Spanikopita, sometimes called spinach pie, is a classic, easy dish. It can be made with fresh spinach or frozen, with feta or your preferred cheese, with or without eggs, and with butter or olive oil. It can be served warm, cold, or room temperature. It’s not at all fussy to make, and lasts a week in the [...]

Categories: baking, entertaining, entrée, lunch, mother recipe, side dish, supper, vegetarian
Tagged: baking, entertaining, entrée, lunch, main course, mother recipe, side dish, supper, vegetarian

Usually I avoid a complicated combination of multiple recipes in one post, but everything except the rub I put on the sirloin was made from scratch in class last Sunday so it certainly can be done in one post. Besides, the people attending the class insisted that I post it. First, the rub. I created [...]

Categories: beef, condiments, entertaining, entrée, lunch, salad, searing, supper, technique
Tagged: condiments, entertaining, entrée, lunch, main course, salad, supper, technique

Turn that plate with polenta around and you’ll find pollo alla cacciatora, or chicken cacciatore. It’s really a simple dish to make. The essential ingredients include carrots, onions, and celery, to make a soffritto; tomatoes, either canned or fresh, and some tomato paste; some wine; some cheese; a few fresh or dried herbs; mushrooms if you [...]

Categories: braising, chicken, child friendly, entertaining, entrée, gluten-free, lunch, poultry, sauce, supper, technique, vegan, vegetarian
Tagged: chicken, entertaining, gluten-free, main course, supper, vegan, vegetarian

When I have a full day planned in the kitchen–breaking down chickens, making stock, making soup, or similar activities–I like to reward myself mid-day with a chicken salad sandwich. It’s simple and tasty so I always make enough for two or three more meals. Today, I’m making soup so I have chicken stock, which is [...]

Categories: chicken, lunch, salad
Tagged: chicken, lunch, salad

The challenge: make a BLT from scratch by growing the tomato, growing the lettuce, curing the bacon, baking the bread, and making the mayonnaise. The result: a delicious sandwich that took all summer to make but was worth the wait!

Categories: bread, charcuterie, child friendly, condiments, lunch
Tagged: bread, charcuterie, child friendly, condiments, lunch

Is it really Tuscan? No, but it has flavors I think of when I think of Tuscany: lemon, rosemary, olive oil. This is a simple preparation. Rub olive oil into the steak, then sprinkle on some freshly ground pepper (I used a blend of tellicherry black, malabar white, and pink peppercorns), sea salt, rosemary (fresh [...]

Categories: beef, dairy-free, entrée, gluten-free, lunch, supper
Tagged: beef, dairy-free, entrée, gluten-free, lunch, main course, supper

I’d just finished making ricotta. It was so soft and creamy that I just had to use it for supper.

Categories: cheese, entrée, lunch, side dish, supper, vegetarian
Tagged: cheese, lunch, main course, side dish, supper, vegetarian

I had just finished breaking down a chicken for a photo session when I realized that it was time to eat. Fortunately, I had some chicken on the cutting board. A quick trip to the pantry for inspiration yielded sweet Marsala wine and veal demiglace.

Categories: chicken, entrée, lunch, mother recipe, mushroom, pantry, skillet, supper
Tagged: chicken, lunch, main course, mother recipe, mushroom, pantry, supper

When mushrooms have been sitting around a day or two longer than they really should, or you find a sale on dried mushrooms, make some mushroom stock. Then, when you need an umami-filled light lunch or quick soup, you’ll have a great base to build upon.

Categories: dairy-free, gluten-free, lunch, mushroom, soup, stock, vegan, vegetarian
Tagged: dairy-free, gluten-free, lunch, mushroom, soup, stock, vegan, vegetarian

A frittata is always quick and easy and is a great way to use up leftovers. All you need is eggs. Potatoes are a traditional filler, and cheese is helpful as well.

Categories: eggs, lunch, mushroom, supper, vegetarian
Tagged: eggs, lunch, main course, mushroom, supper, vegetarian