chicken-sausage and asparagus saute' over cheesy grits... 20 minutes

If you have a rainy day on your hands, or if you happen to catch a random cold in the summer (like me), serve this up for some warmth in your tummy.


the goods:

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 precooked chicken sauseges, sliced on the diagonal
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 bunch asparagus, tough ends removed, cut into 1-inch lengths
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup grits
1 cup white cheddar cheese, shredded



Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook sausage until browned, tossing occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes; transfer to a plate. Reduce heat to medium. Cook onion until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add asparagus, thyme, and 1/3 cup water. Cover and steam until asparagus is just tender and water has evaporated, about 6 minutes.



Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring 1 cup salted water to a boil, gradually whisk in grits. Reduce heat to low; cook stirring frequently, until thickened, about 6 minutes. Stir in cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

Add sausage and lemon juice to the veggie mix and toss. Season with salt and pepper. Serve over grits.

roasted garlic chicken with glazed carrots and oven potatoes... 1 hour and 30 minutes

the goods:

40 garlic cloves (4 heads), unpeeled
1 whole roasting chicken, rinsed and patted dry (giblets removed)
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
6 sprigs fresh thyme
4 to 5 potatoes, washed and cut into bite-size chunks
4 to 5 carrots, cut on the diagonal into 2-inch lengths
olive oil
1 tablespoon honey


Preheat oven to 475 degrees.


Place garlic in a medium bowl; cover with another same-size bowl, creating a dome. Hold bowls together tightly, and shake vigorously until skins are loosened. Remove and discard skins; set garlic aside.



Place chicken in a large oven-proof skillet (cast-iron) or roasting pan. Rub all over with butter; season with salt and pepper. Add thyme and garlic to skillet.

Roast, basting occasionally with juices and stirring garlic, for one hour.



Meanwhile, place carrots and potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss potatoes and carrots to coat. Try to avoid mixing them, as you will need to add honey to the carrots only at a later time.



Once chicken has been cooking for 25 minutes, add potatoes and carrots on the rack below. Let them cook for the remainder of the time, tossing occasionally.



Once chicken is through cooking, remove from oven (leaving potatoes and carrots in to brown on top) and let rest 10 minutes. Remove potatoes and carrots from oven and seperate into serving dishes. Drizzle carrots with honey and toss to coat. Carve chicken and serve!

sesame noodles... 25 minutes

the goods:

12 ounces whole wheat spaghetti
1 bunch broccoli, cut into florets
2 red bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), thinly sliced
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons dark-brown sugar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 to 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes



In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook spaghetti 3 minutes less than al dente. Add broccoli, bell peppers, and onion. Cook until pasta is done and vegetables are tender, 3 to 5 minutes more. Drain pasta and vegetables.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together peanut butter, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, oil, garlic, and red-pepper flakes. Add hot pasta and vegetables; toss to coat. Serve!

steak and green stir fry... 35 minutes

the goods:

2 cups white rice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound flank steak
8 ounces sugar snap peas, ends removed
1 bunch asparagus, tough ends removed, cut into 2-inch lengths
4 garlic cloves thinly sliced lengthwise
1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablspoons rice vinegar



Cook rice according to package instructions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Season steak with salt and pepper on both sides; cook 4 to 6 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to a plate, and tent with foil.



Place snap peas, asparagus, garlic, red-pepper flakes, and 1/4 cup water in skillet. Cook, tossing, until vegetables are crisp-tender, 3-5 minutes. Add soy sauce and vinegar; toss to combine.



Slice steak thinly across the grain. Serve steak, vegetables, and rice drizzled with pan juices.

spinach and brie chicken roll-ups with orzo salad... 25 minutes

the goods:

2 chicken breasts cut in half lengthwise and pounded into 4 thin cutlets
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 package (10 ounces) frozen leaf spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
4 ounces Brie cheese cut into slices
1 cup orzo
2 plum tomatoes, cored and chopped (I had to use grape tomatoes here because of the salmonela problem, romas aren't available)
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Set a large saucepan of salted water to boil. Heat broiler, with rack set 4 inches from heat.



Place chicken on a large rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Dividing evenly, spread one side of chicken with mustard; top with spinach, then cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Starting at short end, roll chicken up tightly, and arrange seam side down, on sheet.

Season rolled chicken with salt and pepper. Broil, without turning, until tops are lightly browned and chicken is cooked through, 9 to 11 minutes.



Meanwhile, cook orzo in boiling water until al dente. Drain well; return to pot. Add tomatoes, parsley, butter, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine.



Serve stuffed chicken with orzo salad.

pecorino-crusted chicken fingers... 40 minutes

the goods:

2 slices white sandwich bread
3/4 cup shredded Pecorino Romano cheese
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into strips



Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. In a food processor, pulse bread and cheese until coarse crumbs form.



Season chicken with salt and pepper. Press crumb mixture onto chicken; transfer to prepared sheet. Bake until crust is golden and chicken is cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes.



Serve with desired side dishes (I made a big fresh green salad - it was the perfect summer dinner).

vegetarian white lasagna with garlic knots... 2 hours

the goods:

1/4 cup olive oil (plus more for foil)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups whole milk
2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 package (16 ounces) frozen peas
4 or 5 carrots, halved and thinly sliced
1 container (15 ounces) ricotta (about 2 cups) - you can get whole or part-skim, whichever you prefer is fine
1 large egg
1 package (9 ounces) no-boil lasagna noodles
1 pound mozzarella, shredded or sliced (whichever you prefer)
1 cup grated parmesan



Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium; add flour and garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes (do not let flour brown); gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a boil stirring occasionally to avoid burning the bottom; reduce to a simmer, and cook, continuing to whisk occaionally, until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add carrots, spinach, and peas; season gernerously with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

In a medium bowl, combine rocitta, egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.



In the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, spread a thin layer of vegetable sauce. Follow it with a single layer of noodles, half of the vegetable sauce, another layer of noodles, half of the ricotta mixture, half of the mozzarella, and half of the parmesan. Continue the cycle with the remaining vegetable sauce, a layer of noodles, the remaining ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan.



Cover dish loosely with lightly oiled aluminum foil. Place a sheet of foil on the rack below the lasagna to catch any spills. Bake 45 minutes, uncover, and bake until bubbling and browned, 25 to 30 minutes more. Let cool 10 to 15 minutes before serving so that lasagna can set.



After you have uncovered the lasagna, and while it browns in the final stage of baking, start working on your garlic knots.

the goods:

all-purpose flour for rolling out dough
1 pound pizza or bread dough, thawed
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced



On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to a 10-inch square; with a knife or pizza cutter, cut 1-inch strips. Tie each strip into a knot, and place on a rimmed baking sheet.



Brush knots with 1 tablespoon olive oil. When lasagna is resting, put knots in the oven and bake until golden, about 15 to 20 minutes; transfer to a large bowl.

While knots are baking, in a small saucepan, heat garlic and remaining 3 tablespoons oil over medium until garlic is fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour garlic oil over bread knots and toss.

chicken-fajita tostadas... 45 minutes

the goods:

2 medium onions (or one large onion), halved then thinly sliced
2 yellow bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), thinly sliced
1 bag (16 oz.) frozen corn kernels
1/4 cup salsa (plus more for serving)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
corn tortillas (6-inch)
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
sour cream for serving



Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. On foil, combine onions, bell peppers, corn, 1/4 cup salsa, and 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper.



Roast, tossing occasionally, until vegetables are tender and lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Add shredded chicken, stir to combine, and continue to roast until warmed through, 5 minutes more. Transfer chicken and vegetable mixture to a serving bowl, discarding foil.



Arrange tortillas on baking sheet (the one you just removed foil from). Dividing evenly, brush with remaining tablespoon oil; top with cheese, Bake until edges are golden and cheese is melted, 8 to 10 minutes.



Dividing evenly, top tortillas with chicken-vegetable mixture, salsa, and sour cream. Serve with tortilla chips if desired.