden brown. You can toss the gnocchi with some cheese if you desire.

This was a really delicious meal and also pretty to look at. The bitter greens with the simple lemon dressing went perfectly with the pork and the gnocchi were a lovely anchor. I will certainly be making this again.

Dinner, all wrapped up

I'm always looking for good, light meals for the summer months. This one fit the bill.

Stir-Fried Turkey in Lettuce Wraps (from EveryDay Food Magazine)

1/4 C soy sauce
4 tsp fish sauce
4 tsp sugar
1 TBSP vegetable oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 TBSP minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small jalapeno or serrano chile, seeded and finely chopped
1 lb. ground turkey (you can use chicken, pork or beef as well. I used chicken.)
2 large heads Bibb, Boston or iceberg lettuce, leave separated

1. In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, fish sauce and sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves and set sauce aside.

2. Heat a large skillet or wok over high until hot. Add oil and swirl to coat skillet. Add shallot, ginger, garlic and chile and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add turkey and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until almost cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add half the sauce to skillet and stir until meat is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Serve in lettuce leaves with remaining sauce. Serve with thinly sliced scallions, shredded carrots and lime wedges.

I served these with rice on the side. It was a light and delicious meal. It was quick to prepare and my son even really liked the meat prepared this way. He ate his with his rice instead of in a lettuce leaf. Despite the jalapeno, they were not especially spicy, just flavorful. These would even be pretty good for a buffet table since they require no utensils to eat. I great low-carb option for dinner.

Fancy Pants Dinner

We had friends over for dinner and I started my menu with the salad. I built out from there.

Watermelon and feta salad with Serrano Chile vinaigrette (from Five & Ten restaurant via InStyle magazine)

1 C olive oil
2 TBSP fresh lime juice
2 TBSP champagne vinegar
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1 small shallot, minced
1 Serrano Chile, stemmed and sliced into small half-rounds
salt to taste
1 small seedless watermelon
1/3 lb. wedge feta cheese, sliced 1/8 inch think (about 12 slices)
1 bunch arugula
sliced serrano chile for garnish

1. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine olive oil, lime juice, vinegar, thyme, shallot, and serrano chile. Shake well. Season with salt to taste; chill in refrigerator.

2. Remove rind from watermelon and slice flesh into 3 inch squares.

3. To assemble salad, layer one piece of watermelon on one slice of feta. Repeat. Drizzle with vinaigrette and garnish with arugula and sliced serrano chile.

This is such a delicious salad and it's gorgeous as well. It is sweet and salty and tangy and spicy. I always forget what a hassle it is to pull off fresh thyme leaves, but it is worth it. While your plucking, you should pull off some thyme for

Garlic-Herb Crust for steaks(from Bon Appetit)

4 garlic cloves
8 fresh sage leaves
4 tsp fresh thyme leaves
4 tsp olive oil
4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp black pepper

With machine running, drop garlic into processor; blend until finely chopped. Add other ingredients, process until paste forms. Pat meat dry. Rub with paste. Cover, chill at least three hours. Grill steaks as desired.

I put this on 4 strip steaks. Delicious. It's a nice match to the salad. I served these with potatoes roasted with shallots, garlic and sage. It was a wonderful dinner.

You can call me honey

The Boy had karate tonight so we needed a quick, prep-ahead meal and this one fits the bill. Tasty too.

Honey-Teriyaki Chicken (from EveryDay Food magazine)

1/2 C honey
2 TBSP rice vinegar
2 TBSP soy sauce
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 TBSP peeled, grated ginger
1 TBSP coarse salt
1/2 tsp pepper
8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

1. Preheat oven to 475. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil. In a large bowl, combine all but chicken and mix until combined. Add chicken and toss to coat.

2. Bake chicken, skin side up, basting occasionally with pan juices until well-browned and cooked through- 25-30 minutes. Serve chicken drizzled with pan juices.

I dip each chicken thigh in the sauce one at a time and place them on the baking sheet. Then I dump the leftover sauce over them before baking. My son and husband both love this one. I serve them with rice and...

Asian Cabbage Slaw (from EveryDay Food magazine)

2 TBSP fresh lime juice
2 TBSP rice vinegar
1 TBSP vegetable oil
2 tsp sugar
salt to taste
1/2 head small green cabbage or savoy cabbage
1 C cilantro leaves
4 scallions, cut into matchsticks
1 grated carrot
1/2 fresh jalapeno, minced

1. Combine first five ingredients for dressing in a large bowl. Whisk to combine.
2. Add vegetables to dressing and toss to combine.

I double this recipe mostly for practical reasons. What am I going to do with half a cabbage and half a jalapeno? I also generally use the vegetable peeler on the carrot instead of grating it. It's delicious and is great as leftovers. I made this yesterday for today to shorten my prep time.

The House Favorite

You know that meal you can always make and everyone in the house will be happy? This is that meal around these parts.

Cold Sesame Noodles (from Bon Appetit)

3 TBSP soy sauce
2 TBSP rice vinegar
1/2 tsp dried hot red pepper flakes
2 TBSP packed brown sugar
1/2 C creamy peanut butter
1 TBSP sesame oil
1 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger
1/2 C chicken broth
1 lb linguine
chopped scallions
cucumber strips

1. In a saucepan, combine first 8 ingredients. Simmer the mixture, stirring until it is thickened and smooth, and let cool slightly.

2. Cook the noodles al dente, drain and rinse with cold water. Drain well, transfer to a bowl and toss with sauce. Serve at room temperature and garnish with scallions and cucumbers.

Cook the sauce carefully. As it thickens, it gets like napalm. Let it start out simmering but turn it down as it gets thick. Don't use low-fat peanut butter, it won't hold together properly. I also got ginger in a tube so I don't have to peel and grate. Works wonderfully. You can also use lo mein noodles if you'd rather. These are great cold or room temperature. They are great to take for lunch the next day. I would also bet you could use vegetable broth if you are vegetarian.

Thai Beef Salad (from Bon Appetit)

3 TBSP fresh lime juice
2 1/2 TBSP vegetable oil
2 1/2 TBSP sesame oil
2 TBSP nam pla (fish sauce)
2 tsp grated lime peel
8 oz thinly sliced roast beef
4 C thinly sliced romaine lettuce
6 radishes, thinly sliced
4 scallions, thinly sliced

1. Whisk first 5 ingredients in a small bowl to blend. Season dressing with salt and pepper.

2. Combine beef, lettuce, radishes and scallions in a large bowl; toss with enough dressing to coat. Pass remaining dressing with salad.

This is great if you have leftover steak or roast but I usually just buy a small portion of top round and grill it up quickly. You can usually find nam pla in the "Asian Food" aisle near the soy sauce and oyster sauce. Follow the recipe for the dressing and then taste it and adjust. I like a more tart dressing so I use more lime juice and I like the flavor of the nam pla. You may not. The nam pla is fairly salty, so you may not need much salt.

This recipe has been a hit with everyone for whom I have made it. Although my Dad didn't like the dressing. My son not only eats but requests the noodles. He also likes the dressing on his cucumbers.

A good night for pasta

We had a busy day today. By the time we got home from grocery shopping it was raining and very grey. I've made this before and it was a hit so I'm working it into regular rotation.

Pasta with roasted vegetables and arugula

2 pints grape tomatoes
4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
3 shallots, cut into eighths
2 TBSP fresh thyme leaves
2 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
coarse salt and ground pepper
8 oz rigatoni
1/3 cup pitted olives, such as Nicoise, coarsely chopped
3 cups baby arugula or spinach

1. Preheat oven to 450. Place tomatoes, garlic, shallots and thyme on a rimmed baking sheet. Toss with oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until tomatoes burst, shallots are browned and garlic is soft; 20 to 25 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water; drain pasta and return to pot.

3. Peel roasted garlic and mash with the flat side of a chef's knife. Add to pasta pot, along with vegetables, olives, and pasta water. Cook over med-high heat until sauce thickens, about 3 minutes. Let cool slightly, then toss with arugula.

This is very quick and easy. I used penne pasta tonight and it was just as good. I also use calamata olives because those are the kind I like. If you will have leftovers, it is best to add the arugula to each serving so it doesn't get icky upon reheating. I think it would probably be very good with some shrimp, for those who like seafood.