I've cooked a lot of dishes over the years, but there are a few recipes that I come back to time and time again. Below is a list of some of my absolute favorite never-let-you-down recipes. Please let me know if you have any questions or a link isn't working.
Appetizers | Breads & Pastries | Breakfast & Brunch | Desserts | Drinks | Entrees | Pasta | Salads | Sides | Soups & Stews
Appetizers | Breads & Pastries | Breakfast & Brunch | Desserts | Drinks | Entrees | Pasta | Salads | Sides | Soups & Stews
Appetizers
- Candied Rosemary Cashews
- Feta, Spinach, and Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms (Leftover filling is excellent in an omelet)
- Herb-Marinated Olives
- Homemade Ricotta
- Parmesan and Prosciutto Gougères
- Pomodori al Forno (Serving suggestion: use in place of fresh tomatoes in caprese salad, or chop with caprese ingredients and use as a bruschetta topping or in puff pastry shells)
- Potato Basil Frittata Squares
- Radish Herb Butter
- Roasted Shrimp Cocktail with Lemon Caper Cream Sauce (Sauté garlic instead of using microwave and add chopped shallots as well. Add zest of juiced lemons, plus horseradish to taste)
- Slow-Roasted Tomatoes
- Smooth Hummus
- Tomato Crostini with Whipped Feta Recipe (Use good quality feta and olive oil, the flavor of both will be very strong)
Breads & Pastries
- Banana Sour Cream Bread (Especially love the technique of lining the pan with cinnamon sugar, can be used for almost all quick bread recipes)
- Blueberry Muffins (Eat fresh out of the oven!)
- Cinnamon Rolls
- Cream Scones
- Smoked Cheddar Twists
Breakfast & Brunch
Desserts
- Applesauce Snack Cake
- Baked Brownie, Spiced Up
- Black Coffee Ice Cream
- Blueberry Cream Pie
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake (Our wedding cake! I like to add chopped peanut butter cups between the layers as well)
- Homemade Oreos
- Jeni's Salty Caramel Ice Cream (The caramel will taste almost burned before the base is mixed, but in the finished product it will be perfect)
- Peppermint Cream Squares
- Ricotta-Mascarpone Mousse w/ Balsamic Strawberries (Particularly delicious with chocolate-flavored balsamic vinegar)
- Salted Brown Butter Crispy Treats
- Silky Smooth Pumpkin Pie
- Spoon-dent Cookies with Lemon Curd (Also good with 1-2 tbsp crushed lavender added into the dough)
- Sugar-Crusted Popovers (Used browned butter to brush them at the end)
- Toasted Coconut Shortbread
- Three-Layer Berry and Brown Sugar Pavlova
- Twice-Baked Sour Cherry Pie
Drinks
- Hot Chocolate
- Mulled Wine (Not quite sweet enough for me, use a sweet red or add extra honey)
Entrees
- Braised Short Ribs
- Chicken Enchiladas
- Chicken Normandy: Chicken with Apples, Brandy, Onions and Cream
- Chicken Salad and Cranberry Brie Toast
- Crockpot Korean Beef Tacos
- Italian Pressed Sandwiches (Add prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, and slow-roasted cherry tomatoes)
- Lasagna (Use pork Italian sausage instead)
- Low Country Boil
- Slow-Roasted Filet of Beef and Basil Parmesan Mayonnaise
- Stuffed Pumpkin with Cheese, Bacon and Chipotle Chiles
Pasta
- Fancy Macaroni (Top with buttered, toasted panko)
- Fettuccine with Creamy Tomato Italian Sausage Sauce
- Pasta with Fresh Corn Pesto
- Penne à la Vodka (Fold in tiny fresh mozzarella balls just before serving)
- Spicy Pasta Salad with Smoked Gouda, Tomatoes, and Basil
Salads
- Beet, avocado & grapefruit salad
- Butternut Squash, Chickpea, and Tahini Salad (I’ll sometimes roast or caramelize the onions instead of leaving them raw. Excellent served over salad greens dressed in a lemon vinaigrette)
- Carrot Salad with Harissa, Feta and Mint
- Dilled Potato and Pickled Cucumber Salad
- Fennel Salad, Fennel Slaw with Mint Vinaigrette
- French Potato Salad (Great using whole tiny marble-sized potatoes)
- Massaged Kale Salad with Anchovy Dressing
- Ribboned Asparagus Salad with Lemon
- Shredded Rainbow Salad
Sides
- Broccoli Rabe with Balsamic Brown Butter (Can also make w/ roasted broccoli or kale)
- Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes with Fried Sage
- Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Chestnuts Recipe (No need to blanch or use chicken broth)
- Fingerling Potatoes with Rosemary and Thyme, Crispy or Not
- Roasted New Potatoes with Caramelized Onions and Truffle Oil
- Rosemary Polenta (Also great if you skip the cooling/cutting/frying step and leave it creamy)
Soups & Stews
- Beef Chili + Sour Cream and Cheddar Biscuits (Add: 1 can fire-roasted tomatoes, an extra can kidney beans, several tablespoons of tomato paste [up to one whole can], and up to 1 tbsp ground chipotle for heat. Simmer for at least an extra 2-3 hours)
- Beef Stew
- Cauliflower Soup
- Summer Vegetable, Sweet Corn & Chicken Chowder