Microwaving puts the quick in Quick Skillet Potatoes

Nuking potatoes instead of parboiling them makes skillet-sautéed potatoes even quicker to fix. Fresh herbs add a nice finish.

YOU USE IT EVERY DAY. BUT CAN YOU MAKE IT COOK? Mark Bittman asked that about microwave ovens several years ago, when he was still writing The Minimalist column in the New York Times. In the article, he sang the praises of actually cooking fresh foods in your microwave. We don’t do that so much, but we often give fresh foods a head start in the microwave. Nudging carrots toward tenderness before adding them to our classic Chicken and Wine. Speeding up our popular favorite, Half-baked Potatoes. Or skipping parboiling for our Quick Skillet Potatoes, making them nice and tender on inside and crunchy on the outside. You’ll find the recipe for these delicious potatoes—and the Mark Bittman article—right here.

On the road, thinking of Mushroom Spinach Quiche back home

WE’RE ON A ROAD TRIP OUT WEST. Today, we ate lunch sitting at the bar at The Kitchen American Bistro in Boulder, Colorado. Marion and I both ordered the quiche, with roasted mushrooms, leeks and Parmesan, along with a beautiful salad they just called “simple greens.” It was perfect. The quiche reminded me of our own version made with mushrooms and spinach. The mushrooms, sautéed with shallots, tarragon and the spinach, lend an umami meatiness to this vegetarian meal. You’ll find our recipe here.

Chickpea Salad—a fresh (and healthier) take on a summer favorite

Fiber-rich chickpeas stand in for potatoes in this crunchy, healthy, summery salad. Recipe below.

THIS VERY SIMPLE DISH IS A RIFF on a recent New York Times recipe, that in turn, is a riff on a summer classic, potato salad. It is ridiculously easy to assemble—a few minutes of measuring, chopping and a bit of stirring. You never even need to turn on the stove. Continue reading “Chickpea Salad—a fresh (and healthier) take on a summer favorite” →

Middle Eastern Labneh Sandwiches are a creamy, tangy vegetarian delight

Sourdough toast topped with labneh, olives, a mix of pickled vegetables and a drizzle of olive oil makes a tangy, delicious, satisfying vegetarian sandwich.

RAMADAN, A MONTH OF FASTING, PRAYER, REFLECTION AND COMMUNITY FOR MUSLIMS WORLDWIDE, is going on now. Our Detroit daughter Claire has been regularly updating us on the rich offerings of Ramadan food trucks throughout the area helping people break their daily fasts deliciously. One of her favorite trucks, Corn on the Corner, a year-round business that, for Ramadan, pulls out all the stops, with incredible specials created just for the holiday. Continue reading “Middle Eastern Labneh Sandwiches are a creamy, tangy vegetarian delight” →

Your new go-to snack/starter/condiment… Butter Bean Hummus

Canned butter beans create a fresh new take on hummus. Recipe below.

LATELY, WE’VE BEEN ENJOYING BUTTER BEANS—feed-me-in-a-hurry canned butter beans—and using them in some simple, delicious ways. Continue reading “Your new go-to snack/starter/condiment… Butter Bean Hummus” →

An easy peasy spectacular side dish: Quick Charred Brussels Sprouts

These burned-looking Brussels sprouts are actually perfectly done—and delicious. Extremely simple recipe and variations below.

SOME HOME COOKS ARE VERY SIDE DISH-FOCUSED. ME, NOT SO MUCH. I want sides to be healthy and delicious, of course, but I also want them to appear magically while I’m working on the main course. These quick charred Brussels sprouts come close. Continue reading “An easy peasy spectacular side dish: Quick Charred Brussels Sprouts” →

Your delicious little secret: Weeknight Pasta with Cottage Cheese and Chives

This simple vegetarian pasta dish is creamy and flavorful, really good for you and—bonus—quick and easy to make. Recipe below.

TO BE HONEST, THIS RECIPE IS SOMETHING I INVENTED A LONG TIME AGO, I don’t even remember how or why, and I always kind of kept it secret. To be completely honest, for a very long time it was kind of my weeknight-easy secret shame. I mean, pasta with cottage cheese. Continue reading “Your delicious little secret: Weeknight Pasta with Cottage Cheese and Chives” →

For an almost no-cook dinner, just boil water: Pasta with Pecan Pesto

Basil, Parmesan, garlic, pecans and olive oil create a fresh, lively summer meal without heating up the kitchen.

SUMMER HEAT HAS US ALL COOKING LESS. Or at least trying to not heat up the kitchen. Pesto in its various forms is an ideal compromise. It’s essentially a salsa cruda—a raw, uncooked sauce. And besides quickly pan roasting the pecans, the only thing you cook is the pasta. Continue reading “For an almost no-cook dinner, just boil water: Pasta with Pecan Pesto” →

A simple, seasonal, sensational side: Eggplant with Dill and Yogurt

Roasted eggplant, fresh dill and Greek yogurt make a delicious summery dish that can be served warm or chilled. Recipe below.

THE SUDDEN ARRIVAL OF MASSIVE RAINS turned around the scary drought we’d been experiencing here in Illinois, and it had a more intimate effect: our Japanese eggplant, which had been struggling and miserable, suddenly and eagerly began producing. Continue reading “A simple, seasonal, sensational side: Eggplant with Dill and Yogurt” →

A Michigan road trip and simple Penne Alla Vodka

THE LAST TIME WE MADE PENNE ALLA VODKA, we had just come from a four-day final push of helping our Detroit daughter move. So it seems somehow fitting that we made it again after being in Michigan, albeit purely for recreation this time. Marion and I took a little day trip to Kalamazoo. Continue reading “A Michigan road trip and simple Penne Alla Vodka” →