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Bay shrimp and creamy avocado are a perfect match, especially with a crisp vinaigrette. What are bay shrimp (also called Maine shrimp or Boreal Shrimp)? Those little pink shrimp that come already cooked. They don’t get as much respect as larger shrimp, but they come from sustainable fisheries and you buy them already cleaned, cooked, and ready to eat. To make the salad, we toss the shrimp in a simple vinaigrette, mix with some green onions, and pile over an avocado half on a bed of lettuce....

We did it all tense and fussy, with a bowl over a water bath, whisking in tiny ladles of melted clarified butter bit by bit. Gallons of scrambled and broken hollandaise went into the garbage. It was only years later, watching Julia Child on an episode of “The French Chef,” that I learned you could make hollandaise over direct heat with whole—not melted—butter. It’s so much easier! What is Hollandaise?...

The goal is to have a tender, juicy burger that stays together and fits within the bun. Here’s what to know to get the perfect patty every time! Temperature Matters It’s common practice to bring meat to room temperature before cooking, but when making hamburgers, break that habit. Warm hamburger, combined with warm hands, will make the fat melt too quickly on the grill and leave you with a dry burger....

This beef stew can even be left on the warm setting all day long, so you can start it in the morning, then come home to a hot dinner. Adapting Slow Cooker Beef Stew to the Instant Pot This stew is an adaptation of one of Elise’s tried-and-true recipes from the Simply Recipes archives. Instead of four to eight hours, the recipe only takes about an hour and a half to make in the Instant Pot!...

Linzer cookies aren’t just pretty though, they are also deliciously buttery, nutty, and fruity. They’re a beautiful addition to any dessert spread, whether at a holiday party, a cookie swap, or in a care package. And with so many options for making them ahead, they’re a practical addition too. How to Roll Out Linzer Dough Linzer dough is sticky and can sometimes be difficult to work with, but these tips will help you get unstuck and roll out cookies like a pro....

They are a cross between a regular lemon and an orange. They’re not quite as sour as regular lemons, and their peels are smooth and not as bitter. They make wonderful marmalade. Homemade Marmalade: A Winter Ritual Every winter I make several batches of marmalade from the citrus growing in our yard. This Meyer lemon marmalade recipe is the “master” recipe from which I base all sorts of variations (adding grapefruit, blood oranges, etc....

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This sweet, noodle-based kugel is along the lines of what you’d typically see on the table at a Shabbat dinner or holiday gathering. Sweetened with sugar, enriched with sour cream and cottage cheese, and studded with raisins and apples, you might think it’s meant for dessert, but kugel is firmly entrenched in side-dish and/or leftover breakfast territory. (Sidenote: If you keep kosher, a dairy-filled kugel would not be served alongside a meat-based main dish....

An upside-down cake is a gorgeous and time-saving dessert that will impress at any gathering. The moist cake and fresh fruit topping are baked together in one step, so all you have to do is turn it out onto a platter and serve a dazzling dessert. There’s no better way to end a summer barbeque than with a peach upside-down cake, and maybe a side of vanilla ice cream too....

It’s one of my favorite things to make. Even though it’s actually a seed, it behaves like a grain, and can easily take the place of rice in many recipes, including a classic pilaf. Like rice it’s gluten-free, but since it is actually a seed, it’s high protein. Perfect for those wanting to cut back a bit on carbs. This quinoa pilaf is prepared in much the same way as rice pilaf....

A Light Red Pepper Dip This roasted red pepper dip recipe has quickly become our favorite veggie dip thanks to its fullness in flavor, yet lightness on calories and fat. It uses non-fat Greek yogurt, and only a little bit of olive oil mayo (which you can completely leave out if you want to make it even lighter). Of course, you can serve this with crackers or chips as well. We tried it with a multi-grain chip from Costco and it was delicious....

Maybe it’s just years of eating leftover turkey, reheated in its own gravy and served with bread. In any case, if you are looking for something to make with your turkey leftovers, consider these enchiladas. How to Make Enchiladas With Leftover Turkey Make your own chili sauce and dress it up a bit with cinnamon, cloves, and cumin for more depth than a standard enchilada sauce. The filling uses plenty of leftover turkey, along with onions, jalapeños, garlic, black beans, cheese, lime juice, and cilantro....

Cooking Frozen Chicken Nuggets in the Air Fryer Cooking frozen chicken nuggets in an air fryer is THE way to go. You get perfectly crispy, cooked chicken nuggets in a matter of minutes. No preheating, no uneven cooking, and no need to flip. The outside coating actually gets crispy and the inside is always perfectly tender. You will never go back to making them in the oven (or the microwave) again!...

That’s when it pays to have friends who actually know what they are doing. After trying unsuccessfully to recreate a fabulous soufflé I enjoyed at a brunch given by Bay Area chef Brett Emerson I broke down and asked him for help. Thank goodness for talented friends who are generous with their advice! Here are some pointers Brett gave me about soufflés. Tips To Making a Soufflé Light and Fluffy Butter the ramekins thoroughly, then coat with very fine breadcrumbs....

Along those lines, here’s a trick you can use with a pork loin roast, a relatively lean cut, to bump up the flavor and keep it juicy. Just brown the roast first on the stovetop, then wrap it in strips of bacon to roast. As the roast cooks, the bacon will bathe it in flavor. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet on medium high heat. When the oil is shimmery hot, add the pork roast to the pan and brown it on all sides (don’t move the roast until it has browned on one side)....

Better Than Sex Cake This Better Than Sex Cake is rich, creamy, and decadent, and it’s so easy to make! It can be made as far in advance as two days before serving, but store it in the refrigerator until just before serving time. Top with whipped topping and toppings right before serving. Of course, the name of this cake is not exactly family friendly. In front of the kids we call it “Better Than You Know What Cake....

Muffins that are rich, tender, and loaded with blackberries? No, it’s not the butter (though butter makes everything better IMHO). The Secret to the Best Blackberry Muffins If your guess is it has something to do with the type of berries, you’re close. Wild blackberries do make the best pies, muffins, and cakes. But you can only get those a couple months of the year. No, the secret to making the best muffins is sour cream!...

Basil Pasta When it comes to pasta dishes, in my mind it’s difficult to go wrong. But the fresh, creamy flavor of this Basil Pasta makes this dish even better than most.l Between me, my husband, and my daughter we devoured this entire pan of creamy pasta. It’s a little embarrassing considering this normally could easily serve 5 to 6 people. We were all pretty hungry and it was just so good!...

Cadbury Mini Eggs Ahh! The anticipation of walking into the grocery store after Valentine’s Day and seeing those dark purple Cadbury Mini Egg bags lining the shelves. They are irresistible, and my very favorite Easter candy. A few bags go in into my cart with the thought that I better buy them now before they sell out. Of course, I will save them until just before Easter. I get home and hide them high in a cupboard....

Chicken Marsala Around here, we lovingly refer to this recipe as Elise’s Chicken Marsala, because it’s one our sister Elise’s signature dishes. If you’ve tried the Chicken Marsala from Olive Garden this recipe has so much more flavor, and really easy to prepare. We always try to score an invite to Elise’s house for this meal. Tender chicken drenched in a decadent and creamy Marsala sauce served over fettuccine noodles and served with a side salad and crusty bread?...