Super Quick Asparagus Tart
Your guests will think you spent hours on this gorgeous asparagus tart—I won't tell if you don't! The prep time is actually short and sweet, since we skip the fussy and unnecessary steps of rolling out, trimming, and blind-baking the dough. Feel free to adapt this recipe to whatever's in season next: the basic puff pastry + ricotta + vegetable (or fruit!) formula is endlessly riffable.
Rotisserie Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
This is a summery, easy-prep pasta salad with all your favorites: rotisserie chicken, homemade Caesar dressing, ciabatta croutons, fusilli, and lots of freshly grated Parmesan. It comes together in just one big salad bowl, and can be made in advance to bring to the beach, on a picnic, or to have in the fridge to snack on whenever hunger strikes. Since it makes a big batch, it’s also perfect for summer BBQs and entertaining.
Crispy Cornflake Treats
In this recipe for Crispy Cornflake Treats, I gently caramelized brown sugar in melted butter for a nutty flavor before adding marshmallows and cornflakes. I then cut them into 1-inch square pieces and dipped them in melted dark chocolate to make them look like bite-sized candies. My original thought was to develop these as DYI Halloween candies, so if you wanted to go crazy, you could wrap them up in wax paper and hand them out.
Thai Puffy Omelet
For Thais, the recipe for a puffy fried omelet is almost too basic to say. It's made from ingredients that all Thai people have in their fridge or pantry—eggs, sugar, fish sauce, herbs, and ground pork or crab if you want—and if you cook at all, then of course you can make it. Even if a restaurant doesn't list it on its menu, it's assumed that it can be whipped up at any time. The texture of this style of egg is almost like a frittata more than a traditional omelet, though you do achieve that same fluffy-inside effect but with the added bonus of crispy browned edges. The technique is essentially a shallow-fry, which causes the eggs to puff up as they quickly cook.
Potato Curry Sandwich
This sandwich was a staple of my childhood, fueling my family at every picnic, beach day, road trip, and Disneyland visit. It brings together some of my favorite things: green pea-flecked, cumin-spiced potato curry, buttered slices of white bread, a sprinkle of grated cheddar cheese, and lots of chopped cilantro. The whole thing is pressed in a sandwich maker, which seals the sandwich shut, crisps up the edges, and portions it into neat little triangles that are easy to transport. Growing up, we’d eat the triangles dunked in tomato ketchup or cilantro chutney, alongside banana chips or an Indian snack mix called “mixture,” and wash it all down with ginger ale or chocolate milk.
Big Batch Honey Deuce Spritz with Raspberry Ginger Lemonade
A honey deuce–the official cocktail of the US Open–is as Instagram-worthy as it is delicious. It’s made with vodka, fresh lemonade, a raspberry liqueur such as Chambord, and is of course garnished with a spear of honeydew melon balls to mimic tennis balls.
Carbonara Two Ways
This version of carbonara, Rome’s beloved dish, transforms basic ingredients, including spaghetti, eggs, bacon, and ham into a rich, silky pasta loaded with crunchy, salty meaty bits. Although I call this “breakfast pasta” to intrigue my kids, it’s sophisticated enough for a grown-up dinner party.
Garlicky Leeks in Olive Oil
So often leeks are the delicious basis for something else, like a good soup. This recipe lets the leek shine with other savory flavors that are meant to simply enhance. I love that this is a Lebanese-style leek dish, one that surprised me when I first adapted it from Hussein Dekmak’s The Lebanese Cookbook. The Lebanese are devoted to careful preparation of our vegetables, here with fine olive oil and a garlicky herbal undertone.
Chili Crisp Grilled Cheese
The world of grilled cheese has no bounds. All you need is your favorite selection of melting cheese, two slices of bread, and any other flavorful addition your heart desires.
Skillet White Beans Caesar From Deb Perelman
Skillet White Beans “Caesar” from Deb Perelman features creamy warmed white beans tossed in a garlicky olive oil, anchovy, Dijon, and lemon sauce. It’s finished with toasted breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and fresh parsley for a quick, tangy, comforting dish.
Salatet Fattoush California Fattoush Salad from Reem Assil
With fireworks of juicy, crunchy, herby, tart, and sweet, Reem Assil's simple, California-style take on fattoush salad is the meal you'll want to eat all summer. And here's the kicker: Thanks to a few-ingredient pantry dressing, it can be the salad of fall, winter, and spring, too.
Banana Chia Muffins
I love to do some baking on the weekends and this weekend I created these wee gems. Perfect thing to make plenty of and to have available for when you need it. The natural sweetness comes from the banana and honey, then the chia seeds and lemons add in texture and extra nutrients. Packed full of protein, good quality carbs and fats. The perfect wee treat.
Simple BUT GREATBanana Pudding
Simple Family Recipe for Banana Pudding. It has always been a crowd pleaser.
Banana Oat Pancakes
Super easy, super Saturday morning pancakes. Normally, I prefer the superior crispy texture of waffles to needlessly airy, tasteless pancake blobs (I’m clearly working through some bad diner pancake experiences). However, these pancakes have a great texture, are a little bit moist, and have a slightly sweet, nutty taste to start your weekend off right.
Vegan Gluten Free Banana Nut Muffins
When I first began my Instagram account (simultaneously to beginning my journey to developing healthier recipes), these muffins were one of my top requested recipes. My family loves them as a quick grab and go breakfast, and they freeze well so you can make a TON and reheat.
Banana Berry Smoothie
This delicious and nutritious banana and strawberry smoothie recipe could not be easier. You can use fresh or frozen fruit for this recipe, we usually use frozen as it makes the smoothie really cold and ready to drink.