"Lazy" Everyday Salsa

Make this fresh everyday salsa and never buy it from the store again

Whenever I get free chips and salsa from a good Mexican restaurant, I always end up devouring the whole bowl and getting full before the rest of my food comes out. But when it comes to snacking at home, chips and salsa never have the same appeal. Store-bought salsa just doesn't have the same freshness and flavor that homemade salsa does. This everyday salsa recipe comes from Rick Bayless and is so easy to put together. First, a mixture of tomatoes, onions, chiles, and garlic get grilled over a hot flame and then pureed in a food processor until smooth. The heat of the grill creates a nice charred flavor and helps to bring out a bit of sweetness in the tomatoes and chiles but it still tastes really fresh. This recipe will make a big batch of salsa which will keep for several days and is perfect for snacking or spooning over tacos or enchiladas.

Pro Tip: Place store-bought chips in a 350F oven for 5 minutes to warm them up and give them a homemade feel.


Related Recipes:
- Charred Tomatillo Salsa
- Mango Guacamole
- Queso Fundido Dip


"Lazy" Everyday Salsa:
Ingredients
- 4 medium-small tomatoes (roughly 1 1/2 lbs.)
- 1 white onion, halved
- 2-3 serrano chiles*
- 3 garlic cloves (unpeeled)
- kosher salt

Recipe

• Heat a grill to high.
• Using a grill basket if needed, grill the tomatoes, onion, chiles, and garlic.
• Cook the garlic and chiles for 10 minutes and the tomatoes and onion for 20 minutes.
• Let the vegetables cool slightly, then peel the garlic, stem the chiles, remove the core from the tomatoes, and dice the onion.
• In a food processor, puree the garlic and chiles, then add in the tomatoes and any accumulated juices and puree until smooth.
• Stir in the diced onion and season with 1/2 - 1 tsp. salt. Add in a splash of water if needed to thin the consistency.
• Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for a few days.

Serves six-eight
*Or more or less, depending on how spicy you like your salsa and how spicy your peppers are. I used 2 serranos and the salsa was medium-hot.

Grilled Lamb Loin Chops with Mint Sauce

Savory grilled lamb with a bright and herbaceous sauce

We invited our friends over for an Easter lunch yesterday and it was a beautiful spring day for grilling in our backyard. To me, you must serve lamb on Easter, and these grilled chops were a nice update from the traditional roasted lamb with mint jelly. I used lamb loin chops instead of the lollipop-style rib chops because I think they have more meat and flavor. The grilled lamb gets a nice char from the hot grill and bone-in cut helps it stay juicy. The mint and parsley sauce is bright from the lemon and fresh herbs and helps to cut through all the richness of the meat. It's the perfect dish for entertaining this spring and pairs well with fresh vegetable sides.


More Lamb Recipes:
- Crispy Lentils & Lamb
- Spiced Herbed Lamb Chops
- Lamb Bolognese


Grilled Lamb Loin Chops with Mint-Parsley Sauce:
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 to 3 lbs. bone-in lamb loin chops
- 1 lemon, zested and 2 tbsp. juice reserved
- 3/4 c. tightly-packed mint leaves
- 1/2 c. tightly-packed parsley leaves
- 1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1 garlic clove
- kosher salt
- black pepper
- aluminum foil

Recipe

• An hour before cooking, remove the lamb chops from the fridge and allow to sit at room temperature. Brush both sides of the lamb with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• In a food processor, combine the mint, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, and garlic and blend until a paste forms.
• Add in the olive oil and blend until smooth. Set aside.*
• Preheat your grill to high.
• Cook the lamb for 8-10 minutes, turning every 2 minutes, for medium doneness.
• Let the lamb rest, loosely tented with foil, for 10 minutes. Drizzle with the mint sauce and serve the rest on the side.

Serves four-five

*Can be made a day ahead and stored, covered, in a cool, dry place.

Spice-Rubbed Rib Eye with Homemade Steak Sauce

A steakhouse-worthy rib eye with tangy homemade steak sauce

I came home from a bridal shower on Saturday and found my husband in extreme spring cleaning mode. Our backyard was swept up, the plants were watered, and the grill was pristine. As a reward, we enjoyed a steakhouse-style dinner out back, complete with a spice-rubbed grilled rib eye, homemade steak sauce, loaded baked potatoes, and roasted asparagus. The steak recipe comes from Bobby Flay's Grill It and calls for rubbing the rib eye in a savory spice blend, grilling it over a high flame, and then serving it alongside a tangy homemade steak sauce. The spice rub forms a crust on the steak and gives it a nice char while the inside stays a perfect medium rare, but the sauce is the real hero. It's tangy, with a familiar spice from the horseradish and a complex sweetness from the molasses and honey. We were drizzling it over every bite of our meat and even on our baked potatoes at the end. It's going to be our go-to recipe for grilled steak all summer long.


More Grilled Steak Recipes:
- Grilled Coffee-Rubbed Strip Steak
- Grilled Steak Salad with Mixed Greens, Tomatoes, & Goat Cheese
- Grilled Skirt Steak with Salsa Verde


Spice-Rubbed Grilled Rib Eye with Homemade Steak Sauce:
Ingredients
For Sauce
- 2 tbsp. dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp. whole grain mustard
- 2 tbsp. molasses
- 1 tbsp. ketchup
- 1 tbsp. honey
- 1/2 tbsp. prepared horseradish
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

For Steak
- 12-14 oz. dry aged ribeye steak
- 1 tbsp. canola oil
- 2 tbsp. ancho chile powder
- 3/4 tbsp. paprika
- 2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. ground coriander
- 1 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1 tsp. dry mustard
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

Recipe

• Whisk all the ingredients for the sauce together and set aside for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to meld.
• Preheat the grill to high and take the steak out of the fridge to let it come to room temperature.
• Brush the steak with canola oil and season with 1 tsp. salt.
• Stir together the chile powder, paprika, oregano, coriander, pepper, mustard, cumin, and remaining 1 tsp. salt and rub the mixture on both sides of the steak.
• Grill the steak for 4 minutes, then flip and cook for another 5-6 minutes.
• Transfer to a plate and let rest, uncovered, for 5-10 minutes.
• Slice and serve with steak sauce.

Serves two with extra steak sauce

Roasted Shrimp Cocktail

Roasting the shrimp in the oven puts a little twist on the classic shrimp cocktail

Shrimp cocktail has been a popular appetizer for decades and is guaranteed to get eaten at just about any party. Typically, shrimp cocktail consists of poached shrimp that has been chilled and is served alongside a red ketchup-based cocktail sauce. This recipe is an updated version based on one from the Barefoot Contessa and calls for roasting the shrimp in the oven and serving it warm or room temperature. The roasted shrimp are not only more delicious than the cold poached shrimp, but they're even easier to prepare: just toss the shrimp with a little oil, salt, and pepper, spread onto a sheet pan, and cook in the oven for about eight minutes. The high heat helps to bring out the shrimp's sweetness for juicy shrimp that have much more flavorful than the cold, dry shrimp you find on some seafood platters. The cocktail sauce can be prepared up to a day in advance and kept in the fridge until ready to serve. Arrange everything on a platter and serve with a couple lemon wedges for an inviting appetizer that's perfect for your next party.


More Shrimp Recipes:
- Shrimp with Three-Herb Chimichurri
- Green Gazpacho with Chile-Rubbed Shrimp
- Bay Shrimp Gratin


Roasted Shrimp Cocktail:
For Cocktail Sauce

• Combine 1 c. ketchup, 2 tbsp. prepared horseradish, 1 tsp. worcestershire sauce, and several dashes of hot sauce in a bowl.*

For Shrimp

• Preheat the oven to 400F.
• On a large rimmed baking sheet, combine 2 lb. peeled and de-veined shrimp,** 2 tbsp. olive oil, and a large pinch of salt and pepper.
• Roast the shrimp for 8-9 minutes, or until pink and opaque.
• Let shrimp cool slightly, then arrange on a platter and serve with cocktail sauce and slices of lemon.

Serves eight-twelve (appetizer)

*I used Texas Pete.

**I used medium-sized shrimp, about 15-18 per lb.

Shrimp with Three-Herb Chimichurri Sauce

Shrimp with bright and flavorful three-herb chimichurri sauce

Chimichurri is an Argentinian herb sauce that adds a ton of bright, fresh flavor to anything you put it on. It's traditionally paired with steak, but it goes great with the simply sautéed shrimp in this recipe. The whole meal takes just a few minutes to make, and you'll have plenty of leftover sauce to dress up grilled bread, rotisserie chicken, and more later in the week. I like to serve the shrimp over a bed of polenta to round out the meal.


Related Recipes:
- Roast Chicken with Cilantro Chimichurri
- Grilled Pesto Shrimp Pizza
- Pesto-Dijon Salmon


Sautéed Shrimp with Three-Herb Chimichurri Sauce:
For Chimichurri

• In a blender or food processor, combine 1 handful fresh parsley, 1 handful fresh oregano leaves, 1 handful fresh cilantro, 3 peeled garlic cloves, 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar, 1 large pinch of red chile flakes, and a big pinch of salt and pepper.
• Blend until finely chopped, then stream in 1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil until smooth. Check for seasoning and adjust if necessary.

For Shrimp

• Peel and devein 12 large shrimp and toss with 1 tbsp. olive oil, 1 tbsp. melted butter, and a large pinch of salt and pepper.
• Heat a skillet over high heat and add the shrimp.
• Cook for 4-5 minutes, flipping once, or until the shrimp are opaque.
• Drizzle the chimichurri over the shrimp and serve.

Serves two with sauce left over

BBQ Tri Tip Sandwiches

Thinly sliced BBQ beef, caramelized onions, and cheese, piled high on a soft roll

We had a barbecue at our house over Labor Day weekend and we grilled a few huge pieces of tri tip to serve with homemade BBQ sauce. We lucked out and had some leftovers (which is rare since we all have big appetites), which is how these sandwiches came about. In the recipe, I provide instructions for how to grill the tri tip, but you can make the sandwiches with any leftover cut of beef or even buy store-made roast beef for this dish. Using rare leftover beef is best because it won't dry out when you reheat it. The beef reheats with lots of BBQ sauce, caramelized onions, and provolone cheese for a messy, drippy, hearty sandwich that's filling enough for dinner. Serve it high on a soft roll and dig in - just make sure you have plenty of napkins around.


Related Recipes:
- BBQ Ribs & Homemade BBQ Sauce
- BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders
- Steak & Creamy Horseradish Sandwich


BBQ Beef Tri Tip Sandwiches:
For Tri Tip

• Heat a grill to high.
• Combine 1 tbsp. garlic salt, 1 tsp. kosher salt, and 1/2 tsp. ground pepper in a small bowl.
• Rub the seasoning onto 1-1 1/4 lb. beef tri tip.
• Grill the beef for 15 minutes, turning to hit all four sides, for medium rare.
• Let the meat rest for 5 minutes, then thinly slice.

For Sandwiches

• Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a large skillet and add in 1 thinly sliced onion.
• Cook the onion over medium low heat for 15 minutes, or until caramelized.
• Add in the thinly sliced beef and 1/2 c. BBQ sauce and stir to combine.
• Cook for a few minutes, or until warm, then arrange 4 slices of provolone cheese over the meat.
• Place a lid on the pan and cook for another minute, or until cheese melts.
• Halve and toast 4 sandwich rolls, then divide the meat and cheese onto the sandwiches.

Serves four

Romesco Sauce

A simple Spanish sauce made from peppers, almonds, bread, vinegar, and oil

Romesco is like Spain's version of pesto. Instead of Italian pesto made with basil and pine nuts, romesco is a red sauce made from peppers, almonds, and stale bread. Like pesto, it tastes good on just about everything. The sauce is thick and slightly sweet with a little finish of heat from the chile at the end. It will brighten up everything from grilled chicken, to roasted vegetables, to a simple sandwich. I like to make a big batch of it over the weekend and keep it in my fridge to use all week. It's great to have on hand during weeknights to dress up leftover rotisserie chicken or a roasted piece of fish. Or just spread some on a piece of crusty bread for a snack. No matter what you do with it, romesco will become on of your new favorite things to eat and cook with.


Related Recipes:
- Homemade Basil Pesto
- Charred Tomatillo Salsa
- Red Harissa Sauce


Romesco Sauce:

• Soak 1 dried guajillo chile in hot water for 30 minutes, then remove the stem and seeds and roughly chop.
• Meanwhile, heat a dry skillet over medium heat and lightly toast 3 oz. blanched or marcona almonds.
• Add the pepper, almonds, 4 roasted piquillo peppers,* 1 piece of stale crusty bread that's been ripped into pieces, and a pinch of salt to a food processor.
• Blend until smooth, then add in 1 1/2 tbsp. red wine vinegar and 1 c. extra virgin olive oil.
• Check for consistency. The sauce should be thick but still spreadable. Add a little water if needed to loosen it up.
• Check for seasoning and add more salt if needed.

Makes 1 1/2 - 2 cups

*From a jar.

Grilled Chicken Wings with Jalapeno Yogurt Dip

For a lighter take on buffalo wings, try these grilled salt-and-pepper wings with spicy yogurt dip

I've been making an active effort to try and vary the cuts of meat that I buy and incorporate less expensive and less popular cuts into my cooking. Because only certain cuts of meat are really popular (with chicken, breasts are by far the most common), there's a lot of value in cooking with other parts of the animal. Not only are you getting a great deal, but you'll also be cutting down on waste and helping out your local butcher (try to buy local and humanely raised meat whenever possible). And then there's the fact that less popular cuts of meat can be truly delicious, sometimes even tastier than the more popular cuts. Case in point: chicken wings. They're not just for tailgating and I'd argue that they taste a whole lot better than boneless skinless chicken breasts.

This recipe calls for simply grilled wings that are only seasoned with a little canola oil and salt and pepper. The wings cook on medium-medium high heat so that the skin can render and crisp up without causing too many flare ups that can burn the chicken. I serve the chicken wings with a spicy yogurt sauce (inspired by this Bobby Flay recipe) made from charred jalapenos (which I cook on the grill alongside the wings) and fresh herbs. The heat from the chiles and the creaminess of the yogurt mimics the flavors of traditional buffalo hot wings and blue cheese dip, but with a lot fewer calories. It's a quick and easy meal and makes a fun dinner on weeknights.


More Chicken Wing Recipes:
- Grilled Honey-Lime Sriracha Wings
- Buffalo Wings with Blue Cheese Sauce
- Sweet & Spicy Asian Wings


Grilled Chicken Wings with Jalapeno Yogurt Dip:
For Jalapeno Yogurt Dip

• Heat a grill to high.
• Lightly coat 5 jalapeno peppers and 3 scallions with canola oil.
• Grill the peppers for 8 minutes, turning occasionally, until charred. During the last 3-4 minutes, add the scallions to the grill.
• Transfer the peppers to a plastic bag and let steam for a few minutes. Rub off the charred skins and remove the seeds and stems.
• Place the peppers, scallions, 1 bunch of parsley leaves, 1 bunch of basil leaves, 1/4 c. olive oil, and a large pinch of salt in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.
• Stir in 1/2 c. Greek yogurt and taste for seasoning.*

For Grilled Wings

• Heat a grill to medium high.
• Toss 2 lb. chicken wings with 2 tbsp. canola oil and salt and pepper.
• Grill the wings for 15-20 minutes, flipping once or twice, until crispy and cooked through.
• Serve the wings with jalapeno yogurt dip.

Serves four

*Dip can be made two days ahead and kept in the fridge.

Homemade Magic Shell Chocolate Syrup

It only takes two ingredients and a microwave to make homemade magic shell for your next ice cream sundae

There's nothing quite like a scoop of ice cream topped with instantly-hardening magic shell chocolate sauce to bring back memories of childhood. As a kid, we would get the occasional dipped soft serve cone from Dairy Queen or a store-bought bottle of Magic Shell to add to our homemade sundaes and it was so fun to watch the sauce turn into a hard chocolate shell on top of the ice cream. This article from Food52 shows how to make the magic shell at home, although I tweaked with the proportions a little bit to make a thicker, more chocolatey sauce. All you need is some good quality chocolate, coconut oil, and a microwave (I almost always have both ingredients in my pantry). It's obviously the perfect pairing to a scoop of ice cream, but you could also try dipping frozen bananas, strawberries, cheesecake bites, etc. like a reverse chocolate fondue. It's a fun thing to make for kids, but trust me that friends and family of all ages will be delighted to make their own magic shell sundaes at home.


Related Recipes:
- Blackberry Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream
- Salted Caramel Banana Royale
- Pecan-Oatmeal-Chocolate Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches


Homemade Magic Shell Chocolate Syrup:

• Place 4 oz. semisweet chocolate and 1/4 c. coconut oil in a microwavable container.
• Microwave for about 1 minute, stopping and stirring every 30 seconds, until the chocolate is fully melted.
• Let the sauce cool a bit if needed, then spoon over ice cream.

Makes about eight sundaes

Whole Grilled Snapper with Lemon-Garlic Sauce

Grilling a whole fish is such an easy, elegant, and inexpensive way to entertain

If you like fish, then I'm here to convince you that grilling it whole is the absolute easiest and most delicious way to make it at home. It can seem intimidating (and kind of disgusting) to clean a whole fish, but any good fishmonger will be able to scale and gut it for you, so all you have to do is season with salt and pepper, stuff with a few slices of lemon and herbs, and throw it on the grill. I used some beautiful whole snapper for this recipe, but use whatever is freshest at your local store. Once your fish is cooked (it takes less than 10 minutes total), just serve it on a platter and pass it around the table so everyone can spoon a few meaty pieces on their plate. But aren't there a lot of bones? Well, yeah. But they're pretty easy to avoid after the fish is cooked, and it's really not a big deal if you accidently get a small bone and have to spit it out. I served the fish with a super garlicky lemon sauce and some grilled baguette, but you could also try it with salsa and tortillas for a Mexican spin.


Other Grilled Fish Recipes:
- Salmon Burgers with Avocado Aioli
- Grilled Swordfish with Eggplant-Pepper Relish
- Mahi Mahi with Grapefruit-Avocado Salsa


Grilled Whole Pink Snapper with Preserved Lemon & Garlic Sauce:
For Sauce

• Mince 3 cloves of garlic and add to a small pot with 1/4 c. olive oil and 1 crumbled chile de arbol.
• Turn the heat to medium-low and cook for 2 minutes, or until garlic is fragrant.
• Stir in the pulp and rind from 1/2 preserved lemon* and 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves.
• Cook for another few minutes, making sure the garlic doesn't burn.
• Transfer to a serving dish and let cool.

For Fish

• Heat a grill to high.
• Scale, gut, rinse, and pat dry two 1 1/2 lb. whole pink snappers** and cut off any small side fins.
• Score the fish with one long lengthwise center cut and a couple vertical cuts on both sides of each fish.
• Rub the outside of the fish with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, making sure to rub some seasoning into the cuts of the fish.
• Season the cavities of the fish with salt and pepper and stuff the inside with a few thin slices of lemon and a handful of fresh thyme.
• Add the fish to the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes, then carefully flip and cook another 3-4 minutes on the other side.***
• Transfer the fish to a platter and serve with the lemon and garlic sauce.

Serves four-six

*If you can't find or make preserved lemons, you can substitute for the juice of 1/2 lemon, the zest of a lemon, and a large pinch of salt.

**Most fishmongers will do this for you.

***Check to make sure the fish is done by peeking into the center of fish and making sure it is opaque.

Lamb Beef Kofta with Yogurt Sauce

Grilled kabobs made with spiced lamb and beef and served with a cool yogurt sauce

I've been seeing kofta, spiced kabobs of ground meat popular in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking, popping up all over the place lately. This is my version that combines lamb and beef with minced onion, fresh herbs, and dried spices. The meat gets shaped into long cylinders, skewered, grilled, and served with a cool yogurt sauce. The flavor is similar to that of a lamb gyro and is great tucked into pita bread or served with couscous or tabbouleh. The meat mixture can even be prepared in advance and kept in the fridge until the grill is ready, making this a great do-ahead dinner for entertaining or busy weeknights. And if you have a well-stocked spice cabinet, the cost of these skewers is super cheap. You'll be grilling these kofta all summer long.


Related Recipes:
- Grilled Lamb Skewers with Feta
- Bahamian Jerk Chicken Skewers with Mango-Avocado Salsa
- Grilled Lamb Sausage with Mixed Green Salad


Lamb Beef Kofta with Dill Yogurt Sauce:
For Sauce

• Combine 1 c. Greek yogurt, 1/4 c. chopped dill, 1 tbsp. minced preserved lemon,* and a pinch of pepper in a bowl.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve.**

For Kofta

• In a mixing bowl, combine 1 lb. ground lamb, 1 lb. ground beef, 1 minced small onion, 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1/2 c. chopped parsley, 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, 1 1/2 tsp. pepper, 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1 tsp. ground coriander, 1 tsp. ground cumin, and 1/2 tsp. red chile flakes.
• Mix the meat until well combined, then divide into six even portions.
• Mold each portion of meat into a long cylinder around a metal or wooden skewer.
• Refrigerate the meat for at least thirty minutes.
• Preheat grill to high.
• Before grilling, brush each kofta with a little bit of olive oil.
• Grill over high heat for 10-12 minutes, turning every few minutes to hit all four sides.
• Let cool slightly, then divide onto plates and serve with yogurt sauce.

Serves six

*Can substitute with 2 tbsp. lemon juice and a pinch of salt.

**Sauce can be prepared a day in advance.

Tomato Sauce with Butter & Onion

You won't believe how good this three-ingredient tomato sauce tastes

There's nothing like a fresh tomato in the peak of summer, but most of the time I actually prefer using good quality canned tomatoes for a lot of my recipes.This easy tomato sauce with butter and onion (slightly adapted from this Smitten Kitchen version) only takes three ingredients and barely any work, but the results are magical. It's literally mind-blowing how such a simple recipe can taste better than any fancy jarred sauce or slow-cooked ten-ingredient tomato sauce you might have made before. A can of tomatoes simmers with melted butter and a halved onion for close to an hour and that's it: perfect tomato sauce. The butter adds richness and the onion imparts flavor that really jazzes up the canned tomatoes. It's great with meatballs, over pasta, or baked into chicken parmesan.... or just eaten with a spoon.


More Pasta Sauce Recipes:
- Fresh Tomato Sauce
- Perfect Bolognese Sauce
- Homemade Pesto


Tomato Sauce with Butter & Onion:

• Melt 4 tbsp. of butter in a large pot.
• Add in a 26 oz. can of whole peeled tomatoes* and 1 halved and peeled white onion.
• Use a wooden spoon to break up the tomatoes a little bit.
• Bring the sauce to a boil, then lower to a simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Check for seasoning and add salt and needed.

Serves four

*Using high quality canned tomatoes makes a big difference. I recommend San Marzano.

Three Easy Chicken Recipes

Quick and healthy chicken recipes are the perfect dinner solution for busy weeknights

Chicken breasts and thighs are ideal for weeknight meals because they are inexpensive, readily available, and cook quickly. We usually make chicken for dinner at our house at least once a week, so it's easy to get in a rut with the eating the same dish time after time. One way I switch things up is by using different cuts of chicken - sometimes we have boneless skinless breasts, sometimes we use chicken thighs, and sometimes we keep the bone in. It's an easy way to add variety to your meals and also helps to take advantage of whatever sales your butcher has on chicken at that time. And since chicken isn't the most flavorful meat on its own, I usually try to pair it with a quick sauce or topping to add more flavor. These chicken recipes are some of my favorite weeknight meals from my recipe archive and require no planning ahead. Just pick up the ingredients on your way home from work and you can have a healthy, delicious dinner on the table in well under an hour. Winner winner, chicken dinner.


Tip: Cook double the amount of chicken and repurpose the leftovers into enchiladas or fried rice the next night.


Favorite Quick & Easy Chicken Recipes:

• Oven-Roasted Chicken Breasts with Cilantro Chimichurri - Simple roasted chicken is paired with a fresh and flavorful herb sauce
• Mustard Milanese Chicken - Boneless skinless chicken breasts are coated in tangy mustard breadcrumbs and sauteed until golden and crispy
• Roasted Chicken & Grapes - Toss chicken thighs and red grapes in a pan, place it in the oven, wait 30 minutes, and dinner is ready.

*See the full list of Kitchen Sink Diaries chicken recipes here.

Lentil "Meatballs" with Basil-Almond-Lemon Pesto

You won't miss the meat with these protein-packed lentil balls and tangy pesto

We decided to go easy on the cleanse-worthy eating over the weekend so that I could make these lentil "meatballs" from Sprouted Kitchen. While undoubtedly still a healthy, protein-packed meal, these do contain a little bit of cheese and breadcrumbs (as every good meatball recipe should). Unsurprisingly, this meal was my favorite thing that I've eaten lately. The pureed lentils really do have a meaty texture but manage to stay tender and moist while baked. I like to serve them more like quinoa cakes: with an herby sauce and lots of baby greens on top. You could easily treat them just like meatballs, though, and toss with tomato sauce and pasta. Leftovers lose a little bit of their crunchy crust but make a delicious and portable snacks or lunch.


Related Recipes:
- Chicken & Prosciutto Meatballs
- Parmesan & Herb Quinoa Cakes
- Lamb Meatballs with Yogurt Sauce


Lentil "Meatballs" with Basil-Almond-Lemon Pesto:
For Pesto

• Combine 6 oz. fresh basil leaves, heaping 1/4 c. toasted almonds,* the zest and juice of 1/2 lemon, and 2 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese in a food processor. Add in a pinch of salt, pepper, and red chili flakes.
• Stream in 1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil until a sauce forms. Check for seasoning and adjust if necessary. If you want the sauce thinner, add in a little water.

For "Meatballs"

• Preheat the oven to 400F.
• Pulse 3 c. of cooked black lentils** in a food processor until a kind of chunky paste forms (most of the lentils should be completely pureed but some should be mostly intact).
• Scrape the lentils into a large mixing bowl and add in 3 beaten eggs, scant 1 c. panko breadcrumbs, 1 1/4 c. ricotta cheese, 1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese, 3 tbsp. minced parsley, 2 minced garlic cloves, and 2 tsp. dried Italian herbs and stir to combine.
• Roll the lentil mixture into 1" balls and place on a parchment or silpat-lined baking sheet - you should get about 2 dozen meatballs.
• Lightly brush each ball with olive oil and transfer to the oven.
• Cook for 10 minutes, then gently flip each ball over and bake for another 10 minutes.
• To serve, put a few spoonfuls of pesto on the bottom of a plate, top with meatballs, dollop each ball with more pesto, and sprinkle with a handful of baby arugula.

Serves six

*Add raw almonds to a dry pan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for 3-5 minutes, or until nuts smell toasty.
**I used 1 c. of dried lentils that I covered in water and cooked for 20 minutes, or until tender. Can substitute with other firm whole lentils, such as green or du Puy.

Homemade Christmas Gift Ideas

Because I work in online retail, I get better every year at planning out my holiday gift giving early in the season and securing big gifts during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday deal craze. But no matter how thoroughly I plan, there is always a group of people who I still need to give a small gift to. Homemade treats are a great last minute way to let your friends and co-workers know that you're thinking of them this Christmas. These sweet and savory items are easy and affordable gifts that can be given on their own or as an addition to a holiday gift basket. Cute packaging goes a long way when sharing these gifts: spoon sauces and spreads into reusable glass containers, place cookies and chocolates into festive cellophane bags, and print the recipes out on nice stationery so that your friends can remake these treats after the new year.

Edible Homemade Christmas Gifts:

Sweets

• Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark - A holiday classic
• Peanut Butter Cookies - The perfect mix of sweet and salty
• Orange Chocolate Macaroons - Elegant confections that look as good as they taste

Spreads & Sauces

• Homemade Pesto Sauce - Keeps for months in the freezer
• Chocolate Hazelnut Spread - Homemade nutella is even better than store-bought
• Charred Tomatillo Salsa - For friends who love spice

Homemade gifts not your thing? Hostesses, home cooks, and foodies will love receiving unique, artisinal goods from Food52 Provisions. Sur La Table  has tons of name brand cookware for under $100. And the gift giving possibilities are endless at Amazon. Today is the last day to get ground shipping in time for Christmas.

Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Broccoli Cream Pesto

Turn cooked broccoli into a flavorful pesto sauce in this Smitten Kitchen recipe

Broccoli has always been one of my favorite vegetables and I honestly can't understand the bad rap that it gets among some groups of people. It's pretty much available at every grocery store year round and can be used in a variety of preparations. If you're like me, you might get in a rut of just roasting, steaming, or sauteing the florets, but this broccoli "pesto" pasta will remind you of its versatility and provides the perfect solution for using the thick broccoli stalks that often get tossed out. The recipe is adapted from Deb Perelman's and calls for cooking the broccoli and then pureeing it with a little cream and seasonings to form a thick, sturdy sauce. I like to serve it over whole wheat spaghetti and liberally top with red chili flakes and grated parm. It's the perfect weeknight supper and an even quicker meal if you're able to use up leftover steamed broccoli from the night before.


More Broccoli Recipes:
- Broccoli Fried Brown Rice
- Caramelized Broccoli
- Penne with Broccolini and Sausage


Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Broccoli Cream Pesto:

• Slice the florets off of 1 lb. of broccoli, then peel the thick outer skin from the stem and slice into 1" pieces.
• Cook broccoli in boiling water for 4-5 minutes, or until tender, then drain and set aside.*
• In a skillet, add in 1 tbsp. olive oil and cook 1 diced onion over medium heat for 7 minutes, or until soft. Add in 3 minced cloves of garlic and cook for another minute.
• Add in the broccoli, 1/2 c. heavy cream, a large pinch of red chili flakes, the zest of one lemon, and season generously with salt and pepper.
• Simmer for a minute, then transfer to a blender or food processor and pulse until a chunky sauce forms.**
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, season with salt, and cook 1 lb. of whole wheat spaghetti until al dente.
• Drain, reserving 1 c. pasta water, and return to the pot you boiled the pasta in.
• Toss in the broccoli sauce, moistening with 1/2 c. pasta water or more if necessary, until sauce coats pasta.
• Divide onto plates and top with grated Parmesan cheese and crushed red chili flakes.

Serves four-six

*Or steam until tender and set aside.
**If mixture is too thick, add a little bit of water until it forms more of a sauce-like consistency. You'll be mixing it with pasta cooking water later, though, so don't dilute it too much to begin with.

Traditional Bolognese Sauce

I’m always trying to come up with easy and casual dinners to serve to our friends. It’s fun to make something fancy for a big weekend dinner party, but most of time we get together on weeknights after work and want to dig into something universally appealing and comforting. I served this bolognese sauce for our friends last night and it was the perfect thing to dig into alongside a salad, garlic bread, and plenty of red wine. Everyone went home happy and full and we were left with very little to clean up. It just proves that entertaining doesn’t have to be stressful or formal to be a success.

Note: This is the third Bolognese recipe that I’ve posted. It’s not as easy as the quick weeknight version or as decadent as the “ultimate”, but it comes together quickly, reheats well, and has a traditional flavor that will mimic your favorite Italian restaurant.

Related Recipes:
- Weeknight Bolognese
- Slow-Cooked Ultimate Bolognese Sauce
- Penne with Turkey Sausage & Roasted Vegetable Sauce

Traditional Bolognese Sauce:

• Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a heavy pot or small dutch oven.
• Add in 1 lb. ground beef and cook, breaking up with a spoon, for 3-5 minutes, or until brown.
• Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Meanwhile, add 2-3 diced, peeled carrots,* 1 diced stalk of celery, and  diced onion to a food processor and pulse until finely minced.
• Add the vegetables to the skillet and season with salt and pepper.
• Cook for 5 minutes, or until soft, then add in 3 cloves of minced garlic and cook for another minute.
• Add in 1 c. of red wine and reduce by half, then add in 24 oz. of canned crushed tomatoes, the ground beef, another heavy pinch of salt, and a pinch of red chili flakes.
• Add in a few sprigs of fresh oregano, bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.
• Serve with pasta, polenta, etc. and enjoy.

Serves six-eight

*I used small carrots, but only use 2 if yours are large.

Tagliatelle with Duck Ragu

One of my favorite things to do with leftover roasts and braises is to turn the meat into a ragu. In fact, I often make a big roast just so that I can rework the leftovers in a luscious, meaty sauce. This version starts as basic tomato sauce before folding in a generous amount of roasted duck. I like using a wide noodle like tagliatelle, which sucks up a lot of the liquid in the sauce and stands up to rich duck. It’s a comforting, rib-sticking meal that is perfect for the holidays. Leftovers are even more flavorful the next day, but I’d suggest moistening the pasta with a few tablespoons of water before reheating.

Related Recipes:
- Penne with Pork Ragu
- Slow-Roasted Whole Duck
- Spaghetti with Lamb Ragu


Tagliatelle with Duck Ragu:

• Heat 1 tbsp. duck fat in a heavy pot or small dutch oven.
• Add in 1 diced onion, 1 diced stalk of celery, and 2 small diced carrots and cook for 7-10 minutes, or until softened and starting to brown. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add in 1 tbsp. tomato paste and cook for another minute, then add in 1/2 c. red wine and scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
• Let the wine reduce by half, then add in a 26 oz. can of crushed tomatoes and 1 1/2 c. of cooked, shredded duck.*
• Let the sauce come to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Check for seasoning.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, season generously with salt, and cook 1 lb. of tagliatelle pasta until al dente.
• Drain the pasta, reserving 1 c. of pasta cooking liquid.
• Add the pasta to the sauce, along with half of the cooking water.
• Toss to combine, adding more water if necessary to moisten.
• Toss in 1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese, then divide onto plates.
• Serve with extra grated Parmesan on top.

Serves four - five

*I used half a duck's worth of meat and leftovers from this roasted duck.

Grilled Skirt Steak with Salsa Verde

My husband and I went on a double date with our friends to Gjelina over the weekend. We'd been looking forward to it for weeks (planning ahead was necessary since the wait for an ideal reservation can be close to a month) and it didn't disappoint. Everything we ordered (ten dishes overall) was shared family style which allowed us to taste a bit of everything and bargain over second bites of our favorites. Later that weekend, I saw a feature on Travis Lett, Gjelina's chef, in Bon Appetit, which was all the impetus I needed to create my version of his food at home. This steak with salsa verde was one of the small plates I created and packs a ton of flavor into each bite. The salsa verde, which is full of bright, briny freshness adds a lightness to the beef but will work well on everything you could ever drizzle it on (vegetables, fish, chicken, bread) or snuck by the spoonful.


Related Recipes:
- Skirt Steak Tacos
- Grilled Chicken with Salsa Verde
- Grilled Flank Steak with Tomato Relish


Grilled Flank Steak with Salsa Verde:
For Salsa Verde

• Finely mince 2 anchovy fillets,* 1 tbsp. capers, 2 cloves of garlic, and 1/2 c. fresh parsley leaves.
• Add mixture to a bowl, and stir in 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar and 1 pinch of red chili flakes.
• Slowly whisk in 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil and check for seasoning.

For Steak

• Lightly brush a 3/4 lb. skirt steak with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Cook on a hot grill for 2-3 minutes per side.
• Remove and let rest for 5-10 minutes, then slice against the grain and spoon salsa verde on top.

Serves two (more if serving many side dishes)

*I get fillets that are salted and stored in olive oil.

Pot Roast

Part of my love of cooking comes from discovering new things, which is pretty obvious given the 600 recipes I've catalogued on this site. New can mean trying some exotic cuisine, my first time cooking tofu, or even "traditional" dishes that I somehow missed growing up. Which leads me to pot roast. Although it's a classic for most American families, I never grew up with it and this was my first attempt at cooking it. This recipe is just slightly adapted (more out of convenience than creativity) from the Barefoot Contesssa and was incredibly easy and flavorful. I didn't have much to compare it to, but according to my husband most pot roast is shredded rather than sliced. If that's your preference, just cook it longer until the meat is tender enough to shred. Either way, the rich velvety sauce will blow your mind.


Pot Roast:

• Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven until very hot and nearly smoking.
• Meanwhile, season a 3 lb. beef shoulder roast* very generously with salt and pepper and lightly dredge in flour, shaking off any excess.
• Add the meat to the pan and sear for 4-5 minutes per side, or until darkly browned.**
• Remove the meat and set aside, then reduce the heat to medium and add 2 more tbsp. oil to the pot.
• Add in 1 bunch of carrots, cut into 1" long pieces, 2 diced onions, 2 diced celery stalks, and a large pinch of salt and pepper.
• Cook the vegetables for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until softened but not brown.
• Add in 2 c. of red wine and 2 tbsp. brandy, scraping the bottom of the pan.
• Bring the liquid to a boil, then add in 14 oz. canned whole plum tomatoes, 1 c. beef stock, 3 large sprigs of rosemary, and another big pinch of salt and pepper.
• Put the beef back in the pot and cover with a lid. Place the pot in a 325F oven.
• Cook for an hour, then flip the roast so the top side gets submerged, and lower the heat to 250F.
• Cook for another 60-90 minutes, or until the meat is very tender.
• Remove the beef from the pot and spoon any fat off the top of the sauce.
• Puree half of the sauce in a blender and return to the pot, along with 1 tbsp. butter that's been mashed with 2 tbsp. flour.
• Stir the butter mixture into the pot and let the sauce simmer for 5-10 minutes, or until thickened.
• Check the sauce for seasoning, then slice the roast and pour sauce on top.

Serves six

*Or chuck roast or something similar.

**Do not rush this step, it develops a ton of flavor.