Stars' Favorite Recipes

Sara Ramirez's Key Lime Pie and Chai Drink

Key Lime Pie

Serves 8

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup sugar, plus 2 tbsp, divided
4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
4 egg yolks
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh key lime juice or regular lime juice
3/4 cup chilled heavy cream
Sliced limes for garnish

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine graham cracker crumbs, 1/2 cup sugar and butter. Press mixture over bottom and up sides of 9" glass pie plate.4 Bake crust in middle of oven for 10 minutes; let cool.
Whisk together egg yolks, condensed milk and lime juice. Pour mixture into crust. Place on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, or until center is set. Cool on wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
In medium bowl beat cream until frothy. Add 2 tbsp sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Spread over pie and garnish with lime slices.

Chai Drink
Serves 8

8 cups cold almond non-dairy beverage (found in your grocer's natural food or dairy section, or next to soy milk)
3 tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp Splenda (or 8 packets)
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cloves

Combine all ingredients in a large pitcher. Working in batches, fill blender with ice cubes. Add almond beverage and blend on high speed. Divide chai drink among 8 glasses. Garnish with cinnamon stick, if desired.

LeAnn Rimes's Cabo Chicken and Sangria

Cabo Chicken

Serves 8

2 cups fresh lime juice
1 cup olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsp salt
8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, (about 6 oz. each)

In bowl whisk together lime juice, olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes and salt. Divide chicken into two resealable plastic bags. Pour half the marinade into each bag. Seal and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight, turning several times.
Heat broiler, setting rack 4" from heat; or prepare a charcoal grill with hot coals, setting rack 4" from coals; or heat a gas grill to high.
Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Place chicken on grill rack. Broil or grill chicken, turning frequently, 6-7 minutes per side or until an instant read thermometer registers 170F.

Sangria
Serves 8

2 cups apple juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup mint leaves
3 cinnamon sticks
2 bottles dry white wine (750 ml each)
2 ripe peaches, pitted and sliced
2 ripe pears, cored and sliced
2 oranges, sliced
1 lemon, sliced
2 bottles chilled sparkling apple cider (750 ml each)
Mint sprigs for garnish

Pour apple juice into two ice cube trays. Freeze 4 hours or overnight. In a small saucepan bring to boil 1 ¼ cups water, sugar, mint, and cinnamon sticks. Reduce heat; simmer for 5 minutes or until sugar has dissolved. Let cool to room temperature. Discard mint and cinnamon sticks.
In large punch bowl combine mint sugar water, fruit and white wine. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Before serving add apple ice cubes and sparkling apple cider. Garnish with mint sprigs.

Melina Kanakaredes's Stuffed Grape Leaves with Avgolemono (Dolmathes)

Serves 8

1 jar grape leaves in brine (16 oz.)
1/2 lb. ground pork
1/2 lb. ground beef
1 1/2 cups minced onion
1 cup uncooked rice
1 cup dry white wine
2 tbsp chopped mint
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup olive oil
3 eggs
1 cup fresh lemon juice

Rinse grape leaves well. Place in large bowl covered with cold water for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine meat, onion, rice, white wine, mint, salt and pepper.
Drain leaves and pat dry. Place 1 leaf, vein side up on work surface. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling in center, near the stem end of the leaf. Fold the stem end over the filling, then fold in the sides and roll jelly-roll style. Line the bottom of a Dutch oven with 6 grape leaves, seam-side down. Continue rolling remaining grape leaves, fitting them snugly into Dutch oven, making a second layer as necessary. Keeping a snug fit ensure that the leaves will not unfold or come loose. Cover filled grape leaves with 6 remaining grape leaves. Pour 1 cup chicken broth over leaves and drizzle with olive oil. Weigh down leaves with a heatproof plate. Cover and simmer over low heat, 35-40 minutes or until rice is cooked.
In medium saucepan heat 1 cup chicken broth; keep warm.
In bowl with electric beater, beat eggs until thickened. Add in lemon juice and ½ cup of the hot chicken broth into the egg mixture. Whisk this mixture back into the remaining chicken broth in the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thick and coats the back of a spoon. Do not let mixture boil or it will curdle. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with stuffed grape leaves.

Emily Deschanel's Breadworks' Vegan Cookie

Makes 6 dozen

1 1/2 cup rolled oats
1 1/4 cups spelt flour
1 1/4 cups oat flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup maple syrup
1 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Heat oven to 325F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In medium bowl combine rolled oats, spelt flour, oat flour, salt and baking soda.
In large bowl whisk together maple syrup, canola oil and vanilla. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Fold in chocolate chips and walnuts.

Mound dough, level tablespoonfuls, onto baking sheets. Bake 11-13 minutes or until evenly browned. Cool on baking sheets for 3 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Chris Noth's Fish & Chips

Serves 8

2 ripe avocados, peeled, halved and pitted
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tbsp chopped chipotle in adobo
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
4 lb. firm white fish, like haddock, cut into strips
3 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
Vegetable oil for frying
Lemons for garnish

In small bowl mash together avocado, mayonnaise, sour cream and chipotle. Season with salt to taste.
In bowl combine flour, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. In separate bowl whisk together eggs and milk. Dredge fish strips in flour mixture, shaking off any excess; dip in egg mixture and roll in panko. Place fish strips on baking sheet and refrigerate 30 minutes.

In deep heavy pot, heat 3" vegetable oil to 350F. Working in batches, fry fish strips 3-4 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Drain on a paper towel-lined baking sheet.

Serve with chips, avocado dip or tartar sauce.