If salmon’s on the menu, I might sprinkle it with salt and pepper and dill, or I might just reach for the salmon rub. Ditto if I’m making beef, chicken or pork — I have a plethora of possiblities.

Now, however, I have a chance to simplify. McCormick has come up with a spice-blend recipe that stands on its own as a seasoning or can be mixed with a variety of ingredients to make a half-dozen marinades with remarkably different flavor profiles.

The first step is stirring together Super Spice Grill Blend: 2 teaspoons each ground cinnamon, garlic powder, crushed rosemary leaves and thyme leaves; 1 teaspoon each oregano leaves and sea salt; and 1/4 teaspoon ground red (cayenne) pepper. Store the blend in a tightly covered jar in a cool, dry place. You’ll have enough to make 2 or 3 marinade recipes.

To make any of these marinades, stir together the ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the marinade mixture to use for basting. Place 1 to 1 1/4 pounds of meat, poultry or seafood into a large, resealable plastic bag or glass dish. Add the remaining marinade; turn the food to coat it well.

Refrigerate seafood for 30 minutes, everything else for 1 hour or longer. Just before cooking, drain and discard the used marinade. Grill the food, basting halfway through the cooking time with the reserved 2 tablespoons marinade. Yield: 4 servings.

Green Tea and Peach Marinade (used on the shrimp in the above photo): Combine 1 tablespoon spice blend, 1/4 cup strong brewed green tea, 2 tablespoons peach preserves, 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar. Best on shrimp, chicken; also good on pork, salmon, steak.

Honey-Pomegranate Marinade: Combine 1 tablespoon spice blend, 1/4 cup pomegranate juice, 2 tablespoons honey and 2 tablespoons lime juice. Best on pork, lamb; also good on steak, chicken, salmon.

Triple-Citrus Marinade: Combine 1 tablespoon spice blend, 1/4 cup orange juice, 2 tablespoons canola oil, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 tablespoon lime juice. Best on chicken, salmon; also good on pork, scallops, shrimp, tuna.

Indian Marinade: Combine 1 tablespoon spice blend, 6 ounces (3/4 cup) plain low-fat yogurt, 2 tablespoons canola oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and, if desired, a pinch of ground turmeric. Best on chicken, pork; also good on lamb.

Caribbean Marinade: Combine 1 tablespoon spice blend, 1/4 cup tropical juice blend and 2 tablespoons each brown sugar, cider vinegar and dark rum. Best on tuna, shrimp; also good on chicken, pork, salmon, steak.

Tuscan Marinade: Combine 1 tablespoon spice blend, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar and 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard. Best on steak, chicken; also good on lamb, pork, salmon.

But what brand of hot dogs do you reach for? The editors at AOL tasted 50 (yes, 50!), six at a time. The hot dogs were served plain, on white paper plates, with no condiments, no buns and no clues as to their identity. (Click here for complete coverage.)

Many of these are regional brands, but the No. 1 hot dog (which, coincidentally, is the favorite in my house as well) is widely available.

What’s your favorite frankfurter?

Here are AOL’s rankings, with comments from their tasters.

#20 DIETZ & WATSON NEW YORK BRAND BEEF FRANKS (All Beef, Natural Casing)

The strong casing caused our panel to snap to attention, and the solid, beefy interior makes this a dandy, workaday dog.

#19 SABRETT SKINLESS BEEF FRANKFURTERS (All Beef)

Our panelists were split on the subtly peppery aftertaste, but all sang the praises of the juicy, gently salted initial flavor experience.

#18 COLEMAN NATURAL UNCURED BEEF HOT DOGS (Uncured, All Beef)

All tasters sang the praises of the smoky, bratwurst-like flavor or this firm, un-fancy frank.

#17 HILLSHIRE FARMS LIT’L BEEF FRANKS (All Beef)

These wee wieners pack a lot of meaty, salty flavor into a bitty bite. The size allows for lots of skin crisping, and our panel deemed ‘em a “perfectly respectable cocktail frank.”

#16 WOLFE’S NECK UNCURED HOT DOGS (Pork, Beef, Natural Lamb Casing)

Our tasters were in agreement that a pinch more salt would really make this pup pop, but still, the snappy, crunchy skin and juicy inside more than made up for it.

#15 OSCAR MEYER PREMIUM BEEF FRANKS (All Beef)

On the other hand, this one got a teensy bit too silly with the salt shaker, but still nosed ahead with a distinctive smoky sweetness, and a snappy skin that crisps up beautifully over an open flame.

#14 OSCAR MAYER WIENERS (Turkey, Chicken, Pork)

This childhood classic holds its own against the fancier franks, earning raves for its spicy, smoky flavor combo and sturdy casing. Oh, Oscar, we are still in love with you.

#13 BALL PARK BEEF FRANKS (All Beef)

Every single tester waxed wacky over the satisfying juice jolt of this stadium staple. The flavor may not be a grand slam, but it’s a solid base hit.

#12 OSCAR MAYER MINI HOT DOGS (All Beef)

This tiny dog has the heart of a champion, fetching maximum intense flavor per square centimeter. As one panelist suggests, “Wrap some Pillsbury around these, and you’ve got a party!”

#11 APPLEGATE FARMS GREAT ORGANIC UNCURED HOT DOG (Organic Grass-Fed Beef, Uncured)

A slightly tangy flavor note nosed this pup toward the front of the pack. While one taster griped about how the skin split on the grill, there wasn’t a single person barking crankily about the beefy, juicy flavor.

#10 THE ORIGINAL BRAT HANS UNCURED GERMAN STYLE WIENER (Pork, Beef, Lamb Casing)

This ultra-lengthy wiener won major praise for its intensely textural natural casing and subtle smoke. A spice mix containing mace, lemon peel, cherry powder and garlic seals the deal.

#9 OSCAR MAYER CHEESE DOGS (Turkey, Pork, Chicken, Pasteurized Cheese Product)

At the risk of sounding cheesy, our panel totally dug this dog. At a backyard cookout or when cooking for kids, this unexpected font of fromage would totally bring the fun.

#8 BALL PARK FRANKS (Beef, Pork, Turkey)

While their beef Ball Park brethren fared well, this meat blend was even more perfectly pitched. Panelists felt it scored major points for thickness and its rich, balanced blend of meaty elements, calling the taste “exactly right” and “explosive.” Home run.

#7 NIMAN RANCH FEARLESS UNCURED BEEF FRANKS (Beef, Uncured)

This haute dog from a prime meat purveyor scored raves from our panelists, who proclaimed it to be a “proper hot dog.” The words “earthy,” “joy,” and “beef explosion” were deployed as well. These nitrate-free franks are steeped in celery juice and spices before being smoked, and the amped-up care and flavor make ‘em worth the extra few bucks.

#6 HATFIELD BEEF FRANKS (All Beef)

Folks found these beef franks a perfect blank canvas upon which they’d like to slather their preferred condiments at a backyard cookout. The skin lends itself to an appealing char and seals in the subtly-spiced juices. Hats off!

#5 TONY PACKO’S HICKORY SMOKED AUTHENTIC HUNGARIAN HOT DOGS (Pork, Beef, Hog Casing)

Fans of tv’s M*A*S*H might remember Tony Packo’s as Corporal Klinger’s dream destination, and this snappy Toledo staple proves to be still in its prime. The smoky, intensely porky, “Hungarian-style” hot dog is entirely a Packo’s invention and won raves from our testers, who called it “perfect.”

#4 NATHAN’S BIGGER THAN THE BUN SKINLESS BEEF FRANKS (Skinless, All Beef)

“Splendidly spiced! Savorytastic!” “Awesome.” This way-out wiener is as long on meaty appeal and salty ka-pow as it is on the bun. It’s so full-up on flavor, it don’t need no stinkin’ epidermis.

#3 BALL PARK ANGUS BEEF FRANKS (All Beef)

“Flavorgasm!” exclaimed one panelist, and another declared this grand slam frank a “most delectable weenie.” The upgrade in beef lofts this “beefy, juicy, yummy” dog to a league of its own.

#2 NATHAN’S KOSHER PREMIUM BEEF FRANKS (All Beef)

The juicy, garlicky jolt of Nathan Handwerker’s signature spice mix blended with high-grade kosher beef is the ultimate expression of a Coney Island classic. We may not have the capacity to knock ‘em back like dog-gobbling champs such as Kobayashi or Joey Chestnut, but we can dare to dream.

#1 HEBREW NATIONAL REDUCED FAT BEEF FRANKS (Kosher, All Beef)

All hail our wiener winner! The company’s slogan claims that Hebrew National answers to a higher authority, so they sure don’t need our panel’s validation, but we’re more than happy to offer it. Despite being a trimmed-fat version of their regular frank, our tasters didn’t note a single shortfall, rather, offering commentary like, “Best flavor yet. More please!” “Fabuloso!” “Well-balanced,” “Full dog flavor,” and plain ol’ “Great!” It’s quite simply, the leader of the pack.

While the memories live on, not all of the recipes survived. One that did, however, is the nut torte served at Pope’s. This copy is courtesy of Jill Allen, granddaughter of Mildred Hoppe, who worked for the Pope family for many years. The recipe is from a 1979 cookbook published by Pope’s.

(For another recipe, a copycat of the date-nut tortes sold at cafeterias in their heyday, click here.)

POPE’S NUT TORTE

Yield: 8 servings

2 tablespoons vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (about 5 large) egg whites, at room temperature

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 large banana

2 cups whipped topping or 1 cup heavy cream whipped with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Maraschino cherries, for garnish

Toasted almonds or pecan pieces, for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease an 8-by-2-inch round pan.

Combine vinegar and salt; use to rinse large bowl of electric mixer to dissolve any trace of grease. Rinse well with water and dry.

Place egg whites and cream of tartar in bowl. Beat on high speed until egg whites form soft peaks. Use a wire balloon-type beater if you have one.

Sift together brown sugar and granulated sugar. With a hand sifter, gradually sprinkle sugar over egg whites, adding about a tablespoon at a time and beating at high speed for at least a minute after each addition.

When all the sugar has been added, continue to beat for at least 5 minutes or until egg whites are glossy and stand in stiff peaks. Tip the bowl; if whites start to slide, you haven’t beaten them enough. Add vanilla and almond extract; mix thoroughly. Remove bowl from mixer.

Combine graham cracker crumbs and pecans; mix thoroughly. Sprinkle a third over the egg whites and fold in gently. Gradually add remaining crumb mix, folding in gently after each addition. Pour into prepared pan and place in oven. Immediately reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees; bake for 35 minutes or until top of torte is firm to the touch but still light in color.

Remove from oven; let cool in pan. Remove from pan and place on serving platter. Slice banana; place slices on torte. Decorate top and sides of torte with whipped topping; sprinkle with cherries and almonds. Refrigerate until ready to serve (if decorated with whipped cream, cake will not store very long).

If you’re in the mood to improvise, add toasted chopped nuts — pecans would be perfect — or a few fresh blueberries. Top the pancakes with butter, if you wish, and a drizzle of honey, real maple syrup or a fruity syrup, such as blueberry.

PEACHY PANCAKES

Yield: 6 servings

4 ripe peaches, peeled if desired, divided

2 cups reduced-fat all-purpose biscuit and baking mix (such as Bisquick)

1 1/2 cups apple juice

1 egg, slightly beaten

Chop 1 peach to make 1 cup. Slice remaining 3 peaches; set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine baking mix, juice and egg until just moistened. Stir in chopped peach.

Heat griddle or skillet over medium heat; coat with nonstick spray. Spoon 1/4 cup batter onto griddle; spread out mixture slightly with the back of spoon. Cook until bubbles form on top and underside is golden brown. Turn pancakes; cook until golden brown. Top with peach slices.

Per serving: 221 calories; 5g protein; 3g fat; 43g carbohydrat; 2g fiber; 477mg sodium; 35mg cholesterol

Recipe and photo courtesy of the California Tree Fruit Agreement; www.eatcaliforniafruit.com.

Sliced pineapple is great on the grill, as are bananas (as long as they’re not too soft). Peaches, plums, apricots and nectarines are naturals.

Use a clean grill topper so your dessert doesn’t pick up traces of the pork steaks (or onions!) that were last on the grid. Let the fire die down to medium before you add the fruit, because its natural sugars can burn quickly if the heat is too high.

Now that peaches and blackberries are coming into season, this recipe is a perfect choice. It’s from Weber’s new, free 36-page cookbook, “Weber’s Grilling What’s Good for You.” For a copy, call the Weber Grill-Line at 1-800-GRILL-OUT (1-800-474-5568) or download it from www.weber.com/goodforyou.

GRILLED PEACHES WITH BLACKBERRY SAUCE

Yield: 4 servings

6 ounces fresh blackberries (about 1 cup)

2 tablespoons water

3 to 4 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 firm but ripe medium peaches, halved, pits removed

Vanilla frozen yogurt, optional

In a food processor, puree berries with water. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons sugar to taste.

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add remaining 1 tablespoon sugar; stir to dissolve. Remove from heat. Brush peach halves all over with melted butter.

Grill peach halves over direct medium heat (350 degrees to 450 degrees) until they are browned in spots and warm throughout, 8 to 10 minutes, turning them every 3 minutes or so. Keep the lid closed as much as possible during grilling.

Serve peaches warm with blackberry sauce. If desired, top with frozen yogurt.

Per serving: 172 calories; 6g fat; 4g saturated fat; 16mg cholesterol; 1mg sodium; 31g carbohydrate; 4g fiber; 1g protein.

In fact, his passion convinced me to pull my own never-used immersible blender off the basement shelf. I used it Saturday to make a low-fat brownie recipe published in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

My husband, son and I didn’t like the brownies all that much (my son’s girlfriend enjoyed them, however, so we gave the rest of the batch to her), but thanks to the immersion blender, they were a cinch to make. I simply poured a can of beans and their liquid into the plastic cup that came with the blender, inserted the blender, and turned it on. The beans turned into a puree in less than 30 seconds.

If you’d like to try the recipe, pour the bean puree into a mixing bowl, then stir in ground cinnamon. The recipe calls for 1 tablespoon, but I thought that was way too much. I’d use a teaspoon or a teaspoon and a half. Then add a box of low-fat brownie mix. The recipe recommends No Pudge! Original, which I bought at Trader Joe’s. Stir until shiny, then bake in a greased 8-inch pan at 350 degrees (or whatever temperature the mix specifies) until done, about 25 to 30 minutes. If you cut the pan into 16 brownies, each will have about 98 calories, 1 gram fat, 21 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams protein, no cholesterol, 146 milligrams sodium and 2 grams dietary fiber.

Now that I have the immersion blender out, I plan to use it for smoothies. (It will be much easier to clean than my regular blender.) For an evening snack, I like to combine skim milk, frozen bananas and maybe a dash of nutmeg or cinnamon. Here’s a similar recipe from “Slurp,” by Nina Dreyer Hensley, Jim Hensley and Paul Lowe ($16.99/Andrews McMeel Publishing). This slurpy is a little more elaborate than my two-ingredient version, but it’s still simple. Omit the ice cubes if you use frozen bananas, and if you don’t have a vanilla bean, use extract to taste.

Blueberry and Vanilla Smoothie
Serves 2

2/3 cup blueberries, preferably frozen, plus extra blueberries, for garnish
1/2 large banana
1 2/3 cups plain yogurt
Seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean
1 tablespoon sugar, optional
6 ice cubes

Place all ingredients except the garnish in a blender and mix until smooth. Pour the
smoothie into glasses and garnish with blueberries.

Photo from “Slurp.”

If you have the time or ambition, you can put the filling in a homemade, prebaked pastry crust. I had neither, so I used a purchased shortbread crust (from the supermarket’s baking aisle). I thought the sweet, rich crust married perfectly with the berries.

My only caution is to make the pie no more than 3 or 4 hours before you plan to serve it. Otherwise, the filling might get watery. (Mine did.) that didn’t effect the flavor, however, and a bit of whipped cream prettied up the pie.

SPECTACULAR STRAWBERRY PIE

2 pounds fresh strawberries

1/2 cup water

1 cup granulated sugar (less if strawberries are very sweet)

3 tablespoons cornstarch

Grated zest of 1 small orange (colored portion of peel)

Red food coloring, optional (but it makes the pie much more attractive)

1 (9-inch) pie crust, baked and cooled

Sweetened whipped cream, for serving (see note)

Rinse and drain strawberries, then hull them.

First make the glaze. With a potato masher (or a fork, if you don’t have a potato masher), crush enough berries to measure 1 cup. Transfer crushed berries to a medium saucepan. Stir in water, then stir in sugar and cornstarch. Place over medium heat.

Cook, stirring frequently, until mixture starts to boil. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until liquid thickens and turns from cloudy to clear. Remove from heat. Stir in orange zest. Add food coloring, a drop at a time, until filling reaches the desired color. Let cool completely.

Meanwhile, cut small berries in half, large berries into quarters.

When glaze is cool, spread a small amount over the pie crust. Add a layer of berries, packing them in tightly. Add more glaze, saving just enough to brush lightly over the top of the pie. Add the remaining berries, arranging them in an attractive pattern, then brush with the remaining glaze. Cover loosely and refrigerate an hour or until cold.

Serve with sweetened whipped cream.

Note: A pie this packed with berries deserves real whipped cream, not frozen whipped topping. Fresh cream is easy to whip. Chill a small metal bowl and your mixer’s beaters in the freezer for 10 or 15 minutes. Add a cup or so of heavy (whipping) cream and a little bit of superfine or powdered sugar to the bowl; you want just a hint of sweetness. Beat until soft peaks form when you lift the beaters. If you’d like, stir in a little bit of grated orange zest to accentuate the orange flavor in the pie.

The party, sponsored by Bravo, was at Room 21, a restaurant at 2110 S. Wabash Ave. in Chicago’s South Loop. Legend has it that the building was a speakeasy and one of Al Capone’s liquor warehouses, but today it’s an upscale restaurant with unusual, eye-catching light fixtures and a beautiful patio.

After an hour or so of appetizers (lamb chop “lollipops” with Dijon sauce and an herb crust, scallops with a dollop of chimichurri and pickled shallot, duck confit rolls among them), drinks (I tried a Gin Rickety, Room 21’s name for a classic gin rickey made with fresh lime juice and soda water) and mingling (Stephanie was pleasant but seemed a bit subdued), the partygoers assembled on the patio to watch the show on a big-screen TV. Stephanie, her parents and her sister sat front and center.

The guests cheered when Stephanie did well, chatted during the commercials and nibbled on chocolate-covered caramel corn, mini red velvet cupcakes, peanut butter and jelly truffles and other desserts.

Toward the end of the hour-long show, a few eagle-eyed guests noticed the bartenders lining up champagne flutes. Sure enough, waiters circulated with trays of champagne as soon as Stephanie’s win was announced.

What’ s next for Stephanie? She plans to open a restaurant in Chicago. She’s focusing on the area around downtown, hoping to attract lunch and dinner crowds.

Meanwhile, the show’s finalists are taking to the road for a summer promotional tour. St. Louis is on the schedule for July 16, although the exact location and the name of the chefs who will be here are yet to be announced. Admission is free, but tickets are required. When the details are firmed up, they will be available from the tour website.

(Photo courtesy of Bravo.)

Have a nice week!

This recipe is from “Cooking Light Complete Cookbook.” What’s a recipe for sangria doing in a light cookbook? Think about it — red wine has health benefits (in moderation, of course), and in sangria, it’s diluted by juice and the sparkling water. Meanwhile, the fruit sneaks in nutrients even as it adds flavor.

Speaking of fruit, you can add almost anything that is fresh and appealing. Peach slices would be nice, for example, and so would green grapes.

EASY SANGRIA

Yield: 8 (3/4-cup) servings

1 (1.5-liter) bottle dry red wine, divided

2 tablespoons brandy

2 tablespoons Triple Sec (orange-flavored liqueur)

1/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup fresh orange juice

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

5 whole cloves

3 whole allspice

1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick

2 cups sparkling water, chilled

8 orange wedges

5 lemon slices

5 lime slices

Combine 1 cup wine, brandy, Triple Sec and sugar, stirring well to dissolve sugar. Stir in remaining wine, juices and spices. Chill at least 2 hours.

Strain mixture into a pitcher; discard solids. Just before serving, stir in sparkling water and fruit.

Per serving: 199 calories; trace fat; 0.5g protein; 16g carbohydrates; trace fiber; 10mg sodium; 18mg calcium.