Skillet Cheeseburger Macaroni

We combine the flavors of our favorite burger—ground beef, dry mustard, American cheese, and dill pickles—with the convenience and heft of a one-skillet meal.

1 pound 85% lean ground beef
1 small finely chopped onion
12 ounces (3 cups) elbow macaroni
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon dry mustard
6 ounces chopped deli American cheese 
3/4 cup chopped dill pickles



Cook beef and 1/2 cup onion in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until beef is no longer pink, about 7 minutes.

Add macaroni, broth, tomato sauce, Worcestershire, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until macaroni is tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in cheese, pickles, and remaining 1/2 cup onion. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup whole milk Ricotta cheese
2 eggs plus two egg whites, separated
1/3 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon lemon zest
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
1-2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl. Make well in center. Add ricotta, 2 egg yolks, milk, lemon zest and juice and vanilla. Whisk until just combined.

Whip egg whites in a stand mixer, on medium-low until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high and whip until soft peaks form. Continue to beat gradually adding sugar until glossy & firm, about 2-3 minutes more. Transfer 1/3 of egg whites to batter and combine. Fold in the rest of the egg whites gently.

Heat 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil in a 12" non-stick skillet. Once shimmer, wipe out oil with paper towel to leave a thin film in the pan. Use a 1/4 cup measure to portion batter 3 separate cakes onto hot skillet. Smooth to a 4" round and cook until golden brown and sides start to set, 2-3 min. Flip gently and cook another 2-3 min. Repeat with remaining batter and repeat oil wipe if necessary.

Top with honey, powdered sugar, or fruit.

Tarragon Creamed Corn

“Milk” the corncob to extract as much flavor as possible, then make a broth from the liquid with a Parmesan cheese rind and fresh tarragon. But the real secret to the intense corn flavor of this dish is to take about one-fourth of the cooked corn, puree it and then fold it back into the rest of the corn. Save the rinds whenever you use Parmigiano-Reggiano; they will keep for weeks in the refrigerator. Add a piece of cheese rind to soups, stews and other brothy dishes to add deep, savory flavor.

Ingredients:

For the corn cream:

• 3 ears of corn
• 1 bunch fresh thyme
• 1 bunch fresh tarragon
• 6-oz. (185-g) piece Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese rind
• 3 turns cracked pepper
• 4 cups (32 fl. oz./1 l) heavy cream
•  
• 1 lb. (500 g) corn kernels (cut from about 8 ears)
• 1 bunch fresh tarragon, tied together with kitchen twine, plus
    whole leaves for garnish (optional)
• 6-oz. (185-g) piece Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese rind
• About 1 cup (8 fl. oz./250 ml) heavy cream, as needed
• 6 oz. (185 g) Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

To make the corn cream, cut the kernels from 3 cobs. Run the back of a knife blade along the length of each cob to force out any juice and the germ of each kernel into a bowl. Put the corn kernels, corn juice, thyme, tarragon, cheese rind and pepper in a saucepan and pour in the cream. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, about 45 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and set aside. Discard the solids in the sieve.

Put 1 lb. corn kernels in a large saucepan and pour in the corn cream. Add the bundle of tarragon and the second piece of rind. The liquid should just cover the corn; add the heavy cream as needed to cover. Bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the corn is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove and discard the tarragon bundle and cheese rind.

Pour one-fourth of the mixture into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour the blended mixture back into the pan with the corn. Add the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately garnished with tarragon leaves. Serves 8.

Micheladas - The Best Drink in the World

1 32-oz. bottle Clamato
3 12-oz. bottles Mexican lager
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon Maggi Seasoning
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Lime wedges

Mix Clamato, lager, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and Maggi Seasoning in a large pitcher. Mix salt and chili powder on a small plate. Rub rims of pint glasses with lime wedges and dip in salt mixture. Fill glasses with ice, add Michelada mixture, and garnish with lime wedges. Serves 8.

Shanghai Chicken Salad

1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup hoisin sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger root
1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
18 ounces chicken breasts, trimmed 
1/2 head Napa cabbage, shredded
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
9 scallions, sliced thin on the diagonal
1 cup chow mein noodles

Whisk vinegar, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger and sesame oil together in a medium bowl. Place chicken in single layer in Dutch oven. Pour 1/2 cup vinegar mixture over chicken breasts; reserve remaining vinegar mixture to use as dressing. Add remaining 1/3 cup soy sauce and 3 cups water to pot. Bring to boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer chicken until cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes.

Transfer chicken to plate, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until cool enough to handle. Shred chicken into long thin strands using two forks or fingers.

Transfer chicken to large serving bowl, toss with 2 tablespoon dressing, and season with salt and pepper. Add cabbage, bell pepper, scallions, and remaining dressing and toss to combine. Sprinkle with chow mein noodles and serve.