Pesto Chicken Salad on Pretzel Buns

This is probably the easiest recipe on my blog. The best thing about it? No cooking. If you're in hurry like me, you can easily buy the ingredients - from the pesto to the buns. If, however, you have time to spare, you can certainly try your hand at baking your own pretzel buns and making homemade pesto. Either way, this is one delicious sandwich. 

Pesto Chicken Salad on Pretzel Buns

Ingredients

Pretzel Buns

Cooked and cut chicken
Pesto

Avocados

Lime juice
Kosher Salt
Tomatoes

Directions
Toss the chicken in enough pesto to coat. 

Slice the avocados very think and toss in a little lime or lemon juice to prevent browning and sprinkle with salt.

Slice tomatoes thin.

Layer the chicken, avocado and tomato on the bun. Enjoy!

Fresh Berry Phyllo Tarts

Fourth of July is coming up and for a festive and celebratory dessert try these fresh berry phyllo tarts. They are mini phyllo shells that are filled with a blend of cream cheese and honey, and topped with fresh berries. 

Simple and delicious, these tarts can be made with any berry you like, and if you buy the phyllo shells in advance, you can easily assemble them for a last-minute event. Bonus – this recipe only involves 5 minutes of baking time, which is ideal on a hot day!

Fresh Berry Phyllo Tarts
Makes 45 tarts

Ingredients
3 packages mini phyllo shells (such as Athens)
4 sheets honey graham crackers
2 Tbsp butter, melted
2 tsp sugar
4 Tbsp honey
8 ounces fat-free cream cheese, softened
1 pint fresh berries

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F and place shells on a baking sheet; bake for 5 minutes or until crisp. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Pulse graham crackers in a food processor until crumbly, then combine with melted butter and sugar in a small bowl. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon crumb mixture into each prepared shell.

Combine honey and cream cheese in a food processor; process until smooth. Spoon 1 teaspoon cheese mixture into each shell and top with fresh berries. Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture over tops of tarts. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 2 days.

Sake-Steamed Clams

Summers in Massachusetts... never been but I think of clam bakes and steamed clams. Doesn't that sound yum? Imagine sitting on the beach and devouring some freshly caught clams, lobsters and oysters. Thank goodness for recipes like this sake-steamed clams. It's like East meets West with a dash of Asian flavor. It doesn't get any better than this. Trust me.

Sake-Steamed Clams

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 pounds Manila clams, New Zealand clams or cockles
1 tablespoon kosher salt or sea salt

1 cup sake

1 cup water
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 4 or 5 pieces
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 scallions, thinly sliced


Directions

Pick through the clams and discard any that are not tightly closed (or close when tapped gently on the counter) or have chipped shells. Fill a large bowl with cold water and stir in the salt. Add the clams and let stand for 1 hour. (This draws out sand from inside the shells.) Drain the clams and rinse them well. If the shells seem gritty, scrub the outsides gently with a clean brush.


In a deep saucepan, combine the sake and water and bring to a boil. Add the clams, cover with a lid, and steam for about 4 minutes. Uncover and discard any clams that have not opened.


Ladle the clams and broth into a large serving bowl. Scatter the butter pieces over the clams. Top off with the sesame oil, sesame seeds, cayenne, and scallions. Serve immediately.