Herbs & Spices

This light, garden-fresh soup is double-quick to fix. Just bring it to a boil, remove it from the heat, and let it stand for a few minutes!

Probably one of the easiest soups you will ever make, this smooth, creamy delight is perfect whether you’re entertaining or curling up in front of the fire.

This sparkling drink is ideal as a refreshing spritzer for brunch or on a hot summer day.

Fresh herbs add a lively taste to this refreshing, light soup.

Don’t let the small size of these cheese balls fool you. They’re loaded with flavor and crunch!

The subtle, fresh taste of dill is at its best when teamed with cucumbers. Cut some into spears, rounds, or wedges and try them with this super-simple dip.

If you’re tempted every time you walk by the pretzel stand at the mall, this recipe is for you. I used a pretty small amount of cinnamon in this recipe because I didn’t want it to overpower the flavor of the butter and the sugar. If you’re a big fan of cinnamon, feel free to use a little more. Since it’s virtually calorie-free, it’s consequence-free.

Be sure to buy eggroll wrappers—the ones that are bigger than wonton skins—to make these triangles. These are an awesome treat at the end of an Asian-inspired meal . . . or any time. Use different colors of decorative sugar to make them extra fun and festive. I love making them with Wilton Sprinkles Pink & White Sparkling Sugar when girlfriends are coming over or when working with the young girls I mentor. If you want to make these triangles for a group, don’t worry. The recipe is really easy to multiply. I was tempted to write the recipe in a larger quantity. But I find them so addicting, I think it’s slightly “dangerous” to have them sitting around.

As with other nuts, you may find a variety of pine nuts available in your local grocery store. Toasted, salted, dry-roasted, raw, and even seasoned varieties are available in markets today. Be sure to look for pine nuts that are raw or dry-roasted, which means they’ve been roasted without any added oils or fats. Though I normally prefer dry-roasted, here they’ll toast in the pan, which will give the dish great flavor. To trim peas, just break off the stem end and strip the string away from the edge. It’s a great project for the kids.

This dish is insanely great for potlucks. Instead of other lasagnes that you can slave over for hours, you can now spend just 10 minutes throwing this together. And the best news is that it can be assembled up to 1 day in advance. After preparing it, simply cover it with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator (be sure to remove the plastic wrap before baking!) so it can be baked just before serving. Make sure you find a brand of ravioli with as little fat as possible. Some are laden with tons of fat and calories, yet they don’t taste any better than those that are lower in fat and calories. Rosetto also makes a whole-wheat ravioli that’s delicious and just as low in fat and calories but packs 6 grams of fiber per serving (I buy it at Whole Foods). Though the bag is slightly smaller (22 ounces instead of 25), so you’ll need a bag plus a few more ravioli to make the recipe as written, it’s worth buying.

This London broil has a wonderfully subtle flavor and is particularly great for folks who love mild foods. Though, unlike the other London broil recipes in this book, it doesn’t make the best sandwich leftovers. The leftovers are, however, great for salads, rice bowls, or other Asian-inspired favorites. Though I always love the added flavor that an outdoor grill provides, as a second option, this London broil can be prepared under a broiler for 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare, or longer until the desired doneness is reached.

When I first saw the “herbs in tubes,” as I call them, referring to Gourmet Garden’s herb blends, I thought I wouldn’t like them. But with one try, I became hooked, particularly to the garlic blend. This rendition of a margarita pizza is one of my favorite applications for them. It’s insanely easy to throw together and especially tasty, considering the little amount of time it takes. If you’re having trouble finding these herbs, visit gourmetgarden.com and check out their store locator. Or you can look for herbs frozen in trays. At my local Trader Joe’s, they sell frozen chopped garlic and chopped basil in trays from a brand called Dorot. Just be sure to measure the herbs yourself instead of relying on the measurements listed on the package (I found 1 teaspoon of basil was more than 1 cube, though the package says that 1 cube is equivalent to 1 teaspoon).

Toast the mini pita in a toaster or toaster oven. Just be careful, if using a toaster, when removing them. I keep a set of wooden chopsticks on hand for safely “fishing” smaller items from the toaster. I love this dish following a quick breakfast omelet or scramble. It has only about 100 calories, so it provides a guilt-free sweet treat after lean protein to fill me (or you!) up. If you’re making this for small children, they’re likely to love it even more if you mix the bruschetta topping with the yogurt and then stuff it in the pitas—they’re apt to find it easier to eat.

The grand lobby of the Peabody Hotel in Memphis is called “the living room of the South,” for good reason. It’s the best spot in town to sink into a comfy lounge chair, sip a cocktail, and watch people, or the occasional parade of ducks, come and go. Their bracing mint julep is justifiably famous.

This strong, tart sweet drink—made with equal parts fresh lemon and lime juice—can stand up to plenty of ice, and the addition of chopped crystallized ginger gives each sip a tingly, refreshing heat.