This broccoli (yes, raw broccoli!) salad is ALL about texture. It’s crazy fast and easy to make and can be served anywhere. The salad is absolutely beautiful, and each bite has the perfect combination of creamy and crunchy. And the best part? It’s *gasp!* healthy!
Read MoreFried flowers? I know, it’s different. But trust me - this recipe is SO fast and easy, and it’s an absolutely delicious crowd pleaser. A popular starter dish in Italy, these fried zucchini blossoms are light and crispy and utterly addictive.
Read MoreSo, you want to make a pie - I promise, it’s not as hard as it seems! While buying pie crust is definitely the easier option, making your own crust takes no time at all and can make your final product even more fulfilling.
Read MoreNo, really. It’s the easiest AND the most delicious. This salad is crisp and fresh with a dash of tangy-ness - perfect for a quick bite after you hop out of the pool!
Read MoreI’ve always been a sucker for tarts (no pun intended!). Whether it’s for breakfast, dessert, or just a mid-day snack, tarts have always been a winner in my house. This delicious Sage and Apricot Tart is quick and easy to make and is perfect on a warm summer night. If you want to go crazy, add some vanilla ice cream on top!
Read MoreSnap peas are in your grocery store all year long, but I get so excited when I see the local ones pop up at the farmers market. They are so tender and perfect you can almost just snack on them by themselves. But this twist on a recipe from my book is a way to take that crisp, light flavor and turn into something even more flavorful.
Read MoreNo matter how much you love potatoes, you can love them even more when they’ve been smashed. You can get the best of both worlds - the crispy exterior with the mashed, creamy interior. They are not as heavy as mashed potatoes, but still filling, quick to make, and the ingredients and flavors make it just as nostalgic.
Read MoreSometimes when I’m traveling I find a sauce so intriguing that I start ladling it with a spoon and eating it straight. That’s what happened to me in Lisbon recently when I had this Worcestershire and cilantro sauce. It adds such a flavor punch that I think it would be great on almost anything - veggies, meats, added to a salad dressing. So here is my attempt to recreate a bit of travel magic, putting it on simple chicken and potato. Cheers to the great sauces!
Read MoreI'm VERY into sports if being 'into sports' can mean being very into making the food that comes with watching sports or tailgating. Getting the food right for a sporting event can be a sport unto itself, and one I take as seriously as everyone seems to be taking the game.
As much as I love a many-layered dip and wings, I also always like to have a light, bright option to offset some of the heavier food people might expect. But you want something hearty enough that it won't wilt during a long afternoon - and it's especially great if it's quick to make. And it's an extra bonus if vegetarians feel like they have a main course option that doesn't alienate meat eaters who are just looking for flavor.
Sometimes a lot of ingredients are right in front of our eyes, and that's what I love about this pickled beet and lentil salad with tahini lemon dressing. You can easily buy the sesame goodness of tahini at any grocery store; find canned lentils to save yourself a cooking step; and I use Aunt Nellies pickled beets to add acidity and depth without the long process of roasting and pickling the beets yourself. So what you end up with is a surprising and filling vegetable dish that requires no cooking. The sesame and lemon of the dressing match perfectly with the earthy beets and you have a dish that will make you the tailgate hero with little to no work. Find a sport that can give you that kind of outcome!
Read MoreIn the summer, for me, everything is about berries. There is nothing purer and sweeter than a summer strawberry and it can feel like a replacement for any other sweet treat unto itself. So when I know I am not ready for the sugar high of my beloved gelato I turn to these popsicles. They are as easy as turning on the blender and they have the added touch of turmeric to give them a little more depth. They are quick, perfect, sugar-free bites of summer. What more could you ask for!?
Read MoreIf you caught me on Dr Oz today you’ll have seen me demo’ing a recipe for pork butt in a segment on the best cheap cuts of meat. And while it’s true that pork butt is one of the best values it also happens to be one of the most flavorful cuts around. It just requires a bit of low and slow cooking, although the prep is as easy as could be - or if you are a fan of the instant pot it is even easier,since you could make it in less than an hour.
But this recipe is packed with flavor - lots of herbs and lots of vinegar make a bright delight ready to take on any occasion.
Read MoreI started my career as a Page at NBC - yes, if you've seen 30 Rock it's just like Kenneth the Page, but with a little bit more real work involved! So I was so thrilled to get to have a little bit of a homecoming and share two of the recipes from Bring It! on The Today Show this week.
We wanted two pastas perfect for summer entertaining so we did the Red Wine Pasta and the Pesto Vinaigrette Pasta.
Read More