Tomato Bruschetta

Core and chop the tomatoes, then transfer to a colander over a bowl or in the sink. Add the salt and gently stir. Let drain for up to 2 hours.

Meanwhile, make the garlic oil: In a small saucepan, warm the olive oil and garlic over low heat until the garlic is softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes, making sure the garlic doesn’t brown. Set aside to cool.

Roll the basil leaves up and thinly slice crosswise.

When the oil is cool and the tomatoes are well drained, combine the tomatoes, garlic oil and basil in a medium bowl. Season with additional salt, to taste. Spoon over toasted bread.

Splash with balsamic oil.

BBQ tips

Don't forget to oil the grill!

BBQ Chicken:

Build a fire in your grill, leaving one side free of coals. When coals are covered with gray ash and the temperature is medium (you can hold your hand 5 inches above the coals for 5 to 7 seconds), you are ready to cook. (For a gas grill, turn one of the burners down to low or off, lower cover and heat for 15 minutes.)

Meanwhile, combine barbecue sauce with 1 cup water and stir to combine. Set aside.

Sprinkle the chicken pieces generously with salt and pepper, then put them on the grill directly over the coals and cook for about 15 minutes, turning once every 5 minutes or so, and brushing with the thinned barbecue sauce. When the chicken skin starts to crisp and darken, move the pieces to the cooler side of the grill and let them cook for 15 to 20 minutes more, or until a peek inside shows that the meat no longer has any red at the center. (165 deg F)

Move the chicken back onto the hot side of the grill and baste with sauce again, turning the meat a few times. Remove to a warmed platter and serve.

Steak:

Heat to high. Season generally with S&P. Salt the steaks a few hours early and leave at room temperature if you have time. Cook steaks for about 3 minutes each side. 135 deg F for medium rare.

One Pot Black Beans and Rice

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped (about 1 ¼ cups)
1 ¾ cups chicken or vegetable stock or water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup long-grain rice
1 (15.5-ounce) can black or pinto beans
Lime wedges or cilantro leaves, for garnish (optional)

PREPARATION
In a large saucepan or Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the stock, cover and bring to a boil.
Add the salt, rice and beans (including the liquid). Stir just to combine, then cover.
Turn the heat down as low as it will go, then let simmer, undisturbed, for 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 4 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
Season to taste with salt and pepper, then garnish with lime or cilantro as you wish.

Libby's Rice Pilaf

2 T peanut or olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 C basmati or jasmine rice, rinsed and drained
2 C water or chicken stock
1 piece fresh ginger, about 1 inch long, peeled and smashed with knife blade

Suggested additions:
2 T toasted pine nuts or almond
2 T dried currants, plumped in hot water to cover for 20 minutes and drained
3 T minced green onions
1 small ripe tomato, peeled, seeded and diced
2 T flaked coconut, lightly toasted in a dry frying pan

In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onion and sauté until translucent,
about 8 minutes. Add the rice and sauté for a few minutes until the kernels are
thoroughly coated with oil.
 Add the water or stock, ginger and salt to taste and bring to a boil. Cook for 2
minutes, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until water is absorbed, 15 - 20 minutes.
 Stir in the additions of choice and remove from the heat. Let rest for 10 minutes, then
fluff with a fork, remove ginger and serve at once.

Try adding red beans?

Isabelle's Strawberry Cake

For the cake:

• Vegetable oil spray or shortening for greasing the pans
• Flour for dusting the pans
• 1 package (21.6 ounces) Cake Mix Doctor’s Old-Fashioned Yellow Mix
• 1 package (3 ounces) strawberry gelatin, if desired
• 1 cup mashed fresh strawberries (2 cups fresh berries)
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup milk
• 4 large eggs

For the frosting:

• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, at room temperature
• ¼ cup mashed fresh strawberries, well drained (1/2 cup berries)
• 4 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted

For the garnish:

• 3 to 4 whole strawberries, fanned or sliced

Instructions

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly mist or grease three 9-inch round cake pans and dust them with flour. Set the pans aside.
2. Place the cake mix, gelatin, mashed strawberries, oil, milk, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until incorporated, 30 seconds. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until the mixture lightens and is smooth, 1½ minutes longer, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Pour the batter into the prepared pans, smoothing the top with a rubber spatula, and place the pans in the oven. If three pans don’t fit on the center rack, place the third layer on the upper rack, watching to not overbake.
3. Bake the cake until the top springs back when lightly pressed with a finger, 18 to 22 minutes. Remove the layers from the oven, let them cool in the pan 10 minutes, run a knife around the edges, gently shake the layers to loosen the cake, and invert them once, then again, onto wire racks to cool right-side up. Let the layers cool 30 minutes before frosting.
4. For the frosting, place the cream cheese and butter in a medium-size bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low until combined, 30 seconds. Add the strawberries and sugar, a little at a time, beating on low speed, until the sugar is incorporated. Increase the mixer to medium and beat until the frosting is fluffy, 1 minute more.
5. To assemble the cake, place one layer, right-side up, on a serving plate. Spread the top with ¾ cup frosting. Place a second layer, right-side up, on top of the first and spread with ¾ cup frosting. Place the third layer on top and frost the top and side of the cake with the remaining frosting, working with smooth, clean strokes. To make slicing easier, place the uncovered cake in the refrigerator until the frosting sets, 20 minutes.

ATK oven-roasted salmon

To ensure uniform pieces of fish that cook at the same rate, buy a whole center-cut fillet and cut it into 4 pieces. If your knife is not sharp enough to easily cut through the skin, try a serrated knife. It is important to keep the skin on during cooking; remove it afterward if you choose not to serve it. To serve, top with any of the related relishes.

INGREDIENTS

1skin-on salmon fillet (1 3/4 to 2 pounds), about 1 1/2 inches at thickest part (see note)
2teaspoons olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees. Following step by step illustrations below, use sharp knife to remove any whitish fat from belly of fillet and cut into 4 equal pieces. Make 4 or 5 shallow slashes about an inch apart along skin side of each piece, being careful not to cut into flesh.


2. Pat salmon dry with paper towels. Rub fillets evenly with oil and season liberally with salt and pepper. Reduce oven temperature to 275 degrees and remove baking sheet. Carefully place salmon skin-side down on baking sheet. Roast until centers of thickest part of fillets are still translucent when cut into with paring knife or instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of fillets registers 125 degrees, 9 to 13 minutes. Transfer fillets to individual plates or platter. Top with relish (see related recipes) and serve.

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