. I’ve been cooking and writing about it for decades, in books, magazines and newspapers. Along the way I’ve collected a list of my favorite recipes. Asparagus Lasagna is on my “great-recipe lineup.” Asparagus and pasta are a perfect couple; they create a luscious contrast in flavors and textures, especially when bound with a creamy goat cheese-spiked sauce. Roasting asparagus…
This dish is downright irresistible. It’s easy to prepare and has a short ingredient list. Chicken with Roasted Grapes is a one-skillet wonder that is a weeknight favorite, but certainly is delicious enough to serve as a company dinner entree. The whole red grapes, chicken, and peeled garlic cloves, team with rosemary, black pepper, and kosher salt. A luscious sauce…
Green beans cooked to perfection, somewhere between hard and soft, are delicious tossed with a sauce made with Asian-style ingredients. Oyster-flavored sauce, that bottled oh-so-tangy condiment, adds umami to the mix. Mirin, rice vinegar and sugar balance out the flavors with sweetness. Toasted sesame seeds add a gentle crunch and welcome nuttiness. In Chinese restaurants, a version of this dish often…
Chicken can make a delicious taco filling, but boneless, skinless chicken breasts can lack flavor bling. Chipotle chilies canned in adobo sauce adds both flavor and aroma to the poaching liquid. Chipotles are smoked, dried jalapeno chilies and they add an enticing rich smokiness. More add-ins heighten flavor, too, including garlic, orange juice and Worchester sauce, plus a smidgen of…
At our house, we call slabs of cauliflower “vegetarian steaks.” They are a welcome steam-roast treat to serve when the vegan branch of our family visits. I like the way the chefs at America’s Test Kitchen steam them in a scorching hot oven under a blanket of aluminum foil before roasting them to create lovely caramelization on the exteriors. A…
Avocado’s rich, nutty taste and creamy texture pairs beautifully with the sweet-sour perkiness of oranges. The fruit duo is especially appealing in a simple salad along with tender lettuce, fresh lemon juice and crunchy almonds. Most often avocados are found firm-to-the-touch in the marketplace; they only ripen off the tree. If they are hard when you buy them, they will…
Recently I welcomed Tara Punzone to my home kitchen to show me how to prepare her scrumptious Pesto Cavatelli. Punzone is the celebrated vegan chef behind Pura Vita, the 100 percent plant-based Italian restaurant and wine bar in West Hollywood. Her new cookbook, “Vegana Italiana” (Rodale), is a lively celebration of old-world Italian flavors transformed to be entirely plant-based. No…
For just a couple more weeks, it will be fresh Hatch chilies season. Their flavorful flesh takes on an alluring scent when roasted. Once roasted, peeled and seeded, they are irresistible in a wide variety of dishes. One of my favorite ways to use them is to show them off in a Hatch Chili New Mexican Style Sauce. As the…
Sarah Ahn and her mother Nam Soon Ahn show off their delicious Grilled Cheese-Kimchi Sandwich, from a recipe in their new bestselling cookbook, “UMMA.” Many of their posts have gone viral, often with over 10 million views on Tik Tok and Instagram. The posts resonate with viewers, and grocery stores often sell out of featured ingredients after the videos air….
Make it vegetarian, or make it vegan! Or garnish with creme fraiche if it’s in your liking. This low-calorie Cream of Mushroom Soup with Green Onions is quick to make. Each serving is only 60 calories. The dark brown caps of cremini mushrooms add a delightful earthiness to the pureed soup. The concoction is frothy like a steamy cappuccino, especially if you use…
This colorful salad is a luscious addition to brunches, or showcased on a buffet table. Guests who have lukewarm attitudes towards fruit salad my find themselves coming back for seconds! Switch up the ingredients to align with the season. In the summer when stone fruit is at its best, include some plums, or apricots, or nectarines. Plums are divine. In…
Skillet-toasted cheese bread is super delicious with this perky salad. I found this salad recipe from PBS television star Lidia Bastianich’s newsletter. Bastianich, restauranteur, and cookbook author, pairs a salad of radicchio, endive, apple, and pecorino cheese with skillet-toasted cheese toasts. I’ve modified her recipe to add Bibb lettuce to the mix and reduce the amount of radicchio and endive….