Parade

Sprinkle with crystallized ginger or sliced scallions.

Trim the tops and tails of the beets to 1 inch.

Jumbo Shrimp tails make good handles at a picnic!

Each squeezed lemon yields about 1/6 cup of juice.

Find mung bean sprouts in Asian grocery stores and supermarkets.

Bartlett, Anjou, and Bosc are all great pears. Just be sure they are not overripe.

Garlic Herb Bread When buttering the bread, gently spread the slices without pulling them apart.

Look for thin zucchini and yellow squash. The squash will have fewer seeds.

This salad is easy because you begin with store-bought roasted chicken.

Inner radicchio leaves make the best cups.

Be sure not to overcook the bacon. Seven minutes is just right.

Fresh ricotta is sold in cheese shops and specialty delis.

The lime juice keeps the avocados from discoloring.

Lemon juice and sugar bring out the natural juices of the berries.

To be safe, we boil the egg for 1 minutes rather than use it raw.

Roast the potatoes until the skins are crispy

For an alternative marinade, combine 3 tablespoons each red-wine vinegar and olive oil with salt and pepper.

Soba are buckwheat noodles and cook very quickly.

Be sure to use a dry skillet when browning quesadillas.