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

When it comes to comfort food it’s hard to top meatloaf with mashed potatoes and gravy. But I did my best. Turned out rather well, and it only took two weeks to make! What? Two weeks? Well, yes. I had to cure the bacon. While the bacon was curing I had to make the ketchup. [...]

Categories: entrée, mother recipe, mushroom, supper
Tagged: entrée, mother recipe, mushroom, supper

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

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

Spaghetti Carbonara is a relatively recent addition to Italian cuisine. The sauce varies regionally within Italy as well as by country, and the pasta isn’t firmly traditional either. Apparently the original sauce was made with guanciale, black pepper, pecorino romano, and eggs. Pancetta and bacon are commonly substituted for the guanciale, and parmigiano-reggiano for the pecorino [...]

Categories: eggs, entrée, pasta, sauce, supper
Tagged: entrée, main course, pasta, sauce, supper

If you’ve never made egg pasta, it really isn’t as hard as you might think. It may not be as easy as Mario Batali makes it look on Iron Chef America, but it’s easy nonetheless.

Categories: eggs, entrée, mother recipe, pasta, technique
Tagged: entrée, main course, mother recipe, pasta, supper, technique

I needed a meal for four. I had chicken for two, veal shanks for two, and absolutely no desire to go to the store. A look into the pantry revealed potatoes and carrots. I had what I needed for a stew!

Categories: beef, braising, chicken, dairy-free, entrée, poultry, stock, supper, technique, veal
Tagged: chicken, dairy-free, entrée, main course, mushroom, one-pot meals, stock, supper, technique

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

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

Beets are magical. The tuber is sweet, especially when it’s roasted, and the greens are a tangy and nutritious addition to any meal. When I have beets to roast I don’t mess about. I drizzle them with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle some sel gris or kosher salt on top, cover them with foil, and [...]

Categories: dairy-free, entrée, gluten-free, roasting, side dish, skillet, supper, vegan, vegetarian
Tagged: dairy-free, gluten-free, main course, roasting, skillet, supper, vegan, vegetarian