This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Since the tomatoes in the sauce are cooked just briefly, this dish is a breeze to make.
Serves 6.
INGREDIENTS
1/4cup olive oil1cup kalamata olives or other brine-cured black olives, pitted, chopped
1medium onion, chopped
6garlic cloves, chopped
1/2teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 1/2pounds plum tomatoes (about 8 large), chopped
2tablespoons tomato paste
2tablespoons red wine vinegar
1pound fusilli, freshly cooked
1 1/2cups coarsely grated parmesan cheese (about 4 ounces)
1cup chopped fresh basil
DIRECTIONS
Heat olive oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add olives, chopped onion, chopped garlic and crushed red pepper and sauté until onion begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes and tomato paste and stir until tomatoes are just warmed through, about 2 minutes. Mix in red wine vinegar. Add cooked pasta, 1 cup Parmesan cheese and fresh basil and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to large bowl. Serve with remaining Parmesan cheese.
This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Pick up a rotisserie chicken at the market, or use leftovers to keep the preparation easy.
Serves 8.
INGREDIENTS
1pound farfalle (bow-tie) pasta4tablespoons olive oil
2cups diced cooked chicken
8green onions, chopped
6plum tomatoes, chopped
115-ounce can golden hominy, drained
115-ounce can black beans, drained
112-ounce bottle mild green taco sauce
1cup chopped fresh cilantro
DIRECTIONS
Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain; rinse under cold running water and drain again.
Transfer pasta to large bowl. Add oil and toss to coat. Mix in chicken, green onions, tomatoes, hominy, beans, taco sauce and cilantro. Season salad generously with salt and pepper.
Serve this as a side dish, or add some cooked shrimp or chicken for a main course. Look for the sesame oil in the Asian foods section of the supermarket.
Serves 6.
INGREDIENTS
1pound linguine, broken in half 4tablespoons oriental sesame oil
3tablespoons honey
3tablespoons soy sauce
3tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4teaspoon cayenne pepper3red bell peppers, seeded, thinly sliced
3cups snow peas
1large red onion, thinly sliced
3/4cup honey-roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1/2cup chopped fresh basil
DIRECTIONS
Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain very well. Transfer to large bowl.
Whisk 3 tablespoons sesame oil, honey, soy sauce, vinegar and cayenne pepper in small bowl to blend. Season with salt. Mix half of dressing into pasta.
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers, peas and onion and sauté until just beginning to wilt, about 2 minutes. Add vegetables to pasta. Mix in peanuts, basil and enough dressing to coat. Serve, passing any remaining dressing separately.
This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
This spicy pasta dish is a real treat for mushroom lovers. Use as many different varieties as you can find.
Serves 4 to 6.
INGREDIENTS
1pound penne 4tablespoons olive oil
1red bell pepper, chopped
1tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried
2large garlic cloves, chopped
1teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 1/4pounds ground turkey1pound assorted fresh wild mushrooms (such as crimini; stemmed shiitake; portobello, dark gills scraped away), sliced
5green onions, chopped
1 1/3cups canned low-salt chicken broth2 1/2cups grated parmesan cheese1/2cup dry white wine
DIRECTIONS
Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Drain very well. Set pasta aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper, thyme, garlic and crushed red pepper; sauté 2 minutes. Add ground turkey to pot. Sauté turkey until cooked through, breaking up turkey with back of fork, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer turkey mixture to large bowl.
Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in same pot over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and green onions and saut
until mushrooms are tender and brown, about 6 minutes. Add turkey mixture, broth, 1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese, wine and pasta. Cook until sauce thickens enough to coat pasta, tossing often, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve, passing remaining Parmesan cheese separately.
This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
A spicy pepper coating and an Asian-style sauce give these tuna steaks an intense flavor. Joan serves mashed or oven-roasted sweet potatoes alongside. Look for the sesame oil in the Asian foods section of the supermarket.
Serves 4.
INGREDIENTS
46- to 7-ounce ahi tuna steaks (each about 1 inch thick)
1tablespoon coarsely cracked black pepper
2teaspoons oriental sesame oil
2tablespoons soy sauce
1/4cup dry sherry
2tablespoons chopped fresh chives or green onion tops
DIRECTIONS
Sprinkle tuna steaks on both sides with salt, then sprinkle with coarsely cracked black pepper, pressing gently to adhere. Heat sesame oil in large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add tuna steaks and sear until brown outside and just opaque in center, about 3 minutes per side. Using tongs, transfer tuna steaks to platter. Tent platter loosely with foil to keep tuna steaks warm. Add soy sauce, then Sherry to same skillet. Reduce heat and simmer until mixture is slightly reduced, scraping up any browned bits, about 1 minute. Spoon sauce over tuna steaks. Sprinkle with chives or green onion tops.
This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Crumbled feta cheese makes a nice topping.
Serves 4 to 6.
INGREDIENTS
6tablespoons olive oil
2large fennel bulbs, tops trimmed, fronds reserved2medium red bell peppers, seeded, each cut into 8 strips2tablespoons fresh lemon juice
DIRECTIONS
Preheat broiler. Line small baking sheet with foil; brush foil with 1 tablespoon oil. Cut each fennel bulb vertically into 8 wedges, keeping part of core attached to each wedge. Place fennel, cut side down, on prepared sheet. Brush fennel all over with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil fennel until just tender and beginning to brown, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes. Arrange fennel on large serving platter. Set baking sheet aside.
Place bell pepper strips in medium bowl. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil to the peppers and toss to coat. Arrange peppers on reserved baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil until peppers are charred in spots and just tender, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes. Arrange peppers among fennel wedges on platter.
Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons oil and lemon juice in small bowl to blend. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle dressing over broiled vegetables. Garnish salad with some reserved fennel fronds. Serve salad warm or at room temperature.
The frozen berries aren’t thawed before you use them, so this dessert is super fast.
Makes 6 servings.
INGREDIENTS
212-ounce packages frozen mixed berries (such as blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and raspberries; about 6 cups), unthawed
1/4cup sugar
1cup all purpose flour
1tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3/4cup old-fashioned oats
2/3cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2teaspoon ground ginger
1/4teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4teaspoon salt
7tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, diced
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine berries, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup flour and lemon juice in large bowl; toss to blend well. Transfer berry mixture to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Combine remaining 3/4 cup flour, oats, brown sugar, spices and salt in medium bowl. Add butter; rub in with fingertips until topping holds together in small moist clumps. Sprinkle over berry mixture.
Bake crisp until berry mixture bubbles thickly and topping is golden brown, about 1 hour. Let stand 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Corn tortillas and bottled salsa are great with the salad. For dessert, top purchased vanilla pudding with fresh blueberries and a touch of cinnamon.
Serves 2; can be doubled.
INGREDIENTS
4cups mixed baby greens
8tablespoons (or more) purchased oil and vinegar dressing
115- to 16-ounce can kidney beans, drained
1cup fresh corn kernels, cut from2 small ears of corn
1cup 1/2-inch pieces hot pepper monterey jack cheese (about 4 ounces)
1cup 1-inch-long red bell pepper strips
6tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1teaspoon ground cumin
DIRECTIONS
Divide greens between 2 large shallow bowls. Drizzle each with 1 tablespoon dressing. Combine 6 tablespoons dressing and remaining ingredients in medium bowl and toss to coat, adding more dressing, if desired. Season with salt and pepper. Mound salad atop greens.
Here’s the traditional southern way to bake and serve corn bread: right in the skillet. Using shortening to grease the pan produces a nice, brown crust.
Makes 6 servings.
INGREDIENTS
- 1medium-size red bell peppersolid vegetable shortening
- 1cup unbleached all purpose flour
- 1cup yellow cornmeal
- 2tablespoons sugar
- 2teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4teaspoon salt
- 1/2cup buttermilk
- 1/2cup canned creamed corn
- 1/4cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted, cooled slightly
- 1large egg
- 1/2teaspoon hot pepper sauce
- 2green onions, trimmed, sliced
DIRECTIONS Char bell pepper over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose in paper bag 10 minutes. Peel and seed pepper; cut into 1/3-inch-wide strips. Set aside.
Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 400°F. Generously coat 10-inch-diameter ovenproof skillet with vegetable shortening. Whisk flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in large bowl to blend. Whisk buttermilk, creamed corn, melted butter, egg, and hot pepper sauce in medium bowl to blend. Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. Transfer batter to prepared skillet. Arrange bell pepper strips in spoke pattern atop batter. Sprinkle with sliced green onions.
Bake corn bread until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool 15 minutes. Serve corn bread warm from skillet.
This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Fries, coleslaw and lemonade are the requisite accompaniments. Complete the menu with watermelon wedges and sugar cookies.
Serves 2; can be doubled.
INGREDIENTS
26-ounce catfish fillets, each cut into 3 piecesyellow cornmeal
2 1/2tablespoons vegetable oil1large sweet onion (such as vidalia or maui), thinly sliced
3tablespoons white wine vinegar
3teaspoons chopped fresh thyme2kaiser rolls, split, lightly toasted
purchased tartar sauce
DIRECTIONS
Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper, then dust with cornmeal on both sides. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish and sauté until crisp outside and just opaque in center, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer fish to plate.
Wipe out skillet with paper towels. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until beginning to color, about 3 minutes. Add vinegar and 1 1/2 teaspoons thyme. Sauté until onion is golden and vinegar has evaporated, about 2 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper.
Place bottom half of rolls on plates; spread with tartar sauce. Top each with 3 fish pieces, sautéed onion, 3/4 teaspoon thyme and roll top.
