Quick Meals

The key to extra-juicy rib-eye steaks, according to chef Renee Erickson, of the restaurant formally known as, Boat Street Café in Seattle, is to “baste them with butter while they sear“. That is what I learned in culinary school and why this pan-seared rib eye recipe was a must-make recipe for me when I read […]

Soup is good for the soul they say and I believe it. Chicken tortilla soup is one of the most representative dishes of Mexican gastronomy and it’s one I’ve loved for ages. Also known as “sopa azteca“, which means “soup of the Aztecs,” the exact origin of this famous soup is unknown, although many assume […]

It’s no secret, I’ve blogged about my love for a great veggie burger before. But this time, it’s different. This is my chickpea veggie burger with sriracha mayo and it’s my new favorite. And although it sounds shocking, this meatless burger is a great quick meal option. Meatless burger recipes are often labor-intensive. But that’s […]

I love to play around with pasta.  Pasta is neutral in flavor, with limitless potential.  The best pasta I have ever had was in Italy and it was incredibly simple. The life-changing dish had only three ingredients. And it was dirt cheap. And although this trip was many moons ago with my husband, well before […]

Let’s talk about meatloaf, shall we? Some love it, some love to hate it and some love it in secret and refuse to admit it. I find this fascinating. Historically, meatloaf is considered a traditional German, Scandinavian dish that is cousin to the Dutch meatball. Meatloaf, when you break it down, is exactly as the name […]

Happy 2021! I SO wish I could say the world is back to “normal“, but sadly we’re not there just yet. But I’m hopeful. I strongly believe if we all do our part (and get vaccinated), we will begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel. It is a marathon, not a […]

I’m not sure if a fish dish can be considered sexy, but if it can, this braised fish with tomato sauce should be. A healthful dish with flaky white fish and rich, flavorful stewed tomatoes and spinach. The bonus here, it’s also a quick meal and can be pulled together on a hectic weekday night […]

Warmer months often cause me to seek simpler meals. Not just time spent in preparation, but dishes that have fewer ingredients. This oven-roasted cod with lemon and green olives is just that; light, flavorful, and almost effortless. Cod has a lovely mild flavor and while I often like stronger-tasting fish, like salmon, cod has a […]

Winner, winner chicken dinner, you know the phase, this is the dish; caramelized onion roast chicken. This takes a simple, inexpensive chicken meal to a whole new playing field. One dish, one hour, one pan, seriously, what’s not to love? Similar to a sheet pan dinner, skillet dinners are just as fast and simple. And although […]

Chicken is a go-to dinner option for most of us. But chicken gets boring. The good news is, that there are thousands of different things one can do with chicken, many that are easy and flavorful, you just need to implement them and mix them into your repertoire. And chicken piccata is one of those […]

One of the most common things people will ask me is what is a good, easy “quick meal”. To be honest, this question is never actually straightforward because what is typically added before I have a chance to answer is: “oh yeah, it can’t have a lot of prep work, my whole family has to […]

This is a lovely recipe from Ian Garten’s Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That? cookboo that I have been making for years. My husband first introduced me to this effortless shrimp dish years ago after having it at a friend’s house. Now, it’s considered a staple in my weekday meal repertoire. Ina Garten is a well-known […]

Casserole is a term I don’t love. By definition “casserole” can mean a deep pan used both in an oven and as a serving vessel or for the food cooked and served in such vessel. To me, a casserole always sounded like the name for something that was nondescript, randomly thrown together, mushy, and flavorless. […]

I have always loved lamb kofta but, surprisingly, I have not made it very often until recently.  A trip to Iceland put lamb back on my radar–one of my sons, who does not eat fish, ate lamb almost every night while we were there. When we returned, I started looking for ways to add more […]

My sheet pan chicken recipe was well received, so I am adding another easy sheet pan meal to my recipe arsenal.  I love shrimp, including shrimp ceviche.  To me, shrimp is a neutral shellfish.  You can do almost anything with shrimp, provided you don’t overcook them.  They are also a quick-meal option, which I love. Three out of […]