This sweet-yet-tart, summer-perfect “soup” makes a glamorous appetizer when served in shot glasses, garnished with a single slice of ripe strawberry. Remember, the higher the quality of your produce, the better the soup will taste, so make this one at the height of summer when strawberries and tomatoes are at their ripest and most glorious.

• Ingredients
• 1 pints strawberries, hulled, plus a few extra one for garnish $3.50
• 1 red bell pepper, seeds removed, chopped $1
• 1 large, very ripe tomato, cored and chopped 0.50
• ½ red onion, peeled and chopped $0.50 for a whole onion
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped Pantry
• 1/2 cucumber, peeled and chopped $1
• 1 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar Pantry
• 1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil Pantry
• Salt and pepper to taste Pantry
• cold water, as needed

Total Cost of Ingredients $6.50

Directions

Place all ingredients except salt, pepper and water in a food processor or blender and pulse several times, until smooth. Add water as needed to achieve a soupy consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pour into shot glasses, mugs or bowls and garnish with a sliced strawberry or 2.

Serves 3-4.

The brilliance of this recipe lies in the effect that slow-roasting has on most hot sauces. After spending a long time in the oven at a relatively low temperature, your formerly-spicy hot sauce mellows out, making it a suitable coating for a tender chicken. The sweet potatoes provide a built-in side dish, though I like to add a green salad to round out this meal. This is a good one to make on Sunday evening and eat throughout the week.

Note: Thick, almost paste-like hot sauces work best in this recipe (see suggestions below).

• ingredients
• 1 4-4 1/2 lb. roasting chicken, giblets removed $8
• salt and pepper Pantry
• 6 tbsp thick hot sauce (suggestions: harissa, sambal or Sriracha approx. 2.50-$4.50 for a jar/bottle
• 2 large sweet potatoes, skin on, scrubbed and diced $2
• 1 red onion, diced $0.50
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped Pantry
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing Pantry
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges, for serving Pantry

Total Cost of Ingredients $13-$15

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Rinse chicken cavity and exterior under cool running water. Use paper towels to pat it dry. Sprinkle salt and pepper liberally all over chicken. Place chicken breast-up in an 11“x13” casserole or roasting pan.

Working in 1 tbsp increments, rub the hot sauce all over the chicken, outside and inside. Use your hands to gently loosen the chicken skin and rub some sauce in between the chicken’s skin and its flesh. Make sure the whole thing is well-covered. Set chicken in pan aside and wash hands thoroughly.

In a mixing bowl, combine sweet potatoes, onion garlic, olive oil and generous pinches of salt and pepper. Stir well to ensure all pieces of sweet potato are evenly coated with oil and onions and garlic are well-distributed. Surround chicken with the sweet potato mixture, spreading out evenly (do not stuff inside chicken, as sweet potatoes won’t cook evenly this way). Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil.

Roast for 45 minutes with foil on. Uncover and brush top of chicken lightly with olive oil (this helps the skin retain moisture) and roast, uncovered for another 25-30 minutes. Chicken is done when juices from a pierced thigh run clear.

Serve with lemons for squeezing and a shower of fresh chopped cilantro or flat-leaf parsley.

Serves 3-4.

This recipe proves, time and time again, to be the easiest, cheapest way to convince guests that you are a gourmet chef, specializing in exotic treats. Once you master the basic roll-up technique (it takes time but it’s worth it), feel free to get creative and fill these with everything from grilled pork to poached shrimp and fresh avocado.

When we were five years old, I convinced my friend Thomas to taste the water from the water fountain in our classroom for me to make sure it was OK. He graciously did, grimaced and assured me it was disgusting and that I should stick with my juice box. He bravely risked yucky 1986 tap water for me, so it should come as no surprise that this is a guy I put my utmost faith in when it comes to romantic advice, career maneuvers and, of course, beverage choices.

Twenty years later, when we were both living in San Francisco, he worked briefly as a bartender at a fancy restaurant where he made what has got to be one of the best cocktails I have ever imbibed: a cilantro margarita.

I could think of nothing else I’d rather sip under the sun right now, so I called him up and within minutes I had a PDF of the original recipe in my email inbox. I made a few changes, making it less expensive and easier to make, but the outcome is pretty close to the original.

This recipe would also work well with vodka in place of the tequila (for a cleaner, lighter flavor), basil in place of the cilantro and/or with the addition of fresh pummeled fruit, such as strawberries or mango.

• ingredients
• 6 oz. fresh lime juice (about 3 juicy limes) $1.50
• 6 oz. tequila $7 for 375 ml.
• 2 tbsp honey Pantry
• 3 tbsp fresh, finely-chopped cilantro, plus a few sprigs for garnish $1 for a bunch

Total Cost of Ingredients $9.50

Directions

Combine lime juice, tequila and honey in a shaker or pitcher. Shake or stir until honey is mostly dissolved.

Add cilantro and enough ice to chill and stir or shake vigorously until very cold.

Strain into 3-4 glasses.

I am infatuated with harissa, a hot Tunisian chili sauce. Seriously, I am 13-year-old girl to harissa’s Zac Efron. I truly believe it makes everything better.

Spread it on burgers or pizza, drizzle over eggs or try my current way of eating it, in this unique guacamole made with creamy and tart Greek yogurt.

Note: Harissa can reliably be found at Whole Foods in the ethnic foods section.

• ingredients
• 2 avocados, pitted and peeled $3
• 1/4 onion, chopped finely $0.50 for a whole onion
• 1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped (reserve a few pinches for garnish) $1 for a bunch
• 2 cloves garlic, minced Pantry
• 1/4 cup Greek-style yogurt (low-fat or whole milk), plus more for garnish $2 for 8 oz.
• juice of 1/4 lemon $0.50 for a whole lemon
• 2-3 tsp (or more to taste) prepared Harissa, plus more for garnish (I like the Shiloh) $4.50 for 11 oz
• salt and pepper to taste Pantry

Total Cost of Ingredients $9.50

Directions

Mash avocados with the back of a fork until only slightly chunky. To the bowl, add the onion, cilantro, garlic, yogurt and lemon juice. Stir well.

Add 2 tsp of the harissa, taste, and then add a little bit more if you like.

Serve, topped with a dollop of yogurt, a drizzle of harissa and a shower of cilantro. Pita chips and cut-up vegetables make great dippers for this guacamole.