Garden Goodies: Cuke and Zuke Fest

Posted by Deb Puchalla

My mom didn't garden (six kids, no time), but she used midsummer moments in rural Connecticut to show off in the kitchen. One of her best tricks was working magic with piles of zucchini and cucumbers from neighbors' backyard rows of veggie plants.

There was a seemingly endless supply of cucumber spears we ate with a flurry of salt; more interesting were the cukes that became part of a crisp, cool, cucumber salad. Zucchini dazzled in a sauteed side dish and in huge batches of freezer-ready ratatouille -- my mom loves that word and still says it with French flair. The best recipe she had was for zucchini bread that I ate warm, slathered with too much butter.

In my kitchen now, as in so many around the food world -- and the garden world, too -- cucumbers and zucchini, gifts from friends, await. Cukes and zukes are affordable and adaptable and everpresent, so they seem ripe for this, the next in a series of garden-food parties we're hosting with A Way to Garden from now through September. Time to wave some culinary wands, folks. Abracadabra!

White-Bean Salad with Zucchini and Parmesan

Posted by Adina Steiman

Deb's fab post on the myriad uses for zucchini and cucumbers reminded me that one of my favorite summer dishes is perfectly in season right now.  It's your typical two-bean salad, but with a twist -- the green beans are uncooked and sliced thin, and so is the inspired addition, zucchini.

Lemon has a great affinity for both white beans and zukes, bringing out their subtle flavors with a delightful dose of acidity, and Parmesan (another compatible partner) adds a touch of savory nuttiness.  And you can't go wrong with fresh basil!

The salad only improves after a day or two in the fridge, so it's the perfect thing to have on hand for sweltering days like these, to nosh on by itself or alongside a homemade tuna sandwich.

Are you stocking bean and vegetable salads in the fridge this summer?  Tell us more!

PREP: 10 minutes
TOTAL: 10 minutes

SEE THE RECIPE:
White-Bean Salad with Zucchini and Parmesan

Chicken and Herbed Mayo Sandwich

Posted by Sandy Gluck

Ah, leftovers -- I love them and always seem to have some on hand. They're just the thing for sandwiches, too. Working with what we had on hand in the test kitchen, I used some leftover roast chicken breast for this Wednesday's sandwich.

Thanks to Dr. Brent, I had some basil and lemon thyme on hand from his farm. I used them to jazz up some light mayo. Next, I took one big, round loaf of country bread and halved it horizontally. I partially scooped out the inside (saves on calories and makes it easier to eat), spread the mayo mixture on it, and added the chicken. Arugula and a very tasty tomato topped it all off.

In addition to today's sandwich, I got lots of other great suggestions on air for favorite chicken sandwich combos -- from chicken waldorf style to an Italian chicken sandwich with pesto. Here's another one of my favorites: a chicken salad and havarti cheese wrap.

What's your best chicken sandwich combo?

THE RECIPE: Chicken and Herbed Mayo Sandwich

Inside the Everyday Food Test Kitchen

Posted by Alison Sickelka

Ever wonder what a test kitchen looks like? Take a tour of Everyday Food's kitchen over on Martha's blog. Inside, the staff develops and tests the recipes you see every month in the magazine. From Family Friendly to Cooking for One, it all starts with these folks.

Here on Dinner Tonight, Emma Feigenbaum, our very talented associate food editor and part of the kitchen staff, has been sharing some tips from the Test Kitchen. These crispy pork cutlets were one of the first recipes Emma developed for Everyday Food that made it onto the Martha Stewart Show.

Check back frequently as we reveal more behind-the-scenes secrets. We've covered grilling indoors and how to dry fresh herbs -- what other tips would you like to hear from our editors?

Flank Steak with Lime Marinade

Posted by Adina Steiman

Marinades can be downright magical in the way they're able to transform an affordable but somewhat tough cut of meat into a tender, delicious steak dinner. This lime version is a perfect example.

Plenty of lime juice and fresh ginger, plus a few pantry ingredients and a mere hour of marinating time, and this steak's ready for the grill. Of course, you can always mix it up -- use lemon juice instead of lime, and garlic instead of ginger. I like to serve the steak with these simple green beans and a lightened-up potato salad -- what a feast!

What's the marinade mix you throw together most often for steak?

PREP: 30 minutes
TOTAL: 1 hour 30 minutes

SEE THE RECIPE:
Flank Steak with Lime Marinade

SERVE WITH:
Green Beans with Almonds
Potato Salad with Sour Cream and Scallions

Sneak Peek: Garden Goodies!

Posted by Deb Puchalla

Once you find a good habit, stick with it. Last week's Pesto Fest was so well-received by home cooks, foodies, and gardeners that we're throwing a series of online parties -- the more, the merrier.

Mark your calendar for this Thursday, when we'll talk cukes and zukes here at Dinner Tonight and over at A Way to Garden. Then, each Thursday from now through Labor Day, help us celebrate more seasonal produce and all the ways to put it to delicious use.

This week: Tips that take you and your bounty of cucumbers and zucchini from the garden to the table. Next week: beans.

Let's trade ideas and recipes whether you're buying them in bulk at the farmer's market (my plan), taking advantage of an in-season deal at the supermarket (I'm in for this, too), or harvesting your own from the garden (someday!).

Readers: Stop by and tell us what's cooking in your kitchen, what's growing in your garden, and, most important, what you're craving right now. Bloggers: Put up a post (or dig up an old one) and then come, comment, and share your link. Trust me, there are plenty of cukes and zukes to go around.

See what's cooking with me on Twitter.

Everyday, from Day 1: Issue 6

Posted by Alison Sickelka

A dreary, rainy day demands comfort food. But with not only my own oven on the fritz, but also my backup (faulty kitchen is equipment taking over NYC), I needed a recipe that required a stove-top burner at most.

Conveniently, the September 2003 issue of Everyday Food has a section of skillet dinners ("There's no need to turn on the oven to make these one-pan meals from all over the world") that fit the bill.

Of the meals listed, Beef Stroganoff caught my eye. Back when I was in college, my sister Emily and I would occasionally cook supper together. We usually stuck to the same set of recipes, and beef Stroganoff was among them.

Could this Everyday Food recipe replace our go-to dish?

Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta

Posted by Regan Burns

What I love about this dish is that the addition of shrimp makes it company-worthy, but the recipe is no more difficult than tossing together a pasta or a quick chicken dish.

I've even made it directly in the skillet (be sure to use an oven-proof one if you do this) for a oven-to-table meal that literally disappears.

PREP: 25 minutes
TOTAL: 40 minutes

SEE THE RECIPE:
Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta

Asian Rotisserie Chicken Salad

Posted by Emma Feigenbaum

Come summer, I crave a lot of things: burgers, tacos, and ice cream among them. But sometimes the sweltering heat makes me hunger for something a lot more healthy: a crunchy, rainbow-colored, satisfying salad with a cool, Asian-style dressing. That's when I turn to this little number.

Thanks to rotisserie chicken, the salad makes a meal and doesn't require an oven. And I sometimes switch up the vegetables based on what looks good at the market, always trying for plenty of texture and color. Who says salads can't be tempting?

What's your most seductive salad?

PREP: 30 minutes
TOTAL: 30 minutes

SEE THE RECIPE:
Asian Rotisserie Chicken Salad

Preserving Veggies (and Saving Money, Too!)

Posted by Sandy Gluck

With markets and gardens overflowing with ripe vegetables and fresh herbs right now, it's hard to imagine an end to this bounty. But come winter, fresh produce gets a little less abundant and a little more expensive. By being proactive now, though, you can savor summer's riches in the colder months, too.

Eggplant, zucchini, and peppers are abundant now and pretty reasonably priced. To preserve summer's bounty, I make a huge batch of ratatouille, pack it in bags, and freeze it. You can reheat it and serve it in a bunch of different ways. It's great tossed in pasta, add some broth and make it into a soup, serve it with eggs, or spoon it over chicken breasts.

Mix and match whatever veggies you have a surplus of for our vegetable chowder. Or whip up this corn soup to enjoy corn now, and freeze leftovers for up to six months. Not only do these soups give your veggies a purpose, but they also are a great way to stretch your dollar. Another way to keep corn around in the colder months is to freeze it off the cob.

Overwhelmed with tomatoes? Gather them up from your garden (or local farmer's market) to cook up a tomato sauce that'll go great with a big bowl of pasta this winter.

Those are just a few suggestions for how to make summer last well past August. Any more tips?