Enjoy this holiday season with a special sweet and savory treat. Honey, soy sauce and spices flavor quick cooking flank steak. Mushrooms cooked with shallots and topped with fresh chives make a perfect side dish with the steak. Open a bag of washed ready-to-eat salad to complete the meal.

HELPFUL HINTS:

Onions can be used instead of shallots. ...Read more

Here’s a way to keep boneless, skinless chicken breasts moist. I saute the chicken and then cover the skillet and finish the cooking in the oven. So the chicken has a nice crust and the steam from the skillet keeps the inside moist. The sweet chili sauce with walnuts adds texture and a sweet tang.

I wanted to make barley for a side dish and ...Read more

I find these busy winter days call for a thick, comforting soup. This Black Bean Soup is the answer. It’s a vegetarian meal that’s easy and quick to make.

The soup has its roots in Latin America and the Caribbean, where it is made with dried black beans. I’ve shortened the time by using canned black beans while the addition of spices ...Read more

Here’s a simple and quick way to cook salmon fillet. Just place it under a broiler for 3 to 4 minutes. Tomatoes cook down to a thick sauce in about 5 minutes and add a colorful topping to the broiled salmon.

The spaghetti and zucchini are cooked together for the side dish.

HELPFUL HINTS:

Any type of pasta can be used instead of spaghetti. ...Read more

Thinking about Thanksgiving, if you have leftover turkey, here’s a great way to use it. Or you don’t need to wait for leftovers. You can buy roasted turkey pieces in the meat department or roasted turkey in the deli.

I use flour tortillas for these tacos. An easy way to warm them is to wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave...Read more

Here’s a warm and inviting vegetarian dinner. Sweet potatoes, chickpeas and chopped tomatoes form the base of this dinner that takes about 10 minutes to make.

I cook the potatoes in the microwave for a few minutes to cut the total cooking time. Garam masala, ginger and turmeric add a rich flavor. A little maple syrup gives a sweet hint to ...Read more

Horseradish mixed with mayonnaise makes a zippy and creamy topping for snapper fillets. The fillets take about 5 minutes to cook on a sheet pan under the broiler.

I was delighted to find prewashed arugula at the market. It gives a bite to the pasta dish, for which I used corkscrew shaped pasta.

HELPFUL HINTS:

Any type of fish fillet such as ...Read more

I added extra flavor to boneless chicken tenderloin with this Mediterranean spice coating of allspice, cinnamon and cayenne pepper.

To keep the chicken moist, I used the technique of covering the skillet with a lid for the final few minutes of cooking. The Florentine Rice side dish is fast and simple. It’s made with spinach and rice, both ...Read more

Stroganoff is an old Russian stand-by usually made with beef or turkey. Here’s a modern version made with hamburger meat.

The mixture of mushrooms, tomato paste, mustard and a dash of Worcestershire sauce gives the stroganoff sauce a tangy blend of flavors and a thick texture.

HELPFUL HINT:

Any type of sliced mushrooms can be used.

...Read more

I had a head of cauliflower in my fridge and decided to turn it into a cheesy, crisp, easy vegetarian dinner. I cooked the cauliflower in the microwave oven, mashed it and added the other ingredients. Then I finished the dish under the broiler and dinner was ready in 10 minutes.

A Tomato Onion Salad completes the meal.

HELPFUL HINTS:

The ...Read more

Here’s an easy weeknight meal. Just assemble the ingredients and let the oven do the rest. I cut the pork tenderloin into small streaks and placed them on a sheet pan with baby kale and butternut squash. It all bakes for 10 minutes.

A big help is that you can buy butternut squash cubes ready made in the produce section of the market. I added...Read more

Chicken Korma is an exotic, South Asian dish with a creamy sauce with aromatic spices. It’s a comforting meal that can take several hours to make. I love the flavors but wanted to make it for a weeknight meal. Here’s a simple version that captures the flavors without the hours of marinating and slow cooking. Once the ingredients are ...Read more

Here’s a Mexican version of chimichurri sauce. It’s a mixture of parsley and cilantro or sometimes the Mexican version uses parsley and oregano. It differs from the Latin favorite made with parsley, garlic, red pepper, oil and vinegar which is used throughout South America on steaks and chicken or other grilled meat. This Mexican sauce is ...Read more