July 4th

Pepper & Sopressata Bruschetta

Sarah Hoff — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 16:45:52 +0000

We love the taste of these zesty Italian-style one-bite appetizers—topped with sopressata, red pepper spread and fresh mozzarella—on thin-sliced toasted focaccia bread. If you can’t find focaccia, toasted slices of baguette are a good substitute.

Goat Cheese & Veggie Morsel

Sarah Hoff — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 16:28:02 +0000

Goat Cheese & Veggie Morsel

Crackers topped with tangy goat cheese and a confetti of vegetables make a terrific vegetarian appetizer. Use soft goat cheese, plain or herbed, for easy spreading.

Feta & Cucumber Nip

Sarah Hoff — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 16:18:47 +0000

Feta & Cucumber Nip

Crunchy pita chips make the perfect base for this ultra-quick olive, cucumber and feta appetizer. If you can’t find baby cucumber, cut a regular cucumber into thin slices that are approximately the same size as your pita chips.

Blue Corn Botanita

Sarah Hoff — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 15:39:09 +0000

Blue Corn Botanita

Top blue corn tortilla chips with mango slices, cotija cheese and a squeeze of lime juice for a colorful appetizer. Blue corn tortilla chips make these Mexican-style appetizers pretty, but any variety will work. Look for cotija cheese, a type of aged Mexican cheese, near other specialty cheeses or in Mexican grocery stores. You may also find it labeled “queso añejo” or “queso añejado.” Finely crumbled Parmesan cheese can be used as a substitute.

Seven-Hour Leg of Lamb

Erin McCormick-Interactive Producer — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 14:40:52 +0000

Seven-Hour Leg of Lamb

A seven-hour leg of lamb is a traditional technique for slow-cooking lamb until it is fall-off-the-bone tender and luscious. This one is seasoned with plenty of garlic, lemon and fresh herbs and the resulting rich jus is served alongside the meat. For a brilliant accompaniment, serve with creamy stewed white beans.

Shrimp-Pepper Popper

Sarah Hoff — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 18:33:27 +0000

Shrimp-Pepper Popper

These shrimp appetizers are simple yet full of flavor. Just top melba toasts with a bit of cream cheese, a cooked shrimp and dollop of pepper jelly. Look for pepper jelly near other jellies and jams—it has a tiny bit of heat that gives these some extra pizzazz!

Maple Pecan Tart with Dried Cherries

Erin McCormick-Interactive Producer — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 17:46:20 +0000

Maple Pecan Tart with Dried Cherries

This pecan tart gets added tang from dried cherries. Instead of corn syrup, which is found in most pecan pie recipes, we’ve opted for maple syrup. If you can find it, choose dark amber or grade B, because it has the richest maple flavor. The crust, made with heart-healthy pecans and canola oil, couldn’t be easier to whip together. Just blend it in the food processor and pat it into your tart pan.

Classic Hummus

Erin McCormick-Interactive Producer — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 13:57:39 +0000

Classic Hummus

It’s easy to make hummus at home with just a few pantry items. Serve drizzled with your best-quality extra-virgin olive oil and chopped parsley. Mop it up with warm whole-wheat pita bread or cut-up vegetables.

Best Veggie Burgers

Erin McCormick-Interactive Producer — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 20:11:37 +0000

Best Veggie Burgers

These tofu burgers are packed with fresh broccoli, carrots, onion and red bell pepper, which gives them a garden-fresh flavor and great texture. Try doubling the recipe and freezing the extra patties to have on hand for a quick dinner.

Peach-Raspberry Crisp

Erin McCormick-Interactive Producer — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 19:36:59 +0000

Peach-Raspberry Crisp

A fruit crisp offers the luscious flavor of a fresh fruit pie without the fuss of making a crust. Celebrate the arrival of late-summer peaches with this rich-tasting crisp. The nut-studded topping works great with other fruit combinations too.

Plum Crisp

Erin McCormick-Interactive Producer — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 19:30:40 +0000

Plum Crisp

A fruit crisp offers the luscious flavor of a fresh fruit pie without the fuss of making a crust. Celebrate late summer with plums in this rich-tasting crisp. The nut-studded topping works great with other fruit combinations too.

Cherry Crisp

Erin McCormick-Interactive Producer — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 17:54:23 +0000

Cherry Crisp

A fruit crisp offers the luscious flavor of a fresh fruit pie without the fuss of making a crust. Celebrate the arrival of cherries with this rich-tasting crisp. The nut-studded topping works great with other fruit combinations too.

Pasta Salad Niçoise

Erin McCormick-Interactive Producer — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 17:18:57 +0000

Pasta Salad Niçoise

Toss canned tuna, roasted red peppers and lots of fresh herbs with pasta for a quick pasta salad to enjoy for a weeknight supper or picnic salad.

Tomato-Olive Relish

Erin McCormick-Interactive Producer — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 17:52:14 +0000

Tomato-Olive Relish

This simple relish of chopped tomato, red onion, Kalamata olives, fragrant with fresh basil and garlic, makes an excellent spread for sandwiches. Fold leftovers into an omelet or toss with whole-grain pasta and some Parmesan cheese.

Japanese Chicken Meatballs (Tsukune)

Erin McCormick-Interactive Producer — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 15:10:50 +0000

Japanese Chicken Meatballs (Tsukune)

Chicken meatballs called tsukune are a Japanese-restaurant favorite—they’re essentially a chicken sausage mixture flavored with garlic and ginger. Use flat sword-shaped skewers instead of traditional round bamboo skewers to keep the meatballs from slipping when you try to turn them. Serve with bowls of steamed rice on the side.