This chicken dish from Eva’s Kitchen (Clarkson Potter, 2011) by Eva Longoria is so easy and so flavorful that you will make it all the time. The trick is to work fast once the chicken is cooked and add the salt and lemon as soon as you get the chicken out of the pan. Don’t worry if it looks like too much lemon juice—when the chicken is hot, the juice soaks through the crispy coating and adds fabulous flavor to the chicken.

Eva Longoria grew up in Texas, where there were lemon trees and mint all over her family’s ranch. This recipe from her cookbook Eva’s Kitchen (Clarkson Potter, 2011) blends the two flavors together in a delicious way. For kids or anyone not drinking alcohol, this is a fabulously festive and beautiful nonalcoholic treat. Or add a shot of rum or vodka to each glass and make a cocktail out of it for a perfect summer drink!

When I was a kid, chalupas were to us what PB&J is to other families. Whenever we were looking for a snack or needed a quick meal, the makings for chalupas were the first things to come out of the fridge. In fact, chalupas were the first thing my mom taught me how to cook. I know now that this is because it was all about assembling more than actual cooking. And they’re fun! Serve them family-style so that each person gets his or her own fried tortilla and can pile on beans, chicken, and any other toppings as high as desired. The effect is beautiful and dramatic.

While Eva Longoria may be most recognized for her role as saucy Gabrielle Solis on Desperate Housewives, on her own time there are few places she’d rather be than in her kitchen cooking for family and friends or collaborating with her executive chefs on menus for Beso, their restaurant with locations in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Her first cookbook, Eva’s Kitchen (Clarkson Potter, April 2011), captures Eva’s love of food and her fascinating life story, from her Texas roots and Mexican heritage to her incredibly successful acting career.