Top 10 Culinary Arts Recipes - Week of July 7, 2008

The fact that this week's most popular recipe is an oil and vinegar salad dressing tells me that summer is definitely in full swing.

This recipe for Italian vinaigrette is a simple variation on the basic vinaigrette formula, substituting extra virgin olive oil for regular salad oil and also incorporates freshly minced garlic, chopped parsley and other herbs.

After placing first last week, it would've been easy for this classic summer vegetable dish to mail it in. But that's just not the way ratatouille plays the game.

In addition to eggplants and tomatoes, this version of ratatouille features zucchini, yellow squash, red and yellow bell peppers, and toasted pine nuts.

"Pot roast" has got to be one of the great oxymorons of all time, right up there with "healthy tan" and "corporate culture." That's because pot roast isn't roasted at all — it's braised.

If you love tender, succulent, flavorful beef, this newcomer to the Top 10 will surprise and delight.

Chicken Piccata is a classic Italian recipe that really takes all the difficulty out of cooking chicken. The simple, tangy sauce is pretty heavenly, too.

Pasta puttanesca is another newcomer to the Top 10. This classic dish notable for the fact that it can be prepared with ingredients — olive oil, tomatoes, olives, capers, garlic — that most Italians are likely to have in their pantries.

These simple scones are light, flaky and buttery, and there are endless variations on this basic recipe.

One of the most popular quick breads, banana bread helps put overripe bananas, that would otherwise be destined for the garbage, to good use, making it a great recipe for anyone who likes to be frugal.

A coulis (pronounced "koo-lee") is a simple sauce made of puréed vegetables or fruits, which can be served hot or cold. This recipe for bell pepper coulis is yet another newcomer to the Top 10. It's a nice accompaniment for roasted meats and makes a tasty and colorful garnish for puréed soups, too.

This waffles recipe is a bit more involved than the basic recipe, but the fluffier result is worth it. It uses melted butter in addition to oil, and the waffles are made lighter by incorporating stiffly beaten egg whites into the batter.

Rice pilaf refers to rice that is cooked by the "pilaf method," in which the uncooked rice is first sautéed in butter, after which hot liquid or stock is added, and then the pot is covered and cooked in the oven until all the liquid is absorbed.