What to Cook

What Do I Do With Pesto? Sometimes I make pesto and use it all up right away. More often than not there are leftovers. And if you’ve made too big a batch, or bought a jar for a spoonful or two in a recipe, then you may be in the same boat. Here are a whole bunch of ways to use up that herby deliciousness! Tomatoes with Mint Basil Pesto You can use any kind of pesto on sliced tomatoes, and you will have the perfect summer appetizer or side dish. Click here for the recipe. Cavatappi with Roasted Cherry …

Gee willikers, what to make for dinner tonight? If the answer is something warm and comforting and served in a bowl, I’m all in. I love soup and stew season because it pretty much means that nothing in my fridge goes to waste (see this flexible recipe for a vegetable soup for an idea of how that works). It also gives me an expansive canvas on which to use many condiments and seasonings that are just hanging around in my fridge or pantry, like coriander, red chile paste, and miso. See below for some of my favorite go-to bowls! Red …

We never get tired of salmon. It’s easy to handle, it’s got great flavor, silky richness, and it’s extremely versatile.  It takes well to almost every kind of cooking treatment—sautéing, roasting, poaching, and you can’t get tired of it because you can shower it with seasonings from any cuisine—Asian, Mediterranean, and any version of “New American” ingredients (I don’t even know what I mean by that, but I guess I’m thinking of salmon dishes that you would find in a cool neighborhood restaurant. Salmon is available everywhere. You can use farmed salmon or seek out wild Alaska salmon when it’s …

I have a little bit of a pet peeve when bloggers and writers and online sites offer up a recipe for something they know is a crowd-pleaser and then confidently—even presumptuously—say, “You’re welcome.” It’s just a little pushy, right? But, 5 recipes with bacon in them… NO.  I won’t do it. Anyway, with apologies to all the vegetarian readers out there… I promise something special for you soon. Bacon, Sage, and Provolone Chicken Rolls with Marsala Sauce The words “wrapped in bacon” never fail to please.  A rolled chicken breast may look le-di-da fancy—but really super easy to pull off …

At this time of year, our Instagram feeds, the office kitchens, kids’ classrooms, and perhaps our mouths are filled with cookies. It’s the Cookiest Time of the Year, for sure. And around this time, I start to succumb to cookie decorating angst, feeling sad or lacking because I don’t do the whole royal icing thing, the piping thing, the cookie-as-a-work-of-art thing. I’m not immune to #bakingshame. Then I remember this most important fact: The most delicious cookies aren’t always the most polished or ornate. And, conversely, the most elaborate-looking cookies don’t always taste the best! So I’ll continue to ooh …

I get a little OCD about making sure I am taking full advantage of leftovers, and Thanksgiving is like the Olympics of leftover repurposing. One can only eat so many turkey sandwiches, right? And then we need to move on, and figure out how to turn all that leftover turkey into delicious meals the family will be excited to see later in the week. Here are a bunch of options – and remember, anywhere you can use leftover shredded chicken, turkey is pretty much fair game! If you’re looking for a great turkey recipe, check out this Dry Brined Holiday …