This soup uses store-bought low-sodium chicken broth doctored with vegetables and herbs to brighten its flavor. Once completed, the soup is served immediately.

This recipe was published in our cookbook The Best Light Recipe.

Per 1 1/2-cup serving:
Cal 120; Fat 1.5 g; Sat fat 0 g; Chol 0 mg; Carb 22 g; Protein 6 g; Fiber 5 g; Sodium 930 mg

Flank steaks smaller or larger than 2 pounds can be used, but adjust the amount of salt and pepper accordingly. We prefer flank steak cooked rare or medium-rare. If the steak is to retain its juices, it must be allowed to rest before being sliced. If using a gas grill, cook the steak over high heat, following the times in step 3, but keep the cover down. If the meat is significantly underdone when tested with a paring knife, turn off one burner and position the steak so that the thinner side is over the cool part of the grill and the thicker side is over the hot part of the grill.

Most of the big snack companies sell some variation on a cream-filled, chocolate-covered cupcake. We love the concept, just not the artificial, bland flavors. Could we make cream-filled cupcakes from scratch at home? Here’s what we discovered:

Test Kitchen Discoveries

• Use the reverse creaming method, which means cutting the butter into the dry ingredients (as with biscuit dough), to achieve a tender, close-crumbed cupcake. A more traditional large-crumbed cake wasn’t sturdy enough to hold the cream and support the thick frosting.
• To fill the cupcake, cut a cone-shaped hole in the top of the cupcake, remove a portion of the interior, and fill the hole with cream. The frosting will cover any evidence of the hole.
• Add light corn syrup to the glaze so that it clings tightly to the cupcake and has a glossy texture.

Bake the cupcakes in a greased and floured muffin tin rather than paper cupcake liners so the chocolate glaze can run down the sides of the cooled cakes.

Deviled eggs are a classic picnic snack prone to an all-too-common problem: a greenish colored yolk and a sulfurous odor. What causes the problem and how do you make perfect deviled eggs every time? Here’s what we discovered:

Test Kitchen Discoveries

• Don’t boil the eggs. After countless tests, the test kitchen found it best to cover the eggs with an inch of water, bring to a boil, cover, and remove from the heat. After 10 minutes, drain the eggs and cool in ice water. The gentle heat perfectly cooks the eggs—not a chance of the green tinge or unpleasant smell.
• For the creamiest texture, force the yolks through a fine-mesh sieve before mixing with the filling ingredients.
• For an elegant appearance, pipe the filling into the egg white shells with an impromptu pastry bag prepared from a zipper-lock bag. Simply place the filling in the bag, squeeze it tightly into one corner of the bag, and snip 1/2 inch off that corner. The filling can also be stored this way, at the ready, for up to two days. Just don’t cut the bag until you’re ready to fill the eggs.

To center the yolks, turn the carton of eggs on its side in the refrigerator the day before you plan to cook the eggs.