(Easy) One-Pot Light Eggplant Caponata

If you’re looking for a light, flavorful dish that feels both comforting and healthy, this Easy One-Pot Light Eggplant Caponata is the perfect recipe to try.

(Easy) Thai Chicken Coconut Curry

Thai red curry paste is something I always buy and recommend you do too.
It’s a staple in Thai cuisine and is used in a wide range of dishes, from curries to soups and stews. It’s made by grinding together a variety of fresh herbs and spices, such as lemongrass, galangal, garlic, shallots, and chili peppers. The ingredients are blended together to create a smooth and fragrant paste that is spicy but more importantly full of flavor.
I generally use it in these Crock-pot Thai Red Curry Lentils, which are cous Steph’s favorite dish ever.

(Easy) Chicken Curry

This is one of those recipes I make over and over again because it checks all the boxes.
Simple, quick, tasty, nutritious, and on budget.
Not to mention that on any given day I have the necessary ingredients to make it.

Spicy Tuna Pesto Pasta

I’m a big fan of “pantry-friendly” recipes.
Though I have to admit that it’s kind of a vague term, since it doesn’t account for much of the diversity that influences what fills our cupboards.
But I’m pretty sure that in almost every household you can find a can of tuna, an onion, some tomato paste, olives, parsley, and oil.
That’s really all it takes to make this incredible Spicy Tuna Pesto Pasta.

(Vegan) Two-Tomato Pasta Salad

I’ve been on a serious pasta salad kick this summer, and this Two-Tomato Pasta Salad just hit the spot.
Sun-dried tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, and tender pasta come together in this simple but oh-so-flavor-filled dish.
Inspired by some gorgeous cherry tomatoes that I found at the farmers’ market and by my fave sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, this pasta salad comes together in 15 minutes.
A light yet filling meal that can be the perfect dish for a hot summer dinner or to bring to your next potluck or barbecue.

Caramelized Zucchini Pasta Shells

Would you believe me if I tell you that these Caramelized Zucchini Pasta Shells are the perfect summertime recipe?
Hear me out: a ton of fresh zucchini is cooked down with olive oil, butter, shallot, and garlic until soft and caramelized. It’s then tossed with pasta and parmesan cheese.
Delicious and not to mention a great way to use up the zucchini stash in your fridge.
Did I convince you?

Chicken and Potato Skillet

Chicken and potatoes, fried in a big skillet so they’re crispy and moist at the same time.
It’s mom’s specialty.
Growing up, I demanded it every week. And now the next generation of little ones are asking their grandmother to make chicken and potatoes for them.

Whole Wheat Penne with Creamy Tomato Sauce

Let’s talk a minute about “pasta al dente”.
The literal Italian translation is “to the tooth”. Figuratively, it means that pasta should be cooked just until it offers a bit of resistance when bitten into. It must be firm, not soft or overcooked and definitely not mushy.
A good rule of thumb is to read the cooking instructions (cooking times vary for different types of pasta) and a set time for two minutes before the recommended cooking time.
At this point check pasta for doneness by cutting a piece in half to see a cross section; there should be a thin core at the center that appears slightly more opaque. If it’s so, it’s time to drain your pasta “al dente”.

Everyday Stir-Fry Noodles with Vegetables

OK, so this is my go-to recipe for stir-fry noodles with veggies.
Whenever I feel like having a bowl of piping hot noodles and I don’t want to order in, I make this Everyday Stir-Fry Noodles with Vegetables.
It’s so simple, easy, and quick, it’s really a no-brainer.
It’s also one of those recipes that don’t need any planning, you probably already have all the ingredients for this dish at home.

Spanish Tortilla

Tortilla de patatas, Tortilla Espanõla, Spanish Tortilla no matter what you call it, it’s an amazing dish.
Simple, tasty, as good cold as it is warm from the pan, filling. I still have to meet the first person who doesn’t love Spanish Tortilla.

Easy Mexican Rice

When I want to cook restaurant-style Mexican rice at home I usually follow the run of the mill recipe that includes rice, onion, cumin, tomato sauce, broth (either chicken or caldo de tomate), and salt. A simple recipe that yields solid results.
So when I spotted this recipe in the NYTimes I was intrigued.
It’s not that different from the other one, the ingredients and cooking instructions are pretty much the same. However, this one includes a green bell pepper.
In addition, the veggies, aromatics, and broth are pureed in the blender to make a sort of gazpacho. After the rice is toasted, you add the “gazpacho” to the rice, and that’s about it. After 15 minutes the rice has absorbed all the flavors and becomes pretty darn amazing.

Crock-Pot Barbecue Pulled Chicken

The start of the new year has been overshadowed by the Corona pandemic and frankly far from ideal.
However, as my yoga teacher constantly says: “There’s always something to be thankful for".
And looking back at the past five weeks, there have been some cool things that have happened such as: Wordle, some sick NFL games, a brand new smartwatch, a delectable Poppy Seed Tea Cake, and — last but not least — this awesome Crock-Pot Barbecue Pulled Chicken.

(Vegan) Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear Soup with Paprika Chickpeas

It's that time of the year again, pumpkin everything!
Of course, everyone hears about pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin pies, pumpkin muffins, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.
But what about a delicious pumpkin soup so that you can put to good use all that extra pumpkin you have?

Huli Huli Chicken Breast

The original hawaian Huli Huli recipe is a trade secret, but there are several variations you can find on the internet. They all tend to include a combination of ginger, garlic, soy sauce, ketchup, sugar, and something acidic (such as vinegar or lime juice.)
I would define it as a sort of teriyaki-style sauce: sweet and tangy, ketchup and soy based.

Tandoori-Spiced Grilled Chicken

I don’t choose the recipes I post on this blog based on whether they photograph well or not.
I always aim to take good pictures of the food I make because it might be an incentive for the reader to try that particular recipe. However, sometimes ugly food is the tastiest food.
And just because it doesn’t photograph well, it shouldn't matter, how it tastes is what is really important, right?

(Vegan) Crock-Pot Curried Red Lentils

There are (almost) countless recipes for lentils on this blog: made in the Crock-Pot, on the stovetop, with green lentils, red lentils, spicy, less spicy, creamy, etc. You name it.
Still, in my book, there are never enough recipes for lentils.

Baked Feta Pasta Sauce

I haven’t fallen into the TikTok rabbit hole, just yet.
I feel I’m almost too old for Instagram, TikTok seems really far fetched.
I mean, if 14-year old Niece is really into it — as the majority of teenagers are — I’m not sure it’s something apt to her uncle.
In addition, let’s be honest, I don’t have any particular good dance moves nor I’m skilled in telling jokes or doing sketch comedy: How am I supposed to contribute to the TikTok community? You get my point.
Let’s say that my feelings towards TikTok are similar to those brilliantly expressed by Amy Poehler in her very funny interview with Willie Geist on the Sunday Sitdown podcast “If TikTok was a window, I would be a weird person standing outside of it.” Ha!

Easy Tomato Chicken Curry

I should have named this recipe “Penny’s Tomato Chicken Curry” because it comes from aunt Julia’s friend Penny who thankfully passed along her recipe to me.
I couldn’t name it after Penny though, because as it usually happens I tweaked and streamlined the original recipe to make it more compatible with my cooking style — it was a bit time consuming and to be honest some steps seemed avoidable. You know me, I'm all about ease when it comes to cooking these days.
In other words, this is Penny’s Easy Tomato Chicken Curry tweaked by yours truly.

(Vegan) Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes

Life is definitely too short to eat second-class mashed potatoes.
I like mine with a shameless amount of butter and milk (or cream) and it’s been hard to make them any other way. That was until I tried these uh-mazing Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes.

Semolina Gnocchi (Gnocchi alla Romana)

Laura, my cousin-in-law, is sort of obsessed with my Semolina Gnocchi (aka gnocchi alla romana.) I made them for her, her husband (i.e., my cousin Mark), and their children once they came over for dinner like two years ago and apparently they’ve been on her mind ever since.
I gave her the recipe (THIS recipe, word for word) but she swears that the gnocchi she makes are good but do not come even close to mine.
I’m quite confident that it has only to do with the fact that memories are always better than reality — this recipe is so simple and easy that it’s almost impossible to mess up. It’s actually so straightforward that after making it a few times, you won't need the recipe at all.
Just seven ingredients — each one a common staple, except perhaps for the semolina flour — are all you need to whip up this classic Italian main dish.