With thoughts of the Super Bowl this year in Glendale, Arizona. I decided on an Arizona-inspired meal. Chimichangas are fried burritos and a popular dish in Arizona. They’re usually made with a flour tortilla filled with meat, cheese and spices. There are many stories as to their origin, which is based on Mexican burritos. One is of a Mexican ...Read more

Honey brings a sweet taste to this stir-fried chicken. I like crisp stir-fries (not steamed), and TV chef Martin Yan gave me some tips. He said it’s important to let the ingredients sit for about a minute when added to the hot wok before tossing them. This allows the wok to regain its heat after the cold ingredients have been added.

A small ...Read more

Shrimp sauteed in garlicky butter fills these little mini burger rolls. A sauce of mayonnaise, mustard, scallions and some Old Bay seasoning is spread on the rolls. Old Bay is a blend of herbs and spices, usually celery salt, red and black pepper and paprika. It’s mostly used to season shellfish.

For the Quick Potato Salad, I doctored up deli...Read more

Sloppy Joes — ground meat in tomato sauce served over Cuban bread — have been an American favorite for over half a century. There are many claims to the origins of Sloppy Joes. One is from the H.J. Heinz Co., which, of course, made theirs with ketchup; another is a cafe in Iowa whose chef, Joe, created a “loose meat sandwich” in 1930. My...Read more

While looking for a warm and inviting winter meal, I thought a hot bowl of soup would be perfect. I love the welcoming smell of homemade soup. The best part is this soup is made in one pot and takes about 20 minutes from assembling the ingredients to cooking it. It’s a vegetarian meal that won’t break your calorie bank.

Helpful Hints:

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Here’s a festive dish for this time of year or anytime you want something special. The steak is flambeed with brandy. The alcohol is burned off, leaving the flavor behind. Brandy is a generic name for wine or fermented fruit juice that has been distilled and aged in oak barrels. Cognac and Armagnac, named for the region where the grapes are ...Read more

The sweet and tangy flavors of orange, honey and ginger coat the chicken for a quick, savory dinner. I like to use boneless chicken thighs instead of boneless chicken breast. They remain moist while cooking and have more flavor. The colorful Red and Green Salad adds a festive touch for this time of year.

Helpful Hints:

— Serve any type of ...Read more

I just tasted a seafood dish with aji amarillo sauce at a local restaurant. It’s a yellow hot pepper sauce that gives a sweet and hot pepper flavor to the dish. I wanted to make the dish at home and was delighted to find the sauce in a jar at the supermarket. So, I created this simple dish. It captures the flavors of Peru, without a long ...Read more

When I saw the name of this pasta recipe, Cheapskate Pasta, I wondered what it was. It’s in Francine Segan’s new book, "Pasta Modern: New & Inspired Recipes from Italy." In a recent interview she told me that it’s a recipe to use up foods from your cupboard. It’s also an easy vegetarian recipe. I’ve adapted her recipe for this quick ...Read more

Here's a short-cut version of a Southern favorite: Gumbo Soup. It’s comfort food that can take hours to make. This gumbo captures the flavor without the hours. It’s a one-pot vegetarian meal.

The key to good gumbo is cooking the oil and flour together to form a rich, light brown roux. This gives the gumbo its distinctive flavor. Okra gives ...Read more

Crispy coconut flavors these shrimp for a tasty quick dinner. My husband wanted to have some coconut-crusted shrimp and I wanted to bake them rather than fry them. Mixing coconut and panko breadcrumbs with a little oil was the answer. The mixture coated the shrimp, and they baked in only 10 minutes. One secret to make sure both sides are cooked ...Read more

Is it too early to think about leftover turkey? How about a different kind of turkey sandwich: a quesadilla? It’s a turkey-and-cheese-filled tortilla. They’re pan-fried and served with coleslaw. You can make them with leftover turkey or chicken, or buy roasted turkey breast at the supermarket deli. In fact, you can use this recipe for any ...Read more

I added cinnamon and cumin to meatballs for a Moroccan take on my family favorite of meatballs and pasta. To speed up the preparation, I used frozen diced onion and minced garlic for the recipe. The meatballs need to be turned over during cooking; the best way to do this is by using two spatulas, one underneath the meatballs and one on top to ...Read more