Ingredients:

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
3 cups red cherry tomatoes
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
8 ounces dry whole wheat spaghetti
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 ounces fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Procedure:

In a large skillet, heat 2 teaspoon oil over medium. Add tomatoes - cook until tomatoes begin to wrinkle, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in sliced garlic and garlic powder - cook 30 seconds, cover and reduce heat to low. In a large pot of boiling salted water, add pasta and cook according to the package directions. Drain. Add pasta, remaining oil, basil, pine nuts, salt and pepper to the tomato mixture - toss well to combine. Scatter the top with cheese right before serving. Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

For the Lemon-Lime curd:
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons fresh key lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 1/2 teaspoons grated key lime zest
Pinch of salt

For the pecan crust:
1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons butter, melted

For the ice cream filling:
3 cups vanilla bean ice cream, slightly softened and divided

For the meringue:
4 large egg whites, room temperature
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
6 tablespoons granulated sugar

Procedure:

To make the lemon-lime curd: In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and egg yolks. In a medium metal bowl, add butter and set bowl over large saucepan of simmering water - making sure the bottom is not touching the water. When the butter has melted, whisk in sugar, lemon juice, lime juice, lemon zest, lime zest and salt. Slowly whisk in egg mixture. Continue whisking until the mixture is thick and a thermometer inserted into the curd registers 178°F to 180°F, about 8 minutes. Scoop mixture into a small bowl and place plastic wrap on top of curd - place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours.

To make the crust: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a medium bowl, mix together pecans, sugar and butter until well combined. Scoop mixture into a 9″ glass pie dish lightly coated with nonstick spray - press pecan mixture over the bottom and up sides. Bake until crust is lightly toasted, about 12 minutes - it is okay if the crust begins to slide down, just use the back of a spoon to press crust back into place as soon as it is ready. Remove and place pie dish on a wire rack to cool. Place crust in the freeze for 30 minutes.

To assemble the filling: Using 1 1/2 cups softened ice cream, drop dollops all over the cold crust - use an off-set spatula to spread ice cream into an even layer. Quickly spread lemon-lime curd over ice cream - freeze until firm, about 2 hours. Drop dollops of the remaining softened ice cream over the firm curd - use an off-set spatula to spread into even layer. Cover and freeze until firm, about 2 hours.

To make the meringue: Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites in medium bowl until frothy. Beat in cream of tartar. While the eggs are whipping, gradually add the granulated sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form. Scoop meringue over the frozen pie and use an off-set spatula to spread the meringue all over the top, making sure that the meringue goes to the edge to seal. Place pie in the heated oven just until meringue is golden in spots, about 2-3 minutes. Carefully remove and cut into wedges to serve.
Makes about 8 servings.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
4 multi-grain flatbreads (we used a brand called Flat Out)
2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
2 cups chopped tomato
8 apple smoked bacon slices, cooked and drained
2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast

Procedure:

In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, tarragon and lemon juice until combined. On each flatbread, spread about 2 tablespoons of the mayonnaise mixture on top. Scatter each flatbread with an even amount of the lettuce and tomatoes. Crumble 2 bacon slices, per serving, over the lettuce and tomatoes. Sprinkle an even amount of chicken on top of the bacon. Carefully roll each flatbread up and cut in half to serve. Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds ground chicken
3 tablespoons chicken broth
1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1/2 cup chopped water chestnuts
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1/8 teaspoon salt
12 Bibb lettuce leaves
1/4 cup chopped peanuts
4 teaspoons sliced serrano chile

Procedure:

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken, broth, and ginger to pan - cook, stirring often to break up the meat, until the chicken is done, about 8 minutes. Drain and scoop the chicken into a large bowl. Toss in the water chestnuts, red onion, green onions, cilantro, juice, sugar, fish sauce and salt - gently mix to evenly coat. To serve, evenly divide the chicken mixture between the lettuce leaves - scatter the top of each with the chopped peanuts and chilies. Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked shredded chicken
1/2 cup chopped green onions
4 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeño peppers, divided
1 ounce fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
11 ounce can tomatillos, drained
4.5 ounce can chopped green chiles, drained
12 6″ corn tortillas

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a medium bowl, toss together chicken, green onions, 2 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, Parmesan, chili powder, salt and pepper. In a food processor, add milk, cilantro, tomatillos and chiles - process until smooth. Heat tortillas according to package directions. Spread about 1/3 cup of the tomatillo mixture into the bottom of a 7″ x 11″ baking dish coated with nonstick spray. Arrange 4 tortillas in dish and top with half of chicken mixture. Repeat layer with remaining tortillas and chicken mixture, ending with tortillas. Evenly pour the remaining tomatillo mixture over the top of the tortillas - scatter the top with the remaining Monterey Jack cheese. Bake until bubbly, about 20 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup finely chopped dry-roasted peanuts
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper sauce
3 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 pound ground pork
3/4 pound ground turkey

Procedure:

In a large bowl, mix together cilantro, peanuts, brown sugar, lime juice, fish sauce, cumin, salt, cayenne pepper sauce, garlic, pork and turkey. Evenly divide the mixture into 6 portions and patch each to about a 1/2″ thick patty. Preheat grill. Carefully move the patties to the grill and cook about 7 minutes on each side or until done. Remove and let briefly sit for 5 minutes before serving. We served this over a bed of nutty brown rice and spinach.

Ingredients:

For the cake:
1 cup cake flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 large egg whites
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder

For the glaze:
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
1-3 tablespoon milk, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon Dutch-process cocoa powder

Procedure:

To make the cake: Preheat oven to 325degrees F. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and 3/4 cup granulated sugar. In a large mixing bowl, add cream of tartar, salt and egg whites. Beat until foamy. Slowly add the remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Mix in juice and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Using 1/4 cupfuls at a time, sift flour mixture over the stiff egg whites - gently folding the flour in after each addition. Scoop one half of the batter into an ungreased 10″ tube pan. Use a knife to cut through the batter to break any air bubbles. Sift 3 tablespoons cocoa powder into the remaining batter and gently fold in. Evenly spoon this batter over the top of the vanilla batter. Use a knife to cut through just the chocolate batter to break any air bubbles. Bake until the cake springs back when lightly touched - about 55 minutes. Remove from the oven and invert the pan - let cool completely. To remove the cake, use a very thin and flexible spatula to loosen the cake from the sides the the center tube. Invert cake to a plate.

To make the glaze: In a medium mixing bowl, beat together confectioners’ sugar, cream cheese, 1 tablespoon milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until smooth - add enough of the remaining milk to make the glaze thin enough to drizzle, you do want it fairly thick though. Divide batter in half - and add 1 teaspoon cocoa to one part - stir well to combine. Drizzle lines of each glaze over the cake - refrigerate 5 minutes to set the glaze before cutting.

Ingredients:

For the dough:
2 1/4 teaspoons active-dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the filling:
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced and divided
2 cups chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 pounds coarsely chopped fresh spinach
3 ounces crumbled feta cheese

Procedure:

To make the dough: In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water - let stand 5 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon oil. In a large bowl, whisk together flours and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Pour in yeast mixture and stir until a dough begins to form. Scoop dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Place dough in a large lightly oiled bowl - turn the dough to coat top. Cover and let rise doubled in size. Punch dough down, cover and let rest 5 minutes. Stretch and roll the dough into a 12″ square - carefully transfer dough into an 8″ baking dish coated with nonstick spray - you will want the excess dough to hang over the edges of the dish. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

To make the filling: In a small bowl, stir together 2 teaspoon oil and 2 of the thinly sliced garlic cloves. In a large pot, heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat. Stir in the remaining 3 garlic cloves and chopped onion - cook until the onion has softened and is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Scoop mixture into a large bowl. Season onion mixture with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper - cover to keep warm. Add half of spinach to the pot - cook until the spinach begins to wilt, about 2 minutes. Stir in the rest of the spinach and cook 5 minutes or until all the spinach has wilted. Use a potato ricer or a colander and press most of the liquid out of the spinach - you want it to be barely moist. Stir spinach and the cheese into the onion mixture until well combined. Brush dough with half of garlic-oil mixture and add the spinach mixture on top. Fold excess dough over to cover the filling and brush with remaining garlic-oil mixture. Bake until golden, about 30 minutes. Remove and let sit for 10 minutes before cutting. Makes about 4 servings.

Ingredients:

For the patties:
15 ounce can black beans, rinsed, drained and divided
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg white
2 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup sour cream

For the rice:
2 cups cooked brown basmati rice
2 teaspoons butter
1 cup diced fresh pineapple
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon salt

Procedure:

To make the patties: Take 1/2 cup of the rinsed beans and set aside to add in later. In a medium bowl, add the remaining beans, garlic, cumin and 1/8 teaspoon salt - use a fork to coarsely mash the mixture. In a food processor, add the reserved 1/2 cup beans and egg white - process until combined, about 30 seconds. Add puree to the mashed beans and stir until combined. Mix in cheese and onions, stirring until completely combined. Evenly divide bean mixture into 4 portions and wrap in saran wrap. Refrigerate mixture for about 30 minutes. Remove the portions from the refrigerator and form them into about 1/2″ thick patties. Place cornmeal in a shallow dish. Dredge both sides of each patty in cornmeal.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add patties and cook until each side has browned, about 3 minutes per side. While you are browning the patties, make the rice.

To make the rice: In a small skillet, melt butter over medium-high. Add pineapple and sauté until the pineapple begins to brown, about 4-6 minutes. In a large bowl, combine the cooked rice, pineapple, cilantro and 1/4 teaspoon salt. To serve, evenly divide rice mixture between 4 plates, top each with 1 bean patty and about a tablespoon of sour cream. Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 cups broccoli slaw
2 tablespoons rice flour
1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
12 ounces raw large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced

Procedure:

In a large bowl, whisk together lime juice, soy sauce, sesame oil and sugar. Mix in cabbage and toss well to coat. In a medium bowl, whisk together rice flour, five-spice powder, pepper and salt. Add shrimp and toss to coat. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add shrimp mixture - cook until they turn opaque and pink, about 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in the jalapeño and continue to cook until the shrimp are cooked through, about 1 minute more. To serve, evenly divide the slaw mixture between two plates and top each portion with the cooked shrimp. Makes 2 servings.