Calabacitas (Spanish for “little squashes”) is a traditional side dish that I’ve converted into a delicious taco filling that celebrates summer bounty. All squash are native to the New World and, with corn, beans, and chiles, one of the “four magic plants” (as I call them) of the Southwest. Squash and corn not only like to grow together in the garden, they have a natural ecology that helps fix the nitrogen content of the soil, and they taste wonderful when cooked together. You can add fresh or frozen baby lima beans or fresh or dried green beans here for added color and nutrition. Be sure to cook the vegetables very slowly to capture all their natural sweetness and complexity.
This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
Round out these autumn greens with tart pomegranate seeds, crunchy pepitas, and a shower of Parmesan.
The silky French vanilla sauce that goes with everything.
Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.
An extra-silky filling (no water bath needed!) and a smooth sour cream topping make this the ultimate cheesecake.
This pasta has some really big energy about it. It’s so extra, it’s the type of thing you should be eating in your bikini while drinking a magnum of rosé, not in Hebden Bridge (or wherever you live), but on a beach on Mykonos.
Crispy tots topped with savory-sweet sauce, mayonnaise, furikake, scallion, and katsuobushi.