In her new cookbook, Cooking from the Hip, Mississippi-native and Iron Chef Cat Cora shares some of her favorite fast and easy recipes.

Lemonade Cookies

Makes 4 dozen cookies

It’s a like a magic trick to pull a can of lemonade out of the freezer and say to the kids, “Do you think we can make this lemonade into cookies?”

If you want to make the cookie dough ahead of time it can be refrigerated for several days if you seal it in two layers of plastic wrap. Dough straight from the refrigerator should bake for about 12 minutes; dough at room temperature bakes in 8 to 10 minutes.

1 6-oz. can frozen lemonade concentrate

1/2 lb. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar, plus extra to sprinkle over the cookies

2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest (optional)

2 large eggs

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/8 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Fill a large bowl with warm water, and plop in the unopened can of lemonade while you mix the cookie dough.

In a large bowl cream together the butter and the sugar with a hand mixer. Add the lemon zest, if desired. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until the mixture is light and creamy, 4 to 5 minutes, then set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, the baking soda and salt.

Measure out 1/2 cup of the thawed lemonade, and set the rest aside. Add about one third of the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar. Stir, then add about one third of 1/2 cup of lemonade. Continue adding the flour and lemonade alternately, stirring after each addition, until the mixture shows no streaks of flour. Beat on low speed with the mixer just until all the ingredients are combined.

Drop rounded teaspoonfuls of the dough 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake the cookies, checking them after 8 minutes. When the edges are just starting to brown, remove the cookies from the oven. (The centers will still look soft.) Using a pastry brush, immediately brush the top of each cookie very lightly with a little of the remaining lemonade, then lightly sprinkle with sugar. Transfer the cookies to a rack, and allow them to cool completely.

Salmon and Scallop Skewers with Romesco Sauce

3 T extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3 T fresh lime juice

8 oz. salmon filet, cut into 8 equal chunks

8 sea scallops

8 8-inch wooden skewers, soaked in cool water for at least 1 hour

1 red onion, cut into 1 ¼ inch chunks

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 /4 inch chunks

1 poblano chili, cut into 1 ¼ inch chunks

Romesco Sauce

1 red bell pepper, roasted

1 / 4 cup cherry tomatoes, roasted

1 T coarsely chopped almonds

2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1 T sherry vinegar

1 / 4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Pinch of kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 or preheat grill.

In a baking dish, combine the olive oil, salt and pepper to taste and lime juice. Add the salmon and the scallops to the dish and stir with a wooden spoon to coat all the pieces. Cover and refrigerate while you make the sauce.

Sauce: In a blender, combine the roasted red peppers, tomatoes, almonds, garlic, vinegar and olive oil, blending until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

Remove the salmon and scallops from the marinade, and discard the liquid. Pat dry each scallop and chunk of fish with paper towels. Thread each skewer with 2 onion chunks, 1 salmon chunk, red pepper and poblano chunks and 1 scallop.

To bake or broil: Set the skewers on a baking sheet, and place on the top rack of your oven. Bake or broil 4 minutes, then rotate the baking sheet in the oven and give each skewer a half turn. Bake or broil for another 4 minutes, or until the salmon is firm to the touch and the scallops have begun to brown at the edges.

To Grill: These cook so quickly, so it’s best to set them to the side of the grill and not directly over the flame. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then turn. Turn the skewers gently so that the fish doesn’t break and fall into the fire. When the salmon feels firm to the touch and the scallops show light browning along the edges, remove from the grill. Arrange two criss crossed skewers on each plate and spoon the sauce over them.

Crispy “Fried” Chicken

2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 2 ½ to 3 lb. fryer, cut into pieces

1/ 2 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 / 4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 cups cornflakes

1 / 2 cup light buttermilk

1 T Dijon mustard

1 / 8 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tsp. paprika

1 / 2 T finely chopped fresh sage, or 1 / 2 tsp ground sage

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Pour the olive oil into a baking pan large enough to hold the chicken pieces in a single layer without crowding. Using your fingers, rub the oil over the dish so that it’s completely but lightly coated.

Rinse the chicken in cold water and pat dry. In a wide bowl or on a large plate, season the flour with the salt and the pepper. Dredge each chicken piece in the flour until it’s completely coated. Tap the chicken against the side of the bowl to loosen any excess flour, and set the pieces aside. Discard the flour.

Crush the cornflakes by placing them in a big resealable plastic bag, carefully pressing the bag to push out the air. Seal the bag (leaving as little air inside as possible) and crush the flakes using a rolling pin. Pour the crushed flakes into a wide bowl or onto a large plate.

In a bowl large enough to dip the chicken pieces, mix the buttermilk, mustard, cayenne (if using), paprika and sage. Give each floured chicken piece a good buttermilk bath all over, then roll in the crushed flakes. Arrange the chicken pieces in the prepared baking pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, lower the heat to 375 degrees and cook for another 25 to 30 minutes, until cooked through and crispy