We had a big weekend down here in Birmingham. For many of us here, football = life. And for one weekend a year, I live in a house divided. My husband bleeds orange for the University of Tennessee, while I'm a fan of the Crimson Tide. We drove to Tuscaloosa for the game (what a nail-biter!).

Tailgating notwithstanding, game days are always hectic. Especially now that we must wrangle with strollers and diapers, shortcuts that lead to good food are a must for our family. If meal can do double-duty and still be delicious, even better.

Since I knew we'd be leaving early Saturday morning to beat the game-day traffic, I made a big breakfast casserole the night before. My recipe, handed down from my mother, could feed a football team (well, almost).

I've adapted it to be a little more waistline-friendly than my mother's version. It is super-easy, soaks overnight and you can pull it out to serve as at breakfast or brunch. Sunday night, I added a green salad and we had it again for dinner.

Ingredients:

An abundance of okra in my CSA box has given me a much-needed nudge into unfamiliar culinary territory. The first week, it led to my first stab at pickling okra--an overwhelming success. The second week, I felt lazy and gave it to an pod-loving friend. The third week, I decided to buckle down and try my hand at a dish that, until now, I had been too timid to attempt: gumbo.

It was the roux that scared me. Something about browning flour in searing-hot butter (or oil) screamed danger. I didn't know what a proper gumbo roux should look like (reddish-brown to almost-black) or smell like (just shy of burnt toast), and I had the vague notion that if I messed it up, it would spontaneously combust, possibly setting my hair on fire. But with an armful of green and daringly red okra before me, I felt obligated to give it a try.

Full disclosure: For my first gumbo, I chose a traditional, roux-based recipe instead of one of our more healthful Cooking Light versions. Many of our lightened gumbo recipes forego the roux (and with it, gobs of calories and saturated fat) by toasting the flour in the oven, or in a dry pan on the stove. But I decided that before I was ready to make it light, I should confront my fear of the roux.

My recipe called for heating a half-cup of Canola oil close to its smoke-point, then slowly whisking in an equal amount of flour until the roux turned a glossy dark-brown. I resisted a strong urge to don protective eyewear. I occupied my toddler outside of the kitchen. I turned on the fan and focused on stirring, stirring, stirring the roux. It became quite meditative. As it slowly changed color before my eyes, I felt like an alchemist. And like a real cook.

Epiphany #1: Avoid distractions, keep stirring, and your roux will be fine.

The rest of the gumbo was a breeze, really. Holy trinity--check. Andouille sausage--yep. Spices, etcetera--no surprises there. It wasn't until I added the okra that I had my real a-ha moment. The slime that makes okra, well, okra, is key to thickening the gumbo to that perfect consistency. (In some recipes, filé powder, a gumbo spice made from ground sassafras leaves, does that job.) I had never considered okra slime to be a particularly desirable property, and enjoyed learning ways to reduce the slime-factor (roasting or grilling work well, my colleagues tell me). I now respect okra.

Epiphany #2: Slime is your friend.

Because I was cooking for friends, I saved the last step--adding the shrimp--until just before serving. I added the shrimp when the gumbo was just at a simmer and cooked it for just three minutes. That, I learned, helped me avoid the tough and rubbery morsels I'd inadvertently made in the past.

Epiphany #3: Don't overcook the shrimp.

All in all: a success. My guests loved the gumbo, and it left me feeling confident and encouraged to try it again. Next time, I'll make it light.

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RECIPE PICTURED: Gulf of Mexico Gumbo

I was searching for a quick and easy way to cook pork tenderloin recently when I ran across this recipe for Honey-Mustard Pork Tenderloin with Kale. I was drawn to this recipe for a couple of reasons. First, because it promised a main dish, a sauce, and a side with just seven ingredients. Second, because I had never thought to pair mustard with kale, which is one of my favorite leafy greens that I tend to cook in the same old ways.

This recipe calls for marinating a pork tenderloin in a mixture of stone-ground mustard, honey, and sherry vinegar for two hours in the fridge. I was in a rush, so I had to cut that time short, and I was surprised at how well the flavors permeated the meat. I imagine it would have been even better if I'd left it to marinate for the full two hours.

The result? This recipe made me fall in love with pork tenderloin all over again. I hadn't made it in a while, having grown bored with the same old preparations. This spicy-sweet approach was a hit with not only my husband but my 18-month-old son, who even liked the kale, despite the considerable challenge of chewing it with only five teeth.

This recipe earned a place on the weeknight go-to list in my personal recipe file, joining other favorites such as Thai Fish Sauce and Lime Chicken (a pantry recipe, since I keep fish sauce on hand), and White Bean and Sausage Ragout with Tomatoes, Kale, and Zucchini. What are your favorite weeknight stand-bys?

Scallops are one of the overlooked possibilities for a speedy weeknight meal. Though I tend to think of them as special-occasion food, they're wonderfully versatile, quick-cooking, and not a whole lot more expensive than shrimp.

Yesterday I needed a quick and easy (yet special) meal for Father's Day. So I picked up a pound of scallops at the Piggly Wiggly for $11. (Shrimp was running about $8 a pound.)

Browsing our 20-Minute Seafood gallery, I found several scallop options, including this recipe for Gingered Scallops. Luckily, I had all the ingredients on hand: ginger, green onions, ginger, lemon juice, honey, soy sauce, and rice.

Scallops are one of the items I tend to order out, but rarely cook at home. It had been a while since I'd prepared them. But I remembered a recent chat with my Test Kitchens pal (and fellow blogger) Tiffany Vickers, who told me that the secret to properly seared scallops is a very hot cast-iron skillet.

"You want your pan to stay hot," she said. "Crazy hot. With a little bit of oil."

Tiffany also let me in on the trick to avoiding the "rubber eraser" effect, when good scallops lose their juices and assume the texture of the troubleshooting end of a No. 2 Ticonderoga.

"Whatever you do," she said, "don't overcrowd the pan. That will reduce the temperature of the pan. And if your scallops are too close to one another, they'll start steaming. Sometimes it's best to do them in batches."

I followed her advice, and got the caramelized crust that defines the difference between a good scallop and a wasted one. It took between one and two minutes on each side (so avoid all distractions while cooking them). A quick toss in the instant pan sauce, and they were ready to be served atop rice. From start to finish, it took me 10 to 15 minutes.

The result? A very happy Father's Day for a scallop-loving spouse.

Like this? See more 20-minute scallop recipes:

• Pan-Seared Scallops with Cilantro-Celery Mayonnaise
• Seared Scallops with Lemon Orzo
• Seared Scallop Salad
• Scallops in Champagne Sauce

One of my favorite lines from the movie, Wedding Crashers, is "Ma! The Meatloaf!" Demanded by all because of its comforting capabilities, it is definitely a loved supper in my household.

I create meatloaf and their varying flavors out of anything we have leftover in the fridge.
Here's what we had tonight.

1# lean ground turkey
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
3 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs
4 tablespoons ketchup, divided
2 tablespoons crumbled Boursin cheese
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl (use 2 tablespoons ketchup here). Mix by hand just until combined - do not over mix or loaf won't be as tender. Transfer to a loaf pan coated with cooking spray.
3. Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until a thermometer inserted in center is 160 (temperature will vary depending on type of meat used). Brush with remaining 2 tablespoons ketchup. Bake 5 more minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

Think outside the meatloaf "box" and substitue in any type of ground meat you have on hand, any color onion, any type of cheese. The possibilities are endless so get out there and create an easy weeknight (and budget-friendly) dinner for your family tonight. Or try one from a Cooking Light story devoted to meatloaf!

Our May issue has a real treat for salmon lovers: Oil-Poached Salmon with Fresh Cucumber Salad.

Oil-poached fish is a dish you’ll find at high-end restaurants, but the technique is perfectly simple. The fish cooks gently in oil heated to 150°, resulting in some of the moistest, most velvety salmon you’ve ever had.

We urge you to use wild rather than farmed salmon, but this technique will work for any fish you might poach—try it with halibut or striped bass. 

As the cold front hit this past week, all I could think of was going home and curling up with a warm bowl of something. So I tooled around our Web site to find my best options. Here's my weeknight meal plan:

Monday: Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
I wanted something not too heavy since I over-did it at the Super Bowl Party so I went for our this light soup.

Tuesday: Southwestern Pork Soup.
I was craving a little spice so I chose this superfast soup which has lots of flavor.

Wednesday: Asian Corn Soup
I'm thinking mid-week vegetarian sounds good. Stir in a little seared tofu or chicken if you prefer.

Thursday: Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
Why not go all in? This will hit the spot.

Friday: Smoky Slow Cooker Chili
This is my day off from cooking dinner. Our Jan/Feb magazine issue featured a slow cooker Test-Kitchen-developed recipe (which also happened to be the cover) from my TK colleague, Mike Wilson. It's a perfect make-ahead meal for a busy family that needs a hot, affordable meal ready when they get home.

Shhhh! Insider info: On the back page of every issue this year, a different TK staff member or food editor will share one of their favorite recipes. Keep an eye out for the next Test Kitchen Secret: Homemade Pita Bread (look for it in the March issue).

Homemade chicken stock is a great thing for any cook to have on hand. And in these days of economic woes and wildly cold weather, homemade stock can be inexpensive and therapeutic. Whether you're snowed in, sick, or just craving comfort on a Saturday afternoon or chilly Friday night, you will never regret a session of stock making.

Making stock from scratch takes a little time, but not a whole lot of effort. The steps are easy. Here's my personal recipe:

1. Prep: Combine the following with 8 cups of cold water in a Dutch oven:

1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped
3 springs of parsley
3 sprigs of thyme
1 garlic clove
5 whole black peppercorns
1 whole roasting chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds)

2. Simmer: Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours (skimming the foam from the top is ideal).

3. Strain. Pour through a strainer to remove the solids. Cool the stock, uncovered, to room temperature. Cover and chill overnight. Skim the fat.

Storage: You can portion the stock in about 1 3/4 cup servings (the size of a standard can of broth) and freeze them for up to 1 month.

MONEY SAVING TIP: I like to remove the breast fillets from the whole chicken before adding it to the stock, stretching my investment in the chicken.

For a richer stock, try our recipe for Brown Chicken Stock.



My cooking goal for 2009 is to expand my Japanese culinary repertoire. I got started early in December by learning how to make dashi. This clear, basic stock is fundamental to Japanese cooking, the base for most soups and a key ingredient in many non-soup dishes. Its flavor is very subtle, yet when it's done right, it can take a dish from good to great.

Intriguingly, dashi is appearing in the cuisine of some established Western chefs, including Eric Ripert (Le Bernardin) and Jonathan Benno (Per Se). Check out the New York Times story about this trend.

Making dashi is easy, but it requires a trip to an Asian market for the two key ingredients: kombu, an edible type of kelp cultivated in Japan, and katsuobushi, fine shavings of dried bonito, a type of tuna.

The process is simple: Place a 4- to 5-inch strip of kombu in a pot with about 5 cups of cold water and slowly bring the water to a boil. Just before the water boils, remove the kelp and turn off the heat. Add a handful (2 or 3 Tablespoons) of bonito flakes and steep. When the flakes sink to the bottom of the pot, strain the liquid through a fine sieve. What's left is a very delicate, clear broth that smells faintly of the sea.

I had always used the shortcut of instant dashi (or even chicken bouillon, which is what my Japanese-American mother often uses in her cooking). If you're in a pinch, this certainly won't ruin a recipe. But instant dashi can be harsh and salty compared to the real thing. And now that I've learned how simple it is to make dashi from scratch, I don't think I'll go back to those shortcuts.

So far I've used dashi as a base for miso soup, for udon, and as an ingredient in dishes such as braised gobo (burdock) with carrots, a traditional Japanese New Year's food. It appears in most of the recipes I've been eyeing in various Japanese cookbooks.

Check out the video below the jump for a decent demo of making dashi. Note that it appears to use different proportions and an extra step (adding cold water before putting in the bonito flakes) from my simpler, handed-down recipe (which, by the way, is untested by our Test Kitchens). You can also try our vegegarian dashi recipe for a fishless alternative.

Caramelized onions are such a warm, comforting food on a cold winter night. They pack a lot of flavor without adding too many calories.

Here are 3 steps to achieving perfection:

1. Heat some oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add thinly sliced white onions. Cook 15 minutes, stirring frequently or until onions are lightly browned.

2. Reduce heat to low; add 1 tablespoon butter. Cook 25-30 minutes or until onions are completely browned and all liquid has evaporated.

3. Season with salt and pepper.

Try your caramelized onions on top of a burger, as a start to french onion soup, or try this recipe for Caramelized Onion, Canadian Bacon, and Egg Sandwiches.