Red Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe

Pasta salad is an easy dish for quick on-the-go meals. For this version, I used radiatore pasta because its unique shape that traps the sauce into the corkscrew-style curls. The sauce is a colorful bright red pesto made of sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red bell pepper, eggplant and pine nuts.

This is a perfect main course or side dish for picnics or summer parties. This time, I let the pesto pasta salad chill in the refrigerator for our family’s road trip to Oregon. We're leaving in the wee hours of the morning today and will arrive in Ashland for Oregon's annual Shakespeare Festival. We're looking forward to the visit! I will try to post about it and share our experience with you.

Canneles Bordelais Recipe

Cannelés Bordelais are French miniature sweets from Bordeaux. The batter is very similar to crêpe batter; butter is melted in warm milk, then eggs, rum (I used Cointreau liqueur), vanilla, citrus zest and flour. The two most difficult steps are to be patient about letting the batter rest and to bake the cannelés at the right temperature or they can deflate rapidly.

The traditional baking method requires a special fluted copper mold, greased with beeswax (I used butter) for a golden outer crust and easy unmolding. I use silicone molds, which are not quite authentic but the results are just as delicious. After baking, the tiny desserts will have a thick, caramelized crust and a tender custard center. The contrast is very nice, and they're wonderful right out of the oven.

Honey Garlic Chicken Drumsticks (Barbecue Chicken Drummettes)

Chicken drumsticks are great party food. They are easy to make and everyone, including my little munchkin, loves to nibble on them while having a conversation.

This time around, I seasoned the chicken with a dry rub, then grilled the drumsticks on the barbecue and glazed the chicken until fully cooked. I also used both dried and fresh thyme to flavor the chicken. Our garden is over-flowing with lemon thyme, so I used a food dehydrator my father-in-law gave to me as a birthday present and dried several trays. When dried, herbs have a much stronger flavor, and I’ll be able to use the thyme well into November.

The chicken drumsticks were tender and sweet with a crunchy skin. Get grilling, and enjoy some yourself!

Mashed Plantains (Banana Plantain Puree Recipe)

Unlike regular bananas, plantains require cooking and cannot be eaten raw. They're cooked in the same manner as you would potatoes. Their texture is denser, firmer and starchier than bananas but they still have a mild sweetness. As you let the plantain ripen the skin turns almost black, and it becomes slightly sweeter.

For the plantain purée, I used ripe yellow plantains. I boiled and then pan-fried them to caramelize them and enhance the natural sweetness. Finally, I mashed them and added caramelized onions and various herbs, completing this flavorful savory side dish.

Garlic chives from the garden.

Eggless Dessert: French Crepe Recipe

This eggless crepe recipe requires less liquid than regular crepe batter, along with a bit of baking powder. You could serve them as is, or you could add your favorite filling. This time around I smothered the warm crêpe with butter, added a layer of apricot preserves, topped it with sweetened whipped cream and finished with fresh fruits.

Most French desserts contain eggs, but as I’ve mentioned in the past, one of my sisters-in-law is allergic to them. I’m always trying to find ways to make egg-free alternatives to please her sweet tooth. After many attempts, I’ve found that crêpes translate incredibly well without eggs, perhaps better than any other treat. Being able to watch her enjoying the dessert with a wide smile across her face makes it all worth it!