Mascarpone-Stuffed Strawberries

Ingredients:

5 ounces mascarpone cheese
1 teaspoon lemon zest
Juice of one lemon
3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 quart strawberries
1 pint blueberries


Directions:

Wash the blueberries and pat dry with paper towel. Wash and hull the strawberries, pat dry. Slice off the bottom of each strawberry to make a flat end. This allows the strawberries to stand upright on a platter.

Mix together the marscarpone cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Spoon the mixture into a resealable bag and snip off one of the corners of the bag (you can also use a pastry bag). Pipe the marscarpone filling into the cavity of each strawberry and top with a blueberry.

Kimchi and Avocado Quesadillas

The spicy flavor of kimchi makes it a natural filling for quesadillas and a good contrast with mild, buttery avocado. If desired, you could also add grilled chicken or shrimp.


Ingredients:

8 flour tortillas, 7 to 8 in. in diameter
1 jar (14 oz.) kimchi, drained and chopped
2 cups shredded jack cheese
2 avocados, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Cilantro leaves


Directions:

1. Top 4 tortillas evenly with kimchi, then with cheese, avocados, and remaining tortillas.

2. Mix oil, vinegar, and sesame seeds in a small bowl; set aside.

3. Heat a 12-in. frying pan over medium-high heat. Toast each quesadilla until lightly browned and cheese has melted, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Slice each quesadilla into wedges, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve with sesame dipping sauce.

Squeeze More Juice Out of Lemons

If you want to get the most juice out of a lemon—short of using a dedicated citrus juicer, break down the lemon by putting some pressure on it before cutting.

Before cutting them, put them on your counter and roll them back and forth, applying heavy pressure with the heel of your hand. This will help break down the lemon and make them easier to juice. Use a tool like a citrus reamer to get out more juice than you could squeezing with your bare hands.