I’ve made these vegan and gluten-free bowls in this same spirit. They showcase some of my favorite Mediterranean ingredients all in one bowl, like spiced chickpeas, cucumbers, tomatoes, and tahini, as well as an awesome mix of hot and cold, crisp and creamy! One of my favorite parts of this dish is really the bright and creamy tahini sauce. We make this sauce on a regular basis at my house....

This is why watermelon with feta is such a classic summer salad. We’ve taken this idea a little further by adding a touch of zing from chiles to our melon salad. Don’t overdo it with the chiles! There should be just enough to make your tongue tingle. That along with the sweetness from the melons, a little lime or lemon juice, some mint, and a dash of salt, and you have a summer melon symphony....

Does the microwave deliver eggs that will claim top prize in a poach-off? No. That trophy goes to our Perfect Poached Egg recipe, but you need a stovetop and a pan for that. If your standards are flexible and you’re just poaching a single egg on the fly, the microwave will serve quite nicely. All you need is a mug or small glass measuring cup and some plastic wrap. Let’s get set to nuke and poach!...

How to Make Deep Dish Apple Pie The problem with baking extra-thick apple pies is that the apples shrink as they cook! This leaves a gap between the crust and the apples, which usually collapses upon cooling. What to do? The trick is to gently cook the apples first so that they do their reducing before they go in the pie. I settled on this recipe after trying several approaches to making mile-high apple pies....

My mother is a self-described cake person (“There are cake people and there are pie people. I’m a cake person.”) who gets dreamy eyed just thinking about this pound cake. So, when Mrs. Adams prepared this cake (among several other desserts) for a neighborhood party, I couldn’t wait to try it. It really was divine! Perfect. When I stopped by to get the recipe I captured the Adams granddaughter four-year-old Marly eyeing the cake....

But it doesn’t have to be that way—a Mudslide can be subtle, and while rich, not nearly as sweet as you might think. Due to the association with dessert, a Mudslide is typically enjoyed as an after-dinner drink. If you’re thinking of enjoying this a little later as a nightcap, just be forewarned that caffeine levels in coffee liqueurs can vary, so check the label first. It might be the difference between perking you up after a big dinner and pacing the floor at 2 in the morning....

In recent years, I’ve turned to a different form to convey my favorite holiday flavor: soft, buttery caramels. They’re really just a mix of cooked sugar, cream, and butter. And while their sweet flavor is lovely on its own, caramels also convey other flavors really well. All you need is a small spoonful of extract. In fact, the buttery sweetness of the caramels actually enhances the bright flavor of the mint....

And if that wasn’t enough, we bathe it with homemade caramel sauce and whipped cream. The Best Pumpkin Cheesecake Yes, it is good. Better than good. Downright fabulous. I first made this pumpkin cheesecake for my mother years ago. She’s a “cake girl” in family of people who prefer pies, and cheesecake is her favorite cake. A pastry chef reader sent me his recipe (thank you, Glen!), which I adapted to this one....

As with many other Latin American dishes, the base of the dish is corn. Pupusas are similar to Colombian and Venezuelan arepas as well as Mexican gorditas while being entirely their own thing. A good pupusa should be smooth, not crackly, and should hold the filling neatly. However, if a little bit of the cheese leaks out and touches the griddle, then count yourself lucky. That’s the best bite of them all....

My hubby was crestfallen after asking the waiter at his favorite Mexican restaurant to slip him their “famous” queso recipe and the guy simply answered, “What recipe? Just go pick up a can at the store." I laughed, while at the same time, realizing this meant that I was going to have to create a Mexican queso that was better than the canned stuff he’d grown to love. It wasn’t hard to do....

When it comes to cooking quinoa, and all of the delicious ways it can be used, we have a lot of catching up to do! Quinoa is high in protein and completely gluten-free. You can make a pilaf with it, or use it for stuffing, or just eat it plain. I stumbled upon a recipe for “Quinoa con Queso”, or quinoa with fresh farmers cheese, in Culinaria: The United States: A Culinary Discovery, and have since found many other variations online....

A not-so-subtle voice in my head screamed, “Stop what you are doing right now and go directly into the kitchen.” Get the book! Cake, I Love You: Decadent, Delectable, and Do-Able Recipes by Jill O’Connor As it happened, I needed something to take to a friend’s house for supper that night, so out came the mixer and the cake pan. Salt and caramel and pecans! I was all over that, and so was my host that night....

My friend Hank came to my rescue the other day with several bunches of Swiss chard that he had just picked from his garden. Normally I do just a simple sauté with Swiss chard. This time I decided to punch it up a bit with some shiitake mushrooms and Parmesan cheese. So good! Shiitakes are like intense mushroom flavor bombs. They cost a little more, but they are so worth it....

Despite being a trained chef, packing a not-sad lunch for my family is a drag. This is the recipe I turn to again and again. From starting to zipping up the lunch bags and pushing the kids out the door for school, it takes 15 minutes. If I’m in the headspace to plan, I make it the night before and keep it in the fridge. 3 Reasons Soba Noodles are a Lunchbox Magic Bullet What Are Soba Noodles?...

Pretty much anything can go into fried rice—usually a combination of veggies, beaten egg, and a protein such as the shrimp we are using in this recipe, or chicken, fish, or tofu. This recipe for Shrimp Fried Rice comes from my dear friend Jaden of SteamyKitchen.com. She learned how to make the best fried rice from her mother (after a rather funny failed attempt when she was a teen). It’s super easy, and comes together in less than half an hour....

Shrimp Scampi: Easy and Quick I’ll put some frozen shrimp in a bowl of ice water. If I’m serving them with pasta, by the time the pasta water has come to a boil, the shrimp are defrosted enough to cook. Shrimp scampi has to be one of the easiest ways to quickly prepare shrimp! How to Make Shrimp Scampi We simply sauté the shrimp with garlic in butter and olive oil, splash it with some white wine, let the wine reduce while the shrimp cooks, and then toss it with fresh parsley, lemon juice and black pepper....

Now having tried my hand at gardening a few times, I realize how many hours of planning and tending it required to grow such a bounty. I have dreams of one day growing more than the basil plant currently on my deck. Until then, I’ll lean into the farmers market and fresh produce aisle for my summer meals. In honor of all the amazing gardeners, this week’s recipes treat the garden harvest with the same love and care that you have....

Our family likes to commemorate the new school year by having a favorite dinner on the first day. Each of these meals makes an excellent choice. They make the most of the late summer bounty as well as help us transition to a busier schedule. The shrimp quesadillas are a great way to dress up the standard cheese version. The curried chicken salad with mango is a beautiful golden hue and perfect for a simple late summer meal, preferably eaten outside....