everyday food

When I think of grilling, my first thought is always red meat, which I've flame-broiled a lot of lately. But the barbie isn't just limited to grilled meats and vegetables; it's also an outstanding way to enhance the flavor of soy products such as tofu.

The key to a making a dish such as this one successful starts with using the right ingredients. Select the firmest tofu you can find; soft or silken varieties will slip through the grates. That, and don't skimp on the sauce: glaze the skewers generously, and more flavor will make its way to your plate. Serve it with lightly skillet-fried brown rice for a complete and healthy meal. For the recipe, read on.

Blueberry season is in full swing, and I love finding new ways to appreciate the fruit. But before long, these blue beauts will have come and gone, too — so I always try to preserve Summer's bounty now for later down the line. For Summer veggies, it's quick pickling; for berries, I love a basic syrup or sauce.

This blueberry compote has become a fast favorite. It takes less than 15 minutes to make, and livens up everything from pancakes and waffles to ice cream. I used it in an original vodka cocktail and even stirred some in to basic bread pudding! Or, like I did with caramel sauce, bottle it in a pretty container and give it away as an edible gift. For the recipe, read on.

Since I normally have problems with dough, on weeknights, I love pizza recipes that use alternative ingredients for crust. Instead of calling for a classic pizza dough, this recipe employs whole-wheat sandwich wraps. The resulting pie has a super thin crust that's wonderfully crispy. Don't be afraid to get creative with the toppings; any cheese or vegetable would be delicious. Serve with a glass of white wine and a side of arugula dressed in a fresh lemon vinaigrette. Here's the uncomplicated technique.

Aside from berries, one of my favorite fruits to enjoy during the Summer are mangoes; I love their sunny, peachy-sweet flavor. But it wasn't until recently that I started cooking with unripe mangoes. Green mangoes, as they're also called, are popular in Thai cooking. They have a crisp texture, and a tart, rather than saccharine, quality that's optimal for savory applications.

Purchase green mangoes while still firm, and use them before they ripen. Enjoy them julienned and lightly dressed in a salad with a salty and spicy sauce, served alongside protein such as grilled pork, chicken, or tofu. Just for comparison purposes, why not serve a fruit salad with sweet mango for dessert? Enjoy both mango preparations when you keep reading.

This Summer we are celebrating the season's bounty of berries. During the entire month of May we experimented with strawberries. June was devoted to both sweet and savory preparations of cherries, and now that it's July 1, we are moving on to plump, antioxidant-rich blueberries.

To kick things off, we have a quintessential Fourth of July dessert: flag cake. Since there's no set recipe for the interior of flag cake, I modeled mine off of a recipe I found in Every Day With Rachael Ray. It's a dense vanilla-blueberry cake with lemon cream cheese filling and whipped marshmallowy frosting. The resulting dessert is absolutely amazing.

Make it the night before you serve it, because the cake tastes even better the next day. Decorate the top before serving to look like a flag with blueberries and raspberries. Don't worry if the flag design ends up being a little crooked like mine was, it's OK for the cake to look homemade. It's the flavor that matters, and this cake is fruity, creamy, and just plain wonderful! Here's how I made it.

It can be hard to find a weeknight meal that's exciting enough to be worth repeating. But when luck runs out, turn to the rice bowl It's quick, healthy, cheap, and easy.

This skirt steak and bok choy version is no exception; the stir-fry is coated with an Asian sauce that manages to be tangy, sweet, and nutty all at once.

Best of all, it makes use of leftover skirt steak, comes together in minutes, and doesn't have half the grease of your typical Chinese takeout. To make the dish tonight, keep on reading.

When it comes to beef, it pays to think beyond potatoes. Instead of serving steak with the starchy tuber, consider a lighter alternative of fresh asparagus, shiitake mushrooms, and sweet corn.

This recipe calls for an affordable cut of meat that easily feeds a crowd — just be sure to chop the beef into the same-sized strips for even cooking.

This simple, but savory meal comes together in no time at all. For a complete dinner, serve with roasted cherry tomatoes, grilled bread, and a glass of red wine. Interested? Get the recipe.

I've held a long-standing preference for eating fresh cherries over cooking with them. In fact, my favorite way to consume them is simply off the stem. Our Berry Tempting series, however, has encouraged me to broaden my cherry horizons, and I've not only discovered that the stone fruits work well in a savory salsa, but also as the sweet touch to an entrée salad. If you love a contrast of flavor profiles and textures, but you're over the predictable spinach-bacon or strawberry-pecan pairings, you'll flip for this healthy and creative yet fast and easy meal. Fresh, in-season Bings are the crucial ingredient. They add a burst of sweet juice, along with a lingering pucker, to the crunchy combo. For the recipe, keep on reading.

While some people host a crazy weekend in Vegas and others opt for an activity-based bachelorette party featuring belly dancing, my friend Melissa is doing a low-key weekend in Calistoga to say goodbye to her singledom. Her maid of honor has rented a beautiful house with a grill and garden, and she's planned a weekend of sunbathing and wine tasting.

On Friday night when we arrive, instead of going out for a night on the town, we'll spend the evening by the pool enjoying a leisurely and luxurious dinner. Naturally, I'm in charge of the cooking! To start, I'll put together a cheese platter with homemade hummus and pita chips on the side.

When we sit down to dinner, I'll serve grilled shrimp with roasted garlic-herb sauce, orzo and zucchini salad, and grilled apricots with arugula and goat cheese. These recipes make a wonderful Summer menu perfect for any outdoor occasion, so take a look at them now.

I'm in love with my ice cream maker. Seriously, I've decided I can't throw a dinner party without serving some sort of homemade ice cream. It's just so wildly delicious and insanely creamy. Also, who could refuse a bowl of homemade ice cream? No one I know.

For a recent party, I made this strawberry ice cream. With a smooth texture, rich strawberry flavor, and pretty pink color, it's absolutely perfect. But be careful when adding the berries to not overfill the ice cream maker. Want the recipe? It's actually really easy! Read more.