Susan Mallery's Fool's Gold Cookbook: A Love Story Told Through 150 Recipes(3)

For pizza:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly oil baking sheet; sprinkle with cornmeal. Roll out dough on a lightly floured countertop to a 10-by-14-inch rectangle. Transfer dough to the prepared baking sheet. Spread ½ cup pesto evenly over dough, top with ricotta, Parmesan and tomatoes. Bake 15 to 17 minutes, until cheese is melted and crust is golden.

TIP: The sauce recipe makes 1 cup, and you only need ½ cup for the pizza. Use the rest as a pasta sauce, sandwich filling or sauce for grilled meat.

SPRING

Super-Healthy Chicken Salad Wrap

Yet another dinner made easy by using a supermarket rotisserie chicken. Save even more time by using preshredded carrots or coleslaw mixture for the veggies.

Serves 2

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon white-wine vinegar

1 teaspoon minced garlic

½ cup plain Greek yogurt (nonfat is fine)

1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

Salt and black pepper

¾ cup crunchy vegetables (such as carrots, zucchini, cucumber, snap peas), shredded

2 large wraps or tortillas

1½ cups cooked chicken, shredded

1. In a medium bowl, whisk lemon juice, vinegar and garlic until blended. Fold in yogurt and dill. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Fold in shredded vegetables until coated.

2. Lay wraps on counter; divide chicken between wraps. Top with vegetable mixture. Fold up and serve immediately.

TIP: Omit the garlic if you don’t like raw garlic.

SPRING

Tarragon Tuna Melt

This satisfying sandwich is a go-to meal for a busy weeknight dinner.

Serves 2

1 can (5 ounces) solid albacore tuna packed in water, drained

½ cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 small scallion, thinly sliced

¼ cup diced red pepper (about ½ small pepper)

½ small stalk celery, diced

2 tablespoons fresh tarragon or dill, chopped

Salt

1 baguette (about 10 inches long), halved crosswise and lengthwise

3 ounces sliced sharp cheddar cheese

1. Preheat broiler. In a medium bowl, combine first 7 ingredients. Season with salt, to taste.

2. Divide tuna mixture on baguette slices and top with cheese slices. Broil until cheese is melted and bubbly.

TIP: Tuna has such a strong flavor that sharp cheese works best in this sandwich.

SPRING

Greek Salad Sandwich

Don’t worry about exact measurements when making this savory vegetarian sandwich—just add ingredients as you like.

Serves 2

1 medium tomato, diced

½ small cucumber, very thinly sliced (no need to peel)

¼ cup green pepper (about ¼ of a pepper), diced

1 slice red onion, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons feta cheese, crumbled

1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped

2 teaspoons sherry vinegar or red-wine vinegar

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and black pepper

2 large pita pockets

4 tablespoons prepared hummus

2 handfuls baby spinach, chopped

1. In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, onions, feta and mint. Add vinegar and oil; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Open pita pockets. Spread hummus into each pocket. Stuff pockets with salad mixture and spinach.

TIP: Serve the sandwiches as soon as you make them—otherwise the bread will get soggy.

SPRING

SPRING

Fajita Quesadilla

This recipes serves 2—if you double it, you’ll need a large pan to fit all the meat.

Serves 2

6 ounces skirt steak, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt and black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 small onion, thinly sliced

1 small red pepper, thinly sliced

4 burrito-size flour tortillas

1 cup Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese, shredded

Garnishes

Sour cream

Salsa

1. In a small bowl, combine steak slices, Worcestershire, lime juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Let marinate 15 minutes.

2. Warm 1 tablespoon oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onions and peppers, season with salt and cook 10 minutes, until softened and golden, stirring often. Drain liquid from meat; add meat to the skillet and cook 5 minutes, until browned, stirring. Remove to a plate.

3. Warm half of remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add a tortilla; top with half of meat mixture. Sprinkle with half of cheese. Top with tortilla; cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Carefully flip; cook the other side until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is browned. Slide the quesadilla off the skillet; sprinkle with salt and cover with foil to keep warm.

4. Place the skillet back over medium heat; add remaining olive oil. Repeat steps with remaining tortillas. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

TIP: Get 2 skillets going at once and the quesadilla cooking will be done in half the time.

SPRING

California BLT

Ingredient amounts given here are just guidelines—the exact amounts you’ll need depend on the size of the bread slices.

Serves 2

4–6 strips bacon

2 tablespoons mayonnaise