Susan Mallery's Fool's Gold Cookbook: A Love Story Told Through 150 Recipes (Fool's Gold #12.1)

Serves 2

¼ cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons plain yogurt or sour cream

1 tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice

1 teaspoon curry powder

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

2 cooked chicken breast halves, shredded

2 scallions, thinly sliced

Salt and black pepper

2 cups chopped crisp lettuce, such as romaine

½ cup sugar snap peas, halved and blanched

1 cup red grapes, halved

⅓ cup cashews, coarsely chopped

1. In a medium bowl, whisk mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon juice, curry and cumin. Fold in shredded chicken and scallions. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Line 2 serving plates with lettuce, peas and grapes. Add a scoop of chicken salad to each plate; garnish with cashews.

TIP: To blanch snap peas, add them to a pot of boiling water for 2 minutes, drain and rinse them in cool water.

SUMMER

Caramelized Onion, White Bean and Wilted Arugula Crostini

Cooking onions for a long time over low heat brings out their sweetness, which is a perfect complement to mellow beans and sharp arugula. Serve with a crisp green salad for a light supper.

Serves 4

3 tablespoons pine nuts

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced

Salt and black pepper

2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped

1 can (15 ounces) white kidney or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

3 cups (about 2½ ounces) baby arugula leaves

4 thick slices whole-grain bread

1. Warm a large nonstick skillet over low heat. Add pine nuts; toast 1 minute, until lightly browned, stirring. Remove pine nuts from the skillet.

2. Warm 1 tablespoon of the oil in the same skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions; cook 5 minutes, stirring. Reduce heat to very low; cover pot and let cook 25 minutes, until onions are very tender and golden, stirring often. Season with salt, pepper and rosemary. Increase heat to medium; stir in beans and arugula. Cook until beans are warmed through and arugula wilts, stirring. Add a tablespoon or two of water if the mixture becomes too sticky.

3. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Place bread slices on a baking sheet, brush with the remaining tablespoon of oil and bake 10 minutes, until toasted. Top each toast with some of the onion mixture; garnish with toasted pine nuts.

TIP: When caramelizing onions, keep the heat very low and keep stirring. You want the onions to be a light golden brown, not burned. Drizzle in a bit more oil if onions are overbrowning.

SUMMER

SUMMER

Ten-Minute Crisp Chopped Salad

Vibrant, crunchy and super-healthy, this salad works as a light dinner or a quick side dish.

Serves 4

1 medium cucumber, peeled, halved, seeded and finely diced

1½ cups halved cherry or pear tomatoes (about ¾ of a pint container)

Salt and black pepper

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar

1 small clove garlic, minced

1 can (14 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, tarragon or dill, chopped

3 cups iceberg or romaine lettuce, chopped

1 cup feta cheese (about 4 ounces), crumbled

1. Set a colander in the sink; add cucumber, tomatoes and 1 teaspoon salt; toss to coat. Let stand 10 minutes.

2. In a large serving bowl, whisk oil, vinegar and garlic until combined. Add chickpeas, mushrooms and parsley; toss to coat. Add cucumber mixture; toss again.

3. Just before serving, toss in lettuce and cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

TIP: Salting, then draining the cucumber and tomatoes before tossing them with the other ingredients releases their liquid so they don’t make the salad soggy.

SUMMER

Heidi’s Arugula, Corn and Tomato Salad with Goat Cheese

When the corn is super-fresh, there’s no need to cook it. This salad is a great accompaniment to grilled fish or chicken.

Serves 4

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 small clove garlic, minced

Salt and black pepper

4 ounces baby arugula (about 5 handfuls)

2 ears corn, kernels scraped off

1 large tomato, chopped

¼ cup fresh basil, chopped

1 cup goat cheese, crumbled

1. In a large serving bowl, whisk oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper until blended. Add arugula, corn, tomatoes and basil; toss to coat. Top with goat cheese and serve immediately.

TIP: Use a serrated knife to scrape the kernels off the corn.

SUMMER

Caprese Pasta Salad with Balsamic Chicken

This is another one of those versatile dishes that can be served warm, cold or at room temperature.

Serves 4

Chicken

3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1½ pounds)

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

3 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and black pepper

Pasta salad

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 small shallot, minced

Salt and black pepper

1½ pounds ripe beefsteak or heirloom tomatoes

12 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into ½-inch cubes