I started making tres leches because it is my neighbor's favorite thing and I like her. I started with Martha Stewart's recipe which is a great jumping off point -- but it is not as juicy as a traditional tres leches, which you will find resting in a shallow lake of sweet milk. So I adjusted up for that, and here I have swapped in some coconut, some lime (because it is one of coconut's BFFs) and I used Tahitian vanilla which is a bit more floral than Mexican (but if you can't find it, go with whatcha got). It's rich and milky and coconutty and good. Ask the neighbors.
Here's a great way to use summer's abundant squashes. Toasted pine nuts and briny kalamata olives make this salad a standout. Prep and Cook Time: about 1 1/4 hours. Notes: Ingredients can be prepped and pasta cooked a day ahead of time and chilled (add 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil to the cooked pasta). Toss everything together just before serving.
Inspired by an orange salad served at my favorite Tapas restaurant (Si Tapas in Dallas), this easy-to-assemble dish has become my go-to for easy entertaining. The raw carrot gives it a nice crunch without taking anything away from the sweet clementine. The red onion provides a nice 'zing' and the mint brings colors and subtly ties it all together. It's refreshing in the summer, and a perfect light dish in the winter to take advantage of my darling clementines.
The classic combination of meringue and strawberries gets a new twist in this recipe. Pistachios and brown sugar add a depth of flavor to the meringue, rose water perfumes the whipped cream and mascarpone filling, and everything comes together to highlight the luscious taste of ripe strawberries. This recipe was originally inspired by Nigella Lawson's Gooey Chocolate Stack. Summer, and leftover ingredients from a recent tryst with kheer (Indian rice pudding) inspired this version. You can locate pistachios and rose water at any Indian or Middle-Eastern store; if not, I'm sure the combination of almonds and pure vanilla would be equally delightful. This delicious dessert also happens to be gluten-free. - Heena
If lasagna is your grim weather go-to dinner, you can make a lighter version that skips calorie-dense meats and sausages and omits the creamy ricotta cheese that helps pile on the pounds.
