Roasted Baby Eggplants
With their caramelized exterior and velvety insides, these bite-size eggplants are melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Serve with marinara for an especially irresistible side dish. Midsummer through the first frost is the ideal time for eggplant, and the baby varieties offer a little something special where this edible berry is concerned. Though commonly used as, and therefore considered,…
Salmon (or Chicken) Caesar Wraps
Light, crisp Caesar wraps are a no-cook, no-wilt, hand-held alternative to the classic salad. Flexible, filling, and brimming with flavor! As someone who grew up with sandwiches as the staple lunch fare, I was slow to join the wrap craze when it arrived years ago. The texture and thickness of my go-to whole grain bread…
Stuffed Acorn Squash
Wholesome and hearty stuffed acorn squash is an all-in-one meal that’s bursting with savory flavor. It even comes with an edible bowl! Acorn squash always makes me think of my grandmother. The dark green vegetable, with its signature splotch of orange, was not something we ate at home. My grandmother, however, cooked with it often.…
Roasted Cherry Tomato Soup (or Sauce)
Roasted Cherry Tomato Soup is an ideal way to use an abundance of tomatoes and can be adapted to include additional produce, proteins, and pasta. Delicious as a sauce too! Consider this an added value recipe. For starters, it’s an easy way to make practical, even long term, use of seasonal produce. (It freezes well.)…
Curried Chicken Salad
Tender chicken is bathed in a light, creamy, curry-spiced dressing and studded with crisp celery and crunchy cashews for the ultimate chicken salad you’ll crave for every potluck, backyard BBQ, packed lunch, and casual dinner. I meant to post in the summer of 2015, and here we are 10 years later! This recipe for curried…
Bruschetta Chicken (grill and stovetop options)
Bruschetta Chicken turns the classic appetizer into a summery entree by replacing the crostini base with grilled or pan-seared chicken for a nutritious, versatile meal that’s easy to make yet worthy of company! Bruschetta Chicken is the perfect summer meal, and the highlight is the no-cook topping made with vine-ripened tomatoes, a drizzle of balsamic…
Classic Kale Caesar Salad
My very favorite (and easy!) Caesar dressing pairs beautifully with shredded kale for a hearty salad that can be enjoyed as a versatile side dish or as a complete meal with the addition of a protein of choice. When contemplating the salads I make most often, this super satisfying number is most definitely in my…
Chili Lime Chicken
Add memorable flavor to basic chicken with a blend of spices you likely have on hand. Perfect as is and in burrito bowls, with or without the optional sauce. When I first wrote about this chicken for a newspaper recipe column in 2015, I alluded to a debate I was having with myself as to…
Shrimp Creole
Easy to make but company-worthy, a spoonful of rice is all you need to complete this flavor-packed meal. Convenient prep-ahead options included. Shrimp Creole was one of my mom’s special occasion recipes, a meal she served when company came or there was something to celebrate. But the flavor and ease of this Southern Louisiana staple…
Parmesan Baked Flounder with Lemon Dill Sauce
Lemon, garlic, and a crispy crumb topping turn mild flounder into a dinnertime superstar. Easy enough for weeknight meals yet special enough for company. The roots of this recipe lie in a quick weeknight meal I made often as a young mom. It’s also the dish I credit with making fish lovers out of my…
April Fool’s Meatloaf Cupcakes
What’s more fun than playing a harmless practical joke on your family? This one, well…it takes the cake! When I met Ann and started cooking through her long list of recipes, I stumbled upon April Fool’s Fruit Punch. At the time, my kids were 2 and 4, and I knew I had to make it.…
Easy Roasted Sausage, Peppers, and Onions
Sausage, peppers, and onions are tossed with simple Italian seasonings and then roasted to perfection for an easy meal that can be enjoyed over rice, pasta, or as the best sausage sandwiches. Easy, colorful, and hearty. This meal is versatile comfort food at its best. The most basic of ingredients – sausage, vegetables, and seasonings…
