F O O D !
Get inspired to try something new, make something better or upgrade your kitchen with these tasty bits. Or heck, throw a whole dinner party and order my cookbook “The Dinner Party Project” out now!
Asian-Inspired Crispy Pork Lettuce Wraps
This recipe is part of a series about leftovers! The pork in the image is leftover pork shoulder from an easy, totally tender, and crazy flavorful roasted pork shoulder. I bring this up because, if you haven’t already made the pork shoulder, then this recipe isn’t super useful. If you want to make something like this right away, you can do it with thinly sliced pork, beef, chicken, or tofu! But I would encourage you to make the pork shoulder and then turn it into these lettuce wraps because the transformation of turning a giant hunk of meat into something healthy and delicate is magical.
Ribs and Ranch Salad
Literally nothing makes me happier than bbq sauce and ranch living harmoniously on top of a salad. You might say this salad is my personal version of heaven. I hope it brings you 1/16th of the joy it brings me!
Baked Butternut Squash Mac And Cheese
Converting one dish into another is one of my favorite creative kitchen projects. This recipe uses a “Creamy” Butternut Squash Soup as a base and by simply adding a few more ingredients turns it into something totally new. This idea can be extrapolated using lots of different kinds of pureed soups. This happens to be one of my favorites since the yellow from the squash gives it a good Kraft mac color and adds a little bit of sugar which plays really nicely with the mustard we add!
Chicken-Soup-Esque Beef Stew
Two of my favorite things are a matzo ball soup doused in fresh herbs and a hearty mega-comforting beef stew, so why not combine them into one perfect stew? This recipe uses leftover Wine Drunk Short Ribs, but any slow-cooked and tender meat will do!
Mushroomy Farro Salad
This is a perfect grain salad to keep in your fridge and munch on during the week or serve warm as a side with dinner. It’s super flavorful, easy to adapt based on whatever ingredients you have lying around, and is fun to munch on.
Portobello Mushroom Burgers
Listen, if you’re looking for the best veggie burger that will satisfy any and all humans (that don’t hate mushrooms) THIS IS YOUR BURGER. The mushroom turns out soft and tender but also meaty and the special sauce really makes you feel like you’re eating a legit diner burger. I hope you love these as much as I do!
Short Rib Quesadilla
One of my favorite kitchen sink lunches is turning last night’s dinner leftovers into a creative (and sometimes bizarre) quesadilla. Living in LA I’ve got access to fresh tortillas 24/7 from Northgate Market, but pretty good tortillas can be found almost anywhere. Look for ones that are soft and pliable, they’ll give you a great texture and not dry out in the pan.
Serial Kaler Salad
If you’ve enjoyed a kale salad at a restaurant but your homemade salad makes you feel like you’re grazing in a bitter pasture, the secret is the kale massage. Kale only tastes good in a salad if you give it a massage first. Simply remove those nasty kale ribs, cut up the kale, then take bunches of kale and rub the heck out of them with a bit of dressing. They should start to look darker and taste less bitter.
Matzo Ballin'
Here is the thing about making chicken soup, it isn’t a fast process. Maybe your mom used to basically add a few bouillon cubes to water, dump in some veggies and noodles and make instant soup, which honestly tastes pretty good- but that isn’t what we are going for here. We’re going for your great-great-grandma's version. You have to be patient and just let this happen slowwwlllyyyyy. So make it on a cold day, start it early, go about your business.
Slow-Roasted Pork Shoulder With Herby Crispy Potatoes
Nothing makes me happier than cooking a protein that’s incredibly crisp on the outside, totally tender on the inside, and, and big enough for leftovers. One of the easiest ways to accomplish this triple threat is by using this recipe right here. It does take lots of time to cook, but it’s not active time. You can set it and forget it!
Apple Cider Pork Chops with Crispy Potatoes
If you’re looking for a hearty fall comfort meal, I’ve got you covered. Between the buttery roasted potatoes, the candied bits at the charred ends of the apples and a dreamy mustard and herb sauce, everyone should be happy!
Ragu Lasagna
This is hands down my favorite way to make lasagna. One day when I was struggling with a boiled wet limp lasagna sheet that was stuck to another one and causing me anguish I thought to myself “can’t I just not do this?” and it turns out the answer is YES. By simply using raw sheets/noodles and building the lasagna one night in advance, enough moisture soaks into the pasta that by the time you’re ready to go, the lasagna sheets are perfectly soft and full of flavor from the sauce.
Smoky Spanish Spinach And Chickpeas (Espinacas Con Garbanzos)
After a month of eating in Spain, vegetables are the thing I get most excited about on a menu. The food here is insanely delicious, but it isn’t exactly vegetable-forward. At most traditional tapas restaurants there are generally two vegetable dishes on the menu: Padrón peppers and patatas bravas, and occasionally a third; espinacas con garbanzos! Espinacas con garbanzos (or spinach and chickpeas) is a dish that comes from Seville and I can't get enough of it. It's got an earthy, smoky flavor from the paprika. It's rich and creamy from the olive oil and chickpeas. And it has yet another layer of complexity from the roasted garlic and vinegar. Needless to say, it has quickly become one of my favorites.
Albondigas Receta (Spanish Meatballs)
One of the things I’ve been thinking about over my last week living in Barcelona is how can I bring the flavors I’ve grown to love home in a user-friendly way. Perhaps it’s my Eastern European roots talking, but the addition of sweet or smoked paprika into basically every dish has been something I’ve warmly welcomed. This recipe is an example of the many glorious paprika-infused dishes I've enjoyed in Barcelona. Although not originally from this region, these little meatballs have weaseled their way onto many a tapas menu (tapas are also not from this region), and they’re delicious! Unlike Italian meatballs, they are generally small, smoky, and usually onion-less. Like Italian meatballs, they’re soft and comforting, and most importantly, laden with garlic. And they hold onto my strong belief that breadcrumbs never belong in meatballs. Bread or bust!
Diner Style Smash Burgers With Crispy Rosemary Oven Fries
Don’t forget your roller skates! These burgers are inspired by my favorite diner burger growing up in Lake Oswego, OR. It was on a squishy bun with plenty of special sauce, a mountain of crisp cold iceberg, and, most importantly, a thin cheddar blanketed patty charred to perfection. Fries are optional, but are they?
Fall-Off-The-Bone Cocoa Spiced Ribs
I have always been a rib person. I recall being no older than 6 and always begging to go to Tony Roma’s to dig into a giant plate of sticky sugary ribs and be showered in moist towelettes to clean my hands after. Rarely did my parents agree, but every once in a while… it was GO TIME. I haven’t had their ribs in… I don’t know… 21 years? I don’t even know if they’re good? But in my memory, they’re fall-off-the-bone-tender, mildly spicy, sticky sweet and deeply smokey. These are my tribute to those, only with some extra spices to warm up the flavor and there are no moist towelettes included.
Wine-Drunk Short Ribs
Ok, this is another one of those recipes where you just have to be patient. The difference between an hour here can make or break the dish, and you basically can’t cook it too long. You can start them Sunday morning and have it for dinner Sunday night OR do cook it on Sunday and then reheat it for Monday, short ribs are always more delicious on day two.
Spinaki Lemonato
I’ve been obsessed with this spinach dip for years. I’ve only found it at one restaurant, so I recipe tested endlessly and cracked the code. Then changed the name by one letter so they don’t get too mad at me.
Coconuty Movie Theater Popcorn
This is a straightforward simple recipe to make really good popcorn at home without a microwave. It requires a TOUCH of arm strength but other than that is basically fool proof.
Cinnamon Sugar Fries
I'm a sweet potato fan. I like them roasted whole with butter and salt. It doesn't take much to please me when it comes to potatoes. However, if I feel like kicking it up a notch this is an easy side dish that I really like.
