Baked Alaska
Growing up, my mother wasn’t exactly known for her culinary triumphs, but there was one legendary exception: Baked Alaska. She nailed it every single time. For years, I avoided making it myself, thoroughly intimidated by the whole spectacle. But lately, my father has been on a mission. Without fail, after every single meal, he’ll look around and ask, "Where is the Baked Alaska?!" With Father’s Day rolling around, I decided it was finally time to step up to the plate. As it turns out, it was actually much easier than I’ve been giving it credit for all these years.
By - Prep: 20 mins
- Cook: 25 mins
- Yields: 8 Servings
Roast Chicken with Dates, Olives, and Capers
This recipe for Roast Chicken with Dates, Olives, and Capers is from Ottolenghi, who was inspired by the Chicken Marbella recipe from The Silver Palate Cookbook, by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins. Chicken Marbella is one of the most iconic recipes from the 1980’s cookbook. I was lucky enough to live around the corner from the tiny 11-by-16-foot shop, which was located at 274 Columbus Avenue (near 73rd Street) in New York City. While the classic recipe uses pitted prunes, Ottolenghi swaps them out for dates. The chicken needs to marinate for at least a day, preferably two, to soften and flavor.
- Prep: 25 mins
- Cook: 50 mins
- Yields: 4 Servings
Sicilian Orange and Fennel Salad
This is a post from my husband, Eric. When you have a phenomenal orange tree in your backyard...
If you want a true taste of Sicily, this Orange and Fennel Salad is it. It’s known locally as Insalata di Arance e Finocchi and is an absolute icon of southern Italian cooking, showing up on practically every family table year-round. The secret? Beautiful simplicity. There's no cooking involved—just sweet oranges, salty olives, crunchy fennel, and great olive oil doing their thing. It’s fresh, it’s easy, and it’s practically begging for a piece of bread to mop up the plate afterward.
- Prep: 15 mins
Bacon Ranch Party Potato Casserole
This Bacon Ranch Party Potato Casserole is truly a crowd pleaser. It takes the classic Midwestern cheesy hashbrown funeral potatoes and gives them a punchy, modern upgrade by swapping out the traditional cream of chicken soup for tangy sour cream and zesty ranch seasoning, all topped with smoky bacon.
- Prep: 10 mins
- Cook: 1 hr
- Yields: 12 Servings
Bang Bang Shrimp
Instead of dealing with a messy stovetop deep-fry, this Bang Bang Shrimp is made for the oven. The shrimp is incredibly crunchy by using a smart fat-incorporation trick: mixing extra-virgin olive oil directly into the dry panko crumbs before breading. It’s served with this delicious Bang Bang Sauce. Most copycat recipes rely strictly on a heavy mayo base. This recipe cuts the mayo down significantly and introduces fresh lime juice and honey. This creates a much lighter, glaze-like sauce that yields a vibrant, tangy kick without weighing down the baked panko crust.
- Prep: 10 mins
- Cook: 15 mins
- Yields: 4 Servings
Hog Pogs
Hog Pogs are a brilliantly simple, wildly comforting vintage appetizer that hits all the best flavor notes: savory, creamy, salty, and warm. This four-ingredient appetizer is an open-faced cocktail toast. It’s raw ground Italian sausage, softened cream cheese, finely grated Parmesan, slathered on a slice of baguette and baked until golden. It can’t get any easier!
- Prep: 15 mins
- Cook: 25 mins
- Yields: 12 Servings
Pollo in Guajillo
Pollo in Guajillo is a traditional Mexican dish featuring chicken thighs that are marinated in a rich, savory sauce made from dried guajillo chiles. Guajillo chiles are known for their smoky, earthy flavor and mild heat making them a popular choice for stews and sauces.
- Prep: 40 mins
- Cook: 50 mins
- Yields: 4 Servings
Quick Pickled Cherry Tomatoes
Ready overnight with zero canning required, these quick-pickled whole cherry tomatoes are a total flavor bomb. Steeped in a sweet, garlicky rice vinegar brine, they deliver a tangy, savory burst in every single bite. They are great for snacking, salads, charcuterie boards, and sandwiches.
- Prep: 15 mins
Easy Cheese Soufflé
Don't let the name fool you—while this is called a cheese soufflé, it’s technically a strata, though it does incorporate whipped egg whites, which helps the soufflé to puff up. It begins with rustic Italian Bread and uses fontina, Gruyère, and Parmesan cheeses. Like a strata, you refrigerate it overnight and bake it the next day, which is my kind of recipe! If you are apprehensive about making a traditional cheese soufflé, this is a good alternative.
- Prep: 5 mins
- Cook: 1 hr 5 mins
- Yields: 10 Servings
Broccoli Salad with Miso Paste
This Broccoli Salad with Miso Paste is a brilliant, deeply savory twist on the classic potluck staple. While traditional broccoli salads rely on a heavy, sweet-and-tangy mayonnaise dressing, this recipe incorporates miso paste, bringing a rich, umami complexity.
- Prep: 10 mins
- Cook: 5 mins
- Yields: 4 Servings
