Come summer, the Spanish flock to the water with the determination of fish (which makes me think that maybe I do have a few Spanish genes lurking in me somewhere.) As clam shacks are to New England, Spanish beach goers have humble seaside establishments called “chiringuitos” awaiting them. And almost always, they will offer an irresistible Mixed Seafood Paella, like the one Russ made (shown below) one Sunday summer evening.

Did we tell you we love paella? We are now the proud owners of four—yes four—paella pans, and it was the maiden voyage for our new 16″ variety cooked on top of our outdoor paella gas grill. After all, who wants to be stuck in the house on a beautiful summer evening slaving over a hot stove when you can assemble and cook the real deal outside on your shaded patio? Not us.

An authentic paella is a minimalist affair, often with few other ingredients besides seafood and rice. And the flavor depends on a good rich fish stock, so we recommend making your own ahead of time, or buying a real good one at a fish market. And the best rice to use is a medium grain called “bomba”, which has a nice toothy texture and can absorb lots of flavor. What you must absolutely shun is long grain rice which doesn’t develop the right texture.

The shallow, flat, dimpled carbon steel pan reacts quickly to heat fluctuation and aids in the quick evaporation of liquid. The pan also helps maximize the surface area that comes in contact with the rice. The contact, while the rice is left unstirred as it cooks, produces another paella must-have, a crispy tasty crust that sticks to the pan and is known as “socarrat”—a specialty and prized part of a great paella. Folklore has it that socarrat has aphrodisiac powers, and that is what fuels the passion of those renowned Spanish lovers. Just giving you a heads up…

Russ makes an event out of the entire process starting with Spanish music playing both indoors as he preps, and outside as he grills. Adding to the authenticity is his choice of predinner cocktail, a glass of Spanish sherry. Then we enjoy a glass of Spanish red (Rioja or Tempranillo) as we dine on our Sunday supper—a regular custom in Spain.

It is considered proper to encourage your guests to eat directly from the pan, the traditional Spanish way of eating it, from the outer perimeter in toward the center. It’s not a custom we’re comfortable enough with even though it loses much of its impact and drama once it leaves the pan onto a dinner plate. So as not to draw attention away from the main event, serve simply with a side salad and wine, with perhaps some crusty bread.

The lamb itself in Tandoori Lamb Kebabs with Samosa Mashed Potatoes is wonderful and fragrant with classic Indian spice. But what makes this a Wowser is the accompanying onions, which add the perfect amount of sweetness and char. Most supermarkets carry the spice mix garam masala these days; if you can’t find it locally, order it online.

We both thought that the amount of marinade was overkill, and in fact after making it, we believe you can get away with making half of the amount. There was enough leftover to additionally slather marinade all over the onions once on the skewers, put some in a side dish for the table, and still have excess.

And for a unique side dish, how about the delicious flavors from your favorite Indian restaurant samosas, but none of the laborious shaping and frying? The answer is Samosa Mashed Potatoes. When you look at the list of the ingredients it may seem overwhelming, but most of it is spices, and they are used in both the lamb and the potato dishes.

Being a warm summer night, I wasn’t too keen on mashed potatoes, but we were both pleasantly surprised how well they meshed with the kebabs and they were packed full of flavor.

Samosa Mashed Potatoes

Both recipes from Fine Cooking; the lamb by By Ronne Day, the potatoes by Laraine Perri 

Could you simply buy a bottle of Italian dressing and marinate your chicken in that? Why of course, that’s a quick and easy way out. But I think it’s more fun (yes, I did say fun) to create your own concoction with fresh, organic ingredients—many of which you probably already have in your pantry. And oh, the difference in flavor!

If like us, you grow your own organic herbs and then dry them at the end of the season, you’ll be ahead of the game. Select enough to measure about one tablespoon after you’ve crushed them, which I find easiest to do with a small mortar and pestle.

When it comes to the choice of vinegar, you can substitute with chardonnay, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, or even rice vinegar! You just need a vinegar that is not as harsh as ordinary white vinegar. We own a vast library of different olive oils and vinegars so to switch things up a bit, I selected a Prosecco champagne vinegar and a basil flavored extra virgin olive oil, both products of Italy—how appropriate!

Preparing your charcoal or gas grill for indirect heat: If using a gas grill, turn all burners to high and close the lid. When the temperature inside the grill reaches 400°, lift lid and turn off one of the burners. The area over the turned-off burner is the indirect heat area. If using a charcoal grill, light 50 to 60 briquettes and let burn until covered with ash, about 20 to 30 minutes. Mound them to one side. The area over the section cleared of coals is the indirect heat area.

If the breasts are large, you should cut them in half yielding more normal serving sizes, more surface area for tasty rubs and sauce, and a much easier time getting to the right internal temperature, which is 165°. The bone-in, skin on pieces provide more flavor and keep the meat juicier than boneless, skinless breasts; although you could also use those in a pinch. Just make sure to keep an eye on them as they will cook faster and can dry out quickly.

Using a heavy duty meat cleaver makes quick work of halving the breasts.

And to round out the meal in quick order without fussing in a hot kitchen? Why not serve a store-bought cole slaw and heat up a can of baked beans of the grill’s side burner. Sometimes SUPER EASY is the way to go…

Not if you dine at Harvest Seasonal Wine & Grill Bar… “a high quality, farm-fresh, seasonally-changing menu that offers a range of dining options not typically found in traditional farm-to-table establishments.” If you’ve ever patronized a Seasons 52 restaurant, Harvest is it’s kindred spirit in looks and philosophy.

To source the freshest and highest quality ingredients possible, they work closely with 75 local farmers. While other establishments have only recently begun to embrace organic menu additions, Harvest was built from the ground up with a no compromise attitude towards using local, all-natural ingredients in all of their offerings.

Just before Super Bowl Sunday, we visited a party store in Newtown and happened to notice a new restaurant right next door. Of course curiosity got the best of us and we had to go peek our noses in the window. We were immediately drawn to the modern industrial decor and promise of a farm-to-table menu offering organically grown ingredients. And the grand opening was set for the day after the Super Bowl, so we were excited to try it.

Fast forward about a week and Russ tried to make a reservation for Valentine’s night but they were booked (unless you wanted to eat after 9:00, even late by our standards); although he was able to score one a few days later on a Friday evening. Thank goodness we did make the res because when we arrived, the entrance and waiting area was jam-packed. Luckily our wait was short and we were seated at the far end in a quieter booth—and I’ll use the term “quiet” loosely, as the place was buzzing!

We were seated in a banquette against a far wall partially blocked off from the central “pit” of diners.

Our knowledgeable and enthusiastic waiter Lance walked us through the menu and took our wine order while we tried to settle on some options. I was impressed to see that most items are 500 calories or less, non-GMO, and contained an extensive list of vegetarian, gluten-free, and vegan items. Refreshingly, the menu is updated every three months to address the change of seasons.

Furthermore, the use of sustainable, organic and healthy ingredients doesn’t stop with the menu. From organic cleaning products to recycled glass counter tops and post consumer fiber menus, they utilize green practices daily throughout the overall concept at all of their locations—six of which are in PA; with one each in Moorestown, NJ and Delray Beach, FL.

Lighting above the booths meshes well with the other decor.

In the end we decided our starter would be the Organic Spicy Pork Flatbread on a very thin cracker-like crust topped with crumbled pork, roasted bell peppers, Kalamata olives and mozzarella curd. It was ever-so-light and a perfect teaser for our future choices.

While the overall pace seemed to be a bit frantic with the waitstaff trying to keep up with the constant flow of diners, we didn’t feel rushed at all. Instead of focusing on entrées, we decided to split an array of appetizers and chose three items, all with a kick.

Kung Pao Cauliflower “Wings” (top left) with a ginger soy glaze, pickled carrot strips and jalapeños, sriracha, toasted sesame and scallions.

Organic Pork Potstickers garnished with Korean pepper remoulade and Asian Vegetable slaw.

Thai Sesame Beef Lettuce Wraps plated with bibb lettuce, pickled carrots, daikon radishes, edamame, sriracha salted peanuts and a sweet-and-sour dipping sauce.

It was just the right amount of food (although I didn’t end up with a doggie bag), but Russ asked to see the dessert tray anyway. Just as Seasons 52 serves their desserts in large shot glasses, Harvest presents a similar display. Seeing as how they weren’t overwhelming in size, Russ opted to try the Tiramisu, and he loved it! They gave us two spoons just in case…

First impression was a winner! I couldn’t wait to go back… Although it was over 4 months until we had the opportunity to return at the end of June. They have a wrap around porch with about a dozen or so tables so we were lucky enough to dine al fresco in the warm weather, and it is much quieter than the interior spaces. Albeit, the view is mostly of the parking lot, but there is some greenery too.

After selecting a bottle of Charge, a California Cabernet (I loved the label) once again we started with one of their delicious flat breads, this time the Jerk Chicken Flatbread with a Jamaican jerk sauce, roasted poblano pepper and mild cheddar—yes, we ate the whole thing! The crust is crunchy and very thin while the toppings are appropriately distributed and perfectly paired.

For main entrées we went with seafood. Russ chose the Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes, with fried green tomato relish, a chili corn rémoulade, seasonal baby patty pan squash, roasted fingerling potatoes and a charred lemon half. His opinion? Among the best crab cakes he’s ever eaten.

I zeroed in on the Seared Sea Scallops that were dusted in stone-ground cornmeal lined up over a bed of sweet corn risotto, accompanied by an heirloom tomato relish with basil oil, corn shoots, and topped with micro basil. OMG, we both LOVED our meals!

Well, our eyes were bigger than our stomachs because we both took nearly half of our dinners home; which left no room for dessert this time around. All-in-All Harvest has left a good taste in our mouths—literally. So we know that there will certainly be return visits in the future.

In fact, six pounds worth. Flap steak, the unflatteringly named cut, is similar to skirt and flank in that it comes from the less tender regions of the animal. Often cheaper than more popular cuts, this little underdog of the beef world has a wonderful meaty flavor and fine texture when prepared properly. The only place I ever find it is Costco, and they package it in 4-pound lots of strips, which is great for a party, or to break down into smaller parcels and freeze.

Of all the inexpensive cuts of beef, flap is one of the most versatile. Like skirt or flank steak, it benefits from marinating and being cooked on high, dry heat, whether grilled, broiled, pan-fried or stir-fried. It’s vital to cut the meat very thinly across the grain, and it is at its best not too much past medium-rare.

If it ever threatens to start burning on the exterior before the center is done, you can slide it on over to the cooler side of the grill for some more gently cooking. As with all meat, it benefits from a few minutes of resting before you slice into it. Since its shape, thickness, and proclivity for marinades makes it similar to flank steak, you can use it pretty much interchangeably. Think of it as flank steak’s tastier, sexier cousin.

For a little zing to the meal, our enhancers were a delicious Mojo Marinade, followed up by an accompaniment of Chimichurri Salsa. And since fresh corn is just starting to appear in the food markets, we paired the steak with Sautéed Corn Salad with Ricotta Salata and Basil.

But let’s talk about the party—the real reason we were “giving a flap.” Eight of us gathered on our patio and started with a Midnight Kiss—the kind you drink, that is. Rosanne brought a premade concoction with blue curacao and vodka (among other ingredients) then topped it off with a bottle of white Prosecco, let me tell you, those definitely got the party started!

For a pre-dinner nibble, Barb dished out a large platter of bruschetta, a perfect nosh for those drinks!

I decided to add a challenge to the festivities with a guess-the-ingredients contest. Since the flap meat was going to be dressed with a chimichurri sauce, I gave each couple a small sample to taste and smell and then list the nine ingredients. The couple with the most correct answers won a gift—and that honor went to Brad and Barb.

The guests are hard at work trying to decipher exactly what the chimichurri consists of.

Barb and Brad

Fran and Grant

Rosanne and Gary

As another side dish for the feast, Rosanne contributed a yummy lentil salad surrounded by a mini caprese salad.

And what better way to finish a summer meal than with homemade brownies and a choice of three ice cream flavors from Goodnoe’s? Thanks for the finale Fran!

After a round of coffee, the clock struck the midnight hour and it was time for the gang to make their departures. After all, another hot summers day would be dawning before we knew it… time for some beauty rest…

It is sweltering here on the East Coast so who the heck wants to slave over a hot stove, or even a fiery grill? Fresh, colorful, and a little crunch from the cabbage and cashews, this cool Chicken Cabbage Salad with Basil, Cilantro, and Cashews salad is perfect on a sizzling summer’s night. You can whip up this Asian-inspired baby in 10-15 minutes, especially if you pick up a store-bought rotisserie chicken.

And if you grow an herb garden, there’s a high likelihood that you can already harvest enough fresh basil and possibly even cilantro. Finish with a squeeze of lime and a light sprinkle of flaky sea salt. Yummy!

We loved the flavor profile of this crunchy satisfying salad. And any leftovers won’t be a soggy mess—just don’t add the cashews until your ready to eat it.

Recipe by Lynne Curry from Fine Cooking

The ingredients in Fennel-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Escarole and Apple Salad suggest a Autumnal meal as opposed to early Summer. But the garlicky pork pairs perfectly with a crisp salad in this easy supper and it won’t keep you bound in the kitchen around a hot stove for long. Plus you can have it on the table in less than a half hour.

Often the grocery store carries fennel bulbs without much frond to them. If at all possible, try to buy them with a lot of feathery greenery at the top because you’ll need them to make the rub, plus any leftover is nice for garnish.

This recipe calls for two pork tenderloins, but we only had one in the freezer and figured it would be enough for the two of us—we surprisingly even had some leftover!

NOTE: If your grocery store doesn’t carry Pink Lady apples, look for another variety that is both sweet and tart with a crisp texture, such as Honey Crisp, Jonagold, Cameo or Mutsu.

Spicy Orange Chicken stir-fry is a great meal to make when pressed for time yet you still want to serve something special. A ripe tomato, orange zest and chicken breasts, combined with some basic staples become a sumptuous and impressive meal. Russ and I both concurred, this was one of the BEST stir-fries we’ve ever made—and we’ve made a lot of them. It came from our coveted cookbook: Stir-Frying to the Sky’s Edge by Grace Young.

Most of the time is spent measuring and prepping the ingredients, while the actual cooking time, other than the rice, takes only minutes. It might seem like a long list, but don’t leave out any of the ingredients, especially the ground Sichuan peppercorns because they truly add a necessary dimension. As far as the chili bean sauce, increase or decrease the amount depending on your tolerance for spicy—just don’t omit it altogether.

That being said, I did add a couple of extra ingredients (which I listed below), involving a few more simple steps, but we both think they added welcome flavors. First, since I had a half of red bell pepper in the fridge, I cut that up into thin strips. Then as a final garnish, I snipped some fresh basil from our herb garden and sprinkled that on top.

Please make sure you have everything prepped before beginning to stir-fry because like many others, there is no time in between each step and it goes crazy fast. Also don’t forget to time your rice to be finished prior to the last step of the stir-fry. I know it might not seem like a lot of liquid to start, but the tomatoes will release their juices and you end up with a good balance.

And of course, rice is a big factor in how good this stir-fry turned out. First off, instead of just water, I used some homemade chicken stock to steam the jasmine rice. It was light and fluffy, not sticking together as rice sometimes can.

We really can’t wait to make this again!

Hamloaf? Never heard of it—until I visited Russ’s mother, Mary, out in Butler County, PA nearly 2 decades ago. And when I heard that’s what we would be having for dinner upon arrival, I was none too excited. Apparently it’s a Western Pennsylvania thing, and every summer thereafter whenever we returned to visit, it seemed to be everywhere. You’ll find it at grocery stores, butcher shops, mini marts; I think you can even buy it at some gas stations. Along with a list of other meats for our vacation stay, Mary would have us get the goods from the reputable meat market, Brose’s—no gas station purchase on her watch!

If you are in the realm of the uniformed, hamloaf is a baked meat dish, similar to meatloaf, made of ground ham and ground pork and combined with other ingredients to form a loaf like shape. Distinct in color and taste from meatloaf, hamloaf is often baked with a sweet & savory glaze—Mary’s was a combo of currant jelly and grated horseradish—which actually went quite well with the meat, although neither of us can remember the exact proportions…

Of course, I did end up liking it that first time, and pretty much every time since. So recently when I was shopping at our local Amish Farmer’s Market picking up some rib-eyes for Father’s Day, I noticed they had a tub of the hamloaf mixture and promptly bought a couple of pounds thinking it would make for an easy weeknight dinner—and perhaps bring back some fond memories.

A good number of years have passed since we indulged in this “delicacy” and I wanted to up the game by getting a smidge more intricate with the glaze by incorporating a half dozen ingredients as opposed to two. The end result was a more complex and nuanced flavor base. In combination with some steamed fresh green beans and roasted baby red potatoes, it was an easy and tasteful meal.

NOTE: Make measuring sticky liquids like molasses and maple syrup easy by coating the measuring cup with nonstick cooking spray before adding the liquid; this will ensure it slides right out into the saucepan.

If you’ve already had an experience with hamloaf, or have another special glaze recipe, I’d love to hear about it!

Three key ingredients make up this fiery stir-fry from Food & Wine’s Justin Chapple: ground pork, green beans and dried hot red chiles. To round it out, just add three simple ingredients: garlic, soy sauce and lime juice. Can’t get much easier than that!

The original recipe called for just a 1/2-pound of ground pork which we thought was pretty paltry for four servings, so we doubled it to one full-pound. And since we like spicy, I added nine dried hot red chiles, although in the end it wasn’t that spicy at all. Were our chiles too old and lost some of their impact? Possibly…

In which case we could have added a tablespoon or so of chili garlic sauce, but I didn’t think of that until after the fact. The overall taste was good but we prefer saucier concoctions. But given how simple this recipe is, it’s a good one to have when time is of essence.

For most stir-fries we use our wok instead of a skillet, which we did here. The stir-fry is perfect served over freshly steamed white or brown rice, or even over rice noodles.

What is Sichuan-style anyway? Sichuan (can also be called Szechuan or Szcehwan) food, originated from the Southwestern region of China, is the most widely served cuisine in China itself. The dishes of this cuisine are known for their deep and rich flavors, especially the taste of Sichuan pepper which is rare in other regional cuisines. Oddly, this recipe didn’t include Sichuan peppercorns.

The cooking methods of Sichuan cuisine vary according to texture and bite required for each specific dish. The array of cooking methods include stir-frying, steaming, braising, baking, and the most popular of which is fast-frying. Many dishes incorporate a lot of garlic and chili peppers. Some of the most common Sichuan dishes are twice-cooked pork, spicy diced chicken with peanuts, and fish-flavored pork shred.

Recently we hosted Dr. David Greenspan—a coworker with Russ—and his lovely wife Lisa on our backyard patio. David had heard about the all-but-famous BBQ’d Baby Back Ribs that Russ often grills when the weather permits, and was eager to put them to the test. However, Lisa, a long-time vegetarian, had no designs on partaking of said ribs.

David and Lisa Greenspan smile for the camera.

The baby backs are a bit time consuming up front, but with an easy finish—perfect for an outdoor BBQ. The evening before the party, we rub a special spice mix all over the racks. The ribs then get covered and placed in the refrigerator to get happy over night. The morning of the party, we cook the meat set on racks on baking trays with water in a 300-325 degree oven for 2 1/2 hours. Afterward they cool down and the drippings are placed is a separator to remove any fat, with the remaining liquid cooked in a pot until heavily reduced. Stubbs Original BBQ Sauce is added to the sauce reduction and this is basted on the meat as they are grilled.

The ribs after cooking in the oven for 2 1/2 hours.

After grilling and basting the racks, they are moved to a platter and sliced into sections.

You know the saying “You can’t please everyone.” Well maybe you can, especially when feeding a group that includes meat-eaters, vegans, vegetarians and sweet-tooth cravers alike. Just need to do some planning ahead on what to serve. Knowing mid-June in the Mid-Atlantic area of the U.S., is prime time for fresh strawberries, they became the impetus for the Buttermilk Panna Cotta dessert topped with a strawberry glaze and sprig of fresh mint. Served with a side of Pepperidge Farm Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt Milano’s that satisfied the sweet tooth…

Luckily, the custard set up properly because last time Russ made it, the base never solidified and we had to toss dessert. (Thank goodness for the local bakery.) But this time, it was the topping we had to chuck. It’s really important to keep a close eyeball on, while often stirring the strawberries as they cook down. Russ became preoccupied with some garden issue out on the patio, and ended up burning the sauce. Plan B. Luckily I had purchased extra strawberries and we had enough ingredients and time to make another batch from scratch. Crisis averted.

But I’m putting the cart (or dessert) before the horse here. The evening commenced with glasses of wine while enjoying a platter of cheeses, crackers, Marcona almonds and a sweet/spicy raspberry preserve that the Greenspans purchased at DiBruno Brothers, a pioneering specialty food retailer and importer. WOW, were they fabulous! Unfortunately, I was so involved with tasting the goods, that Yours Truly completely forgot to take a photo, mea culpa 😦 Among topics of conversation which included upcoming vacation plans, was my recent status as a Master Gardner apprentice, and discovering Lisa’s ambition to become one also, as soon as she retires.

Now about the dinner, in addition to our bone-sucking ribs, we also made a colorful Sautéed Corn with Black Beans and Red Bell Pepper side dish that even vegans can relish. Although it’s not quite height of the season for locally picked corn on the cob, the supermarkets carry some decent ears of sweet kernels. Lisa kept me company in the kitchen while I made the sauté, and since I prepped everything ahead of time, it went together very quickly and I didn’t have to concentrate too heavily on what I was doing, thus allowing me brain space to chat with Lisa.

At the same time, David was outside watching Russ make the “other” main dish: Rice with Vegetables and Saffron, or in Spanish “Arroz con Verduras y Azafrán.” It’s a vegan entrée we found in our cookbook, Spain: A Culinary Road Trip with Mario Batali and Gwynyeth Paltrow. The dish is kind of like risotto, in that it begins by combining the raw rice with vegetable stock without first sautéing it in olive oil. The oil only comes in at then end as an enriching and flavoring addition. Again, we prepped the ingredients ahead of time which streamlined the cooking process.

Russ readies the tray for the patio to cook the rice dish.

In the end, we were so thankful that the weather cooperated and we could dine al fresco because the forecasts had been predicting rain for days. The chances of any precip diminished drastically just hours beforehand. With several more outdoor picnics to host over the coming months, we’re hoping Mother Nature will be just as kind…

Rice with Vegetables and Saffron

Sautéed Corn with Black Beans and Red Bell Pepper

To create corn side dishes with rich, toasted flavor, we strip the corn from the cobs when they are raw and then cook the kernels in a nearly smoking skillet. It is important not to stir the corn for a few minutes to give it a chance to brown. Once the corn is cooked, we mix in plenty of salty, savory ingredients to balance the sweetness. Finally, an acidic component rounds out the dish.

Order a hamburger at a restaurant? Not me. They never measure up to my expectations. Yes, I will sometimes eat them when served at a picnic, but my preference is grilling them at home, and that’s a rare treat. This way I know exactly what they’re made of, how they’re made, and can let the juices dribble down my chin without worrying who’s watching, or how many napkins I use.

Let’s face it, it’s all about the meat. I’ve heard, read, saw and tasted so many different approaches from the pros, and non-pros alike. But in the end, you are the one who is going to eat it and therefore it should appeal to your tastebuds. Well, as you certainly know by now, Russ and I like things spicy, and that includes our grilled burgers.

As mentioned, there are a lot of ways to make a good hamburger patty. They can be made out of ground beef, pork, lamb, sausage, turkey, or more. They can be stuffed full of garlic, cheese, spices, peppers, or virtually anything small enough to fit inside. But this blog centers on the plain, unstuffed beef burger. Simpler is usually better in our humble opinion, and it all starts with making the perfect patty.

Fresh ground meat creates a more tender burger because it was never compacted tightly together, so let’s start with the packaging. To make exceptionally tender burgers you need to grind your own meat or buy it from your grocery store freshly ground. If your hamburger was stuffed into meat tubes it was already compacted too much and will never make a great burger. You want to still be able to see the individual strands of meat still loosely intact after coming out of the grinder.

Next, you want to make sure it is the right cut which is fresh ground chuck. Ground chuck will typically have the perfect ratio of fat to meat, which is 80/20. Now 90/10 may sound like a good idea because it is healthier, but it will be too dry to make a good burger, so I often compromise and use 85% lean, as we did here. Burgers need some fat to be juicy. Adversely, you also don’t want anything fattier than 80/20, if there is too much fat the burger will shrink excessively during cooking and you will end up with hockey pucks in a pool of grease.

Measure each portion to weigh approximately the same size—we prefer an 8-ounce patty. Then simply, but not too firmly, press down to form the 3/4″ high round patties leaving the edges slightly loose so you can still identify the strands of meat made from the meat grinder. This is a sign that you succeeded in not overworking the meat. The strands will separate more easily from each other when you take a bite than if you squished and squeezed the meat together. This is what makes your burger so tender.

Many aficionados swear by the act of slightly depressing the center of the patty to push a little extra meat towards the edges to produce an even patty without a bulging middle. Sometimes I do this, most often I don’t, and we rarely end up with protruding centers once cooked.

Note, there are no bulging middles to these babies.

Oh, and when it’s time to grill, for Pete’s sake don’t press the patty while cooking, just don’t do it! You are not making it cook faster, you are squeezing all the life and juice out of it, guaranteeing you will end up with a dry burger. Only flip it once which allows the burger time to build up a charred crust which adds flavor, and it is easier to time doneness—which depending on your thickness, will be about 8 to 10 minutes total for a medium finish with a slightly pink interior.

The burger will be charred on the outside, but still juicy and moist on the inside if you don’t squish the juices out.

The bun you choose makes a BIG difference in how great you burger tastes. You simply want a bun that feels light and squishy. A heavy, dense bun will steal the show from the tender burger patty. One of our preferences is soft, 100% whole wheat buns which not only taste good, they add 5 grams of fiber!

To toast or not to toast? That is the question. Russ always toasts his buns saying the heat lightens up the texture allowing the texture of the tender patty to be the star of the show and the bun doesn’t get as soggy from the juices. Me? I like mine untoasted which just seems to work better for my tastebuds…

You can top your burger with whatever you want. But we’re talking a spicy burger, so that’s where we’re going here. First, we season the patties with a spicy rub, in this case it’s what we also use on Russ’ famous Baby Back Ribs. We got the rub recipe from our Complete Meat Cookbook by Bruce Aidells and Denis Kelly, consisting of a lively mix of herbs and spices including paprika, chile powder, cayenne pepper, garlic powder and cumin among others.

About one minute before the burgers are ready, lay a slice or two of cheese—in this case Jalapeño Jack—on top of each burger, close the lid, and let the cheese melt, then remove the patties from the grill. Note: the chef may request a slice of said cheese to munch on while he/she mans the grill… just sayin’…

Once those burgers are done, spread some Dijon mustard and ketchup (or Sriracha if you dare) on the bottom half of your toasted (or not) bun, position the patty, then top with a large slice of heirloom tomato, sliced red onion and hot pepper rings. (Your mouth should be watering right about now.)

The final touch is the lettuce. The best lettuce in our opinion is either red/green leaf or Bibb lettuce which all have better flavor, better texture, and a more pleasing appearance than romaine or ice burg varieties. Crown with the top bun and your ready to chow down. Yes, it’ll probably be too tall to get your mouth over the entire stack of lusciousness, but OMG the mess is worth it, and you have lots of napkins handy, right?

All of the photos show the fixings for 3 burgers, but the recipe below is for four servings.

*Spice rub recipe available from The Complete Meat Cookbook by Bruce Aidells and Denis Kelly.

If you’re not familiar with Chicken Marsala, it is an Italian-American dish of rich golden colored pan-fried chicken cutlets and mushrooms in a rich Marsala wine sauce. It appears on most classic Italian restaurant menus, but it’s really quite easy to concoct at home. So if you haven’t already made it, why not give it a whirl and impress your family—or just yourself!

Not a fan of the ultra-thin, pre-sliced cutlets, I buy the boneless split breasts and pound them down myself, mainly because it’s a much cheaper way to go. If your chicken breasts are large, first cut them horizontally, then in half vertically to form eight flat fillets, and pound them to an even 1/4-inch thickness.

Marsala is a brandy-fortified wine from Sicily that is worth adding to your pantry, if only to make this dish time and again; it will keep in a cool, dry spot for months. But please, do not buy the grocery store cooking marsala which is mostly salt, get a decent brand from your liquor store, it truly makes a difference especially when using the amount needed here.

Since I was winging it, I started out with a 12-inch stainless steel pan. In the end, it wasn’t quite big enough to hold everything once it was time to add the chicken back to the sauce. So, after the marsala sauce reduced down and got happy from all of the browned bits left in the pan, I added the browned chicken cutlets to a larger skillet, poured the sauce over, cover and cooked for several minutes for the meat to heat through. Word to the wise: start with a very large skillet.

This recipe yields a lovely sauce that is wonderful over pasta, polenta, rice, or mashed potatoes. Our side was Parmesan Garlic Mashed Potatoes, which are simply heaven-on-earth! I listed the ingredients below. Just go ahead and boil your peeled potatoes until tender, add the ingredients, and beat with a hand mixer until smooth.

We served ours with a simple side salad to add color and fiber.

With a guest staying with us for the weekend—and one who really enjoys pork—we came across this Grilled Pork Chops with Pineapple-Turmeric Glaze recipe in our latest issue of Bon Appétit magazine and thought perfecto! We knew we wanted to grill and we weren’t going to have a lot of time to fuss with dinner, so this couldn’t have fit our criteria any better.

For this recipe, don’t be afraid of getting a good char here. It just means the sugars in the glaze are caramelizing (not that the meat is burning), resulting in deep, complex flavor. Our dining guest can’t tolerate really spicy food like the two of us, so we held back on how much marinate we added to her chop. So when making your own, if there are some “delicate palettes” in your household, adjust accordingly.

To expedite the meal further, our friend bought a couple of different prepared potato salads and we steamed some asparagus. With a crisp Sauvignon Blanc to sip, dinner was a quick and tasty al fresco meal on which we christened our new teak patio set. The summer season is off to a great start…

This glaze would also be dynamite on shrimp, whole fish, chicken breasts, slab bacon, or beef skewers.

The early June Sunday dawned cool, wet and windy, making me hunger for one final braised dish before the heat of the summer would warrant other cooking methods. We both decided a lamb dish would fit the bill and Russ remembered one he recently made for his Men’s group in which they all absolutely loved it—one even exclaiming “It was the best lamb I ever had!” I’m not quite sure I’d go that far, but it does find a spot up there among the top of the list. The flavor is delicious and the meat is meltingly tender.

This Lamb Tagine with Cinnamon-Scented Onions and Tomatoes originates from the western foothills of the High Atlas mountains in Morocco, North Africa. Its haunting sweet and savory flavor will stay with you long after the meal has ended. You can make this dish at any time of year, but if tomatoes are in season, replace the canned tomatoes in the recipe with thick slices of large, ripe ones; lay them between the lamb and the onions.

The traditional tagine pottery, shown above—sometimes painted or glazed—consists of two parts: a circular base unit that is flat with low sides and a large cone- or dome-shaped cover that sits on the base during cooking. The cover is designed to return all condensation to the bottom. We don’t own one, but we find using our Le Creuset copper enameled braising pot is just as effective.

Couscous makes a perfect bed over which to ladle the finished tagine as it will absorb a lot of those luscious juices. And if you’re lucky enough to have any leftover, you’ll enjoy it just as much reheated.

NOTE: While this is done on top of the oven for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, you can also braise the dish in a 275° oven for 3 hours.

Serve over a bed of couscous.

Adapted from a Fine Cooking recipe by Jeff Koehler