Fragrant, steamed jasmine rice is good—but jasmine rice made with coconut milk and fresh ginger is even better! This is a great side dish for Asian-themed meals, and could even be paired with some Caribbean and Latin American dishes. It’s super easy to make and a step up from plain ol’ rice. Garnish with chopped cilantro if you like. Enjoy!

Coconut Rice
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine 

Cooking fragrant jasmine rice in a mix of coconut milk and water gives this simple side dish a luxurious, rich texture that dresses up any stir-fry or Asian-inspired main. Serves 4.

1-1/2 cups jasmine rice or long-grain white rice 
1-1/2 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
2 Tbs. canola oil
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk (preferably not “lite”)
3/4 tsp. kosher salt

Rinse the rice in three changes of cold water, or until the water becomes only slightly cloudy from the rice. Drain well in a sieve.

Heat the ginger with the oil in a small (2-qt.) saucepan over medium-high heat until it begins to sizzle steadily and becomes fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until the grains and ginger start to brown in places, about 2 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk,
1-3/4 cups water, and the salt. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook until the liquid has reduced to about the same level as the top of the rice, 5 to 7 minutes. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook without disturbing the rice until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, 15 minutes.

Tags: Asian coconut rice, Caribbean rice, coconut milk, coconut milk rice, coconut rice, jasmine rice, rice

This light and refreshing salad is perfect for Mother’s Day, or a light lunch or dinner. Because the flavors are so simple, fresh crab (not canned) is best in this recipe and definitely worth the splurge! The recipe can easily be doubled or tripled (or more) making it perfect for Spring and Summer entertaining. Serve with crusty artisan bread from a local bakery. Enjoy!

Crab & Avocado Salad
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine
 
Serves four as a first course; two for lunch.
 
3 Tbs. mayonnaise
2 Tbs. buttermilk
1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice; more for sprinkling
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground black or white pepper
8 oz. crabmeat, preferably lump, picked over to remove bits of shell
1/2 cup finely chopped celery from the inner ribs and leaves
3 Tbs. chopped fresh chives (1/2-inch pieces)
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 head Boston or Bibb lettuce, washed (for lining the plates)

In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, buttermilk, lemon zest, lemon juice, and mustard. Season with salt and pepper to taste. In a medium bowl, mix the crabmeat, celery, and 2 Tbs. of the chives. Fold in the dressing gently so as not to break up the crabmeat. Gently fold in the avocado. Taste for salt and pepper. Line four salad plates with lettuce leaves, heap a scoop of the crab salad on each, and garnish with the remaining chives. Sprinkle each serving with 1/2 tsp. lemon juice and serve.

Tags: avocado, avocado salad, baby shower, bridal shower, crab, crab and avocado salad, crab salad, entertaining recipes, Fine Cooking Magazine, Mother's Day, spring, Spring entertaining, Summer, summer entertaining, summer salad

Posole (also spelled pozole; pronounced poh-SOH-lay) is a hearty, meaty Mexican soup or stew that includes hominy, although there are vegetarian versions out there, too. This recipe for Green Posole with Chicken is delicious, super easy to make and perfect for entertaining!

The recipe calls for 1 cup of bottled green salsa but I used one 12-oz. jar of Trader Joe’s Salsa Verde. I also added 1 crushed clove of garlic, a teaspoon or so of cumin, and a few teaspoons of dried oregano. Serve with a variety of garnishes (avocado, sliced radishes, chopped onion, Queso Fresco, chips, etc.) so each person can dress up their posole as they like. Enjoy!

Green Posole with Chicken
-recipe from Sara’s Secrets for Weeknight Meals by Sara Moulton

Posole is a hearty soup from the Jalisco region of Mexico that is traditionally made with pork and hominy. Hominy is dried corn kernels from which the hulls and germs have been removed. (In its ground form hominy is called grits.) Dried hominy takes several hours to cook, so I have opted for the canned version in the interest of time. I have also developed a lighter version with shredded chicken and tomatillo salsa (hence green posole). This dish is ridiculously easy to make and quite satisfying with all the additional garnishes. -Sara Moulton

Makes 4-6 servings.

 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 cup bottled green salsa (salsa verde)
4 cups canned chicken broth or Chicken Stock
1 rotisserie chicken, skin and bones discarded and meat shredded
Two 15-ounce cans white hominy, rinsed and drained
Kosher salt and freshly milled black pepper

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over high heat until hot. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the salsa and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.

Add the chicken broth and simmer, partially covered, for 10 minutes. Add the chicken and hominy and simmer until heated through. Add salt and pepper to taste. To serve, ladle into bowls and let everyone garnish their own portion.

Garnishes: Finely chopped onion, chopped avocado,slivered radishes, chopped cucumbers, shredded napa cabbage, and tortilla chips.

Tags: chicken soup, Cinco de Mayo, green posole, hominy, Mexican, Mexican Chicken Soup, posole, soup, stew, Trader Joe's salsa verde

I love fish tacos, and this version is easy to make and full of fresh flavors. This recipe features chile-marinated grilled fish served with fresh Pico de Gallo salsa and a super tasty Lime-Cilantro Sour Cream Sauce. You can make almost everything ahead so it’s perfect for entertaining…just grill the fish right before serving.

The recipe has you use 2 tortillas per taco, which is brilliant because the inner tortilla will start to fall apart so you’ll still have the outer tortilla to keep the taco together. Definitely take the extra few minutes to make fresh Pico de Gallo salsa — It’s super easy and compliments the flavors of the tacos better than the jarred store-bought stuff. Serve the tacos with Arroz Verde (Green Rice) and a green salad drizzled with a Mexi-inspired vinaigrette. Enjoy!

Grilled Fish Tacos
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine 

A grilled fish taco is a beautiful thing to eat. San Diego and points south are where they originated. Although many of the fish tacos in the area are fried, the grilled ones really stand out and are much lighter. Serves 6-8, Yields 12 tacos.
 
For the lime-cilantro sour cream sauce:
1 cup sour cream 
1/2 cup mayonnaise 
3 Tbs. minced fresh cilantro
Grated zest of 1 lime 
1 Tbs. fresh lime juice

For the tacos:
2 tsp. ground ancho chile powder 
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. kosher salt 
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 
2 Tbs. olive oil 
3 lb. firm-fleshed whitefish fillets (halibut, snapper, mahi-mahi, cod) 
2 dozen 6-inch corn tortillas
2-1/2 cups shredded green cabbage 
2-1/2 cups shredded red cabbage 
Pico de Gallo 
4 limes, quartered

To make the lime-cilantro sour cream sauce:
Combine all the ingredients in a 2-cup measuring cup and whisk until smooth. Refrigerate up to 4 hours until ready to use.

To make the tacos:
In a small bowl, combine the ancho powder, cumin, garlic, salt, and pepper and stir to mix. Add the oil and whisk until a loose paste is formed. Rub the fish with the spice paste and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.  

Light a charcoal fire or preheat your gas grill on high. Oil the grill’s cooking surface. Let the coals burn down to a medium-hot fire or adjust the gas grill burners to medium-high.

Grill the fish until just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and coarsely chop.

Divide the tortillas into 2 stacks and wrap each in aluminum foil. Place on the grill until heated through, about 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the green and red cabbage.

To assemble the tacos, take 2 tortillas, top it with chunks of fish, a dollop of the sauce, a spoonful of the Pico de Gallo, and some of the cabbage. Squeeze a wedge of  lime over the filling, fold the tortillas, and eat.

Tags: Cinco de Mayo, fish, fish tacos, grilled fish tacos, grilling, Mexican, Mexican food

If you’ve never made your own salsa, it’s time you step out and give it a whirl. Not only is fresh salsa super easy to make but it tastes much, much better than the jarred stuff. Plus, you’ll be the star of the party when you walk in with a bowl of this fresh, smoky deliciousness!

The first time I made this salsa it ended up pretty spicy—which was fine because I love the heat—but probably hotter than most people would like. Jalapenos range in heat from mild to spicy so I recommend adding everything except the jalapeno to the processor, pulse a few times then taste. If you want it spicier, go ahead and add the chopped jalapeno, and pulse a few more times. The chipotle chile (smoked jalapeno) is spicy, too, so you may want to start with less (maybe a teaspoon or so) if you don’t want a spicy salsa. You can always add more chile to get more spicy heat but it’s difficult to go backwards once you’ve added it (you’d need to add more tomatoes, etc.).

Sometimes I grill the veggies instead of broiling them. Serve the salsa with locally-made tortilla chips. My favorite Oregon brand is Juanita’s. Enjoy!

Tomato Chile Salsa
-recipe from Gourmet Magazine

Broiling tomatoes and onions concentrates their flavor in this spicy salsa that’s good any time of the year.

Yield: Makes about 2 1/2 cups
 
Olive oil for greasing
1 1/2 lb plum tomatoes (about 6 large)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo plus 2 teaspoons sauce from can

1 (2 1/2-inch) fresh jalapeño, seeded and remainder chopped (1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Accompaniment: tortilla chips

 
Preheat broiler.

Oil a 13- by 9-inch roasting pan (not glass). Halve tomatoes lengthwise, then arrange, cut sides up, in roasting pan. Sprinkle onion over and around tomatoes and broil 4 to 5 inches from heat until tomatoes and onion begin to brown, 25 to 30 minutes.

Cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

Transfer tomatoes, onion, and any juices in pan to a food processor and add chipotles with sauce, jalapeño, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Pulse until vegetables are finely chopped.

Transfer to a bowl and stir in cilantro. Season with salt.

Cooks’ note: Salsa keeps, covered and chilled, up to 3 days. Do not add cilantro until ready to serve. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Tags: chipotle, fresh salsa, jalepeno, Juanita's tortilla chips, Mexican, Oregon, salsa, tomato chile salsa, tomatoes

Fresh asparagus is everywhere right now so why not pick some up next time you’re at the market and make this simple side dish. It’s super easy, and goes with a variety of meaty main dishes. Enjoy!

Note: Remember to cut the tough, woody ends off each spear of asparagus. Click here to learn how.

Sautéed Asparagus with Butter & Parmesan
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine

You can embellish the basic method, adding peas or fava beans to make a spring vegetable mélange, or you can toss the sautéed asparagus with hot pasta. Or serve this as a side dish for roast chicken, lamb, or pork.  Serves 6-8.

1-1/2 pounds asparagus, trimmed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Slice the asparagus on a sharp diagonal about 1/2 inch thick, leaving the tips whole. Melt the butter in a large (12-inch) skillet over moderate heat. Add the asparagus and season with the salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the asparagus is just tender, 5 to 6 minutes, lowering the heat if needed to keep the asparagus from browning. Don’t overcook; the asparagus will soften a little more as it cools.

Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the parsley and 3 tablespoons of the cheese. Transfer to a serving bowl, top with the remaining cheese, and serve immediately.

Tags: asparagus, sauteed asparagus, Side Dish, Spring vegetables

We’re definitely moving into salad weather so here’s a recipe featuring pungent and peppery arugula tossed with homemade croutons, shaved Parmesan cheese and lightly dressed with good olive oil and fresh lemon juice. Don’t even think about using store-bought croutons. Homemade croutons are super easy to make and so much tastier! This is a simply-flavored salad so you need to use best-quality ingredients!

This recipe centers around the arugula (also known as rocket), which also provides much of the salad’s flavor…substituting a different kind of green will make the salad much less interesting. Trader Joe’s usually sells wild and/or organic arugula so that’s where I get mine. Also, buy a really good quality Parmesan cheese—it’s worth the splurge. Enjoy!

Wild Arugula Salad with Garlic Croutons, Shaved Parmesan, and Lemon
-recipe from Epicurious.com

Wild arugula is dark green with spiky leaves. It has a more intense flavor than that of regular arugula. You’ll find wild arugula at farmers’ markets and at some supermarkets. Makes 6 servings.

1 8-ounce piece ciabatta with crust (preferably day-old)
1 large garlic clove, peeled
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 ounces arugula (preferably wild; about 10 cups packed)
2 tablespoons (or more) fresh lemon juice
3 ounces Parmesan cheese, shaved into strips with vegetable peeler

Preheat oven to 400°F. Rub crust of bread with garlic clove. Tear bread into 1-inch pieces and place in large bowl; toss with 1/4 cup olive oil. Sprinkle bread lightly with salt; arrange in single layer on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden and crisp around edges, about 10 minutes. Cool. DO AHEAD: Can be made 4 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

Place arugula in large bowl. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons lemon juice, adding more lemon juice, if desired. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add 2/3 of croutons and half of Parmesan cheese and toss. Transfer to serving bowl; scatter remaining croutons and Parmesan cheese over and serve.

Tags: arugula, arugula salad, croutons, Epicurious.com, homemade croutons, Italian salad, parmesan cheese, rocket salad, Salad, wild arugula

I love egg sandwiches! They make a great meal with very little effort, and are a great breakfast on the go. Before trying this recipe, I usually just used English muffins as the foundation for my egg sandwich. The bagels, however, add a little more heft and you can switch up bagel flavors depending on your mood (sesame, onion, poppy seed, plain, etc.).

This recipe uses bacon but you could easily substitute ham or canadian bacon, or make it vegetarian by skipping the meat all together. Also included in the recipe are handy tips on having cooked bacon and sliced bagels in the freezer to speed up the sandwich making process…perfect for the hectic morning routine! Enjoy!

Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Sandwich, New York City Deli-Style
-recipe from Mad Hungry by Lucinda Scala Quinn

As most city parents know, at an all-too-early age, your kids rush out in the early morning on their way to school. You beg them to eat breakfast first but instead, if anything, they stop before school at the bagel shop or snack truck for fast food. When I watched our oldest son and his friend spend their entire junior year in high school perfecting a bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich to rival that of their favorite deli version, a light bulb went off: replicate the sandwich, wrap it just right in parchment or foil, and hand each boy a portable breakfast as he heads out the door in the morning. As I learned from the boys, the magic combination is two eggs, not scrambled (but yolk broken), with melted cheese on each egg, served on a lightly buttered, griddled (not toasted) “everything” bagel.
-Lucinda Scala Quinn

Yield: Makes 1 sandwich

1 everything bagel, or other bagel of choice
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus more for buttering bagel
2 large eggs
1 thin slice cheese, such as American or cheddar
2 to 3 slices cooked bacon
Hot sauce and/or ketchup, for serving

Slice bagel in half. Butter cut sides of each half and toast in a toaster oven or on a griddle (if using a pop-up toaster, butter halves after they are toasted).

Meanwhile, heat a cast-iron or nonstick skillet. Add butter to skillet. Carefully crack both eggs into skillet. When whites begin to set, immediately puncture yolks.

Top one egg with cheese and bacon. Place remaining egg, yolk-side down on top of bacon (like an egg-on-egg sandwich). Transfer eggs onto one toasted half of the bagel; top with remaining bagel half and lightly press together. Serve immediately with hot sauce or ketchup, or wrap halfway in parchment paper or aluminum foil for a portable breakfast.

Abbreviated Breakfast Sandwich: If you’re in a hurry and your guys are about to run out the door, pile a couple of scrambled eggs on a toasted and buttered roll. Sprinkle on some salt and pepper, wrap in foil or parchment, and tuck a bit of paper towel in one of the outside seams. Put it in their backpacks or hand them off as they go.

Quick Bacon: When you have some extra time, cook a pound or two of bacon. Drain, cool, and wrap in plastic, three strips per package. Freeze and pull out as needed for a quick breakfast or sandwich. Ten seconds in the microwave or a minute in a preheated pan and the bacon is ready to use.

Bagels: Buy fresh bagels in quantity when possible. As soon as you get home, cut each one in half, place the two halves in a sealed bag, and freeze immediately. Optimum freshness will be preserved , and frozen bagel halves can go straight into the toaster — a much better alternative to day-old dry bagels or whole bagels you have to defrost before toasting. One caution: beware the poppy seed bagel — it sheds its seeds in the freezer.

Tags: bacon, bacon egg sandwich, bagel, bagel breakfast, bagel sandwich, Breakfast, breakfast on the go, egg sandwich, Lucinda Scala Quinn, Mad Hungry, New York bagel sandwich, sandwich

You can never have too many chicken recipes! This delicious Thai-inspired dish is easy to make and perfect for a weeknight meal. The super flavorful peanut sauce is the star of the show here. If you like Thai food then you’ll love this recipe!

Don’t feel like pounding the chicken breasts? I ‘spose you could use chicken cutlets or chicken tenders instead, although they will take less time to cook so be careful not to overcook them. Serve with Thai-Style Cabbage Salad and steamed jasmine rice. Enjoy!

Chicken Breasts with Red Thai Curry Peanut Sauce
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine
 
2 Tbs. chopped fresh ginger
1 Tbs. chopped garlic
1/2 cup natural smooth peanut better, preferably at room temperature
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 Tbs. soy sauce
2 Tbs. mirin or granulated sugar
1-3/4 tsp. red Thai curry paste
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/2 lb. total), trimmed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs. canola oil; more as needed
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
3 Tbs. minced fresh cilantro

In a food processor, combine the ginger, garlic, peanut butter, rice vinegar, soy sauce, mirin (or sugar), 1-1/2 tsp. of the curry paste, and 3 Tbs. water. Process until smooth, about 30 seconds. Taste to check the heat level and add the remaining 1/4 tsp. curry paste if you like.

If the chicken breasts come with tenders, remove them and reserve them for another use. Between two sheets of plastic wrap, lightly pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness with a meat mallet, a heavy pan, or the side of a cleaver. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper. Set a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add the canola oil. When the oil is very hot, add two of the chicken breasts and cook until nicely browned, 3 to 4 min. Flip the chicken and continue to cook until it’s cooked through, another 3 to 4 min. Transfer the chicken to a platter. Repeat with the remaining chicken, adding 1 to 2 Tbs. more oil if the pan is dry.

Reduce the heat to low and add the coconut milk and 1/2 cup of the peanut sauce to the skillet. (Save the remaining sauce for another use). Stir to combine and heat through, about 2 min. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro. Drizzle the sauce over the chicken and serve immediately.

Tags: Asian chicken, Chicken, Chicken breasts with Red Thai Curry Peanut Sauce, chicken recipe, chicken with peanut sauce, curry chicken, peanut sauce, Thai chicken, Thai curry chicken, thai curry peanut sauce

This fresh-tasting, super easy salad makes a great side dish for an Asian meal! I love the salty-sweet-sour combination of flavors and the punch of fresh herbs…delicious!

I’ve made the salad a variety of ways. Sometimes I substitute lime for lemon, or green onions for the red onions. I’ve also made it with both mint and cilantro, or just cilantro. You can even use the bagged pre-shredded cabbage and carrot cole slaw mix (about 3 1/2 to 4 cups) if you want to save a little prep time.

The recipe only makes 2 servings so do your math to increase quantities if you plan on feeding more than 2. Enjoy!

Thai-Style Cabbage Salad
-recipe from Epicurious.com (Gourmet Magazine)

Yield: Serves 2

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups finely shredded cabbage
1/2 small red onion, sliced thin (about 1/3 cup)
1/3 cup grated carrot
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves or 3/4 teaspoon crumbled dried
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil 

In a bowl stir together the lemon juice, the sugar, and the salt until the sugar and salt are dissolved, add the cabbage, the onion, the carrot, the mint, the cilantro, and the oil, and toss the salad well.

Tags: Asian salad, asian slaw, cabbage, Salad, Thai salad, Thai-style cabbage salad