A super simple dish to make, this works well for both weekdays and weekends alike, and it is perfect for this ideal grilling weather we’ve been having lately. A few ingredients from the store that will keep you in the express lane, and half an hour in the kitchen, and you’ll be rewarded with tender juicy steak, a soft egg and the meltiness of the creamy goat cheese. Dig in!

Grilled Tuscan Steak with Fried Egg and Goat Cheese
Recipe courtesy of Giada DeLaurentiis

4 (8 ounce) rib-eye steaks
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons herbs de Provence
2 tablespoons, plus 2 teaspoons olive oil
4 eggs
2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Season the steaks with salt and pepper. Sprinkle both sides of each steak with the herbs de Provence. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Grill for about 6 to 8 minutes per side for medium-rare. Remove the steaks from the heat and allow to rest. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat. Crack the eggs directly into the pan, seasoning quickly with salt and pepper. Cook until egg whites are set, about 2 to 3 minutes. To serve: Place the steaks on 4 serving plates. Carefully place the eggs on top of each steak. Sprinkle with the crumbled goat cheese. Garnish with the chopped parsley and serve.

Grilled White Pizza
1 (8-ounce) ball prepared pizza dough (bought fresh from pizzeria or frozen from market)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more to taste
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano leaves
Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Heat grill to high. Roll the dough into 2 (10-inch circles). Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer dough to grill. When bottom side is mostly cooked through, brush with 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle evenly with grated cheese, red pepper flakes, oregano, and salt and pepper. Let cook until dough is cooked through and slightly charred. Remove from grill, garnish with fresh basil, and cut into pieces.

Cuban-Style Hamburgers
Recipe courtesy of Bobby Flay

• 2 pounds ground chuck
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup best-quality mayonnaise
• 3 cloves roasted garlic, pureed
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 4 soft, classic hamburger buns
• 8 slices thinly sliced Swiss cheese
• 4 slices thinly sliced smoked ham
• 2 dill pickles, sliced 1/4-inch thick

Preheat the grill to high. Form the meat into 4 (1/4-inch thick) burgers. Season the meat with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes on both sides for medium doneness. When the burgers are done, remove from the heat and reduce heat to medium-low.

Meanwhile, combine the mayonnaise and roasted garlic in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Spread both sides of each bun with mayonnaise and mustard. Place a slice of cheese on the bottom portion of each bun, place the burger on top of the cheese, then top the cheese with a slice of ham and another slice of cheese, and finally, the pickle slices. Place the tops of the bun over the pickles, wrap the burgers in aluminum foil, and place them on the grill. Using a heavy pan or a brick wrapped in foil, press down on the burgers for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Lower the lid on the grill and continue grilling for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the bun has become pressed and firm.

1. Use cloth napkins.
2. Use biodegradable plates, bowls & utensils.
3. Bring your own reusable bags to the store.
4. Use reusable produce bags and Tupperware’s FridgeSmart containers to keep vegetables fresh.
5. Clean your home with natural cleaning products.
6. Buy lean meats and trim off excess fat.
7. Become a “locavore,” buying and eating local produce and protein whenever possible.
8. Find a local source (butcher or farmer) for organic poultry and grass-fed beef and hogs.
9. If you need a liquid fire starter use a brand like Lokkii’s Organic Firestarter. You can also use clumps of dryer lint to start grill fires!
10. Use green products like the 100% organic natural briquettes produced by Lokkii. Their “Ready to Light Premium Barbecue Briquettes” are the cooking equivalent of 10 lbs. of charcoal briquettes, and contain no nitrates, no petroleum distillates, and burn very clean.
11. Cook with gas if you can. With, by far, the lowest carbon footprint among fuels used to cook food in backyard barbecues, propane and natural gas have many economic and environmental benefits.
12. Think CARBON NEUTRAL and then do something about it!

Photo from Barbecue America.

Although Nicholas requested rice and black beans as his side dish, as opposed to my yearn for Roasted Asparagus, surprisingly he gobbled up the chicken and went back for seconds. The Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan recipe is another tried-and-true, this one from Martha Stewart’s Great Food Fast cookbook.

On the table in under 20 minutes, a light, healthy dinner fitting the bill. Enjoy!

Greek Chicken Tenders

• 2-1/2 pounds chicken tenders
• 2 lemons
• 1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Spread chicken tenders on a dinner plate or other wide dish. Grate lemon rind (yellow part only) over the chicken, then cut the lemons in quarters and squeeze juice over all. Sprinkle with dried oregano, salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. (We grill the chicken instead). Add tenders and juice and cook, turning over, about 8-10 minutes or until tenders are cooked through. Serve with buttered orzo on the side. Serves 4.

Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan
Recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart’s Great Food Fast

• 2 bunches (1-1/2 pounds) asparagus
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 450F. Trim the tough ends from the asparagus. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the asparagus with the olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Spread in an even layer. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Roast until the asparagus is tender and the cheese is melted, 10 to 15 minutes. Serves immediately. Serves 4.

Using a new Rachael Ray recipe, we went with burgers on Saturday night. She used inspiration from Steak Pizzaiola to create these Power Burgers on a recent episode of her talk show. I could swear she has several recipes named ”Power Burgers,” so I’m calling these Pizzaiola Burgers instead, so there.

Using the traditional flavors from a Steak Pizzaiola recipe, the burgers were smothered with caramelized onions that had been slowly sauteed in tomato paste and red wine and then topped with melted Provolone. Forgoing the traditional bun, these became knife-and-fork burgers when served atop toasted garlic Semolina bread. Mmmm, so good; packed with flavor from both the ingredients and the toppings, they produced a nice juicy burger that left you wanting more.

Pizzaiola Burgers
Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray

Yields: 4 servings

Preheat broiler. Place a large pan over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons EVOO, about 2 turns of the pan. Add the onions and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place a lid or piece of aluminum foil over the pan and cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften, 2-3 minutes. Remove the lid or foil from the pan and continue cooking until fully softened, another 4-5 minutes.

Add the tomato paste to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until it smells sweet and has caramelized slightly, 2-3 minutes. Add the wine and scrape the pan with a wooden spoon to remove any bits that may be stuck to the bottom. Cook until the wine has almost completely evaporated, 3-4 minutes. Remove the onions from the heat, cover them again with the lid or aluminum foil and reserve until ready to serve.

We skipped this next step because we grilled our burgers. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat with three turns of the pan of EVOO, about 3 tablespoons. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground sirloin, pepperoni, parsley, oregano and red pepper flakes. Season the meat with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then flatten the meat down in the bowl and score it into four using the side of your hand. Form a patty with each of the four portions of the meat and place them into the hot skillet. Cook until desired doneness, 4-5 minutes per side for medium.

While the burgers are cooking, place a small pot over medium heat with the garlic. Melt the butter then remove the pot from the heat to allow the garlic flavor to infuse the butter. While the butter is melting, place the bread slices on a baking sheet and toast them under the broiler until golden brown on each side. Brush the toasts with the garlic butter and sprinkle the grated cheese over each of them.

Place four toasts back on the baking sheet and top each with one of the burgers. Divide the onion mixture between the four burgers and top each one with two slices of cheese. Place the burgers back under the broiler to melt the cheese.

Serve the burgers with a knife and fork, and your favorite salad on the side.

Once the weather breaks, burgers hit the grill in quick fashion, as we make our way through various recipes, determined to find the “best” of the season. It didn’t quite win the top prize last year for us, but this Smokehouse Burger from the Kraft Food and Family magazine was definitely ranked right up there. Super simple with basically just the addition of barbecue sauce added to the ground beef, it produced a very moist and flavorful burger. When it comes to making great burgers, simple really IS the way to go. I’d cut back a smidge on the barbecue sauce next time. Too much essentially makes the burgers too moist, and they have trouble staying together.

French fries seems to overdone when it comes to pairing it with burgers, so we like to mix it up a bit. When these burgers hit the table, so did Masala Spiced Potatoes, a recipe from an issue of Gourmet magazine. The Husband is pretty picky about potatoes … roasted or french fries, and that’s it. Roasting potatoes at a high heat (in this case, 500 degrees), is the perfect way to get potatoes crispy on the outside and soft on the outside. The recipe called for a mixture of a few spices, but with the name being “masala,” I decided it made more sense to use my ready-made masala spice powder, and it was perfect. The masala spice gave it just a hint of spice and smokiness, and it was the ideal addition for the burgers.

A quick and easy meal outside to usher in the first beats of Spring.

Smokehouse Burgers
Recipe courtesy of Kraft

Prep Time: 20 min
Total Time: 32 min
Makes: 4 servings, one cheeseburger each

1 lb. ground beef
1/4 cup KRAFT Original Barbecue Sauce
1 medium red onion, cut into 4 slices
1/4 cup KRAFT Zesty Italian Dressing, divided
4 KRAFT Singles
4 lettuce leaves
4 slices tomato (about 1 medium)
4 hamburger buns, split, grilled

PREHEAT grill to medium-high heat. Mix meat and barbecue sauce; shape into four patties. Brush onion slices with 2 Tbsp. of the dressing.

GRILL patties and onions 5 min. on each side or until patties are cooked through (160°F) and onions are tender, brushing onions occasionally with remaining 2 Tbsp. dressing. Top each patty with Singles; grill an additional 1 to 2 min. or until Singles begin to melt.

PLACE 1 lettuce leaf, 1 tomato slice and burger on bottom half of each bun. Cover with onions and tops of buns.

MASALA-SPICED POTATOES
Gourmet, May 2007

In India, no two families use the same masala blend. We think the combination here is perfect for potatoes, but have fun trying your own mixtures at home.

Makes 6 servings.

2 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch ground cloves

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 500°F. Pat potatoes dry, then toss with remaining ingredients in a bowl until evenly coated.

Spread out potatoes in 1 layer in a large (17- by 12-inch) shallow heavy baking pan, then roast, turning potatoes over with a metal spatula once or twice during roasting, until tender and some edges are golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.

I couldn’t resist adding a bit of melty cheese to mine before popping it in my mouth, because lately, everything tastes better with cheese. The recipe yielded a most, healthy, juicy burger and a keeper in my book. Although the recipe indicates cooking the sliders on a stovetop, if it’s grilling weather where you are, they can certainly be done on the grill.

Chicken Teriyaki Sliders
Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray

1 pound ground, all-white meat chicken
4 scallions (one large handful), chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
1 tablespoon grill seasoning
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/4 cup pickled ginger (I skipped)
1 cucumber, seeded and sliced
1 head Bibb or Boston lettuce
Small buns (about 3 inches in diameter) or dinner rolls

Yields: 8 servings

Combine meat, scallions, garlic, grill seasoning and teriyaki sauce. Score and divide meat into 8 portions and form small patties, about 1/2 inch thick.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add canola oil, about once around the pan. Cook mini chicken burgers in the pan, about 3 minutes on each side, until cooked through.

Place burgers on buns, top each burger with some pickled ginger, a slice of cucumber and some lettuce then place the top half of bun on top.

A cinch to make, they produce tender, juicy, fall-off-the-bone, lip smackin’ good ribs. Do try it! Oddly enough, the recipe (both ingredients and directions) on both Food Network and Bon Appetit has been changed since I printed it, and if I didn’t have the original print-out, I would have thought I was going crazy. The below is the original way the recipe was posted, and how I made it.
Rory’s Ribs
Recipe courtesy Rory Schepisi, The Next Food Network Star contestant

Barbecue Sauce:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled
2 1/4 cups ketchup
1 3/4 cups low-salt chicken broth
7 tablespoons soy sauce
6 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
4 1/2 tablespoons mild-flavored (light) molasses
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 large racks baby back pork ribs (each about 2-1/2 pounds)
8 tablespoons chili powder, divided

For Barbecue Sauce: Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Press garlic through garlic press into pan. Stir 30 seconds. Add the ketchup, broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, molasses, and vinegar. Bring sauce to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until reduced to 3 cups, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Transfer to bowl. This can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill. Sprinkle each side of each rib rack with salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon chili powder. Arrange 2 racks on each of 2 large rimmed baking sheets. This can be made 1 day ahead; cover and chill.

Position 1 oven rack in top third of oven and 1 rack in bottom third; preheat to 450 degrees F. Cover each tray with foil. Bake ribs for 2 hours, or until tender. Uncover; cool slightly. Cut each rib rack between bones into individual ribs. Brush ribs generously with sauce. This can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Serve.

It’s been a-g-e-s since we had chicken burgers, and this was certainly a perfect way to get back into the groove. This was in the “recipes for 2″ section, and I managed to get three regular sized burgers and a little bitty one out of it, so it was on target. I tend to be a salty vs. sweet person, so the addition of soy sauce was a definite plus. Between that, the garlic, ginger and especially fresh cilantro, it made for a very moist, flavorful and healthy burger. In the recipe as written, she includes a Chow Chow topping, but I knew The Husband wouldn’t eat it, so I skipped that. Instead, I warmed up a little bit of peanut butter and mixed it with a smidge of soy sauce, and it truly elevated the burger to OMG status.

Soy, Garlic and Ginger Chicken Burgers
Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray’s 2, 4, 6, 8: Great Meals for Couples or Crowds
2 servings

3/4 pound ground chicken (I used a pound)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons peeled and grated fresh ginger (I used 1-1/2 T of ginger paste)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons tamari
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I skipped because we grilled them)
2 rolls, split and toasted
4 pieces of leaf or Bibb lettuce (I skipped)

Mix the meat with the garlic, ginger, cilantro, tamari, a little salt and lots of black pepper. Form 2 large, inch-thick patties - they’ll hang off the bun! Add the oil to a skillet and get it screaming hot over medium-high heat. Add the patties and cook them for 5-6 minutes on each side. When done, place the burgers on the rolls and top with lettuce.

Cate’s note: I made a topping with a little bit of melted peanut butter and soy sauce - delish. I also added about 2 tablespoons of grated manchego to the meat mix.