CUCUMBER AND TOMATO SALAD  Ingredients 1/2 English or seedless cucumber, diced 2 vine ripe tomatoes, diced Handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped 1/2 medium red onion, chopped 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, a couple of splashes 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, eyeball it Salt and pepper Directions Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Dress with vinegar and oil, salt and pepper, to your taste.   Add-in You can even add a chopped up cheese stick, if you'd like.  Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray. 

Everyone has seen the classic Fourth of July cake with blueberries as stars and strawberries as stripes but this dessert uses the fruit in a different way.   Start with 48 individual fruit tarts and add the fruit in a way that will leave your guests celebrating your creativity.   Directions Create Tarts: Fill pre-made miniature tart shells or phyllo cups with sweet mascarpone cream (recipe below), then arrange on a tray and top with blueberries and halved strawberry slices to create stars and stripes. Mascarpone Cream: Beat an 8-ounce container of mascarpone cheese and 3 tablespoons …

The next time you feel your dinner is in a rut and you grab the pizza delivery menu, consider making your own. This veggie pizza with arugula pesto recipe takes roughly 20 minutes to prep, maximum 35 minutes to cook and serves four people. If you want to make the recipe even more simple, skip step 2 and use a jar of already prepared pesto (Classico or Buitoni brand). Ingredients: Nonstick cooking spray 1 pound pizza dough (Pillsbury® Thin Pizza Crust works well) 1 1/2 cups baby arugula leaves, packed loosely 1/2 cup basil, packed loosely, plus 4 leaves 4 cloves of garlic 1 tablespoon lemon …

Every BBQ and potluck growing up my mom would make this great strawberry salad. Spinach, strawberries, jicama and a light, fresh dressing come together to make this fresh salad perfect for any day when the sun is shining. Have fun sharing this easy salad recipe with everyone. With a slight sweetness to the dressing and delicious seasonal ingredients that provide flavor with a crunch, this salad will please all audiences.Ingredients: Dressing½ - ⅓ cup  vegetable oil ¼ cup cider vinegar ⅓ cup sugar2 Tbsp sesame seeds1 Tbsp poppy seeds2 scallions chopped¼ tsp Worcestershire sauce¼ tsp …

I have a friend who in addition to being a fabulous cook has a mother who keeps her in constant supply of Nutella. Every time I visit her there are cabinets full of the stuff and I leave knowing that on my next trip to the supermarket I will inevitably end up with a jar. It’s easy to quickly consume, but one of my favorite things to do with Nutella is make brownies. The brownies come up out thick, moist and extra sweet. Here’s What You Need: 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened 1 cup sugar 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon cinnamon 3/4 cup Nutella 2 tablespoons…

On days that I know the evenings are gong to be rough – everyone out of the house, or a late meeting, etc., or even when I don’t feel like cooking a full dinner – the slow cooker is my saving grace. This was delicious, the rib meat was to die for and I will definitely be making more roasts with this marinade. So yummy! Ingredients 3 lbs. boneless short ribs 4 cups chicken broth 1/3 cup soy sauce ¼ cup sugar 3 Tbs. Freshly minced ginger 2 Tbs. Toasted sesame oil 4 cloves minced garlic 1 package mei fun Directions Put ribs in slow cooker. Whisk together broth, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, and …

This simple, tender cake lets the fruit shine through. It’s fine as it is, but the hot cream sauce is a good compliment and can be poured over slices as liberally as desired. The sauce adds a nice touch, making the cake even more special and memorable as it soaks up all that warm richness. Ingredients: makes 8 servings For kuchen: 6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus butter for the baking pan 3/4 cup sugar 1 large egg 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1/2 cup milk or light cream 3 …

Sometimes, all I want is a simple dinner that will make lots of leftovers for lunch the next couple of days (or feed a bunch of people). Baked ziti is the perfect answer to that dilemma, and is delicious at the same time. I love the added pepperoni on top; it adds a whole new dimension of flavor. Ingredients ½ lb. ziti or other tube pasta 1 lb. ground beef, cooked through Pasta sauce Shredded mozzarella cheese Pepperoni Salt and pepper to taste Directions Preheat over to 350. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain. Combine pasta, beef and sauce in 8”x8”x2” casserole dish. Mix to …

Sweet Potato Casserole 3 large eggs 5 pounds sweet potatoes - boiled, peeled and mashed 2/3 cup granulated sugar 2/3 cup butter - melted 1/3 cup heavy cream 1 tsp vanilla 1/2 tsp nutmeg Topping 1 cup light brown sugar packed 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup pecans finely chopped 1/3 cup butter - cut in pieces 12 pecan halves for garnish Heat oven to 350 Grease a shallow 2 1/2 quart baking dish.Potato mixture: Beat eggs in a large bowl.  Stir in potatoes until blended.  Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Spread evenly in prepared baking dish.Topping: Mix sugar, flour and nuts in a medium bowl…

The column this week is dedicated to my two colleagues Bree and Jessie who are obsessed with all things French, including Nutella crepes! These are pretty easy to make. You might as well plan on having the first two crepes look so-so after you get the knack of swirling the batter in the pan and flipping them. It takes a bit of practice. These are sweet crepes and are great for use as a dessert crepe or for breakfast filled with Nutella, the hazelnut spread, or any high-quality preserve. If you want to make a savory crepe and fill it with things such as veggies and cheese, or chicken or crab, …

Ingredients: 1/4 tsp. salt 2 packed cups of basil leaves 1/4 c. olive oil 3-4 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped 1/2 c. walnuts or pine nuts 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, grated 1 pkg. thin spaghetti Directions: Using your food processor, combine the basil, Parmesan cheese, garlic, nuts, oil and salt. Blend until it's almost smooth, occasionally scraping the sides of the food processor to ensure all ingredients blend evenly. Meanwhile, cook the thin spaghetti. After draining – and while still hot – toss the pesto mix with the spaghetti until the spaghetti is coated evenly. Garnish with a sprig of …

The wonderful aroma of these muffins baking on a Sunday morning is guaranteed to get everyone in the family out of bed! This recipe comes from a 1993 Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Library cookbook called Muffins & Quick Breads. All of the recipes in the cookbook are great, but this one is especially good. If there are any leftovers, these muffins stay moist for a few days. The only thing to remember is to take out your butter the night before so it is at room temperature and soft. This recipe is also a great way to use bananas that are getting too soft. Banana-Bran Muffins 1 cup flour 1 cup wheat …

Slow-cookers (or Crock-Pots) work best when you can add your ingredients to the pot, walk away for several hours, and return to a delicious meal. This chili recipe, perfect for cold days, has all the right ingredients to make it a great choice for the slow-cooker and a terrific accompaniment to a fresh loaf of crusty bread and real butter. Smoky Brisket Chili Serves 8 1 cup low-sodium beef broth 2 T cornstarch, mixed well with 3 T of beef broth so there are no lumps 1 cup dark beer or regular beer 1 T cider vinegar 2 T tomato paste 2 T molasses 2 T chili powder 1 T smoked paprika 3/4 tsp. …

Even though it is called "Irish Soda Bread," this isn't a traditional bread recipe that involves yeast, multiple risings and lots of kneading. It's a pretty easy recipe. Sometimes it can be a tad bland, so you need to add some punch. I saw Ina Garten from the Barefoot Contessa add orange zest to her recipe on her show. That really makes a difference. She doesn't add caraway seeds to hers, but I do as I like their unique flavor. You can use currants or raisins in this recipe. I like to bake my Irish Soda Bread in a 9" x 9" brownie pan. It can be baked in a round pie plate as well so it can be …

On a visit to New Orleans, I tried a chicken and andouille sausage gumbo that was delicious. I had a similar dish just recently while visiting family out in California and when we returned home I decided that I needed to have a gumbo recipe as part of my own repertoire. I was frankly, surprised at the ease of the recipe that I pulled together, not to mention the delicious taste! This made a lot of gumbo — enough for six to enjoy for dinner and still have lots of leftovers. If you want to make this a little spicier, add between 2 Tbs. and ¼ cup of Tabasco sauce with the vegetables. This is a …

Making your own granola, which can be used as hot oatmeal cereal, is easy, fun and manageable on your wallet. The best part is you control what goes into your cereal — not the manufacturer. Do you like raisins and almonds but dislike coconut? No problem.  Do you love coconut but hate nuts? Again, no problem. You add what you like to your recipe. You can also adjust the level of sweetness (none, a little, major) to your own preferences or those of your family's. Speaking of families, this is a fun kitchen project for kids. They can customize their own cereal and make it their own. Just store …

This recipe is a little challenging to make only because it requires a lot of patience. But, if you are a fan of flan you will definitely enjoy this dessert. It encompasses two very different consistencies, allowing you to enjoy custard and cake together. This recipe also allows you to learn and showcase different cooking techniques such as making caramel. Ingredients  For caramel: 1 cup white sugar   1/4 cup of water                                                                    For the custard: 6 eggs (yolks and whites)1 cup of sweetened condensed milk1 cup of milk1/4 cup of white …

Valentine's Day cookies are like edible greeting cards. They can express your message of affection while satisfying your sweetie’s sweet tooth—and let’s face it, cookies are one of life’s simple pleasures that are easily given for a number of holidays. Valentine’s Day is the perfect day to confess your love atop one or two or three of them. For those hopeless romantics who are both artistic and know their way around a kitchen, homemade Valentine cookies are sure to warm your darling’s heart. There are endless ways to express your affection in frosting and share what is in your heart. The …

There's just one week left until Super Bowl XLVI, but Tom Brady and the Patriots aren't the only ones with a lot of preparation to do. On Sunday, Feb. 5, avid and casual fans will join commercial-watchers alike to indulge in hot wings, chips and dip, and all sorts of game day snack foods. So Medfield, what's your favorite Super Bowl recipe? Share them with us and your neighbors by posting them in the comments section of this article or e-mailing them to Jeremie.Smith@Patch.com. If you're headed to a Super Bowl party at a local bar or restaurant, let us know where! If you're hosting a party …

Are you starting off your day with a bagel and a coffee ... again? It's easy for a breakfast routine to quickly turn into a breakfast rut. People often sacrifice a well-rounded breakfast that helps fuel morning activities and stave off hunger for a quick breakfast loaded with refined carbohydrates and sugar. The goal is to strike a balance: find quick and easy recipes that balance carbohydrates - derived from whole grains, fruits and vegetables - with a lean protein. One protein to consider for breakfast is turkey, which is available in a variety of breakfast-friendly and often gluten-free …