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Add succulent shrimp to quesadilla and you’ve got a party

We love a simple cheese quesadilla, but add a filling of succulent shrimp spiked with tequila and lime zest and you turn Mexico's griddled cheese sandwich into a party. To make them substantial enough for a meal, we started with 10-inch flour tortillas. To make four at once, we turned to the oven. By placing the quesadillas on an oiled baking sheet and then brushing their tops with oil, we were able to brown and crisp them on both sides without having to cook each individually. To keep the quesadillas from getting soggy while ensuring juicy shrimp, we par-cooked the shrimp slightly ...

Barley makes up the base for this unique, toothy salad

This impressive and unique salad, inspired by the flavors of Egypt, relies on a bed of tender, toothsome pearl barley as its base. Pearl barley is a great candidate for the multicooker; by cooking the grains in plenty of water, similar to our method for brown rice, they cooked perfectly and evenly. To further ensure separate, intact grains when pressure cooking, we found that a natural release was essential (quick-release caused some of the grains to blow out). After either pressure or slow cooking and then draining the barley, we spread it on a baking sheet so that it would cool ...

To kick up your chicken salad, turn to your spice rack

To apply some modern tricks to old-school chicken salad, we turned to our spice rack. Most spices boast an impressive portfolio of phytonutrients_often the very same compounds that give them such potent flavor. Mild, creamy chicken salad was an ideal canvas. First, we found we could replace two-thirds of the mayonnaise with low-fat yogurt (and use less dressing overall) and still deliver enough creamy tang to keep everyone happy. To spice up our dressing, we added turmeric and black pepper. Long used as a medicinal spice in India, turmeric is associated with many health benefits. ...

Dive into a Greek gyro, with lamb and yogurt sauce stuffed in a pita

What's not to love about a Greek gyro, a sandwich of seasoned, marinated lamb, tomato, lettuce, and cucumber-yogurt tzatziki sauce stuffed inside a soft pita? The traditional method for cooking the meat employs an electric vertical rotisserie on which layers of sliced and marinated leg of lamb are stacked. After cooking for hours, the meat is shaved with a long slicing knife, revealing pieces with crisp exteriors and moist interiors infused with garlic and oregano. We wanted to translate this recipe for the home kitchen. Surprisingly, using ground lamb — which we formed into ...

Try this light, summertime bean salad with corn and avocado

For an easy, light, summertime bean salad, we combined fiber-rich black beans with fresh corn, bright tomato and creamy avocado. Toasting the corn in a skillet until golden brown brought out its natural sweetness. Chipotle chile, cilantro, and lime juice provided the perfect Southwestern flavor profile to this easy-to-prepare salad. Fresh corn is important for the flavor of the salad_don't substitute frozen or canned corn. SOUTHWESTERN BLACK BEAN SALAD Servings: 4 Start to finish: 15 minutes 2 scallions, sliced thin 3 tablespoons lime juice (2 limes) 2 tablespoons ...

Throw a pork tenderloin on the grill tonight and chill out

To turn a midweek dinner into something special, try cooking easy pork tenderloin on the grill. To produce beautifully browned pork with a rich crust and tender, juicy meat, we started with a simple dry spice rub to add flavor; sugar aided browning while cumin and chipotle chile powder added savory smokiness. The rub had some time to work its magic while we readied the grill. Searing the meat first guaranteed the best crust and a rosy interior, and turning the tenderloins every 2 minutes delivered even color. Once the meat had a good crust, we moved it to the cooler side to finish ...