If you like oil and vinegar on your salad, you will love this vinegarette. Based on a basic recipe in Everyday Food: Great Food Fast, I whipped up this vinegarette using fresh basil and garlic and apple cider vinegar.

1/4 cup fresh basil
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
pinch of sugar
2/3 cup olive oil

Place all ingredients in a blender, food chopper, or processor and combine. Refrigerate vinegarette in an air-tight container up to 2 weeks.

My favorite salad mix: baby spinach, sliced cucumbers, shredded carrot, raisins, and walnuts topped with this tasty dressing.

Another rub recipe from Everyday Food: Great Food Fast, though this one is a wet rub. Unlike dry rubs, this must be stored in the refrigerator and can last up to one week. This zesty rub works well with leaner foods like turkey, chicken breasts, and flaky white fish (think halibut, cod, or snapper).

1 tbsp dried tarragon
1 tbsp grated lemon zest
4 dried bay leaves, crumbled
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsp coarse salt
3/4 tsp ground pepper
3 tsp olive oil

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Use fingers to rub the mixture on the meat.

I’m really into rubs because it doesn’t require the time marinades do, plus the combinations of herbs and spices is nearly endless! Here is another rub mixture from Everyday Food: Great Food Fast, this one using chili powder, cumin, brown sugar, and oregano (almost like a sweet taco seasoning). This rub would work with most cuts of beef and is great on pork chops (or tenderloin).

1 tbsp plus 1 tsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt

In a small bowl, mix all ingredients. Use immediately or store in an airtight jar in a cool, dark place. Lasts up to 6 months. Makes 10 teaspoons of rub mix.

The brown sugar will caramelize slightly when cooked, which will give foods a sweet glaze (beware of burning, as brown sugar contains a small amount of molasses).

From the magazine Everyday Food, this dip uses Vidalia onions, which are considered one of the mildest variety of onions. The cooking time in this recipe concentrates the sugars in the onions for extra sweetness. The serving suggestion is for potato chips, but crackers, pretzels, or small slices of bread would also go great with this versatile dip. I like how easy it is to make, and that you can use reduced-fat products without sacrificing flavor (look for 1/3 less fat cream cheese, not fat-free). Vidalia onions should be in season at Farmer’s Markets, I found one large onion to use instead of 2 smaller ones.

1 tbsp olive oil
2 Vidalia onions (1 lb total), finely chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
2 ounces reduced-fat bar cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 tsp white-wine vinegar
1/4 cup finely chopped chives
potato chips, for serving

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add onions, season with salt (save pepper for after cooking time, it can burn). Cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes. Season with pepper and let cool to room temperature.

In a medium bowl, combine onions, sour cream, cream cheese, vinegar, and chives, seasoning with additional salt and pepper as desired. Use a food processor, chopper, or blender to bring dip to desired consistency (as smooth or as chunky as you prefer). Chill dip until thickened, about 1 hour. Can be covered and refrigerated up to 2 days. Serve with chips, or try it with raw veggies like baby carrots.

Shown below, garnished with some leftover chives:

From Everyday Food: Great Food Fast, this recipe “is so easy and quick to put together, you may never rely on store-bought sauce again. And what’s more, you probably already have all the necessary ingredients in your kitchen.” This is true, I did have all of the ingredients in my kitchen, with the exception of the hot sauce. I made mine a little smokey instead by stirring in a pinch of cumin.

1 tsp hot sauce
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
3 tbsp dijon mustard
3 garlic cloves, minced (1 1/2 tsp)
1/2 cup ketchup

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine hot sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, molasses, mustard, garlic, and ketchup. Stir well and bring to a simmer. Simmer 5-7 minutes or until sauce thickens.

This recipe can be used on cut-up chicken pieces on the grill or on boneless, skinless chicken breast in the broiler.

On the grill:

Toss chicken pieces (about 3 lbs) in a large bowl with 1 tbsp vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper. Lightly oil grates and place the chicken on the grill. Cover and cook, turning frequently until chicken is almost done, 10-15 minutes. Uncover grill, continue cooking while basting frequently with the sauce, until the chicken is glazed thoroughly, about 5 minutes. Serve with remaining sauce.

In the broiler:

Season 5-6 chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Coat broiler pan in cooking spray. Brush sauce over both sides of chicken. Cook 25-30 minutes, rotating and coating chicken every 10 minutes until done. Serve with remaining sauce.

Chicken breasts from the broiler: