Kitchen Scoop Blog

One of the best things about summer entertaining is that it can be so spontaneous and casual. Drop by for a drink? How refreshing!

You don't need much in the way of food -- maybe a hunk of cheese and some crackers and olives. But if you have just a few extra minutes, you can wow 'em with this incredibly easy -- and sinfully good -- appetizer pizza.

Crab, cheese, artichokes. What's not to like?

Want to save money on groceries?

Find a shopping buddy! Just like exercising with a friend can keep your fitness regimen on track, a friend can help you make the most of grocery savings. Here are 5 Fav how-to’s:

1. Join a warehouse club with a friend, sharing the cost of the membership.

2. Take alternate turns shopping and baby-sitting. Shopping is a lot easier (and cheaper) without the kids.

3. Share the savings on larger cuts of meat by splitting the bounty or split the BOGO’s that require purchasing two items.

Pasta with Pesto, Tomatoes and Mushrooms is meatless, flies together in just 15 minutes, and requires just a few basic ingredients. In this recipe we wanted homemade pesto to grab all of the attention! Of course you can cheat and use already-prepared refrigerated pesto from the supermarket, but whipping up your own is quite simple and drastically better than store-bought.

Click here for our Classic Basil Pesto Recipe.

A bowl of chunky, fresh guacamole, fiery salsa and warm tortilla chips equals dinner in my book! But suddenly my only justification for pigging out at a Mexican restaurant is off limits.

By now you’ve probably heard that salsa and guacamole are top causes of restaurant food poisoning. At a recent conference on emerging infectious diseases, researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said salsa and guacamole are "an important cause of food-borne outbreaks in the U.S."

The reason? So many potentially contaminated raw veggies are used in salsa and guacamole, and when big batches aren't kept cold, these bacteria can grow like crazy. Workers’ hygiene, or lack of it, is also a big culprit.

What’s a confirmed dip addict to do?

Watercress? Isn’t that the stuff British matrons use to decorate tea sandwiches? Yes, but it’s also a wonderful flavor -- similar to a radish with a slight but distinct after-burn -- that’s traditional in a Cobb Salad. You’ll find it alongside other lettuces in the supermarket.

The original Cobb salad was made famous in the 1920s by Bob Cobb, owner of Hollywood’s Brown Derby Restaurant. Our version takes a few liberties to make things especially quick and easy, using already-cooked and carved chicken breast from the supermarket’s refrigerated meat case. (You can also use leftover cooked chicken.)

1. Lemon reamer. Easy squeeze and get every drop.

2. Small mesh strainer. Fits over cans for easy draining.

3. Rubber spatula with 1-inch blade. Fits in tight spaces to scrape out all the good stuff.

4. Garlic press. Eliminates a lot of mincing.

5. Parchment paper. Line cookie sheets and you don’t have to scrub between batches. Plus cookies never stick.

OK, these are ours -- what are yours?

This rice pilaf is inspired by a Guatemalan recipe that my girls ate daily when they visited Antigua, Guatemala, several years ago, and we turn to it any time we need that “extra something” added to a starchy side dish.

It pairs well with just about any type of protein. It’s a heady mix of vegetables with some chicken broth to round things out, but for a purely vegetarian celebration, vegetable broth is also delicious (Black beans scream for the starring role, here.) A nice medley of red-ripe tomatoes is perfect to round out your feast.

How do you feel about beets? We suspect that beets are one of those polarizing vegetables that you either love or loathe. President Obama has gone on record as a confirmed beet-hater. Or it could be genetic. Beverly’s husband, his mother and all five of his siblings can’t bear to eat a beet.

However you feel about beets, roasting one is going to magnify your emotions. For a moment, let’s assume you are a beet lover. Roasting them concentrates the sugars, and the sweet results are sublime.

Here’s how to make two cups of roasted beets:

If you’ve made our Classic Basil Pesto (and we surely hope you have!), you’re going to want some nifty ways to use it. First on our list would be this quick and easy Pesto Pizza with Cherry Tomatoes.

Here are our top 10 ways to use what we like to call Green Gold:

1. Stir 2 tablespoons into jarred marinara sauce. Serve over spaghetti.
2. Stir 1 tablespoon into scrambled eggs, just before serving.
3. Spread on warm focaccia and serve.
4. Spoon into mushroom caps, sprinkle with Parm and bake. Appetizer heaven!
5. Mix into fat-free cottage cheese, to taste, and serve atop sliced tomatoes.

1. Vegetable juice, such as V-8. Makes a speedy gazpacho.
2. Cans of ripe olives and chickpeas. Instantly transform a side salad into a no-cook main.
3. Canned tuna. Whip with a bit of mayo and mustard, add celery and onion, and dinner is done!
4. Canned pineapple tidbits. The juice from the can acts as a preservative to keep cut fresh fruit from turning dark, so fruit salads can be made ahead.
5. Jars of reduced-fat Alfredo sauce. This lighter sauce pulls together summer veggie bounty into a hearty meatless lasagna.

What are your favorites?