What Makes A Good Caesar Salad?

By Adam Roberts, Epicurious.com

A good Caesar, like a good bagel, causes bad breath. If you eat a Ceasar salad and then make out with someone afterward, and if that someone doesn't pull away and say "Blech! Your breath is terrible!," you didn't eat a good Caesar. (That, by the way, is the ideal Caesar salad test.)

Related: Our Favorite Salads

A good Caesar salad has in its dressing raw garlic and anchovies. The other variables--egg yolk, olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, Parmesan cheese--are important, but those first two ingredients are what make a Caesar a Caesar. They're the key ingredients because they pack so much punch, their absence will make a Caesar salad bland.

Now there are people in this world who say that they don't like anchovies but who love Caesar salad. These people either: (1) really like anchovies and don't know it; or (2) have never had a good Caesar salad. Chances are, most people fall into category 1, and so these people--maybe you're among them--need an anchovy intervention.

Send these people home with a link to my illustrated post How to Make a Caesar Salad and insist that they use real anchovies. If they still think they hate anchovies, then they've never had a good Caesar salad.
For me, a bad Caesar salad is a Caesar salad that's lightly dressed. If you pick up a leaf of romaine from a Caesar salad (and all good Caesars, by the way, are made with romaine; preferably, romaine hearts, still crisp and cool from the refrigerator), you should see the dressing clinging to it.

See also: Our Ultimate Grilling and Barbecue Guide

If all you see is leaf, you are not eating a good Ceasar. Which is not to say that you should drown your Caesar in dressing. Too much dressing is also a sin; the key is getting just enough to coat the leaves. And I think this is best done by tossing the salad, adding more and more dressing, until the salad passes the individual leaf test (see previous paragraph).

The salad that you see in the above photo was consumed in Los Angeles at a restaurant called Golden State. What was nice about this Caesar--which was, in fact, a chicken Caesar, with freshly grilled chicken on top--was that even though there was a perfect amount of dressing, the salad didn't feel heavy at all. I think the secret there was a healthy amount of lemon juice, which brightens everything up and cuts against the intensity of the garlic and the anchovy.

But if you're not a fan of raw garlic and anchovies, a Caesar salad is probably not in the cards for you. Which is too bad because, as far as I'm concerned, it's one of the world's great salads.

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The ultimate raw pie recipe

raw pie

healthy raw pie with berries

I'm thinking of a raw pie recipe for a couple of months now and every time I think of something it's just not good enough to share. Not this time though! It's the ultimate raw pie recipe. The best of the best. :)
The inspiration behind it came when I saw a photo of a Pavlova cake. It's basically white meringue base, topped with whipped cream and berries. Nothing hard, but so fancy. I even found a vegan meringue mix, but then it turned out that the australian company making it is nowhere to be found in Europe. I didn't gave up, but I wanted it right now, so I started thinking of the alternatives. Raw pie sounded like one.

I found the best whipped cream recipe made from coconut can.

Then created white pie base, using peeled almonds and cashew nuts.

And added the finishing touches – the home made blueberry jam & the fresh berries.
It turned out so good that it's almost impossible to stop eating it. The ultimate pie recipe, I'm not joking here :) Try it for yourself, you won't regret it.

FOR THE BASE

• 1 cup soaked & peeled almonds
• 1 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 1/3 cup liquid sweetener (agave or honey)
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
•   

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Soak the almonds for 24 hours and peel them if you want white pie base.
2. Pour everything in the food processor and blend for 1-2 minutes, until it starts sticking together and form a ball. If your sweetener is not liquid, add a little bit of water.
3. Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces for 5″ | 13 cm pie forms.
4. Place plastic foil in the pie forms, wet your hands and spread the dough in the forms.
5. Dehydrate for 18 hours at 115°F / 46°C. At some point remove the base from the pie forms to dehydrate it evenly, I did it after 12 hours to make sure it's hard enough and won't collapse.

FOR THE FILLING

• 1-2 cups home made blueberry jam
• 1 can coconut milk/cream
• 1/3 vanilla bean
• 4 teaspoons sugar (I used coconut blossom sugar)
• 1 cup mixed berries
•   

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. My personal advice for the jam is to use the vegan cooked version of it, it's just too good to skip. But if you want to keep it all raw, dehydrate you jam with the base. Both recipes are here.
2. Instructions with photos for the coconut whipped cream can be found here. You can beat it with your food processor, but do it at least for 3-4 minutes. I whipped it for only 2 and it's a bit too liquid. Also it will help if you place the bowl for 1-2 hours in the fridge before and after whipping the cream.

ASSEMBLING:

1. Spread the jam on the base, do it carefully using 2 spoons.
2. Add the whipped cream on top.
3. Top with fresh berries.
4. Enjoy the raw pie moderately. It's addictive :)
4. Makes 6 raw pies.

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Seafood Entrées for $5 or Less!

With some savvy shopping, you can make a delicious seafood meal for four for less than $5 per serving!

Shrimp and Brie Linguine: $4 per serving 

Photo: Howard L. Puckett

Budget Tips: Buy medium or small shrimp. They make take longer to peel and devein, but there's more quantity per pound. Another tip: halve large shrimp lengthwise (three can look skimpy on the plate, but six...). Warehouse clubs have fantastic prices on sun-dried tomatoes and cheese—two items than can bust your budget if you don't shop carefully.

Ingredients
8 oz. Brie cheese, rind removed, if desired
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, coarsely chopped
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
8 oz. uncooked linguine
1 lb. peeled and deveined shrimp
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation
Cube Brie and combine with next 7 ingredients in a bowl. Cover and let stand about 1 hour.

Cook pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions. Two minutes before pasta is al dente, add shrimp. Cook 2 minutes or until shrimp is done.

Drain pasta and shrimp, and immediately toss with Brie mixture. Serve immediately with fresh Parmesan.

Related: 15 Ingredients, 5 Easy Vacation Meals

Smoked Salmon Frittata: $4 per serving 

Photo: Howard L. Puckett

Budget Tip: Find ways to use smokes salmon—in quiches, tarts, eggs, etc. Its dense, rich taste means you don't need a lot of other ingredients to flavor the dish.

Ingredients
Whisk together 2 Tbsp. chives, eggs, sour cream, and mustard in a large bowl.

Melt butter in a large oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Reduce heat to low; add egg mixture. As egg mixture starts to cook, gently lift edges with a spatula and tilt pan so uncooked portion flows underneath. Cook 6 to 8 minutes or until uncooked egg mixture no longer flows underneath cooked mixture. Remove form heat. Sprinkle with salmon, cream cheese, and onion.

Broil frittata, 3 inches from heat, 3 minutes or until set and cream cheese begins to melt. Remove from oven, and sprinkle with remaining chives. Cut into wedges, and serve immediately.

Related: 20 Super Salmon Recipes

Pasta with Clam Sauce: $2.20 per serving 

Photo: Jean Allsopp

Budget Tip: Pasta is great for the grocery budget—it's filling and inexpensive. Canned clams are always available, and even sometimes on sale. If you're in the mood to splurge, try this recipe with a pound of fresh peeled shrimp sautéed in 2 Tbsp. olive oil.

Ingredients
2 (10-oz.) cans whole clams in juice, undrained
12 oz. uncooked linguine
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Garnish: fresh basil leaves

Preparation
Drain clams, and reserve juice. Cook reserved clam juice in a small skillet over medium heat 15 minutes or until reduced by half; set aside.

Cook pasta according to package directions, and drain.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add garlic, and cook until golden. Add reduced clam juice and parsley; cook 2 minutes or until parsley is tender. Stir in clams, wine, and basil, and cook 5 minutes or until wine has reduced by half. Add pasta and black pepper, tossing well to coat. Garnish, if desired. Serve immediately.

Related: 26 Must-Try Shrimp Recipes

Grilled Halibut with Lemon-Mint Gremolata: $5 per serving 

Photo: Jean Allsopp

Budget Tip: There aren't a lot of fussy ingredients here, so start with the best piece of fish you can find. Try any firm white fish—thin fillets will fall apart on the grill. Pacific halibut is more plentiful, so you may see better prices in the market. Frozen fillets are an even better deal, but purchase from a retailer that has a high turnover so you don't get fish that's past its chilly prime.

Ingredients
4 (6-oz.) halibut fillets
2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Lemon-Mint Gremolata
Lemon Wedges

Lemon-Mint Gremolata
Combine 3 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint, 2 tsp. grated lemon rind, and 1 tsp. finely minced garlic in a small bowl; stir well.

Preparation
Brush fillets with oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place fillets on a grill rack coated with cooking spray.

Grill, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350° to 400°) 5 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Place fillets on individual serving plates; sprinkle evenly with Lemon-Mint Gremolata, and serve with lemon wedges.

Related: Low-Fat, High-Flavor Seafood

Mussels with Red Pepper and Chorizo: $4.25 per serving 

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Budget Tip: Mussels are among the best seafood deals out there. Look for sustainably farmed mussels—they are clean and meaty. If you can't find chorizo, try smoked kielbasa sausage.


Ingredients
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 (3 1/2-oz.) cured chorizo sausage, casing removed, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, cut into thin, short strips
1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. salt
2 lbs. fresh mussels, scrubbed and debearded
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
Lime wedges

Preparation
Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add chorizo, and sauté 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Add bell pepper, onion, and garlic, and sauté 5 minutes. Add wine, paprika, and salt; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Increase heat to medium-high, and add mussels. Cover and cook 2 minutes or until mussels open. Discard any that do not open. Stir in cilantro. Spoon mussels, sauce, and vegetables into 4 shallow serving bowls. Serve immediately with lime wedges.

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The Near-Death of the Easy-Bake Oven?

Photo: Thinkstock

By Lynn Andriani

The Easy-Bake Oven has been around since 1963, turning out tiny cookies and cakes with the heat from a 100-watt bulb, and inspiring future foodies such as Bobby Flay and pastry chef Gale Gand.

RELATED: Childhood Desserts with an Adult Twist

When Congress decided to ban the energy-sapping bulb, though, Hasbro engineers were faced with a challenge. But kitchen-minded kids (and their parents) can relax: The oven isn't going the way of the Atari 2600. It's evolving--something that's actually very much in the spirit of the Easy-Bake, which has spawned agourmet Easy-Bake cookbook with recipes from famous chefs, recipe sites that include such creations as Wild Mushroom Flan, and even aPC that lets you cook pancakes at your desk(okay, that one isn't real, but wouldn't it be fantastic?).

RELATED: 17 Delicious Summer Dessert Recipes

The latest incarnation of the Easy-Bake, which goes on sale this fall, has a fancy internal heating element instead of a light bulb, and doors on the left and right sides instead of in front. Such innovations--plus a larger cooking chamber and baking pan--blow the menu of baking options wide open to include cookies, red velvet cupcakes, pizza, pretzels, cinnamon twists and brownie sticks.

RELATED: Bake a Perfect Cake: 5 Tips from the Experts

As much as I love the idea of an almost 50-year-old toy getting a modern makeover (and we're nothing if not fans of constant evolution), I think Michelle Paolino, VP of global brand strategy and marketing for Hasbro Girls Brands, put it best. She has strong ties to the Easy-Bake, having played with one as a kid in the early '80s, and she was excited work on the update:  "A lot has changed," she says, "but that feeling of creation is still really relevant today."

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10 Wild Animal Cakes

Lifelike (and some life-sized) creatures crafted out of cake and sugar

When planning a birthday party for your young child, more often than not, one of three themes is considered: sports, princesses, and animals. Sports fans might celebrate with a cake shaped like a baseball diamond or a soccer ball; girls who dream of being a princess might have one bedecked in flowers or in varying shades of pink. And animal-lovers? One of their beloved wild friend, of course. 

Related: 10 Amazing Cakes that Look Like Food 

Now visions of dogs, cats, horses, and Nemo might come to mind when you think of animal cakes, but you won't find them in this slideshow of utterly amazing cakes. Instead, think pouncing cats, flying sharks (with jaws bared), and cakes creepier than you could ever imagine — a slice of rat cake, anyone? 

In Pictures: 10 Wild Animal Cakes Slideshow 

A cake need not be creepy to qualify — one of our favorites was this polar bear cake. It's commonly known that despite their big, furry, white appearance, polar bears can be just as vicious as grizzlies when their presence is met in the wild. But not this bear. He hardly notices the playful penguins sliding around him. It's just the cake to surprise your child with if they love nothing more than watching (and talking to) the bears and penguins at the zoo. 

There are even cakes inspired by various ecosystems around the world. Take this aquarium-themed cake as an example. If you can't scuba to the ocean floor, or have your party in an aquarium, why not bring the ocean floor to you? But bringing home a bit of that unforgettable African safari experience (and the wildebeest, zebras, and giraffes you see) will be a bit more challenging — unless you pack a guy like this in your luggage to take home with you.

Photo by: Credit: © Tipsy Cake

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Seasonal Superfood: New squash recipes

WHY YOU WANT IT!

It's packed with beneficial nutrients!
Best right now, low-cal summer squash is contains 2 grams of protein per 1-cup serving and helps curb cravings.

It's nature's sunblock!
Squash is rich in beta-carotene, which helps make skin more resistant to harmful UV rays, keeping you looking youthful.

It's a thirst-quencher, too!
Ninety-five percent liquid, squash, when eaten raw, helps you stay hydrated in the heat of summer.


WHAT TO LOOK FOR!

Go small and heavy
Choose smaller squash that have heft for their size, which means that they're moisture-packed, firm-fleshed, fresh and yummy!

Don't sweat the scuffs
The delicate skin is bound to get a light scratch or two on its journey from field to market. A quick rinse at home, and you're ready to start.


TRY THESE RECIPES!

Grilled Ratatouille Boats
4 Servings | Prep 15 min | Cook 25 min

Ingredients:
2 zucchini, halved lengthwise * 3 tbsp. EVOO * 1 onion, chopped * 2 cloves garlic, grated * 1 eggplant, cubed * 2 tomatoes, chopped * 1/4 cup chopped parsley * Salt and pepper * 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:
1. Scoop balls of flesh from the center of the zucchini to create boats; reserve the flesh balls. Preheat a grill to medium-high.
2. Heat 1 tbsp. EVOO in a large skillet over medium heat; add the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the remaining 2 tbsp. EVOO, the eggplant and zucchini balls; cover and cook for 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, until the mixture is thick, about 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley; season with salt and pepper.
3. Fill the zucchini shells with the ratatouille, sprinkle with the cheese and grill, covered, over medium-high until the cheese is melted and the shells are slightly softened.
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By Katie Barreira | Photography by Jennifer Causey

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