Strawberry Shortcake

What could be better with some juicy local strawberries than shortcake? This recipe is one of the easiest I found, and requires no rolling or cutting. The original one by Sheila Lukins called for only 2 1/2 tablespoons of sugar... certainly not enough for those with a real sweet tooth.

First, rinse, hull and slice 1 to 2 pints of strawberries, sprinkling with sugar to taste and tossing lightly. Allow berries to sit for at least 15 to 20 minutes. In the meantime, start the shortcake. While they're cooling, prepare your freshly whipped cream with a few tablespoons of confectioner's sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract for every cup of heavy whipping cream.

Shortcake

2 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
3/4 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk together flour, sugar and salt. Add the butter, blending with a pastry blender or your fingers until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Stir in the milk, mixing until a soft dough forms. Be careful not to overwork the dough.

Drop the dough in 6 equal portions onto the parchment, making sure each is nicely shaped. Brush tops lightly with the cream.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, taking care not to burn the bottoms. Remove to a rack and cool. Slice shortcakes in half and spoon berries and juice over. Serve with dollops of whipped cream.

Pasta with Eggplant Two Ways

Pasta, tomatoes and eggplant go so well together. Both of these recipes use roasted, rather than fried, eggplant, keeping things a little lighter. While fried eggplant can be delicious, it's all too easy to turn this versatile vegetable into an oil-saturated sponge.

Pasta with Eggplant Puree is adapted from Food Network luminary Giada De Laurentiis. I've omitted the red pepper flakes and several tablespoons of oil for finishing the dish. And, I prefer basil to her mint. You could also serve the puree by itself as a side dish or as part of an antipasto platter.

Pasta with Roasted Eggplant Sauce is Rachael Ray's take on the Sicilian classic, Pasta Alla Norma, and is adapted from her book, 365: No Repeats... A Year of Deliciously Different Dinners. She uses ricotta salata, and I certainly would too... if I could find it locally. If you want your pasta to be a touch more authentically Italian (sauce is merely a condimento), reserve some of the sauce for another dish. Just imagine how good it would be on homemade pizza (see below).

Pasta with Eggplant Puree

1 lb. tubular pasta, such as rigatoni or penne
1 medium eggplant
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
3 gloves garlic, peeled
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
handful of basil leaves, torn
Grano Padano, grated
salt and black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Peel and cut the eggplant into 1-inch cubes. Toss with tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Spread vegetables evenly on baking sheet and roast for approximately 35 minutes or until eggplant is golden.

Place pine nuts in a small oven-safe dish and roast during the last 8 minutes of baking.

Cook pasta (according to package directions) in ample, salted water until al dente. In the meantime, transfer the roasted vegetables to a food processor and pulse until smooth. Transfer to a large serving bowl.

Drain pasta, reserving 1 to 1 1/2 cups of cooking liquid. Add pasta and 1/2 cup of pasta water at a time to the puree until the dish reaches the desired consistency. Serve pasta sprinkled with pine nuts, basil and grated Grana Padano.

Pasta with Roasted Eggplant Sauce

1 lb. tubular pasta, such as rigatoni or penne
1 large or 2 small eggplant
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
6 garlic cloves, peeled
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)
handful of basil leaves, torn
1 to 2 cups feta cheese, crumbled
salt and black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Peel and cut eggplant(s) into 1-inch cubes. Toss with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper and spread evenly onto a baking sheet. Roast for approximately 25 minutes or until both eggplant and garlic are tender. Transfer to a food processor and pulse until smooth.

In the meantime, add the remaining two tablespoons olive oil to a large sauce pan. Saute onion over medium-high heat until translucent. Stir in crushed tomatoes and eggplant puree. Season with additional salt and pepper.

Cook pasta (according to package directions) in ample, salted water until al dente. Drain and toss with sauce. Serve pasta sprinkled with basil and feta.

Chicken with Chimichurri Sauce

Hearing so much about the latest sauce du jour, chimichurri, I had to try it. This recipe, adapted from the June 2008 issue of Better Homes and Gardens, is delicious, easy and acceptable to even the pickiest of eaters (I know, because I'm also one of them). Of course, if you want to keep everything authentic, go with flank (or skirt) steak and serve with some simple bruschetta... grilled Pugliese or Tuscan bread rubbed with garlic and served with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Chicken with Chimichurri Sauce

3 to 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup Italian parsley, packed
handful of basil leaves
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 garlic gloves, peeled and halved
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
juice of 1 lemon
salt and additional pepper to taste

Combine olive oil, parsley, basil, vinegar, garlic and lemon juice in a small food processor until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place chicken in a zipper bag and pour sauce over chicken. Seal bag and marinate chicken while grill heats (or longer for maximum flavor). Remove chicken from marinade and grill over medium heat until chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees.

Lemon Bars

Sometimes, all you need is a little slice of sunshine. These luscious lemon bars, complete with a buttery, shortbread crust and slightly tart filling, will brighten any day. This recipe, so much better than others with oil in the crust, appears in The Lady & Sons, Too: A Whole New Batch of Recipes from Savannah by Paula Deen.

Lemon Bars

Crust
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup powdered sugar
Pinch of salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

Filling
4 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. To make the crust, combine the flour, powdered sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl. Cut in the butter to make a crumbly mixture and press into a lightly greased 13 by 9 pan. Bake for 20 minutes.

In the meantime, whisk the eggs, sugar, flour and lemon juice together. Pour over baked shortbread crust and put in the oven for an additional 25 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

Pork Chops with Escalloped Apples

There's nothing quite like the all-American classic, pork chops and apples. But who says it has to be plain Jane? This absolutely delicious recipe, from Paula Deen & Friends: Living it Up, Southern Style, was originally created for a pork tenderloin prepared on the grill. The marinade works equally well with 1-inch thick boneless chops on the stove, though. For the apples, I've added some additional sugar and a hint of cinnamon to Rachael Ray's simple recipe.

Sweet & Savory Pork Tenderloin

4 to 8 boneless pork chops or 2 lb. pork tenderloin
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons dry red wine
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced or sliced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated (or more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup Vidalia onion or green onion, chopped

Combine soy sauce, red wine, honey, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, cinnamon and onion in a resealable plastic bag. Place the chops or tenderloin in the bag, ensuring meat is immersed in marinade. Refrigerate overnight.

For chops: Remove meat from marinade and pat dry; reserve marinade. Sear chops over medium-high heat on both sides approximately 5 minutes per side or until meat reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees.

For tenderloin: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove meat from marinade and pat dry; reserve marinade. Bake tenderloin for approximately 45 minutes or until meat reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Allow to rest before slicing.

While meat cooks, simmer reserved marinade until reduced to about 2 tablespoons. Spoon over meat before serving.

Escalloped Apples

3 tablespoons butter
4 large apples, peeled, cored and sliced
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons sugar (or more to taste)
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add apples and cook for approximately 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. When apples are nicely tender, sprinkle with flour, lemon juice, sugar and cinnamon, stirring well. Serve warm.

Potato Salad

Who doesn't love potato salad (except for my daughter, of course)? I thought it would be interesting to try this recipe from Virginia Willis, author of Bon Appetit, Y'All, who was profiled in the April/May 2008 issue of Taste of the South. She uses the French technique of pouring vinegar over the hot potatoes to enhance their flavor. If you find the taste of white wine vinegar a little strong, try pickle juice instead. I added the pickles, because it just doesn't seem right without them.

Potato Salad

2 lbs. small Yukon Gold potatoes, halved
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 Vidalia onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/4 cup pickle (or more to taste)
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, if desired
salt and pepper to taste

Place potatoes in a large pot with ample cold water and a teaspoon of kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, simmering until potatoes are tender. Drain well. While potatoes are still hot, drizzle with vinegar (or pickle juice) and allow to cool slightly.

Add mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, onion, celery and pickle to potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle parsley on top, if desired, and serve warm or at room temperature.

Pasta with Red Pepper Sauce

I discovered this simple recipe in the February 2008 issue of Food & Wine. I cut 1/4 cup of the olive oil, since it's plenty rich with just a couple of tablespoonfuls. I suggest roasting your own peppers, since they're so much sweeter than their jarred counterparts. Put peppers on the grill or under the broiler until every side is blistered (not completely charred, though, or they'll be too bitter). Place in a covered bowl for about 20 or so minutes, then remove the skin. Store with a tablespoon or two of extra virgin olive oil, a garlic clove and a bit of salt and pepper in the refrigerator. Lovely for antipasto, too.

Pasta with Red Pepper Sauce

3/4 lb. imported Italian pasta (gemelli or cavatappi)
2 whole roasted red peppers
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (or more to taste)
2 oil-packed sun-dried tomato halves, drained
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 garlic clove
1/2 lb.s fresh mozzarella cheese, cubed
handful of basil leaves
salt and pepper to taste

Cook the pasta (according to package directions) in a large pot with ample amounts of salt (1 to 2 tablespoons). Drain thoroughly.

Meanwhile, puree roasted peppers with the olive oil, sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste and garlic until smooth. Pour into a large bowl and toss with the pasta and fresh mozzarella. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Tear a few basil leaves over the pasta and serve.