When I first saw this recipe from Mark Bittman in the NYT Cooking section, I had reservations. How could such simple ingredients become a savory soup in less than 10 minutes? Mark has been a major influence on American cooking for 30 years and is known for his straightforward style and simple recipes, so I decided to give it a try. I followed his directions with one exception: instead of adding just "a splash of stock," I added 1/2 cup of broth, knowing that I may need more a

Bruschetta is an Italian appetizer consisting of grilled bread topped with garlic, olive oil and tomatoes. I found this bread-free version in a Sunset Magazine article titled, 25 No-Cook Recipes Because, Come On, It’s the Middle of Summer!" This delightful salad is also lettuce-free and it's packed with protein and fiber. The recipe calls for one can of cannellini beans and two cans of water-packed tuna. Since there are just two of us, I used one can of tuna but still used th

Back in the day, Weight Watchers used to give out weekly recipe cards to members. This one from 2023 for a roast turkey breast reminded me of my mom. We visited her every year and when we walked in her front door from the airport, there was always a cooked turkey breast sitting on a rack in a roasting pan in the kitchen. She vowed that turkey sandwiches made with freshly roasted turkey breast were infinitely tastier than ones made with deli turkey slices, and she was right. I

Next time you make a salad, forget the romaine and make this leafless salad instead. It's named after the small cafes in Greece, or tavernas, that serve traditional Greek cuisine. Greek salads usually contain tomatoes, cucumbers and feta cheese. This version, adapted from the NYT Cooking section, also includes chickpeas, bell peppers, Kalamata olives and capers. It's so filling that you can serve it as a main course for a healthy lunch or light dinner. Want more options? Leav

Texas has become famous for many things, but haute cuisine hasn't been one of them. That is, until 1941 when Dallas department store Neiman Marcus hired chef Helen Corbitt to bring more sophisticated fare to hungry Texans raised on chicken-fried steak and BBQ. Helen had never heard of black-eyed peas when she moved from the East Coast to Texas, but since they were so popular in the South, she decided to combine them with a tart vinaigrette on New Year's Eve and Texas Caviar

I offered crumbled feta cheese to each family member when this was served. When we think of salad, lettuce usually comes to mind. Romaine and iceberg are two popular leafy greens, but nobody is buying them these days for obvious safety concerns. Here's a leaf-free alternative salad made with corn, cucumbers and grape tomatoes. It's refreshing and it takes advantage of one of summer's best vegetables: farm fresh corn. You can use either raw corn in this delightful salad or you