First of all, these were easy to make. The 10-minute pizza dough recipe makes quick work of these little hand pies. Derek was back in the kitchen and helping me again. This pic is great – he’s wearing his “I ❤️ Numbers” shirt and measuring out dough. Exactly measuring, which I may or may not…

This pizza dough has been in the plans for a long time, but I just keep putting it off. Tonight I whipped up this dough, but not for pizza. Instead, I used it in the Dessert Calzone recipe (coming soon). Just don’t let the title fool you. It does take ten minutes to prepare, but…

This broccoli soup does not have milk or cream, therefore, the puréed broccoli gives this soup it’s smooth texture. And it also really packs in the broccoli flavor since it isn’t overshadowed by any cream or butter. The final product was hearty and good. Derek took every bit of this soup as his school lunch…

I had never purchased Tahini before, so of course I had to Google it to find out where to even look for it in the store (by the olives in case you’re wondering). It easily came together. The notes suggest trying it on a sandwich instead of mustard. I’ll do that! Tonight I made it…

You’ve already learned that eggs are my favorite food. Brussels Sprouts are my second favorite! I prefer to eat them roasted, but one “Brunch Friday” I did eat some fried sprouts at Hangover Easy Cincinnati that were quite tasty. The Brussels sprouts in this recipe were fried in shallow oil. I’m not much of a…

This recipe stretched my understanding of food more than any other recipe I’ve made so far. That seems strange – tomatoes and avocados is nothing unusual for me to eat. I could eat chips, guacamole, and salsa every day! The secret surprise is definitely the dressing. Easy to blend and the final result was so…

This one pot dish started out by cooking a whole chicken after developing a rich base of leeks, mushrooms, and other flavor builders. There was time to let it cook away while I focused on other things for a few minutes (mostly a certain one year old toddling around). After finishing off the vegetables and…

Making different sauces is one area that cooking through this book has significantly improved. I love that I’m moving away from just cream-based sauces and trying lots of new things. Harissa is definitely a sauce I have never tried until now. This hot sauce often used in North African cuisine came together easily. Roasted red…

Simple. Quick. This recipe came together in about 20 minutes. The perfect dish for fresh tomatoes and herbs. And it made a lot – leftovers for several days. The sauce before adding the hot pasta. And the final dish! page 108

Being from Cincinnati means I understand that chili can take on different forms. This Texas style version may not have beans, but it certainly has flavor! It was easy to put together and will make for great leftovers. The final toppings are absolutely required for the complete chili experience. page 146