epicurious

Stocking up on spirits the other day, I noticed that the makers of my favorite bourbon, Bulleit, have now added a rye whiskey to their repertoire. Naturally, I had to try it, and had to find something delicious to make with it!

I wanted something that would bring out the flavor of the rye, be easy to drink, and preferably use in-season produce, and I found all that and more in the Easterner. The drink uses freshly squeezed grapefruit juice for tartness, and maple syrup and grenadine for smoothness. For optimal flavor, use your own grenadine; I tried it with both store-bought and homemade syrups, and the homemade won by a long shot. Kick your evening up a notch, after the jump.

Our mouthwatering Brain-Boosting Breakfast series continues with celebrity chefs and restaurateurs creating healthy, brain-boosting breakfast ideas to help keep kids going throughout the day. Today's recipes come from Tanya Steel, editor-in-chief of Epicurious.com and author of Real Food For Healthy Kids.

Tanya Steel's seen and heard it all. As the editor-in-chief of Epicurious.com and author of Real Food For Healthy Kids, she's encountered picky eaters, moms who don't think they have time to cook, and those who are hesitant to introduce healthy foods to their kids. With childhood obesity on the rise, she's trying to educate parents and kids one meal at a time.

In the midst of the morning rush, breakfast is often just grabbed on the go or thrown on the table, without much thought as to how it can help kids throughout the school day. Tanya's providing us with three first meals of the day that are not only healthy, but kid tested to win over even the pickiest eaters!

• Good Day Pear Crisp: "I love this recipe because it kind of tastes like pie for breakfast, but is so much healthier. At only 162 calories and 3 grams of saturated fat, it is a flavor-packed way for little ones to start the day. You can substitute apples for the pear (Granny Smith or Royal Gala are good varieties) and, in the Summer, stone fruit, like nectarines, plums, or apricots. It’s seasonal, inexpensive, fast to make, and delicious to eat."
• Extreme Granola: "I have to say, this is one of the recipes in Real Food For Healthy Kids that I crave regularly. Whether I am putting it atop berries with Greek yogurt, in a bowl with skim milk, or just eating it as a snack, this granola is extreme — extremely addictive! It’s particularly good for breakfast, as it provides enough carbohydrates and fiber for kids to feel full, focus at school, and get them all the way to lunchtime."
• Whole Biscuit Shortbread: "We love shortbread, but it’s made with so much butter and white flour that was always a special-occasion treat in my household — until we developed this recipe, which uses almost exactly half and half all-purpose to whole wheat. We also reduced the sugar and the upshot is that these delicious crunch biscuits are only 81 calories a cookie. You can [also] dip them in semisweet chocolate, and give them as a lunchbox snack.

Keep reading for Tanya's brain-boosting breakfast recipes for school mornings!

Root vegetables have taken, well, root for the time being — at least until days go back to being longer and sunnier. Since these healthy vegetables will be abound all Winter, why not get acquainted with cooking them in different ways?

Although they're delicious in lasagna, gratins, and hashes, the most straightforward preparation is to roast them (carrots, parsnips, rutabagas, potatoes, or any other related roots) and then serve them with light seasonings.

For an even more exciting assortment of flavors, experiment by offering your root vegetable medley two ways — one sweetened with an apple cider and sugar glaze, and the other made savory with the help of smoked wood chips. Decide which dish you like more when you keep on reading.

I herald the potato in every form, but when it comes to Thanksgiving dinner, mashed potatoes are a must. But as someone who's enjoyed basic mashed potatoes for the past several years, I'm ready to try something new. Enter a puree of potatoes, basil, and parmesan, courtesy of Barefoot Contessa: How Easy Is That?, Ina Garten's new book.

If you're a pestophile, you won't be able to get enough of its intoxicating anise-like flavor and its impossibly airy texture, which is achieved not through one of those expensive potato ricers or food mills but rather a good ol' mixer — something most home cooks actually have. For an exceptionally flavorful twist on Thanksgiving's most nostalgic side dish, read on.

Empanadas would make the ideal stranded-on-a-desert-island staple. They freeze well, are great for using up leftovers, and are as suited to the beginner as they are the expert. But best of all, they can be filled with just about anything, so they shouldn't be overlooked as both a convenient finger food and an unexpected dessert.Make the cleanup easier than ever for your next fiesta by serving up fried beef-and-egg empanadas to whet your guests' appetites — then creating a baked banana version to close out the night. There'll be no forks or spoons necessary! Want either (or both) recipes? Just read more.

After making a savory version of French toast topped with tomato jam last weekend, it occurred to me that, when preserved, tomatoes are well-suited for both sweet and savory applications, too. Tomatoes are technically fruit, and when they're ripe they possess a level of sweetness that rivals a sassy nectarine. This means the seedy red rounds are ideal contenders for a traditional fruit jam style, spread atop bread or toast. But unlike most fruits, tomatoes also register high in glutamic acid, an umami provider that contributes to a savory, rounded flavor — so they're just as dreamy when reduced to peppery, vinegar-tinged preserves, then served atop meat roasts or crackers.

Make the most of the tapering tomato supply by preparing either — or both — jams when you read more.

Did you know that September is All-American Breakfast Month? I thought that title was awarded to every month out of the year, but that's probably because I'm breakfast and brunch's biggest fan. The beauty of breakfast's most popular dishes is that many of them, like french toast, only require the most basic of ingredients.

Got bread and eggs? Then you can make a sweet, syrup-baked breakfast on Saturday morning . . . and use the day-old bread to prepare a savory, peppery toast on Sunday. Enhance the flavor of Sunday's version with a topping of tomato jam, olive tapenade, or — my suggestion — caramelized onion and bacon jam. Get your weekend off to the right start when you read more.

While on the island of Maui, I took full advantage of the fact that papayas were local and in season. One morning, I enjoyed the melonlike fruit for breakfast in a straightforward tropical medley, with other South Pacific favorites like passionfruit and starfruit; now, I'm longing to dress it up slightly, perhaps with some cacao nibs and hazelnuts for crunch.

The fruit could've just as easily been shaved or shredded into a savory Southeast Asian salad. Much like mangoes, the papaya can be enjoyed unripe, and adds crunch and sweetness in a toss with fish sauce, dried shrimp, and garlic in the Thai salad known as som tam. Get the recipe for either when you read on.

For tonight's dinner, Mr. Yum has politely requested scallops, a shellfish option that often gets overlooked in favor of shrimp or fish. Since I haven't had much of a chance to grill shellfish this Summer, I'm throwing it on the barbecue to get a little practice.

Leaving scallops on heat for too long makes them shriveled and rubbery, so watch them closely, as they also cook rapidly. Serve them atop a bed of cilantro-specked white beans, with grilled scallions and zucchini on the side. Want the healthy recipe? Just read more.