Category Archives: Recipes

Quick and easy recipes.

Creamy Sugar Snap Pea Soup

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Step 1

Place oil in a large skillet; heat over medium. Add onion; cook, stirring often, 5 minutes. Add sugar snap peas; cook, stirring often, until bright green and crisp-tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Add honey and salt; cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Step 2

Stir together broth and 3/4 cup of the half-and-half in a medium bowl. Transfer half of the sugar snap pea mixture and half of the broth mixture to a blender. Process on high until very smooth, 30 to 60 seconds. Pour through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining sugar snap pea mixture and broth mixture. Stir lemon juice into blended mixture in bowl. Cover and chill until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours.

Southwestern Corn Soup With Grilled Peppers and Shrimp

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How to Make It

Step 1

Preheat a grill to medium-high (400°F to 450°F), or heat a grill pan over medium-high. Brush quartered bell pepper and halved jalapeño evenly with 1/2 tablespoon of the oil. Grill, uncovered,turning occasionally, until slightly charred on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a small bowl and cover with aluminum foil. Chill at least 30 minutes and until ready to serve.

Step 2

Place remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet; heat over medium-high. Add onion; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add corn and garlic; cook, stirring often, 3 minutes. Stir in broth, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil over high; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, 6 minutes.

Step 3

Pour corn mixture into a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid to allow steam to escape; secure lid on blender and place a clean towel over opening to prevent splatters. Process until smooth, about 2 minutes. Pour into a medium bowl; stir in lime juice and cumin. Cover and chill until completely cold, at least 4 hours.

Step 4

Chop chilled roasted bell pepper and jalapeño; stir into chilled corn mixture. Stir in cilantro. Ladle soup into 4 serving bowls. Top evenly with shrimp and chopped avocado; garnish with additional cilantro. Serve immediately.

Asparagus-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

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How to Make It

Step 1

Preheat oven to 400oF.

Step 2

Clean mushroom caps with a damp paper towel. Cut off stems from mushroom caps; rinse under cold water. Coarsely chop stems and set aside. Use a spoon or paring knife to scrape out and discard gills from mushroom caps. Brush 2 teaspoons of the oil over mushroom caps; place oiled sides down on a 15 x 10 inch jelly roll pan or baking sheet.

Step 3

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add asparagus, shallots, garlic and chopped mushroom stems. Cook 5 to 6 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in tomato, salt and pepper. Spoon mixture into mushroom caps. Combine bread crumbs and cheese; sprinkle evenly over mushrooms. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until hot and crumbs are golden brown. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 stuffed mushroom cap).

Step 4

*To make fresh bread crumbs, tear 1 to 2 slices multigrain bread into pieces and process in a food processor until coarse crumbs appear. Extra bread crumbs may be placed in a food storage freezer bag and frozen up to 3 months.

Grilled Stone Fruit With Balsamic Glaze and Manchego

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How to Make It

Step 1

Preheat a clean grill or grill pan to medium-high.

Step 2

Stir together the wine and the brown sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then gently simmer 25–30 minutes or until the mixture is reduced to about 3 tablespoons and creates a thick glaze.

Step 3

Lightly brush stone-fruit halves with olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill fruit, cut side down, 1 minute on each side. Transfer to 4 plates.

Step 4

Drizzle fruit with glaze, and top each serving with 1/4 of the pieces of cheese.

Crab Cake

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How to Make It

Step 1

Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

Step 2

Combine crabmeat, mustard, margarine, egg, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, and Tabasco sauce. Add 2–4 tablespoons bread crumbs to bind mixture.

Step 3

Shape into 4 cakes. Roll in remaining bread crumbs; place on prepared cookie sheet.

Step 4

Bake for 20 minutes, until crab cakes are lightly browned, turning the crab cakes over once. Add salt and pepper, if desired. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

Chunky Garden Gazpacho

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Step 1

Cut 4 of the red tomatoes into chunks. Place in bowl of a food processor and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour tomato puree into a large bowl.

Step 2

Chop remaining red tomato; stir into tomato puree. Stir in yellow tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, jalapeño, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Cover mixture; chill until cold, at least 4 hours. Divide among 4 bowls. Thinly slice basil; garnish and serve.

Brussels Sprout Skewers with Green Olive Dipping Sauce

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How to Make It

Step 1

If you’re using bamboo or wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, start the coals or heat a gas grill for hot direct cooking. Make sure the grates are clean.

Step 2

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Trim the brussels sprouts and remove any discolored outer leaves. Add the sprouts and blanch until just soft enough to pierce with a skewer, 8 to 12 minutes. Drain, then pat dry with paper towels. Toss with 1 tablespoon of the oil in a bowl. When cool enough to handle, thread 4 to 6 sprouts on each skewer.

Step 3

Make the dipping sauce: Put the parsley, lime juice, garlic, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a blender or food processor and process until chopped, stopping to scrape down the side of the container if necessary. Add the olives and pulse until the mixture is a rough puree. Taste and add a little salt if you’d like. Transfer to a small serving bowl.

Step 4

Put the skewers on the grill directly over the fire. Close the lid and cook, turning once or more, until the brussels sprouts are tender all the way through and browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a serving plate and serve with the dipping sauce on the side.

3 Easy Summer Campfire Recipes Your Entire Family Will Enjoy

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Sure, everyone loves hot dogs and s’mores. But there’s so much more you can enjoy around a campfire. Here to spice up your next outdoor adventure is Emma Frisch, a finalist on Food Network Star and founder of Firelight Camps, a glamping destination in Ithaca, New York. In her debut cookbook, Feast by Firelight ($17, amazon.com), Frisch offers up simple recipes that are guaranteed to hit the spot after a long day on the trail (or a night under the stars). Below are three of our favorites: zero-degree chili, quinoa granola clusters, and foil-packet salmon with lemon, thyme, and blueberries.

Zero-Degree Chili

Serves: 8-10

1½ pounds beef stew meat, cut into ½-inch pieces (Note: If there’s fat on the beef, keep it for flavor!)

¼ cup sweet paprika

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 teaspoons kosher salt

20 turns of the pepper mill

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1⅔ cups diced onions

2 bell peppers, seeded and diced

2 cups chopped potatoes (½-inch pieces)

2 medium carrots, diced

2 bay leaves

One 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

One 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes

4 cups beef broth

¼ cup cornmeal

½ cup plain yogurt or sour cream

Finely chopped fresh parsley or cilantro for garnish

PREP: In a ziplock bag, combine the beef, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, garlic, salt, and pepper. Seal the bag, use your hands to evenly coat the beef with the seasonings, and then chill for up to 24 hours.

  1. In an 8-quart Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter. Once the butter begins to foam (before it browns!), add the onions, stir to coat with the butter, cover, and cook until translucent and soft, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add the beef and all of its seasonings to the pot, turn the heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beef is browned and coated in a creamy sauce, about 5 minutes. The pan may seem too dry, but as the beef breaks down it will release fat. Add the bell peppers, potatoes, carrots, bay leaves, and beans to the beef and stir to combine. Stir in the tomatoes and their juice, breaking them up with a spoon, then pour in the beef broth. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook until the beef is tender, about 45 minutes. Stir in the cornmeal and cook until the chili thickens, about 5 minutes.
  3. Ladle the chili directly into each camper’s bowl, topping with a dollop of the yogurt and a sprinkle of parsley.
  4. Serve immediately. Store leftovers in an airtight container, chilled, for up to 4 days.

Firelight Quinoa Granola Clusters

Serves: 4

½ cup quinoa, toasted

4 cups rolled oats

1 ½ cups unsweetened coconut chips

½ cup sesame seeds

½ cup sunflower seeds

2 tablespoons flaxseeds

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

½ cup olive oil

½ cup maple syrup

½ cup honey

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

¾ cup dried cranberries or other dried fruit (optional)

  1. Position two racks in the center and lower third of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line two large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, stir together the quinoa, oats, coconut chips, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, cinnamon, and cardamom. In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, maple syrup, honey, and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir together until combined.
  3. Spread the mixture evenly onto the prepared baking sheets, flattening it with the back of a spatula.
  4. Place the baking sheets on the prepared oven racks and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the sheets from the oven and toss and redistribute the granola with a spatula to help it brown evenly. Flatten it again—hard! Return the granola to the oven, switching the sheets to ensure both are cooked evenly, and continue to bake until toasted brown, 20 minutes.
  5. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the cranberries (if using) over the top of the warm granola. Let the granola cool completely, 15 to 20 minutes. Do not break it up earlier or you’ll lose those precious clusters! Once cooled, break the granola into smaller clusters and transfer to an airtight container or ziplock bag.
  6. Store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 month.

Foil-Packet Salmon With Lemon, Thyme, and Blueberry

Serves: 4

¼ cup fresh or frozen blueberries

2 teaspoons honey

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus 2 lemons, each cut into 6 thin slices

Four 6-ounce wild salmon fillets, frozen (see Note)

2 teaspoons kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

8 thyme sprigs

PREP: In a lidded jar, combine the blueberries, honey, and lemon juice. Use the back of a spoon to gently smash and muddle the blueberries with the honey and lemon juice. Seal the jar tightly and then chill for up to 3 days.

Put four 12-inch square sheets of aluminum foil on a work surface. Lay 3 lemon slices, with edges overlapping like dominoes, in the center of each foil sheet and top with a frozen salmon fillet. Season the salmon with the salt and lightly dust with pepper. Top each salmon fillet with 2 thyme sprigs.

Fold up two sides of the foil to meet in the middle and fold the edges over each other to seal the top. Then fold the two open ends of the foil to seal the packet. Seal the salmon packets in a ziplock bag and then chill for up to 24 hours.

  1. Fire the grill to medium heat and position the grill grate 4 inches above the coals.
  2. Using tongs, place the foil packets over direct heat and cook for 8 minutes. Using two forks, open the foil seal along the top, allowing the steam to escape and preventing the salmon from overcooking. Use a thermometer to check that the internal temperature has reached 140°F. An easier way to check for doneness is with a fork; the salmon should be firm and easily flake apart. (If you see white juice seeping out—a protein called albumin—it’s overcooked. But don’t worry, the blueberry syrup will moisten the fillet.)
  3. Serve the salmon directly from the foil—fewer plates to clean!—and spoon the blueberries over the top. Store leftovers in an airtight container, chilled, for up to 1 day.

Reprinted with permission from Feast by Firelight, text and illustrations copyright © 2018 by Emma Frisch. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.

Photographs copyright © 2018 by Christina Holmes

Mediterranean Salmon

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Salmon is quick-cooking and full of omega-3 fatty acids. This Mediterranean recipe adds so much flavor to the fish with olives, capers, zucchini and tomatoes.

A great source of monounsaturated fat, this dish is filling and heart-healthy. Complete the Mediterranean meal with half a cup of whole-wheat couscous.

Seafood Skewers with Croutons and Orange

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How to Make It

Step 1

If you’re using bamboo or wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, start the coals or heat a gas grill for medium-high cooking. Make sure the grates are clean.

Step 2

Cut the fish and the bread into 1-to 1 1/2-inch cubes. Toss the fish with 2 tablespoons of the oil in one bowl and the bread with the remaining 4 tablespoons oil in another. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 3

Slice off the peel at the top and bottom of an orange and set it, flat side down, on a cutting board. Cut downward to remove the peel, pith, and membrane to reveal the fruit. Then cut each orange section on both sides to remove it from the membrane. As you work, put the sections in a bowl. Repeat with the remaining oranges. Thread the fish, bread, and orange sections onto skewers, alternating them; save any juice that has accumulated in the bowl.

Step 4

Put the skewers on the grill directly over the fire. Close the lid and cook until the croutons are golden and the fish is just cooked through (peek inside in a few places to check), 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter, pour over any reserved orange juice, and serve.