The final meal of the year deserves a spectacular finish. However, if you are having people over for dinner like I am, you won't want to waste away in the kitchen preparing an elaborate dessert at the last minute.
I recommend serving something special that must be made in advance — something like this triple chocolate cheesecake. It's rich, it's decadent, and it can be made up to two days ahead! Interested in the uncomplicated recipe? Keep reading.
I love recipes that take classic ingredient combinations and reinvent them in new ways. Exhibit A: this effortless recipe for grilled eggplant parmesan pizzas. The traditional Italian-American dish layers lightly fried eggplant slices with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese. This variation lightens things up while making the meal a little more substantial. The eggplant is cooked on the grill and then the three components are turned into a topping for pizza. Instead of pizza dough that has to be tediously rolled out, the recipe employs pita. which results in a super quick and crisp crust. Get the vegetarian recipe now.
When it comes to speedy dinners, the rotisserie chicken is a wonderfully versatile ingredient. Another one that's not as popular (but definitely should be!) is peeled and cooked shrimp. They're sold in seafood counters across the nation and make a great protein base for all sorts of dishes. This recipe goes beyond the classic shrimp cocktail preparation and looks to the Southwest for inspiration. The shrimp is tossed with salsa, jicama, and avocado to create a quick and simple filling for fajitas. Serve with a salad of canned black beans, fresh tomatoes, and corn, and you've got a hearty meal that's perfect for weeknight entertaining.
Just because it's the middle of the week doesn't mean you can't enjoy a leisurely meal on the patio. On your way home from work, pick up some chicken pieces, tomatoes, and fresh bread. While the chicken marinates, prep the ingredients for the salad and pour yourself a glass of wine. Then when the grill is hot, toss the chicken on the grill and read a book, watch TV, or catch up with family as the chicken cooks. It really is that simple! To see exactly how to do it, get the recipe now.
Ever since I was in college, pasta has been one of my go-to meals. I love it because I always have some in the pantry and there're tons of different ways to prepare it. When I was new to cooking, I would saute garlic in butter and toss it with tons of cheese and hot pasta. Later in life, I added in anchovies and fresh herbs. When I'm in the mood to treat myself, I'll saute Italian sausage with spinach and make a slightly creamy sauce like the recipe seen here. It's filling and decadent without being too rich and heavy. Interested in the learning the recipe? You'll find it here.
When I was a child, my dad used a great technique to introduce my siblings and me to fish. He selected a mild tasting white fish and served it with a sweet fruit salsa. This is a much healthier option than fish sticks and it actually was a meal that I looked forward to and enjoyed.
As I came across this recipe for grilled snapper with mango salsa, I instantly had memories of Dad's fish with fruit salsa. Since snapper isn't the most sustainable of fishes, I'll probably sub in something similar like rock fish. To take a look at the simple and delicious recipe, read more
Traditionally, a falafel is a fried ball or patty made from ground chickpeas or fava beans that's served in a pita with an assortment of toppings. This recipe isn't exactly a falafel, it's more like a healthy burger inspired by the Middle Eastern specialty.
The slider-sized patties are a mixture of ground beef, bulgur wheat, and spices. The recipe calls for a quick yogurt sauce, yellow peppers, and cabbage to top off the pitas, but feel free to get creative. Feta cheese and tomatoes would be delicious. Get the uncomplicated and satisfying recipe when you read more
My favorite steak sandwich involves blue cheese and fresh arugula. When I came across this recipe for an Italian steak and bread salad, I was intrigued because it takes the sandwich ingredients and turns them into a hearty dinner salad.
The resulting dish has all the familiar flavors of a gourmet steak sandwich, but requires a fork to eat. The recipe is highly adaptable, so feel free to use chicken, goat cheese, or mushrooms in place of the steak, blue cheese, and tomatoes. For the method, read more
What can women learn from men? A Woman's Day article, written by two men, lists 10 things. Overall, I agree. Yes, we can be agreeable to our own detriment; we don't always say what we mean; and hiding anger does nobody a favor. But there's one bullet point I take issue with: women don't acknowledge their dark side.
I'll let the article explain.
Most men understand that they are deeply flawed, and at times it can seem women strive so hard for an image of perfection that they will admit nothing that could undermine that perception. But there are two serious benefits to owning up to your shadow side: You are less susceptible to it and more empathetic because of it. Women are often so invested in being seen as good or generous or empathetic — rather than actually being that way — that they tend to have harsher judgments of others and conceal vices that, in their repression, become more toxic. Acknowledging taboos, even if they subtract from womanly virtues, yields a more real and more sympathetic integrity.
Are we stuck in Betty Draper's living room? Even her Mad Men character learns life is not the fairy tale she was promised. As for her dark side, well, she's working on it.
Maybe it's because I am all for acknowledging the dark side that calling this a still-relevant female trait irritates me. It's like a throwback to another generation, which it very well may be since the median age of Woman's Day readers is 50. Yet I can't say I've never seen women my own age try to pretend everything is a-OK when it's so not.
"Nobody will hate you for not being perfect," I once read, "but they will if you appear perfect." If you look at the more lovable female characters on TV — Ugly Betty's Betty, 30 Rock's Liz Lemon, and Glee's Rachel — it seems society already knows this. So are real women that far behind? I don't think so!
Hoisin sauce is a Chinese dipping sauce that contains no fish and is thickened with sweet potatoes. It's used in a number of classic preparations like mu shu pork, and it's the main flavoring ingredient in this simple, yet savory roast recipe.
When mixed with honey and rice vinegar, the hoisin makes a sticky-sweet glaze for pork tenderloin. It's baked with thick-cut sweet potatoes and tender asparagus, resulting in a hearty and healthy meal with Chinese undertones.
Interested in learning the technique? Read more.
