Published Articles

Cooking Light, feature story, June 2009

Summer Cookbook (contributor)

Celebrate the season’s finest offerings with this month-by-month guide, complete with top-rated recipes and shopping, storage, and preparation tips.

Grilled Pepper Poppers

The three-cheese filling is a nice complement for the spicy peppers. You can also use a milder chile, such as a cherry pepper. Shredded cheddar cheese can take the place of Parmesan, if you like.

MAKES 32

1/2 cup (4 ounces) soft goat cheese

1/2 cup (4 ounces) fat-free cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup finely chopped seeded tomato

2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

16 jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded (about 1 1/2 pounds)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.

2. Combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl, stirring well. Spoon about 2 teaspoons cheese mixture into each pepper half. Place pepper halves, cheese side up, on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill peppers 5 minutes or until bottoms of peppers are charred and cheese mixture is lightly browned. Carefully place peppers on a serving platter. Sprinkle with cilantro.

CALORIES 84; FAT 4.8g (sat. 3.1g, mono 1.2g, poly 0.2g); PROTEIN 7.1g; CARB 3.5g; FIBER 0.9g; CHOL 11mg; IRON 0.6mg; SODIUM 334mg; CALC 117mg

Heirloom Tomato and Herb Pappardelle

This simple-to-prepare vegetarian entrée may become your summertime standby. Use any combination of heirloom tomatoes you like – a variety of colors and tastes is ideal. The tasty sauce can double as a bruschetta topping for an easy appetizer. Add grilled shrimp for a heartier dish.

SERVES 6

12 ounces uncooked pappardelle (wide ribbon pasta)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2 cups thinly sliced shallots (about 2 large)

4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 pounds heirloom tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 cup (2 ounces) shaved pecorino cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain.

2. While pasta cooks, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots to pan; sauté 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add oregano and next 5 ingredients (through tomatoes); cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Arrange 1 cup pasta onto each of 6 plates. Top each serving with about  1/3 cups tomato mixture; drizzle with 1 teaspoon remaining oil. Divide cheese evenly among servings.

CALORIES 397; FAT 13g (sat 3.2g, mono 7.4g, poly 1.3g); PROTEIN 14g; CARB 59.1g; FIBER 5.5g; CHOL 10mg; IRON 3.2mg; SODIUM 448mg; CALC 158mg