February

This is a special salad that takes only minutes to make and is easily composed. Smoked salmon, artichoke hearts and a simple fried almond garnish makes it stand apart from an ordinary weeknight salad, and the simple yet bright dressing compliments all of the rich flavors. I like to use a thick cut soft smoked […]

This mac ‘n cheese couldn’t be more simple, or more cheesy. There’s no bechamel sauce to make, so the hardest part is grating the cheese. I highly recommend buying hunks of cheese and grating them yourself for this pasta. The dish is best when made with a mixture of gruyere and young manchego, which don’t

This beet salad shines due to two elements: the marinating of the beets in a tangy vinaigrette, and the bed of Indian spiced yogurt that balances their acidity. The roasted beets are sliced while still warm and tossed with a dijon mustard and garlic vinaigrette, which allows them to soak up all of the flavor

This simple dessert, also known as an Eton Mess, is comprised of store-bought meringue cookies, whipped cream and fruit. The twist here is adding cocoa powder to the whipped cream for a chocolate version, and shaving good quality dark chocolate into the layers. If you cannot find meringues, you can make your own but know

Originally developed as a Valentine’s Day dessert, my hazelnut panna cotta is a lovely end to any dinner party. Panna cotta, which means “cooked cream” in Italian, is made from cream and milk with gelatin to set it, and is a blank slate for added flavor. Here, the classic hazelnut and chocolate combination makes for

This is a simple, yet flavorful pasta dish due to the addition of ancho chili powder, fresh garlic and basil. Ancho chili powder is now widely available at many supermarkets, but if you cannot find it in the spice section, look in the Hispanic foods section. You can get ahead by preparing the vegetables through

I created this as a Valentine’s Day dessert, but it is delicious any time of year – and though very cute, does not need to be in the shape of a heart. Don’t be alarmed if your meringue deflates while baking. The addition of the cocoa powder can cause it to fall, but the flavor

Plan ahead, as this needs a few hours in the refrigerator to set up. What it does not need, is an ice cream maker. Semifreddo is a frozen dessert that is meant to be served sliced and plated. It will thaw slightly as you serve it, but since it is made primarily of meringue and

Everyone’s favorite party app becomes the main event with this easy sheet pan sandwich. Spinach artichoke dip slathered between pillowy foccacia bread and warmed in an oven – it’s gooey and cheesy on the inside, crisp on the outside, and a true crowd pleaser. Make sure to squeeze out as much water as you can

This is a fun and easy weeknight dinner, but also a great make-ahead meal as the flavors improve after a day and the chicken softens further in the sauce. I often make a batch for camping trips, simply reheating it and bringing the fixings to top. When my kids were little and couldn’t stand spicy