Recipes

Eat

Yogurt-Marinated Chicken (Suggestions, Please?)

Hm.

OK, so I think I might have done something wrong here.

It's pretty likely, actually, mostly because while this is a preparation (baked chicken over vegetables) that I do often, I've never ventured into yogurt-marinating territory before. It sounds great; I've just never thought to try it. And so when reader Mary suggested a twist on my Skillet Chicken And Potatoes incorporating a yogurt, lemon juice and garlic marinade, I thought: YES.

SWEETS

Chocolate Ice Cream with Sea Salt & Olive Oil

Alright, this combo - discovered at an ice cream truck in San Francisco with Morgan - is really good.

And when you serve it to guests they will give you strange looks - ice cream with salt, maybe, but ice cream with salt and olive oil? Weird - and then they will eat it all, because it is amazing.

One caveat: while I'm usually in favor of corner-cutting in terms of ingredient fanciness, this is not the place to break out the bargain-bin ice cream or Costco olive oil. Go for the good stuff (including excellent-quality, large-flake sea salt); it's worth it.

ENTREES

Skillet Chicken & Potatoes

There are two especially great things about this recipe, which is based on one that I spotted in People awhile back (I tore the page out and carried it around in my purse for weeks because it looked so good that I didn't want to forget to make it):

1) It requires about ten minutes of hands-on work and exactly one pot's worth of cleanup, making it great for busy weeknights;

2) It costs about $12 (and easily feeds 4). And that's only if you go for the fancy, organic chicken.

SWEETS

Mom’s Banana Bread

My mother's banana bread is my default Thing To Make whenever I throw a party or find myself in need of a hostess gift. It's quick, it's easy, and - best part - it can be personalized with the addition of things like nuts and Nutella. My mom has had this recipe for years - decades, I think; it's written down on a little index card in a box that she's had since high school - and it's never failed me (other than once, when I accidentally undercooked it and ended up with banana bread on the outside and banana soup on the inside; don't do that).

What you need:

1/2 cup softened butter

Eat

Breakfast In The Leaves

We only have a handful of beautiful days left this year, so I’m taking advantage by spending every possible minute outside.

This morning’s mini-picnic: green tea, scrambled eggs with avocado, clementines, and Pepperidge Farm Gingerbread Swirl bread (which makes your kitchen smell incredible and can be made into an amazing French toast using this recipe).