Ingredients

• 3 large red bell peppers
• 2 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 1/2 to 1 cup ricotta cheese, drained
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Heat broiler or grill. Roast peppers and garlic cloves on a foil-covered broiler rack, turning as needed, until skins blacken on all sides, about 30 minutes. Place peppers in a small paper bag (or place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap) until cool. Remove skin and seeds. Place peppers in a food processor; squeeze roasted garlic out of skins into the processor. Pulse until nearly pureed. Add 1/2 cup ricotta cheese and salt to taste; pulse until well-blended, adding more cheese if needed for dipping consistency.

Note: This dip goes well with toasted Italian-bread slices or your favorite chips. Add more garlic or additional chopped herbs, if you like.

Makes 3/4 cup.

Chicago Tribune

Ingredients

• Butter for greasing pan
• 3 cups flour, plus more for dusting pan
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 cups peeled, cored and thickly sliced tart apples, like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup raisins
• Vanilla ice cream (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch tube pan. Beat the oil and sugar together in a mixer (fitted with a paddle attachment) while assembling the remaining ingredients. After about 5 minutes, add the eggs and beat until the mixture is creamy.

2. Sift together 3 cups of flour, the salt, cinnamon and baking soda. Stir into the batter. Add the vanilla, apples, walnuts and raisins and stir until combined.

3. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan before turning out. Serve at room temperature with vanilla ice cream, if desired. Serves 8.

The New York Times

Ingredients

• 12 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed (about 3 1/2 cups)
• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh mint leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange peel

Preparation

Cook peas in large saucepan of boiling salted water for 2 minutes; drain. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Melt butter in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Whisk in 1 tablespoon water. Stir in mint and orange peel; add sugar snap peas and sauté just until heated through, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl and serve.

Bon Appetit, June 2008

Ingredients

• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 large cloves garlic, peeled, very thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 8 medium carrots (about 1 1/4 pounds), peeled
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
• 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves only
• 2 bunches arugula, trimmed, rinsed, dried
• 6 ounces Bucheron or similar goat cheese, sliced 1/2-inch thick

Preparation

Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add garlic; cook, stirring, until just crisp and barely golden, about 20 seconds. Immediately remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate. Let the oil cool; pour into a bowl. Wipe out skillet.

Put vinegar in small bowl; whisk in 5 tablespoons of the cooled garlic oil. Season with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and pepper to taste. (JP: Save remaining garlic oil to use at a later time).

Cut carrots crosswise in half; cut the halves into thick, rough sticks. Toss in a bowl with 3 tablespoons of the garlic oil, thyme, remaining 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and pepper to taste.

Heat the same skillet over high heat. Add carrots in a single layer, working in batches if necessary. Cook until lightly charred (almost burnt) on one side, 3-5 minutes. Turn; cook other side, adjusting the heat as necessary, until lightly charred and tender within, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a tray. Wipe out the skillet; set aside.

Toss parsley, arugula and half of the vinaigrette on large serving platter. Arrange carrots on top.

Reheat skillet to very high heat; coat with 1-2 tablespoons of the remaining oil. Immediately add goat cheese slices (be careful — oil may spatter). As soon as you see the cheese blacken on the bottom, remove the slices with a thin spatula; invert onto the carrots. Sprinkle the garlic chips over the salad; drizzle with vinaigrette to taste.

Jean Marie Brownson, Chicago Tribune

Ingredients

• 2 Granny Smith apples
• 1/4 whole cabbage
• 1 orange bell pepper
• 1 red bell pepper
• 2 lemons
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Preparation

Juice lemons. Peel apples.

Julienne the cabbage, the apples, and the peppers.

Add lemon juice, oil, salt, and poppies.

Mix. Chill. Eat!

Richard Kent

Ingredients

• 1 lb asparagus, trimmed
• 3 tbl orange juice
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/2 tsp orange rind
• 1/2 tsp fish sauce

Preparation

Place about 1 in of water in a large 2-in or more deep skillet and bring to a boil. Add the asparagus and cook until bright green and crisp-tender, 4 to 7 min, depending on the thickness of the asparagus.

Meanwhile, whisk together the orange juice, lemon juice, rice vinegar, honey, orange rind, and fish sauce until the honey is completely dissolved. Pour over the warm asparagus and serve hot or cold.

Marge Perry

Ingredients

• 1 lb broccoli rabe, trimmed
• 4 strips bacon
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced lengthwise
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Preparation

Cook the broccoli rabe in boiling water 3 to 5 min until bright green and crisp-tender. Drain.

Cook bacon in a large skillet; remove from skillet, drain on a plate lined with paper towel, and crumble when cooled.

Add garlic to skillet and cook until lightly browned, about 1 min. Add the drained broccoli rabe and red pepper flakes and cook until warmed through. Stir in the crumbled bacon, taste and add salt and pepper as desired.

Marge Perry

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Olive oil for grill
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 c. blueberry vinaigrette
• 1 large head of romaine lettuce, shredded
• 1/3 c. toasted slivered almonds
• 3/4 c. blueberries
• 8 to 10 strawberries, sliced
• 1/2 c. shredded aged gouda

Preparation

Prepare grill. Rinse chicken breasts under cold running water, then drain and blot dry with paper towels. When ready to grill, brush grill grate with olive oil. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper and arrange breasts in same direction on hot grate.

Grill for 2 minutes. Using tongs, rotate breasts 45 degrees and grill for 2 to 4 additional minutes. Turn breasts, brush cooked side with blueberry vinaigrette and grill, rotating breasts 45 degrees after 2 minutes. Remove breasts to a platter and cool.

When ready to serve, toss lettuce with vinaigrette in a large salad bowl. Arrange almonds, blueberries, strawberries, cheese and chicken breast on lettuce, season with salt and pepper and serve.

Mike Grossmann

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. champagne vinegar
• 1/4 vanilla bean
• 1/4 c. honey
• 1 c. blueberries
• 2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 medium shallot, diced
• 2 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp. lemon zest
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1 c. olive oil
• 1 c. corn oil
• 1 tbsp. shredded fresh mint

Preparation

Pour vinegar into a small saucepan over medium heat. Split vanilla bean. Scrape seeds into vinegar and add vanilla bean to vinegar. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low and reduce vinegar/vanilla mixture by half. Remove (and discard) bean, cool mixture and reserve.

In a blender, combine vinegar, honey, blueberries, lemon juice, shallot, salt, mustard, lemon zest and black pepper and blend until smooth. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil and corn oil.

With blender on low speed, slowly drizzle oils into blender until smooth. Stir in mint. Transfer vinaigrette to an airtight jar and refrigerate at least 2 hours before using. Vinaigrette may be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks; shake before using.

Mike Grossmann

Ingredients

• 2 lb boneless stewing beef, cut into 1 in cubes
• 2 tbl olive oil
• 1 lg onion, finely chopped
• 1 med carrot, finely chopped
• 1 med celery rib with leaves, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 c dry red wine
• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes in juice
• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes in puree
• 1 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper to taste
• pasta for serving

Preparation

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meat in batches and brown on all sides, being careful not to crowd the pan. With a slotted spoon, transfer to crockpot.

Pour off all but 2 tbl fat from the pan or add more if needed. Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables soften, about 5 min. Add wine and bring to a boil, stirring to release the browned bits in the skillet. Pour into crock pot. Add the tomatoes and spices.

Cover and turn on to low setting. Cook without removing lid for 6 to 7 hours until meat is tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve over pasta.

Joy of Cooking