Cookthink

We love to use orzo pasta instead of rice in casseroles. The pasta feels lighter than the rice and gives the casserole a more interesting texture. If you want to give the casserole a more Eastern European feel, add some caraway and mustard seeds.

Grilled Chipotle Flank Steak With Broiled Salsa

This is a great recipe to prepare ahead (you can make the salsa up to 3 days ahead and marinate the steak the morning of), and throw on the grill when guests arrive. Eat the steak and salsa alone, or pile both into tacos. For more recipes like this, visit hogwash.

Puerto Rican Clams

Clams in the marketplace that gape open often do so because they are in a weakened state from being out of water for a long time. Tap on them; if they pull shut, the clams are okay to cook. If they don't respond, discard them. Read more about this recipe in the Washington Post.

Summer Squash Fritters With Herbs

If you make teaspoon-sized fritters, you can use them like blini and top them with tomato salad or pulled pork. This recipe from Cooking 4 The Week was featured in Root Source: Yellow Squash.

Whole Wheat Fusilli With Watercress, Red Peppers, Pine Nuts And Garlic

You might not often find watercress in Italian pastas, but its peppery bite is balanced here by sweet peppers, pungent garlic and toasted pine nuts. Toss in a little basil at the end if you have some on hand.

Baked Crab Cakes

These easy baked crab cakes are certainly hefty, yet light on the filling. Slip them under the broiler before serving to create an extra-crisp crust. Read more about this recipe at the Washington Post.

Salmon With Clams In Herb Broth

Serve this dish atop rice or pasta or with a crusty baguette. Feta cheese makes a nice garnish, as do additional fresh herbs. This recipe was featured in Root Source: Clams. It comes from Je Mange la Ville.

Deep, Dark Pork Chili

Jan and Michael Stern's Chili Nation cookbook inspired me to create this really delicious and unusual chili made with pork loin, kidney beans and a heady mix of spices. Read more about this recipe at Coconut & Lime.

Creamy Macaroni And Cheese With Rapini

Using evaporated milk makes the sauce a very creamy, but has a fraction of the fat in heavy cream. Rapini's strong flavor is tempered by the cheese and keeps the dish from being too one-dimensional. Read more about this recipe at Coconut & Lime.

Croque Monsieur

The Croque Monsieur is a French classic: good ham, good bread and good cheese enriched with béchamel sauce and served open-faced. Add a fried egg and you can call it a Croque Madame. Read more about this recipe at Coconut & Lime.

Beer Can Chicken

We brought this tailgate barbecue classic indoors and got the same juicy results in the oven. Rich poultry flavor is enhanced by the herbed vapor from a single can of lager in a simple and wonderful departure from basic roasted chicken.

Saffron Chicken And Rice With Golden Beets

Persian-style saffron chicken with rice and golden beets takes on the zing of fresh ginger in this colorful one-pot meal.