I was really surprised at how good this turned out. While cooking, I had been growing increasingly skeptical (mint … with beef?), but it really comes together well. The fresh herbs add an excellent note, and they don't overpower it at all.

The next time I make this, I think I will actually increase the number of jalapenos by one. They were very good and the dish was not even slightly spicy. In fact, I might bump the red pepper up to a big pinch, as well.

The original recipe called for a blade steak, which I couldn't find. This steak has a line of connective tissue running down the center which should be cut out. The flank steak was a perfectly acceptable substitute, but it is very important that it be sliced across the grain to prevent it from being tough.

THAI CHILI BEEF

Beef and marinade:

• 1.25 lbs. flank steak
• 1 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 1/8 tsp. ground pepper
• 3/4 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar

Stir fry:

• 2 jalapenos or serrano chilis
• 2 shallots
• 2 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar
• pinch red pepper flakes
• 2 Tbsp. water
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed and mixed with 1 tsp. oil
• 1/3 cup. fresh mint leaves, torn to small pieces
• 1/3 cup. fresh cilantro, torn to small pieces

Trim the flank steak of any fat and silverskin. Cut the flank steak across the grain into strips about 1/4-inch thick, 1/2-inch wide, and 3-inches long. Mix with the marinade ingredients and let sit in the refrigerator at least 30 min.

Cut the jalapenos lengthwise and remove the seeds and ribs. Slice the jalapeno halves crosswise into 1/8-thick slices. Cut the shallots in half lengthwise, then cut the halves again in half, lengthwise. Separate the shallot quarters into slices. (You will have flat pieces, not minced shallot.)

Heat a non-stick skillet over high heat with about 2 tsp. oil. When hot, add a third to a half of the beef slices. Continue cooking over high heat about 3 or 4 minutes until the bottom side browns, then flip the beef. Continue cooking until both sides are nicely brown and the beef is fully cooked, about 3 minutes more. Remove the beef and set aside. Repeat with another third of the beef until it is all cooked.

Reduce the heat to medium. In 2 tsp. oil, add the shallots and jalapenos and cook until the shallots are slightly translucent and the jalapenos have softene, about 3 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the fish sauce, sugar, vinegar, red pepper and water and simmer until the liquid is reduced and the sauce is slightly syrupy.

Add the reserved beef and heat through. Add the mint and cilantro and heat until the herbs are heated and slightly wilty.

Serve over white rice

Serves about 4.

Source: Adapted from an episode of America's Test Kitchen.

I like casserole-type dishes. It's easy to make enough for a meal, plus leftovers. The original recipe called for the whole thing to be made in one skillet. For me, that would involve either transferring the leftovers to some other container or tying up a skillet until the whole thing was finished (not to mention finding room for it in the fridge). So I used a square pan for the baking.

TAMALE PIE

Filling:

• 1 onion, minced
• 2 Tbsp. chili powder
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 14-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 lb. 90% lean ground beef
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 c. grated cheddar cheese
• 2 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped

Cornbread topping:

• 3/4 c. cornmeal
• 3/4 c. flour (all-purpose)
• 3 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 c. buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 3 Tbsp. butter, melted and cooled

Preheat oven to 450°F.

In an oven-proof skillet, heat 2 Tbsp. oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add the onion and chili powder. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is softened. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 sec.

Add the ground beef and cut with a spatula into smaller pieces. Add the beans and tomatoes, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook 5-8 minutes. The beef should not brown in this step, really just simmer.

While the beef is cooking, make the cornbread. In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk to combine. In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, egg, and butter. Pour the liquid ingredients with the dry, and stir just until combined.

Once the beef is cooked, stir the cheese into the mixture. Stir until combined, the cheese is melted, and the mixture is slightly thickened. Stir in the cilantro.

Spoon the cornbread mixture in dollops over the beef mixture and gently spread into a single layer. Alternatively, if expecting leftovers, pour the beef mixture into an 9×9x2 pan and spoon the cornbread mixture over that.

Put the skillet or the pan into the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Serves about 6.

Source: Adapted from an episode of America's Test Kitchen.

Let me confess: I have fear of fish. Fish always sounds good but it's like the girl with the curl: when it's good it is very, very good. And when it's bad……

This dish takes the fear out of cooking fish. It is impossible to mess up - I've made it dozens and dozens of times and it is, as far as I can tell, foolproof. I've used many different kinds of fish, I sometimes add yellow or green summer squash, I sometimes use sliced cherry tomatoes or cheveril instead of basil. It works every time without fail, without mess.

This fish dish is simple and bright tasting. It's also low in calories if you care about that. Sadly it only makes enough for one. I'm sure there's a way to change the microwave cooking times to make it for more than one, but I do not know that secret.

FISH AND TOMATOES

• 6-8 oz of firm-fleshed fish
• One medium sized tomato sliced into thin rounds
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• 2-3 fresh basil leaves

On a microwave safe plate layer the tomatoes and then the fish.

Top with the lemon juice, the olive oil, and the basil.

Cover tightly with plastic wrap.

Microwave on high for 4 minutes and 30 seconds.

Enjoy! (careful, plate may be very hot!)

Loosely adapted from Microwave Cooking by Barbra Kafka

I love gin. Especially in the summer. It's crisp, almost austere, herb-ness seems ideally suited for the deathly hot days of July and August when even a well chilled beer is too sticky to contemplate

Sadly, in a fit of well being I gave up artificial sweetners and HFCS in March and it turns out to be nearly impossible to find tonic water that doesn't have one or the other. My gin has been languishing in my freezer, chilled to the perfect syrupy consistency, while I pondered how to drink it. I wanted something that was not fussy, not hard to make, didn't get the gin all yucky with sweetness or egg or cream or anything else non-summer. I finally came across this recipe. It's a sidecar, one of my favorite drinks, made with gin instead of brandy.

When made with icy cold gin, this may be one of the perfect summer drinks.

WHITE LADY

• Two measures of gin
• One measure of cointreau
• One measure of lemon juice

I didn't specifiy what size measure you should use. I do 2oz, 1oz, 1oz but if you wanted to make a large amount and do 2 liters, 1 liter, 1 liter I would not stop you as long as you didn't mess with the proportions.

Add the cointreau first, the lemon juice second, and the gin last to an appropriately sized glass and swirl to mix. Garnish with a single mint leaf if you desire.

Source: about.com, whattodrink.com, webtender.com, and several others.

This is one of my favorite summer soups. Sweet, cold, wonderful. It can be a lovely, light starter. It can be dessert. It can be the whole damn meal, with some fruit as garnish. Is clam chowder that versatile? Don't be ridiculous!

COLD CANTALOUPE AND ALMOND SOUP

• 1/2 c. whole raw almonds
• 1.5 c. water
• The flesh of 1 cantaloupe
• 2 Tbsp. honey
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice (be generous, the soup is sweet)
• small pinch salt

Spread the almonds in a single layer on a roasting pan and toast in a 350F oven (don't preheat). The almonds are done when they suddenly become incredibly almond-y smelling. Leap to take them out…they burn immediately after they smell great.

Transfer the almonds to a blender. Add water. This will result in exciting noises and some of the hot almonds to explode. Blend until all of the almonds are finely ground. You will know this state because your blender will stop sounding like you put rocks into it.

Pour the almond-water mixture into a sieve set over a bowl and separate the liquid from the solids. Press hard on the solids, there will be more of them than you are expecting.

Return the almond liquid to the cleaned blender (make sure there are no solids remaining in the blender). Add all the other ingredients and blend until smooth. Chill.

Serve in pretty bowls. Garnish with mint or thin slices of cantalope or a pretty berry (or several) or a handful of chocolate shavings. Makes about 4 servings.

Source: I really don't recall. I've been making this every summer since medical school. I'm guessing that I started with a mid-late 1990s Gourmet recipe but it might have been in the New York Times.

This is really good, and quite easy. I really like the cooking method too. Don't be afraid to cook the chicken over very high heat. The goal is to get it seared and browned on the outside, but still slightly underdone in the middle so that it finishes cooking at the end.

I've cut the original recipe down a bit, because it made quite a lot. This would double well if you need more.

SKILLET PASTA WITH CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI

• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
• vegetable oil
• 1/2 onion, minced
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1/4 tsp. dried oregano
• pinch red pepper flakes
• 4 oz. penne or other tubular pasta
• 1 cup + 1/2 cup water
• scant 1 cup canned chicken broth
• 6 oz. broccoli florets (half a 12 oz. pre-cut bag)
• 2 sun-dried tomatoes, sliced thin
• 1/4 cup half and half (cream if you're feeling decadent)
• 1 oz. Asiago cheese (Parmesan would also do well)
• squeeze of lemon

Cut the chicken into slightly larger than bite-sized pieces. In a 12-inch, non-stick skillet, heat a teaspoon or two of oil over medium-high to high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 1 minute without disturbing it. Cook for 1 to 2 more minutes. The chicken should still be slightly pink inside. Reserve the chicken.

Add another teaspoon of oil, put the skillet over medium heat, and cook the onion until it is slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds more. Now add the pasta, 1 cup of the water, and the chicken broth. Increase the heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil, uncovered, for 12 to 15 minutes, or until almost all the liquid is gone.

Add the broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes, and remaining 1/2 cup water to the skillet. Cover and let steam for about 4 minutes. The broccoli should be bright green and nearly cooked through. Add the half and half and the Asiago, and stir. You may need to let it simmer a bit to reduce the water so the sauce is nice and thick.

Remove from heat and add the lemon juice.

Serves 2 to 3.

Source: America's Test Kitchen

I know what you're thinking: "A recipe for tea?" I tried this once, and it seems to make a subtly different cup of tea. Maybe it's because the tea is microwaved, instead of just adding it to hot water, or perhaps it's because the milk gets cooked a bit as well. Anyway, I like it. Tea purists will probably critizize the usage of tea bags. I usually make this in a 1 cup Pyrex measuring cup, which makes the measuring easier. The times are tailored for my microwave and may need adjustment, depending on the power of your microwave.

TEA

• 6 oz. cold water
• 1 tea bag of black tea
• sugar, to taste
• 2 oz. milk, whole or 2%

Put the water, tea bag, and sugar in a mug or other microwave-safe container. Microwave for 60 sec. It should boil. Let it steep for another 60 sec. Add the milk and microwave for 20 sec. Remove the tea bag and drink.

Source: Hob's Zeitgeist

I like to buy things in bulk. It makes me feel frugal. But then my buying-things-in-bulk phase passes and I'm left with lots of bulk stuff to eat, which is sometimes more difficult. Recently (okay, not so recently now) I bought chickpeas. A lot of chickpeas. No, really, a LOT of chickpeas. So now I'm trying to use them up. This is one of Sean's favorite recipes. It is, as many of my recipes are, extremely mutable. In fact, after you make it once or twice, you probably won't bother with measuring things at all which makes it much less recipe-like and more just something you look forward to eating.

SIMPLE LEMON-Y CHICKPEAS

• 2 cups chickpeas
• 1 tbl Colonna Granverde (extra virgin olive oil pressed with sicilian lemons) - or just regular olive oil, but it's not nearly as good
• Parmesean or other hard, aged, grate-able cheese, about 1 oz, grated finely.
• hot red pepper flakes
• 1 generous tbl lemon juice
• salt and pepper
• bacon (optional)
• mushy-ripe avacado (optional)
• fresh parsley (optional)

Drain chickpeas and place in large bowl

Add Colonna, cheese, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes to taste (you'll need more of them than you think you will)

Add any of the optional ingredients that you choose (most often I do none because that's easiest and extremely tasty, so don't think you have to add any of these)

Taste and add salt and pepper as necessary.

May eat room temperature, cold from the fridge, or slightly warmed.

My mom makes something similar to this, my friend Marina in medical school made something similar to this. Orangette had something *very* similar to this a year or so ago. That surprised me, it seemed too humble for a recipe blog, but once she did it it made me realize that I can do it too! Everyone should know about lemon-y chickpeas!! But she uses regular olive oil and you'll have to take my word that the one from Bosco Pontoni that is cold pressed with lemons makes an enormous amount of difference.

Winter is a great time for Mujadra. It makes your house smell lovely. In my case it also makes my kitchen very, very warm. It's warm and filling and perfect for cold nights. Downsides? Well, Mujadra is never going to be a thing of beauty. But it's damn good.

This recipe is easy to make. Not fast, but easy, and once you make it once you'll probably be making it a lot. It's transliterated from Arabic so every middle eastern store you go into and every cookbook you read has a slightly different spelling. Meggadarra, Mujadara, Mugadra - it's all the same. Except it's not. It's all different. Some have more lentils, some have more rice, some are saltier, some have a shot of lemon juice. So basically whatever you want is fine. Have a good time. Not enough rice? Make it anyhow. Not enough lentils? Make it anyhow. Like most peasant dishes it's really hard to ruin.

In the dark, cramped Jordanian store in New York where I first met Mujadra it was wrapped in a hot pita and covered with all sorts of salty, crunchy, sour pickles. Now that I make my own I eat it one of two ways: 1. on a bed of lemony greens, cooked or salad-type. 2. Straight out of the pot with a spoon

MUJADRA

• 2 or 3 large yellow onions
• 4 Tbl (or more if necessary) good olive oil
• 1 cup lentils (the brown or green kind, don't use puy lentils or the orange indian ones)
• 1 cup rice (basmati is best but anything works as long as it's not "quik cooking"
• 1 tsp salt

Chop the onions coarsely.

Heat a good amount of olive oil (I suggest starting with at least a quarter cup but more won't hurt at all) in a large, flat bottom pot, the wider the better. I use my Indian Khadai for this. Of course, I use it for just about everything else, too.

When the oil is hot, add the onions, stir briskly to coat all the onions with hot oil and then turn the burner way, way down. The awesome flavor of Mujadra comes from the carmelized onions and without carmelized onions you have a very boring dish. Stir the onions occasionally, but let them cook until they are solidly dark brown all over. This takes about an hour but it's mostly hands off so don't freak out.

While the onions are cooking, take a small sauce pan and add the lentils enough water to cover them. Bring this to a boil, then cover it, turn the heat way down and leave it for 20 minutes.

When the onions are done (okay the first time you think they're done they're probably not, so just hold your horses. Make sure they're really really done) add the lentils and the uncooked rice to the pan and stir until all the rice has been coated with yummy onion-y oil.

Add 4 cups of water to the lentil-rice-onion mixture and 1 full tsp of salt. Bring the pot to a boil and then cover and turn the heat down.

Check after 20 minutes. The cooking time will depend on how wide your pot is. Pots with narrow bottoms will take longer. So check in 20 minutes. If there is still water, let it cook longer. If there is no water, taste the rice. If the rice is tender, you're done. If the rice is crunchy, add a little more water and cook some more.

When it's done, recheck seasonings. It may need more salt.

Adapted loosely from Claudia Rosen, Orangette, and every middle eastern restaurant I've ever been to. 1/4 of the amount above is about 300 calories.

Whenever I have people over for dinner, I try to have some sort of nibbly bits, since I'm always running late. This is a great dip with little slices of bread or crackers. It's fairly thick, almost a spread more than a dip.

BLUE CHEESE AND CARAMELIZED SHALLOT DIP

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1.25 cups minced shallots (about 4)
• 4 oz. blue cheese
• 0.75 cup mayonnaise
• 0.75 cup sour cream
• dash salt

Heat the oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add the shallots and cook until they are soft, translucent, and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool a bit.

In a large bowl, mash the blue cheese with a fork until it's in well-broken-up. Add the mayonnaise, sour cream, salt and stir until combined. Add the shallots and stir.

Cover and refrigerate for several hours.

Source: Epicurious