Hosting a last-minute event? Skip any sort of panic and save time nostalgic icebox cake — no oven or stove required! With just five ingredients and 15 minutes of active prep, you'll have a stunner of a dessert. Print out the recipe and watch the video to learn how to perfect the presentation on the easiest cake of all time.
Labor Day may have come and gone, but some parts of the country continue to experience unwavering bouts of heat. Stay cool during the last dog days of Summer with a few ideas, from starters and sides to salads and sweets, that don't require the use of your oven or your stove.
Not to be a downer, but I've become acutely aware that we only have a few more weeks of the Summer produce season until next year. Every time I smell a buttery, ripe peach, I cry a little inside, then I buy more peaches than I need. The same goes with basil; I'm pretty sure I have more than two bunches of basil in my refrigerator, in the event of an emergency. And each time I think of my next meal, I wonder if it can't be a dish that incorporates the sweet-tart jelly insides of a ripe tomato.
It's been easy to try (and fall for) tomatoes in many iterations, from Southeast Asian salad to pickled farm-stand tomatoes. But I'm convinced that my latest discovery, fusilli with no-cook tomato sauce, has to be the greatest.
I still manage to learn a little something new each day.
Today, it was that the memory card from my camera could be inserted directly into my laptop. Yesterday, it was that a manicure can mean the difference between a finger and no finger when you're chopping a lot of vegetables. And earlier this month, it was the revelation that is a layered icebox cake.
I've never seen a dessert that proffers such a large payout, given the minimal effort. Seriously, spread out cookies like tiles, lay them thick with whipping cream, and repeat until towering. If you're feeling particularly mischievous (and I usually am), shower the top with shavings from your favorite chocolate brand.
Exhibit a little self-restraint (the hardest part!), stick your masterpiece in the fridge, and the next morning, you'll open the icebox to find the the most gorgeous layered cloud of a dessert that you've ever seen. You know you want the recipe . . .
Do the dog days of Summer have you sweating in the kitchen more than slivers of sautéed onion? This season, don't let the hotter-than-you-know-what weather get you down. Until climes cool off, we'll be serving up a number of ideas from salads to slushies (and everything in between, including complete meals!) that require little to no oven or stovetop time. Because why toil in the kitchen when you could be cooling off with a popsicle in the park? Stay tuned for recipes, and don't forget to join in on the festivities via Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #heatwavecooking.
While dixie cups or shot glasses work quite well in a pinch, we like to take our popsicle-making to the next level with molds both whimsical and revolutionary (hello, seven-minute popsicles!). Read on for a sneak peek into our wish list, as well as flavor suggestions to best utilize the variety of molds available.
When it comes to weeknight cooking, Summer days are both bad and good things. On the one hand, with longer, warmer days, it's easier to be out and about than behind the stove in a kitchen. On the other hand, balmier evenings call for fast, superlight, no-cook meals that come together in a heartbeat. Keep reading to see five of our favorites right now.
The heat wave has (sort of) made its way to San Francisco, and for the first time in longer than I can remember, I am craving fresh, raw produce. After making three batches of scones last week, I've surpassed my dairy quota and sought a way to make a creamy, satisfying chilled soup, sans cream or milk.
Summer corn is sweet and tender when eaten raw. To make use of its seasonal height, I juiced corn kernels and made a milky soup starter. When blended with avocado, this soup develops a thick creaminess, plus the avocado imparts a mighty green hue. The salsa garnish provides a contrasting crunch, and the lump crab meat is a salty little bonus (however, it's also easy to leave out for vegetarians). All in all, the recipe is quick to prep and serve, keeping you and your kitchen cool when it's boiling outside. See the recipe for the chilled corn and avocado soup now.
I'm fresh off the plane from Maui, and my first visit was so fantastic that I'm already plotting my return. There, the fruits of the sea were so abundant that I had fish at virtually every single meal, in fresh preparations from spicy tuna poke to seared, sesame-encrusted steaks. One of my favorite ways to enjoy local catch like ono was in a Hawaiian-style ceviche with a tropical coconut marinade. I missed the dish so much that when my sunburned self returned to overcast San Francisco, it was the first meal I prepared for myself at home.
Incidentally, this recipe is from The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua, the resort that I called home for an all-too-brief period of time. It's been the best stand-in for a beachside vacation — that is, until I find my way back to the island. For the recipe, read more.
I was hemming and hawing over the next great dish to feature in our Berry Tempting series when I came across a new recipe I simply couldn't resist making: a fast and easy rendition of tiramisu, topped with a pile of mixed berries.
Given how enjoyable tiramisu is on its own, I wondered if the berries were even necessary, but I quickly realized the fresh berries add a tartness and texture that makes this dessert doubly refreshing. In particular, I hoarded the blackberry bites, as their seeds add a wonderful crunch that goes swimmingly well with mascarpone cream.
Beware: This dessert is quick to make, but it'll be consumed even faster. If you don't have sambuca, try a coffee-flavored liqueur like Kahlua, or even an orange one such as Triple Sec for an equally nice flavor. Want the recipe? Then keep reading.
