Approachable, everyday recipes
It’s that glorious time of year when the air is just a little different and we know fall is around the corner, but there’s still some summer produce at the farmers market. The perfect time for soup!
This is my take on corn chowder. It’s spicy, tangy, flavorful, and delicious! It’s perfect for a family dinner or a group watching the first football games of the season. Football and soup, now that sounds like fall!
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Who isn’t always looking for more attainable weeknight dinners that: 1. aren’t crazy labor intensive 2. use a few ingredients 3. help you eat your veggies 4. are delicious!? I know I always am! Enter this weeknight eggplant parmesan.
This eggplant parmesan is different because you broil the eggplant instead of frying it, saving time and making it healthier. A win win in my book! We’re also getting closer to eggplant and tomato season and I fully intend on making this once a week with local produce.
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Who doesn’t love grilled cheese? Add roasted veggies to make it a meal, even better!
You can roast whatever veggies you have on hand, but my favorite combination is zucchini, bell pepper, and onion. The combo is delicious and makes the sandwich feel heartier. Even better? You can roast the veggies ahead of time so the sandwich comes together in no time. Perfect for busy nights.
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Have you made homemade pizza in a cast iron skillet before? If not you’re missing out! It produces the most delicious pizza with a crust that’s crispy on the bottom and sides. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!
The best part is how fun any easy they are to make. Either buy your favorite dough or if you’re feeling fancy, make your own. Then put on your favorite toppings. Perfect for a dinner party, an activity to do with your kids, or just a quiet date night in. Now open a bottle of wine (or champagne, our favorite drink with pizza!) and lets get cooking!
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Have you ever pan fried gnocchi so they’re crispy on the outside and soft on the inside? It’s my favorite way to eat gnocchi! I’ve been making gnocchi this way for a years – I posted a recipe for crispy gnocchi with pesto, roasted tomatoes, and goat cheese back in 2017, which I still love.
I have to say, there’s something about the combination in this recipe that I love. Cozy yet sophisticated, this is a dish I would be happy to get out at a restaurant. So bring the restaurant to your kitchen tonight. Pour a glass of wine, turn on some of your favorite music, and make this for dinner!
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This is my favorite fall salad. It’s hearty, flavorful, and simple. I’ve taken it to numerous Friendsgiving’s, holiday parties, and small get togethers over the years and it’s always a crowd pleaser. It’s nice to take something fresh and green to break up the normal heavy dishes that adorn tables this time of year.
Whether your looking for a lighter dinner tonight or something to take to your next dinner party with friends, this is the perfect salad. I hope you enjoy it as I do!
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I started making this tomato sauce earlier this year when I wanted something lighter and brighter than traditional jarred tomato sauce for homemade gnocchi. Since then I haven’t looked back. Don’t get me wrong, there are great jarred tomato sauces out there, but if I have time I’ll make this instead.
It helps that this only takes a handful of ingredients, all of which I tend to keep on hand. The recipe might look familiar because I’ve used it multiple times before, like in my eggplant rollatini and zucchini ricotta roll-ups. Because I use it so much I thought it deserved its own place on the blog. I hope you like it as much as I do!
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Have you ever been to Frontera Grill in Chicago? It’s a Rick Bayless restaurant, who I’ve loved since watching his cooking show on PBS as a kid. He cooks Mexican food, but not the Americanized Mexican food we’re all used to. He uses meats that aren’t as mainstream like goat, layers unique spices in a way that adds an unparalleled flavor, and has one of the most extensive tequila lists you’ve ever seen. Needless to say, Frontera Grill is one of my favorites and I try to go every time I’m in Chicago.
Whenever I go we tend to get multiple of the seasonal vegetables and appetizers for the table to try a little bit of everything. It sounds funny, but to me the standout is the black beans. The flavors and textures take a simple everyday dish and turn it into something craveable.
I’ve been trying to make something similar at home and while these black beans aren’t the exact same, they have many similarities. So I guess you could say this is my ode to Frontera Grill’s black beans.
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Zucchini is hands down one of my favorite, if not my favorite vegetable. I love how versatile it is and how it takes on the flavor of however you prepare it. It’s one of those vegetables that I always have in the fridge because I can throw it in tacos, soups, pasta, or just roast it in rings and eat it straight off the pan (guilty…).
This recipe truly highlights just how versatile it is. It’s one of Rich’s and my favorite dishes and while it’s good all year long (hello cozy comfort food), it’s particularly amazing now when zucchini is at it’s peak. Just make sure you make plenty – it’s one of those dishes that everyone wants seconds and it makes amazing leftovers for lunch the next day.
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I have a confession… I’m really picky about salads. I like salads, but delicious flavorful ones. I want something hearty and flavorful that doesn’t feel like an after thought. Too many times you see one on a menu at a restaurant and they end up tasting like, well nothing. Salad doesn’t have to mean sad and boring!
Enter this salad. With hearty roasted artichoke hearts, almonds, manchego cheese, and lemon juice it’s anything but boring! It also continues my salad pattern and decades long love affair with arugula. I love it’s peppery taste so much that I essentially don’t buy any other salad greens…
Who knew one person could have so many strong feelings about salads?
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