Berry Trifle

This red, white and blue trifle was a great dessert for July 4th. I used store bought pound cake and homemade whipped cream.

Caramelized Zucchini and White Bean Salad

My conquest of zucchini continues. This time it’s cooked down with onions and mixed into a big bowl of beans and herbs. I added cheese for more heft. Yum!

Chickpea Zucchini Salad

Lime juice and zest make this zingy salad a great summer side (or meal, with some additions). I used my mandoline to matchstick the zukes instead of cubing them.

Shaved Zucchini and Fennel Salad

This salad was the perfect way to break in my new mandoline, and to start me on my “learn to like zucchini” journey. I added lemon zest, subbed in fennel fronds for the mint, and used a parm/pecorino mix. Yum!

Popcorn Seasoning

If you have $13 to spend on a jar of San Juan Island Sea Salt popcorn seasoning, then buy it! If not, here’s my recipe dupe:

• 3/4 cup nutritional yeast

• 2 tablespoons TJ's ranch seasoning

• 1 tablespoon salt

• 1 teaspoon chili powder or cayenne

• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Cranberry Scones

I like this method of making scones: folding the dough on top of itself to make flaky layers. I wasn’t a huge fan of the glaze, so I’ll skip it next time and increase the sugar in the dough.

Squash with Lentils and Feta

A great side dish if made to the recipe specifications; a good grain bowl for a week’s worth of lunches if doubled!

Vegetarian Skillet Chili

This adaptable, easy recipe is great to keep in your cooking arsenal. Fast to whip up, delicious with any number of veggie additions or substitions, it’s a winner.

Caramelized Leek Pasta

Wash your leeks well! Cut your leeks really thinly! Don’t worry about the dishes! Try to perfect your pasta twirl technique!

One Pot Macaroni & Cheese

If you have noodles, milk, and cheese (and maybe a few veggies on hand), then you can make this mac & cheese recipe. It’s so easy and comes out creamy and delish.

Coconut-Miso Salmon Curry

This recipe is low-effort but has a big return on investment. Use the full can of coconut milk and reduce the water, and don’t skimp on the lime and the herbs!

White Bean and Roasted Cauliflower Salad

If you can stand to turn the oven on, this vegetarian salad is worth it! Roasted cauliflower florets get combined with celery, white beans, and a dijon vinaigrette. I’d follow one comment’s recommendation to add thinly sliced fennel bulb.

Corn and Basil Salad

This corn, tomato, and basil salad is the definition of reFRESHing. I added shishitos, feta, and some red onion for extra heartiness and flavor. Yum!

Pecan Granola

This granola recipe is a crowd pleaser! I can get 1.75 batches out of the ingredients called for, so it’s economical too. I’ve made it twice and added dried cherries the first time and sliced almonds the second, so it’s adaptable too.

Roasted Potatoes with Jalapeno Dressing

This potato salad is so good! I used it as a topping on a bed of farro, and had broccoli instead of green beans (which I steamed separately). The dressing is very adaptable–I didn’t have an avocado so used some of the white beans as thickener and it was still amazing.

Creamy Chickpea Pasta

Sautéed chickpeas and aromatics mingle with cream and spinach and then lovingly coat your spaghetti. Highly recommend!

Curried Sweet Potato Soup

This slow cooker recipe yields a sweet potato curry that can be endlessly adjusted, from spiciness to thickness, based on your preferences. I made mine thick and spicy, served with rice on the side.

Toll House Cookies

This no-fuss recipe easily satisfies a weeknight cookie craving. It comes together quickly, you don’t need anything special, and most importantly the cookies are yummy.

Marinated Celery and Chickpea Salad

Finally, a way to use up all the celery in your fridge! This salad featuring celery, chickpeas, and tomatoes is very adaptable. I used kale instead of celery leaves, red wine vinegar instead of sherry vinegar, and no croutons. It was still scrumptious!

Holiday Cookies

As always, the recipe line-up this year prioritized a diversity of flavors and textures, and was nut-free. I doubled some recipes so netted out making over 300 cookies!

• Fudge - a repeat from last year

• Peppermint thins

• Piparkakut, a Finnish gingerbread

• Lemon cranberry bars

• Brown butter sage sables - another repeat from last year

Quick Tomato, White Bean, and Kale Soup

This soup is a lifesaver! I usually have most of the ingredients on-hand, or only need to buy one or two. It makes a huge quantity, it keeps well, and it’s tasty. Win win win.

Apple Carrot Salad

This is technically a slaw recipe (no mayo), but I subbed the cabbage for lettuce to make it a salad. I love the flavors and the crunch from all the veggies. I didn’t make my own dressing, I used the Trader Joe’s maple vinaigrette instead!

Smoky Eggplant Dip

Turn grilled, charry eggplant into a delicious dip! It’s a crowd pleaser, and I usually toss in a roasted red pepper or two to add some zing. Homemade pita chips are optional, but super fun if you have some time on your hands.

Farro Bowls

These farro bowls with salmon require minimal cooking—the salmon steams on top of the farro in the last 5 to 6 minutes of cooking. They’re topped with a cucumber salad mixture and are a perfect WFH lunch since no one can complain about fish in the microwave at home!

Crispy Gnocchi with Tomatoes and Red Onion

This play on panzanella is very yummy! Go light on the red onion, and if you use any tomatoes other than cherry/grape then I’d recommend seasoning them a little bit first then pouring off any excess liquid before adding the gnocchi.

Olive Oil Braised Broccoli Rabe with Chickpeas

This recipe comes together so easily—the hardest part is waiting for it to come out of the oven! The broccoli rabe/broccolini comes out tender and flavorful, and the chickpeas crisp up to give delightful contrast. You can use bread to soak up the oil, or another starch. I like gnocchi!

Lemon Granita

Making my own flavored shaved ice will be the move of the summer, I can tell you already. With just a flavored water/sugar combination, a baking dish, a freezer, and a fork, I can make something delicious, like this granita.

Cauliflower, Potato, and White Bean Soup

Make this in a slow cooker (or don’t!) and enjoy the sour-cream-and-onion-dip flavors. I opted to leave the final soup chunky rather than cream it, and I loved how homey and delicious it turned out. It gets Sean’s stamp of approval as well!

Smoky Lentil Stew

This lentil stew features leeks, potatoes, saffron, and a whole lot of flavor. It took up THREE pans (four if I had dutifully followed the directions, which I didn’t), but it was worth the effort. The leeks, tomatoes, and spices come together in a pan before being added to the brothy lentils along with the potatoes. It’s delicious!

Risotto Milanese

Risotto Milanese, or saffron risotto, is so delicious! I used saffron gifted from a friend teaching in Spain. The ingredients list is simple: arborio rice, shallot, stock, white wine, saffron, and parmesan. For a lowly home cook, I think I did a pretty good job! The risotto came out creamy and delicious.