Cook Without Book

Yield:  Makes about 30 appetizers (serving size: 1 appetizer)                    Ingredients 2  pints cherry or grape tomatoes 1 pound   bocconcini (fresh mozzarella) 1  bunch fresh basil Sea salt Ground black pepper Extra-virgin olive oil Preparation Thread ingredients onto skewers in this order: cherry tomato, fresh basil leaf, bocconcini, fresh basil leaf, and grape tomato. Sprinkle each skewer with sea salt and black pepper; drizzle with olive oil. Nutritional Information Calories per serving: 46 Fat per serving: 4g

Serves 4                       Ingredients 4 large portobello mushroom caps, stems twisted off and “gills” scraped out with a spoon 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided 1 tsp. salt, divided 4 tbsp. soft goat cheese 4 whole-grain hamburger buns, for serving Dijon mustard, for serving Lettuce, for serving Preparation  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, and line a baking sheet with a piece of aluminum foil. 2. Rub both sides of each mushroom with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt. Place gill side up on baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes, turning mushroom caps over midway through cooking. 3. To prepare sandwiches, toast hamburger buns (or stick in the oven for the last few minutes of roasting). Spread dijon mustard on each bun and top with lettuce. When mushrooms are done roasting, spread each liberally with goat cheese and place in sandwich.

Yield:  Makes 12 servings (serving size: 1/4 cup salsa and 1 ounce pita chips)                   Ingredients 1  (14.5-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped 1/4  medium chopped red onion (about 1/3 cup) 1/4 cup   chopped pitted kalamata olives 2 tablespoons   grated Parmesan cheese 1 tablespoon   dry Italian dressing mix (such as Good Seasons) 1 tablespoon   extra-virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon   capers 1  (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes 1/8 teaspoon   crushed red pepper (optional) 2 tablespoons   chopped fresh parsley 2  (6-ounce) bags plain baked pita chips Preparation 1. Combine the first 7 ingredients (through capers) in a mixing bowl; stir in tomatoes and crushed red pepper, if desired. Garnish with parsley and serve with pita chips. Nutritional Information Calories per serving: 175 Fat per serving: 6g Saturated fat per serving: 0.0g...

             Ingredients 1  Sharlyn melon, peeled, seeded, and cut into medium cubes (about 4 cups)* 1  honeydew melon, peeled, seeded, and cut into medium cubes (about 4 cups) 1  cantaloupe, peeled, seeded, and cut into medium cubes (about 4 cups) 3 ounces   prosciutto di Parma, julienned 1  bunch basil 8  fresh dark-skinned figs, trimmed and quartered 1/4 pound   arugula 1 tablespoon   extra-virgin olive oil 1  (4-ounce) block ricotta salata, shaved, for garnish 1 tablespoon   crushed red pepper, for garnish Preparation 1. For each serving, place 1/2 cup of each melon in the center of the plate; place about 1/3 ounce prosciutto on top of the melon, followed by a few basil leaves, 4 fig quarters, and a few arugula leaves. Drizzle each serving with a little olive oil, and garnish with the shaved ricotta salata and a dash of crushed red pepper. *Note: If you can't find Sharlyn m...

Prep: 12 minutes; Cook: 10 minutes. Baked to Perfection: To make our pizza, we used Fabulous Flats for the crust and baked it in a 500° oven on the bottom rack to make it crispy. Yield:  Makes 8 servings (serving size: 1 slice)                           Ingredients 1/2 pound   thawed frozen shrimp, peeled and deveined Prebaked pizza crust 1 1/2 tablespoons   extra-virgin olive oil 1 1/2 tablespoons   minced garlic 1 cup   halved grape tomatoes 2 tablespoons   finely grated Parmesan cheese Preparation Slice shrimp in half horizontally. Place a prebaked pizza crust on a shallow baking pan. Combine olive oil and minced garlic in a small bowl; brush oil mixture onto crust. Top crust with halved shrimp, halved grape tomatoes, and Parmesan cheese. Bake 10-12 minutes or until shrimp are cooked through. Cut into 8 slices; serve. Nutritional Information Calories per serving: ...

Prep Time:  10 minutes Cook Time:  20 minutes Yield:  Makes 4 servings (serving size: 4 ounces shrimp, 1 tortilla, and about 2 cups salad)                                  Ingredients Cooking spray 2  lemons, thinly sliced 2  limes, thinly sliced 3 tablespoons   chopped fresh oregano 3 tablespoons   extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 teaspoon   kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon   freshly ground black pepper 8 ounces   romaine lettuce, chopped 20  large shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 1 pound) 4  (6-inch) corn tortillas 1  large ripe tomato, diced 1  diced peeled avocado 1 ounce   Cotija cheese Preparation 1. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat; coat lightly with cooking spray. Quickly grill the citrus slices in batches, just until browned (about 1 minute per side); transfer to a cutting board, and finely...

                Ingredients 2 pounds   ripe tomatoes, cored, chopped 2 tablespoons   extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons   minced fresh basil 1 tablespoon   minced fresh oregano 1  clove garlic, minced 1 teaspoon   kosher salt, plus more to taste 10 ounce   short pasta noodles such as cavatelli, penne or rigatoni 1/4 cup   grated Parmesan, optional Freshly ground black pepper Preparation 1. In a bowl, toss tomatoes, olive oil, basil, oregano, garlic and salt. Cover and let stand for 30 minutes. 2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente, about 10 minutes or as package label directs. Drain pasta and place in bowl with tomatoes. Add Parmesan, if desired, and stir to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Lavender and Cumin Crusted Cornish Hen Serves 4 4 (One-pound) Cornish hens, well rinsed and drained 4 tablespoons honey 2 tablespoons soy sauce Juice of 2 lemons 1/4 cup Garam Masala 2 tablespoons ground cumin 4 tablespoons of lavender flowers, plus 8 stems for garnish 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Salt to taste Season the Cornish hen with salt and set it aside for 10 minutes. In a medium mixing bowl mix the honey, soy sauce, lemon juice, garam masala, ground cumin and lavender flowers. Evenly rub the Cornish hens with the mixture and let it rest for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400° F. In a large heavy bottom skillet heat the oil on high heat. Sear the hens on all sides. Bake it until the chicken is done, about 35 to 40 minutes.

Greens with Ginger-Cilantro Dressing Serves 4 to 6 5 ounces (6 cups) mixed salad greens 1/3 cup fresh basil, large leaves torn 1 teaspoon rice vinegar 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil Freshly ground black pepper Juice of 1 lemon 1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger 1/2 teaspoon honey 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro Salt Toss greens and basil in a large bowl. Whisk together vinegar, oil, black pepper, lemon juice, ginger, honey, cilantro, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Evenly drizzle dressing over salad. Toss to coat, and serve immediately. 

Olives, Tomato es, cucumber Salad with Lime Dressing Serves 4 1 medium tomato, cut into slices 10 mixed cherry tomatoes, cut into halves 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced, diagonally Salt to taste Freshly ground black pepper Juice of 1 lime 1 small red onion, thinly sliced 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons feta cheese, crumbled 1 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro 10 mixed olives Sprigs of any fresh salad leaves Lightly toss all the ingredients until well coated.

Baba Ganoush                                       Total Time    35 mins Prep Time:     15 mins   C ook Time:    20 min           Ingredients:       Servings     6 Units: US | Metric 1 large eggplant 1/4 cup tahini, plus more as needed 3 garlic cloves, minced 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, plus more as needed 1 pinch ground cumin salt, to taste 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley  1/4 cup brine-cured black olives, such as kalamata      Directions:                    Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill. Preheat an oven to 375°F. Prick the eggplant with a fork in several places and place on the grill rack 4 to 5 inches from the fire. Grill, turning frequently, until t...