Free Recipes | Easy & Healthy Cooking

This week marks the first day of fall, so here's a a weather-versatile recipe for Chipotle Beef Short Ribs that can be grilled outside on the trusty barbecue or finished inside with an oven broiler, depending on how cold it is in your area.

Ingredients:

6 lbs. beef short ribs
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp chipotle ...

The Sicilian tradition of Italian cooking is very home-based. Not often will you find ingredients that are sourced or grown more than just a few miles away. Extra-virgin olive oil, capers, and fresh herbs like basil and oregano are native to this region.

For this authentic Sicilian pasta recipe, any type ...

Wakame is a type of seaweed that's very popular in Japanese cuisine. It's most often used in miso soup and chilled salads. Here, the wakame is sliced and mixed with cucumber and sesame to make a light and refreshing side dish.

Choose a green variety of wakame for a milder flavor. ...

Dijon mustard and curry powder add a vibrant, spiced flavor to this pot roast recipe. It adds just the right amount of heat. In this case, "spiced" doesn't have to signify a robust "kick" that'd make your eyes water.
If preferred, you can control the level of heat even more by adding ...

This meatloaf recipe is super easy to follow and adds a citrus twist to the standard comfort-food dish we all grew up with. I've found that using a somewhat sweeter variety of bread (like King's Hawaiian) really accentuates the mango flavors without overpowering the beef.

Ingredients:

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 C ...

This flavorful recipe can be started well in advance. Prepare the Thai pesto in a food processor or blender. Add the garlic, ginger, cilantro, peanuts, and red pepper flakes in processor, and while it's running, slowly drizzle in oil until well blended. Season with salt as desired. Refrigerate the pesto until ...

Chipotle peppers are commonly preserved in adobo sauce, a Mexican base mixture of chili peppers and extract, garlic, and vinegar . This Chipotle Chicken Soup uses just enough of the adobo sauce to give it a well-rounded burst of acidity -- but there are plenty of other ingredients in ...

A timbale is a small, rounded casserole that can be made with virtually any food base and is a popular dish in many cultures. For this recipe, the timbale is made with a mixture of pre-cooked salmon, eggs, bread crumbs, milk, and fresh parsley formed into a deliciously domed salmon loaf.

The recipe ...

This is a grown-up twist on pasta alfredo. Spinach pasta topped with broccoli is enhanced by a creamy, cheesy sauce seasoned with onion, garlic, parsley, and oregano.

Ingredients:

4 C fresh broccoli florets, cut small
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 C onion, diced fine
1 garlic clove, minced
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp. ...

You can substitute the cooked ham with 1/2 C of bacon, or omit the meats altogether since the black beans already provide plenty of nutritional protein and fiber. This is an easy and versatile recipe for accommodating special dietary needs -- omit meats, substitute toppings, and choose vegetable broth for ...

Active/Total Time: 45 mins/2 hrsServes: 2 to 4Potatoes, flour, and egg yolks -- these are the three basic ingredients needed to make potato gnocchi from scratch. For this recipe, it's all about tools and techniques.

A potato ricer is essential for creating the ideal working consistency for the dough. If you don't own a potato ricer, you can try similar ...

For those without allergies, consuming tree nuts adds a lot of health benefits into the diet. Walnuts, for example, contain an extremely high level of vitamin E for their size. The type of vitamin E is rare as well (gamma-tocopherol) and has been shown to protect against heart problems.

For extra nutrients, make ...

Active/Total Time: 10 mins/30 minsServes: 4This hearty recipe for Oatmeal Raisin Pancakes is easy to make in the mornings and tastes like having cookies for breakfast. The whole family will love these, especially the kiddos.

Allow yourself a few extra minutes in the kitchen, though. Due to the thicker texture, they'll take a bit longer to cook than your ...

Piccolini pasta is a small variation of regular pasta sizes manufactured by Barilla. We prefer penne, but you can also use ziti or fusilli in their miniature forms instead. If your ingredients are prepared in advance, this warm Greek salad recipe should only take about 10 minutes or so to ...

Active/Total Time: 3 hrs 15 mins/4 hrsServes: 8This delicious lasagna comes from celebrity chef Mario Batali's kitchen. It's all from scratch, right down to the homemade spinach pasta sheets.

Batali features two sauces in this recipe: ragu bolognese and besciamella. A ragu bolognese is a thick meat sauce, prepared here with ground veal, pork, and pancetta. The besciamella sauce, ...

Grilled chicken is a family favorite for just about any occasion: graduation, Father's day, even a typical summer evening out on the deck as you host your family's BBQ night. Kids are picky eaters and might not want to try anything else with their chicken besides barbecue sauce or ketchup, ...

Active/Total Time: 30 mins/45 minsServes: 4 to 6Tortilla de patatas, or potato frittata, is a very popular tapas menu item in Spain. The simple frittata is made with just eggs, potatoes, and onion, served here beside a small salad dressed with olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and honey.

There are many different varations to this recipe depending on which ...

This is a very sweet yet non-messy dessert treat, great for picnics and other outings. The recipe calls for two egg yolks, so if you're feeling adventurous, you can use the leftover egg whites to whip up a quick meringue topping instead of adding the criss-cross pie crust layers to the ...

Active/Total Time: 15 mins/15 minsServes: 4 to 6Here's a refreshing twist on the tried-and-true side dish of cooked peas. In this recipe, flavorful garlic and onions are added to the dish, then tossed with romaine hearts and fresh mint for a crisp and cool consistency. The dish is high in fiber, antioxidants, and green phytonutrients, and it only takes ...

Here's a light, refreshing chilled fruit salad for summertime. The rum and lime syrup works well with other fruits, too. Experiment with different fruit combinations like pineapple and coconut, mango and banana, or a citrus kick with orange, kiwi & passion fruit.

Ingredients:

1/3 C water
1/3 C sugar
1/2 C light rum
1/3 C fresh ...

Active/Total Time: 45 mins/1 hr 45 minsServes: 4 to 8This recipe for Sausage Rigatoni is very hearty, savory, and packed with flavor. You'll want to plan ahead and make sure you have the full 1 hour and 45 minutes of time required to make it, too. Most of that time commitment is due to the sun-dried tomato sauce, which ...

This recipe is one you'll want to make instead of shelling out big bucks for those typical party-platter sub sandwiches. It's healthier and has that fresh, homemade taste.

Once this easy-to-make sandwich has been assembled, you can wrap it up as-is to take to your social gathering, or cut it ahead ...

The official list of nominees for the 63rd annual Primetime Emmy Awards has just been released. Major categories were announced yesterday by Mike & Molly's Melissa McCarthy and Joshua Jackson of Fringe via live webcast on Emmys.com.  The complete list, also including the Creative Arts Emmy nominations, ...

Active/Total Time: 30 mins/10 hrsServes: 4 to 6This recipe is made with Salsa de Molcajete, a smoked salsa prepared in a Mexican mortar and pestle dish. You can substitute any salsa that you like, or you can try your hand at homemade smoked salsa below:

To make the salsa, gather 6 medium tomatoes, 1 jalapeno, 1 fresh garlic clove, and ...

Once these crispy herbed chicken fingers have cooled, you can pack them for transport to a summer picnic, or just enjoy them immediately. Preferably, don't refrigerate them before eating. If you must refrigerate, re-warm in a low-temperature oven to bring back the crispiness.

Ingredients:

2 lbs. chicken tenders
1/2 C flour
1 tsp. oregano
2 ...

On July 9, the world's most famous newlyweds paid a visit to Santa Barbara, CA.  As a part of their action-packed Californian weekend, Prince William and Kate Middleton attended a charity polo match at the Santa Barbara Polo and Racquet Club -- and celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis was asked to ...

Active/Total Time: 30 mins/48 hrsServes: 6 to 10Gravlax is a traditional Scandinavian dish that's typically served as an appetizer. A fresh fillet of salmon (any fillet will do... it doesn't need to be sashimi grade) is salt-cured for 48 hours, sliced thin using a fillet knife, then topped with dill and mustard sauce. For this recipe, the salmon ...

You can purchase pine nuts pre-toasted, or you can do it yourself. To roast, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F, then coat a shallow pan or tray with pine nuts and toast for about 10 minutes. Shake the pan halfway through the roasting time. Or to toast, add nuts ...

Active/Total Time: 20 mins/20 minsServes: 8 to 12This rich, creamy caramel sauce uses just three ingredients: pure granulated sugar, whipping cream, and butter. Once you master the technique, you won't want to go back to store-bought sauce.
The trick is to prevent the sugar from crystallization. When the sugar starts to caramelize over the heat, the mixture can quickly start ...

These wraps are perfect for a Fourth of July barbecue party -- and you'll have plenty of leftovers to make frozen margaritas to go with them, too. If preparing these fish wraps to go, transport them in a shallow container with a tight cover.

Ingredients:

1-1/2 lb sturdy white fish fillets of your ...

Active/Total Time: 40 mins/40 minsServes: 4 to 6Here's a version of "grown up" gourmet mac & cheese that works well both as dinner party fare and as a satisfying comfort food dish. It uses torchiette pasta, which is a bell-shaped pasta variety from Italy that means "little torches."

The sauce includes bacon, beer, and smoked paprika along with garlic, red ...

These pita pockets are a healthy and delicious treat any time of the year, but especially during summer grilling season. If you are not fond of eggplant, then squash, zucchini or bell peppers can be used instead. To make this a vegan recipe, use soy cheese and a dairy-free pita bread.

...

Active/Total Time: 15 mins/1 hr 15 minsServes: 4This is a quick and easy grilled chicken recipe that involves very little cooking time. Just fire up the barbecue, grill the marinated chicken for a couple minutes on each side, let it rest for a few minutes while you set the table, and enjoy!

The chicken and marinade ingredients will need to ...

Friday's season 2 finale of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution showed that the UK celebrity chef is no stranger to tenacity. Against the odds, positive changes were made in the harsh concrete jungle of the city of Los Angeles.

Even before the season began, Oliver received little to no cooperation from the L.A. public school district. Superintendent ...

There's a trick to cooking quinoa that makes it taste a lot better from the get-go. The outer coating of quinoa contains saponins -- natural repellents that taste nasty to birds and other foragers. To get rid of this flavor, rinse the quinoa before cooking, then rinse it again after letting it soak ...

Active/Total Time: 30 mins/30 minsServes: 4This low-fat stir fry recipe is a great starting point for learning to make your own custom stir fry dishes. Here, you'll be including broccoli, green onions, garlic, ginger and almonds to the dish, but there are many other ingredients that you can add or substitute as you continue to make it over time. ...

Active/Total Time: 15 mins/1 hrServes: 4 to 6
Ceviche is a term for raw seafood appetizers in a citrus marinade. Here, scallops are marinated with fresh squeezed lime juice, minced garlic, thinly sliced red onions, and jalapeno pepper. A mandoline will help with thin onion slices, and the amount of jalapeno you use can be lessened if ...

Active/Total Time: 10 mins/40 minsServes: 4 to 6
This recipe for coconut infused rice makes a very fluffy, creamy dish. Make sure to rinse the rice beforehand; this helps the starch wash off so that the rice is fluffier when cooked.

It's possible to make this without a rice cooker, too. Just follow the recipe as directed, but bring ...

Brussels sprouts are a vegetable that most adults have few fond memories of. However, they're extremely high in protein, fiber, potassium, calcium, and vitamin A. When combined with whole grains, these sprouts can provide the same full-range spectrum of amino acids that are found in meats (which are higher in fat).

This recipe ...

Active/Total Time: 40 mins/1 hrServes: 48 skewers
Satay is a very popular dish in Southeast Asia, especially in Malaysia. The country even has its own satay capital: the city of Kalang. This cultural meal is simply skewered meats that have been first marinated and then grilled over open flames until cooked to perfection.

These chicken satay skewers will work ...

Active/Total Time: 20 mins/20 minsServes: 2 to 3This recipe for seared ahi tuna makes a great appetizer. It's served over fresh pea shoots (a mild-tasting green) and drizzled with a homemade wasabi lime vinaigrette.

Wasabi is extremely spicy, so the 1-1/2 tsp. called for can be lessened to taste if preferred. But don't skimp on the other ingredients -- ...

This Sesame Seed Cole Slaw mix is a great one to make ahead of time. The longer you allow the mayonnaise mixture to sit in the refrigerator, the more the flavors blend together for a richer and creamier taste. 

Ingredients:

1 C mayonnaise
1 tsp. mustard
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 packets ...

Active/Total Time: 25 mins/35 minsServes: 8Polenta is an Italian staple. It's a corn-based dish that's often served as a side for many stews, or for rich, thick cuts of meat.

Making this soft polenta from scratch is very easy. Coarsely ground cornmeal, chicken or vegetable stock, milk, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, onion, garlic, and fresh sage are all used to give the ...

These cheesecake squares are a delightful addition to any party or picnic. Instead of the crumble mixture on top, try fresh berries for a change of pace. Also, if you plan to use sugar substitute, check the packaging for any changes in recipe measurements. Some substitutes are fine to swap out ...

Active/Total Time: 35 mins/35 minsServes: 4Pappardelle is a very wide type of fettuccine noodle in the pasta family. In this recipe, the pappardelle is paired with all sorts of flavor-boosting ingredients like pine nuts, shallots, green olives, and chili flakes.

The most predominant ingredients (besides pasta) are fava beans and leaves of chopped kale. Kale is a cabbage that ...

White crab meat is a refreshing twist for tried-and-true devilled eggs. You can serve these on a platter surrounded by fresh vegetables, and use the leftover yolk filling as a veggie dip.

Ingredients:

1 dozen hard boiled eggs, peeled, washed, and split in half
1/2 C mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. mustard
1 tsp. red hot ...

Active/Total Time: 30 mins/45 minsServes: 2 to 3The term Saltimbocca references a classic Italian recipe that literally means "jumps in the mouth." It's prepared with veal and uses both prosciutto and sage as a starting point. From there, countless embellishments and varieties have evolved as chefs see fit.

For this dish, we're swapping out veal for chicken and layering it ...

This snack mix is great to munch on anytime. The recommended serving size is appx. 1/2 C.

Wheat nuts can be found in most natural food stores, and the "kick" is from the added tablespoon of chili powder. This can be omitted if you'd prefer your snack mix less spicy.

Ingredients:

1/4 ...

Any type of deli turkey breast works with this sandwich. Try honey-roasted turkey breast with a mustard and mayonnaise spread. Just replace the garlic sauce and lime juice with a tablespoon of mustard. Fill with lettuce, tomatoes, or any of your other favorite condiments.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp. chili garlic ...

There are many different kinds of breakfast casseroles, such as quiches, frittattas, omelets, and stratas.  The variance between them is the amount of eggs and ingredients used to create different textures. A strata is made from an egg, bread, and cheese base. It gets puffy and large when baked.

To make ...