Easy and Quick Recipes

Ingredients 1 scoop ice cream, gelato, or sorbet, softened 2 waffle cookies Directions Spoon ice cream onto a waffle cookie. Top with another cookie and press together lightly. Serve immediately or wrap in waxed paper and freeze on a baking sheet, up to 1 day.

Ingredients 1 1/2 cups heavy cream 2 tablespoons sugar 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter 1 recipe cooled Vanilla or Chocolate Pudding 6 peanut-butter sandwich cookies Directions In a medium bowl, whip 1 cup cream along with sugar until soft peaks form. Reserve. Place peanut butter and remaining 1/2 cup (unwhipped) cream in another medium bowl; whisk until smooth. Add reserved whipped cream; gently fold in with a rubber spatula until combined. Creating alternating layers, spoon Chocolate Pudding and whipped cream mixture into 6 serving glasses or dishes. Cover; chill at least 1 hour and up to 2 days. Crumble cookies over parfaits before serving. Prep Time: 45 Minutes Total Time: 4 Hours Servings:6

Ingredients 4 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch strips 4 cups corn kernels Coarse salt and ground black pepper Pinch of red-pepper flakes 2 to 3 scallions, sliced Directions Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Add corn kernels; season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring often, until corn is tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in scallions. Serve immediately.

Ingredients 6 medium zucchini, diced Coarse salt and ground pepper 1 pound orzo 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 5 cups corn kernels (from 6 ears corn) 1 small red onion, chopped 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced 1 tablespoon lemon zest 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 3 lemons) 1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn 4 ounces feta, crumbled (2 cups) Directions Place zucchini in a colander and toss with salt. Place colander in sink and let sit 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook orzo according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking; transfer to a large bowl. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium. Add corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 4 minutes. Add to pasta along with zucchini, 3 tablespoons oil, onion, jalapeno, and lemon zest and juice; season with salt and pepper. Stir in basil and feta. Prep Time: 35 minutes Total Time: 35 minutes Serves: 6 ...

Ingredients Nonstick cooking spray 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled) 1/2 cup ground flaxseed 1 cup lightly packed light-brown sugar 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 1/2 cups coarsely grated zucchini (from 1 large zucchini) 1/3 cup mashed ripe banana (from 1 large banana) 3/4 cup whole milk 1 large egg, lightly beaten 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat 12 standard muffin cups with cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, flaxseed, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add zucchini and banana and stir to combine. In a small bowl, whisk together milk, egg, and vanilla. Add milk mixture to flour mixture and stir until combined (do not overmix). Divide batter among muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let muffins cool completely in pan on a wi...

Ingredients 1/2 cup granulated sugar 6 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature 4 large eggs 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled) Pinch of salt 11 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted (2 1/2 cups chopped) 18 raspberries (36 if they are small) Confectioners' sugar, for serving Vanilla ice cream (optional) Directions Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 12 cup standard muffin tin cups with paper liners. In a large bowl with a mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium high until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. With mixer on low, beat in flour and salt. Beat in chocolate until just combined. Divide half the batter among cups, add two raspberries to each, and top with remaining batter. Bake until tops are just set and no longer shiny, 10 to 11 minutes, let cool in pan on a wire rack, 10 minutes. Remove from pans, dust with confectioners' sugar, and top with ice cream, if desired. Prep Time...

Ingredients 2 cups flour 1 cup packed light-brown sugar 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces 5 pounds (about 12) tart apples, such as Granny Smith 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice Directions In a large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Using an electric mixer or a pastry cutter, cut in butter until the mixture forms pea-size pieces. Press 2/3 of the mixture onto bottom and 1 inch up the side of a 9-inch springform pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel apples, cut into thin slices, and place in a bowl. Pour off any accumulated liquid. Toss apple slices with remaining teaspoon cinnamon and lemon juice, and put them in the prepared pan, pressing down gently as you pack them in (they will mound above the edge of the pan). Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture on top. Put the pan on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet, and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Run a knife arou...

Ingredients For the Cupcakes 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 3/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 3/4 cup warm water 1/2 cup whole milk 1/4 cup sour cream 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 18 cupcake liners For the Topping 1 bag of jumbo marshmallows Directions Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line cupcake tins with cupcake liners. Whisk cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in eggs, warm water, milk, sour cream, butter, and vanilla, mixing until smooth. Fill each muffin cup half way (about 2 ounces each). Bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cake cool slightly and change the oven to broil. Make the topping: Place one marshmallow vertically in the center of each cupcake. Put the c...

Ingredients 4 ounces semisweet chocolate 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder Pinch of salt 1/2 cup cocoa powder 4 large eggs, at room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup sugar Confectioners' sugar, for dusting Directions Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place a baking pan half full of water in oven. Bring a saucepan of water to barely simmering. Place chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl. Place over water and stir until almost melted. Remove bowl from heat and let cool, stirring occasionally. Sift together twice all the dry ingredients except sugar. Set aside. Beat eggs and vanilla until foamy and light. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Stir in chocolate-butter mixture. Fold in dry ingredients. Pour into five 8-ounce custard cups, filling each nearly to rim. Place in baking pan; water should come halfway up sides of cups. Bake for 30 minutes or until brownies have risen to just above the rim an...

Ingredients 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, such as safflower, plus more for pan 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled) 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup packed dark-brown sugar 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (2 ounces melted, 2 ounces coarsely chopped) 2 large eggs Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush a 9-inch square baking pan with oil; line with a strip of parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides, and brush paper with oil. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, salt, and baking soda; set aside. In another medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar, applesauce, sour cream, melted chocolate, eggs, and oil until combined; add flour mixture, and mix just until moistened. Spread batter in prepared pan; sprinkle top with chopped chocolate. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out with a few moist crumbs attac...

Ingredients 5 large eggs 1/4 heavy cream 1/4 whole milk 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 3 tablespoons mixed chopped fresh herbs (such as parsley, chives, and chervil) 2/3 cup grated sharp cheddar (2 ounces) Coarse salt and ground pepper 2 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces 1 pita, split horizontally into 2 rounds Directions Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, milk, cayenne, herbs, and half the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. In a small ovenproof nonstick or cast-iron skillet, cook bacon over medium, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 7 minutes. Transfer bacon to egg mixture and pour all but 1 teaspoon fat into a small bowl. Add 1 pita round to skillet and cook until toasted and golden, 3 minutes, flipping halfway through; transfer to a plate. Repeat with more reserved fat and remaining pita half; leave pita in skillet, cut side up. Add egg mixture and cook over medium, gently stirring, 30 seconds. Top egg mix...

Ingredients 3 or 4 large eggs Directions In a 12-inch straight-sided skillet, heat 2 inches water over medium until bubbles cover the bottom and sides of pan. Crack each large egg into a separate small bowl (do not use eggs with broken yolks). When a few bubbles have broken the surface of the water, gently pour each egg into the pan, leaving room between them. Cook eggs, undisturbed, until white is just set and yolk is still runny, 3 to 4 minutes. Use a rubber spatula to gently release eggs from the bottom of pan, if necessary. Using a slotted spoon, remove eggs from water. If using immediately, blot the bottom of the spoon on a paper towel to remove excess water before serving. Note If your egg white thins out in the pan, try swirling the water before adding the next egg. The moving water will help hold the egg's shape. You can refrigerate poached eggs for up to 3 hours, on a parchment-lined plate. To serve, heat water in skillet according to instructions in step 1...

Ingredients Cooking spray 1 ounce chopped prosciutto 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded fontina cheese 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 42 saltine crackers (about 1 sleeve) 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 2 large egg whites 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons canola oil Directions 1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add prosciutto to pan; sauté 2 minutes or until browned. Add rosemary and garlic to pan; sauté 1 minute. Spoon prosciutto mixture into a bowl; cool to room temperature. Stir in fontina cheese; set aside. 2. Cut a horizontal slit through thickest portion of each chicken breast half to form a pocket. Stuff about 2 tablespoons prosciutto mixture into each pocket; press lightly to flatten. Sprinkle chicken evenly with pepper. 3. Place crackers in a food processor; process 2 minutes or until fin...

Ingredients 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/3 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast cutlets 1/2 cup dry white wine 1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon butter 1 pound broccoli rabe (rapini), cut into 3-inch pieces 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained 4 lemon slices (optional) Directions 1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. 2. Combine breadcrumbs and pepper in a shallow dish; dredge chicken in breadcrumb mixture. Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan; keep warm. 3. Add wine, broth, juice, and butter to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in broccoli rabe; cover and cook 3 minutes or until broccoli rabe is tender. Stir in parsley and capers. Serve chicken over broccoli rabe mixture. Garnish with lemon slices, if desired.

Ingredients 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves Cooking spray 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 2 (3 1/2-ounce) packages shiitake mushrooms, sliced 1/2 cup Marsala wine 2 green onions, finely chopped (about 1/3 cup) and divided 2 tablespoons butter Directions 1. Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. 2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan. Cook 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken and drippings from pan; set aside, and keep warm. 3. Heat pan over medium-high heat; coat pan with cooking spray. Add mushrooms. Coat mushrooms with cooking spray; cook 2 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add wine and 3 tablespoons onions. Cook 30 seconds over high heat. Reduce heat; add butter, stirring until butt...

Ingredients 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 garlic clove, minced 2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon 1/8 teaspoon salt Directions 1. Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt. 2. Combine olive oil and remaining 5 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoons oil mixture to pan, spreading evenly over bottom of pan with a wide spatula. Add chicken; cook 2 minutes. Drizzle chicken with 2 teaspoons oil mixture. Turn chicken over; cook 2 minutes. Drizzle remaining oil mixture over chicken; reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 2 minutes or until done. Transfer chicken to a serving platter. Pour pan drippings ove...

Ingredients 3 cups cubed ripe pineapple, divided 1 can (14.5 oz.) reduced-sodium chicken broth 2 quarter-size slices fresh ginger 1 large garlic clove, smashed 1 1/2 cups lemon verbena leaves 1 tablespoon fish sauce 8 ounces boned, skinned chicken thighs, cubed 1 cup trimmed clamshell mushrooms 1 tomato, halved and seeded, then cubed 1 green onion, sliced diagonally 1/2 serrano chile, sliced Directions 1. Whirl 1 cup pineapple with 3 cups of water until smooth, about 1 minute. Strain liquid into a 4 qt. pot. 2. Add broth, ginger, garlic, and verbena leaves. Simmer over medium heat, covered, until flavors have melded, 10 to 15 minutes. 3. Strain mixture again, discard solids, and return to pot. Add remaining 2 cups pineapple along with the remaining ingredients and cook over medium heat until chicken is firm, about 10 minutes.

Ingredients 1 whole chicken (3 to 4 pounds), giblets and liver discarded 1 pound carrots, sliced 1/2 inch thick 1 pound parsnips, sliced 1/2 inch thick 2 medium onions, cut into thin wedges 4 teaspoons coarse salt Cooked wide egg noodles, for serving Directions In a large pot, combine chicken, carrots, parsnips, and onions. Add water to just cover. Stir in salt. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook, partially covered, until chicken is cooked through, about 35 minutes (skim off foam). Transfer chicken to a plate to cool; refrigerate (see note, below). To serve soup, add noodles to broth, and season with salt, if desired. Note To store, pull meat from bones, keeping chicken breasts whole and tearing dark meat into bite-size pieces (discard skin and bones). Refrigerate in separate airtight containers for up to 2 days. Prep Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 55 minutes Serves: 8

Ingredients Coarse salt and ground pepper 8 ounces rice noodles 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth 1 piece fresh lemongrass (3 inches), smashed, or 3 sticks dried lemongrass 1 piece peeled fresh ginger (1 inch), cut into matchsticks 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 to 8 ounces each), thinly sliced crosswise 8 ounces snow peas, trimmed and halved 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves Asian chile sauce (such as Sriracha), for serving (optional) Directions In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook noodles according to package instructions. Drain noodles. In a saucepan, combine chicken broth, lemongrass, ginger, and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until fragrant, 10 minutes. Using a fine-mesh sieve, strain broth and return to saucepan. Add chicken and snow peas and simmer until chicken is cooked through and snow peas are crisp-tender, 2 t...

Ingredients 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 5 cups) 1 medium onion, chopped 1 box (10 ounces) frozen corn, thawed 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder Coarse salt and ground pepper 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) vegetable broth 1/2 cup heavy cream Directions In a large heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high; add squash and onion. Cook until onion is soft, about 6 minutes. Add corn and curry powder; cook until curry is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add broth and simmer until squash is tender, about 25 minutes. In a blender, blend half the soup until smooth. Return to pot and stir in cream; heat through over medium-low (do not boil). Prep Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 40 minutes Serves: 4

Ingredients 2 cups nonfat cottage cheese 2 large eggs 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 9 chocolate wafer cookies, such as Famous Whipped cream (optional), for serving Directions Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Line 9 standard muffin cups with cupcake liners. In a food processor, combine cottage cheese, eggs, confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder, flour, espresso powder, and vanilla. Process until smooth, 4 minutes, scraping down sides as needed. Divide mixture among cups and place 1 cookie on top of each. Bake until fillings are set and cookies soften, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool to room temperature in pan on a wire rack, then refrigerate at least 1 1/2 hours (or, covered, up to 3 days). To serve, invert cheesecakes onto plates and peel off liners. Top with a dollop of whipped cream if desired. Serves: 9

Ingredients 6 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped 3 large egg yolks 2 tablespoons instant-espresso powder 2 tablespoons granulated sugar Coarse salt 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/4 cup whole milk 1/4 cup raw sugar Directions Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Arrange four 4 1/2-inch creme brulee dishes (1 inch deep) on a baking sheet. Freeze. Meanwhile, whisk together yolks, espresso, granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt until sugar has almost dissolved. Bring cream and milk to a boil in a saucepan; gradually whisk about half into yolk mixture. Return mixture to saucepan; whisk. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until mixture is thick and reaches 175 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 6 minutes; pour over chocolate, and whisk until chocolate has melted and is smooth. Divide among molds, and freeze until firm but not frozen, 45 to 55 minutes. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon raw sugar onto each custard; shake off excess. Caramelize tops using a handheld kitchen ...

Ingredients 2 medium sweet potatoes (1 1/2 pounds total) 18 graham crackers (9 ounces total) 1 cup sugar, divided 1 stick plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, divided Fine salt 1 1/2 cups ricotta 1/2 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt 4 large eggs Lightly sweetened whipped cream, for serving Directions Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake sweet potatoes until tender, about 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool slightly, then discard skins and mash flesh with a fork (you should have 1 1/2 cups). In a food processor, pulse graham crackers until finely ground (you should have about 2 1/4 cups). Add 1/3 cup sugar, 1 stick butter, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and pulse until combined. Firmly press mixture into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bake until crust is dry and set, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce temperature to 325 degrees. Meanwhile, in clean food processor, puree sweet potatoes, ricotta, yogurt, eggs, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 3 tablespoons butter...

Ingredients 1 large eggplant (about 1 1/2 pounds), trimmed, cut lengthwise into 1-inch-thick slices Coarse salt 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing 2 cups cherry tomatoes (about 10 ounces), halved 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted 1 ounce feta cheese, crumbled (about 1/4 cup) Pinch of red-pepper flakes 1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves, torn if large Directions Generously season eggplant slices with salt. Place vertically in a colander, overlapping them. Let stand 30 minutes; rinse and pat dry. Preheat grill to medium-high. Liberally brush cut sides of eggplant with oil. Grill, turning once, until tender, about 4 minutes a side. Mix tomatoes, pine nuts, feta, red-pepper flakes, and oil; season with salt. Spoon over eggplant; top with basil. Prep Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 55 minutes Serves: 4