Fresh and fruity rhubarb sorbet, made with vibrant pink rhubarb stalks, orange zest, and fresh ginger. Guest authorGarrett McCordand I created this recipe together, a perfect sorbet for spring! ~Elise I’m not sure what first drew me to rhubarb. Elise Bauer Perhaps, it was the name. It sounds so strange, intriguing, even whimsical. But it isn’t just the name. Elise Bauer From the palest pink to dramatic ruby-red. This sorbet perfectly captures all that love about rhubarb....

Rice pilaf is a perfect, versatile side dish and takes just about 30 minutes to make. Trying to get a recipe out of my mother is like pulling teeth. Mom doesn’t follow recipes. Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer After 50 years of cooking for her family, she doesn’t need to. Taste testing here and there for a little more of this or that. etc., etc.)" Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer...

A creamy, light as air ricotta and mascarpone mousse pairs perfectly with fresh strawberries marinated in balsamic vinegar. It’s ready in minutes! For me, that something was the combination of fresh strawberries, sugar and balsamic vinegar. Simply Recipes / Annika Panikker How wonderful to be oh-so-wrong. Of course you do need to usebalsamic vinegar, an aged, deeply flavored, somewhat sweet vinegar. The mousse is extremely easy to make folded together whipped cream, mascarpone, and ricotta....

A classic Italian comfort food of rice with peas and chunks of ham. This is a classic dish from Venice, and it has many variations. If fresh peas are not available, you might easily make it with frozen peas (avoid canned). Elise Bauer How much to add? But 1/4 pound is a better proportion for a side dish. And it must be diced: Slices will not do. Virginia ham is an excellent substitute....

Salty, sweet, rich, and lightthis retro Appaliachian treat deserves nationwide attention. It has some rich ingredients, but the meringue and whipped cream keep it feeling light. My grandfather was originally from the mountains in Virginia, and some cousins still live in the area. Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm Theres even a section of the Appalachian Trail named after my family in Shenandoah National Park. While staying true to the dessert, I couldn’t resist making a couple refinements....

Seared, then oven-roasted and served with mushrooms, perfect for a special occasion. you’re free to guess which one I prefer. My friend Kathi showed me this way of preparing beef tenderloin the other day. Elise Bauer Start checking the internal temperature at 20 minutes. For a rare beef tenderloin, cook to an internal temperature of 130F. For a medium rare beef tenderloin, cook to an internal temperature of 140F. Elise Bauer...

Roast your chicken on top of angel hair pasta for a 2-in-1 meal! The pan drippings make an amazing sauce for the pasta. Those drippings are gold! Sheryl Julian This approach inspired this recipe. Cook the thin strands in boiling water first, drain them, and arrange them in a baking dish. Add canned tomatoes for a little color and flavor, and then set chicken pieces on top. Sheryl Julian The pasta remains tender, but the strands at the edge of the dish become appealingly crispy....

Easiest way to dress up roast chicken? Glaze with apricot preserves! You know the easiest way to make a simple roast chicken something worthy of a fancy dinner party? Elise Bauer Glaze it in the last few minutes of roasting with a little melted apricot preserves. It will make you look like a master chef! It’s an old trick, but a good one. Elise Bauer In this recipe, we’re taking it even further with a Middle-Eastern inspired cumin cinnamon rub....

A show-stopping main dish for a weekend or a holiday. Whole roast chicken makes such a lovely presentation for dinner, doesn’t it? Whether it’s for guests or an easy weeknight family meal. Sally Vargas This roast chicken recipe takes little time to prep and then into the oven it goes. Stuff the chicken with lemon, garlic, and thyme. If you want, truss it for a more attractive presentation. Sally Vargas...

Whole roast chicken, stuffed with grapes and seasoned with rosemary, thyme, onions, and lemon. The juice from the grapes bastes the chicken on the inside. The addition of onions, lemon, and rosemary provide aromatics for the chicken. Elise Bauer Pat the chicken dry. Rub inside and outside of chicken with olive oil. Sprinkle inside and outside with salt and pepper. Elise Bauer Remove about a cup’s worth of grapes from their stems and cut in half....

French Laundry food is famously exquisite, requiring an insane amount of preparation for each dish. But for whatever reason, this roast chicken recipe is now the only way Dad will roast a chicken. How To Roast Chicken? Elise Bauer Cooking a whole chicken takes practice. But the results are just so darn good, he kept at it and now puts it together easily. Making in Roast Chicken in a Cast Iron Skillet Cast iron conducts heat efficiently....

Marinated in citrus rosemary marinade, seared on the outside, and slow-roasted until tender. The most important thing to remember about cooking a lamb roast is to not overcook it. This way you have a variety to serve to guests. Elise Bauer Another point where there are wildly varying opinions is the internal temperature that constitutes “medium rare”. I’ve seen references that range from 120 to 145F. For this roast, I pull it out at 125F....

Roasted quickly on high heat and served with a balsamic vinegar reduction. This was supposed to be a Valentine’s Day meal. Dainty roast quail, so small that a serving is two birds each. Elise Bauer Which means fingers, and little bones, and messy, and primal. Wait, maybe that’s not so bad after all for a romantic meal? Or just pull the breast meat out with your fingers. Elise Bauer They are delicate-tasting birds and need this delicate treatment to truly shine....