Slow-Cooker Pulled-Pork Sandwiches

Posted by Regan Burns

Mmm... Just take one look at that gorgeous photo and try to tell me you're not instantly craving those meltingly tender, lightly spiced pork sandwiches topped with tangy red cabbage. Just like authentic wood-smoked barbecue, a dish like this takes time and patience -- lucky for me (and you) that our version slowly simmers in the slow-cooker while you're gone for the day. Fifteen minutes of prep work and you're ready to, well, set it and forget it! Talk about a no-fuss treat.

How are you enjoying our slow-cooker week?

PREP: 15 minutes
TOTAL: 8 hours 15 minutes

SEE THE RECIPE:
Pulled-Pork Sandwiches

ON THE SIDE:
Speedy "Baked" Beans

Ginger Chicken with Peaches and Onion

Posted by Adina Steiman

Even though the Labor Day weekend has come and gone, I'm not quite ready to say goodbye to summer. Deb's fruit-filled post yesterday gave me plenty of ideas for fruit desserts that make delicious use of the peaches and berries that are still at the market, but why not use peaches for dinner as well?

In this all-in-one dinner, chicken breasts roast on a bed of peaches and onions that you toss with Asian seasonings like soy sauce, ginger, and sesame oil -- the peaches add a welcome sweetness that brings the whole dish together, and they get nice and caramelized when roasted. The recipe was originally developed for frozen peaches, but why not use the ripe, affordable fresh ones at the market right now?

What's your favorite savory use for ripe summer fruit?

PREP: 25 minutes
TOTAL: 1 hour

SEE THE RECIPE:
Ginger Chicken with Peaches and Onion

Top 10 Things to Bring to the Party

Posted by Regan Burns

It's Labor Day weekend -- perhaps the tastiest weekend of the year! I don't know about you, but for me the next few days are packed with backyard parties (and the food that goes along with them).

I love attending parties, but always spend so much time obsessing about what to bring. So over the years, I've come up with a PLAN that guarantees I bring nothing home but an empty dish!

PLAN is my acronym for all the elements that make a great potluck dish. Don't laugh -- there's a lot of sense to it!

Portable: Something that can be transported easily (covered) and served from the same dish is always preferred. (Don't forget to bring a serving utensil!)

Likable: No one wants to take their dish back home untouched -- stick to things that are familiar, but infused with your personality. (This might not be the right time to show off your affection for offal.)

Advance-Prep: Dishes that can be made at least a few hours ahead (or more!) will keep you stress-free and on time for the party.

No Assembly (or not much, anyway): If  you need to pack an extra bag in order to serve your dish, it might not be the wisest choice. Presentation is important, but if your contribution to the buffet looks more like a centerpiece, you might not get a lot of takers.

To remove any guesswork, here are our top recipe picks for the weekend:

Best Garden Goodies (or What I Learned This Summer)

Posted by Deb Puchalla

My son starts first grade next week and has to bring a vacation show-and-tell -- a picture, a trinket, a book -- and describe to the class what it taught him. If the assignment were mine, I would bring a cloth shopping bag overflowing with veggies, fruits, and herbs from the farmers' market, enough to share. Because I'm not quite ready for summer to end. And because a single bag of the freshest produce can equal a whole bunch of delicious memories.

This year, our town hosted a weekly farmers' market just up the road, so I always had something superfresh to make close at hand, whether I was cooking weeknights for the boys or on weekends for friends. Each visit reminded me to use the brightest, just-picked ingredients. And coupled with a suggestion from my friend and mentor, Margaret at A Way to Garden, that our garden and food worlds ought to collide, a season-long online party was born.

Beef and Grape-Tomato Kebabs

Posted by Regan Burns

Kebabs just might be the perfect summer meal from the grill -- they're not only easy, but stacked neatly on a skewer, they're also mess free (no bits of veggies falling through to the coals) and all inclusive (meat, etc. cooked and served together!).

I like to up the vegetable content in my kebabs by adding rounds of zucchini and mushroom caps to the skewers. On the side, some simple couscous rounds things out.

How do you make your kebabs?

PREP: 20 minutes
TOTAL: 1 hour 20 minutes

SEE THE RECIPE:
Beef and Grape-Tomato Kebabs

Everyday Fruit Desserts

Posted by Regan Burns

Calling all cooks: How do you bake with summer produce?

Everyday Food wants to see your favorite fruit dessert -- do you bake beautiful buckles? Perfect pies? Commendable cobblers? Show us!

Visit our site to upload and share your photos. The best-looking sweets will be featured on Dinner Tonight!

Want to know our favorites?

Company Worthy: Taco Bar

Posted by Adina Steiman

Summer doesn't seem to be the time for a long, slow braise, but when you're rewarded with a generous mountain of tender Mexican-style pork, I'm sure you'll reconsider.

Take these shredded pork tacos. From just one affordable piece of meat, plus some pantry staples, I get a seductively spicy platter of taco filling. I like to freeze half of it for a day when I can't bear to cook, and enjoy the other half for dinner, piling it into taco shells with shredded cheese, salsa, and avocado.

The recipe's also great when guests are coming over.

I simply serve the whole batch of pork filling, and let my guests assemble their own idea of the perfect taco from bowls of colorful toppings.  It's a make-ahead spread that's casual, summery, and remarkably easy on the wallet.

For a crisp, fresh counterpoint, this crunchy salad hits just the right note, and dessert is watermelon straight from the fridge.

How do you entertain with a minimum of fuss?

PREP: 30 minutes
TOTAL: 3 hours 45 minutes

SEE THE RECIPE:
Shredded Pork Tacos

SERVE WITH:
Crunchy Slaw with Radishes

 

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

Let's Talk: Pesto Fest!

Posted by Deb Puchalla

High summer is when the stars of the food and gardening worlds perfectly align. Last week, my favorite gardening guru, Margaret, and I were Twittering (if you're curious, try it -- you might like it); her basil was going to flower and she had to act fast -- what to make?

I was psyched to put some of the right-priced piles of leafy herbs from the local farmers' market to work along with fistfuls of cilantro and parsley from out back, my first potted project (gardening takes more patience than a long, slow braise, but growing herbs is a nice entry point). What to do with the bounty?

The delightful Ms. M and Everyday Food decided today was as good a day as any for a pesto party. Why not harvest and share as many pesto recipes as possible? This verdant sauce changes up pasta, pizza, and proteins alike. Basil plus olive oil, garlic, and walnuts is one traditional combination that we rely on at the magazine, but we've created several takes and so have several friends.

Over at designsponge, you'll find another classic mixture, with basil, Parmesan, and pine nuts, and foodiemama has a family- and freezer-friendly version (many are). These are just the beginning -- herbs and oil are infinitely customizable, depending on how your garden grows.

Company Worthy: Simple Brunch

Posted by Deb Puchalla

It’s counterintuitive, but with baby Edward on board it’s easier to cook for friends than to visit their homes or go to restaurants -- I worry less about all three boys’ behavior, and so I stress less and have a good time.

But having company for dinner can feel daunting (six kids under six, plus four adults can do that), so sometimes I make brunch.

That’s the plan this weekend, when Joe’s friend Alex and his family come over midday Sunday. We picked 10 pounds of blueberries in Connecticut last week -- yes, 10 pounds; at $1.50 per pound how could I not? -- so baking Blueberry Muffins Saturday is a no-brainer.