Recipe: Tex Mex Casserole

This is a really great and easy meal that is very customizable. What really took this casserole over the top was adding some crushed nachos on top for a great texture difference and a nice little pop of salt but you could put anything on top to change the texture and taste. This is also surprisingly good the next day so it might be better as a make ahead meal where you just heat it up and place extra toppings on it before serving.

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Recipe: Aash e Jow

There’s an entire category in Persian food of thick stews/thick soups, آش [Aash] and since that’s one of my SOs favorite types of food I have been trying to find ones that we both like and it just so happens this very simple barley stew is a winner with us. This soup is filling on its own without bread or other side dishes and it has soft comforting flavors that aren’t too challenging for people not used to Persian flavors.

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Recipe: Pampushka

Pampushka are a traditional Ukrainian style roll which can be either sweet or savory. This version is an herb and garlic butter topped version which is perfect for dipping in a hearty broth-filled soup or as a side dish at a big meal. You can top these with whatever your heart desires but the smell of garlic and butter before biting into a pillow-like bun is, to me, unbeatable.

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Recipe: Oven Baked Chana Pulao

I love a good pulao. It’s basically a mixed rice dish with whatever you want in it and this one takes pulao to even higher heights with it’s set it and forget method in the oven and frozen vegetables. This is my favorite type of meal because the only thing you really have to do is chop an onion which I know is a big ask for some people but for me personally, is a 30 second task. This dish is super flavorful, very filling on its own and can easily can scaled up for a crowd plus it’s vegan! Feel free to add whatever types of vegetables you like or have on hand and play around with the spices.

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Recipe: Thai Basil Chicken

This extremely simple one pot recipe is fantastic for a really hearty lunch or dinner. It all cooks in one skillet and it reminded me that I should make coconut rice more often because it’s such a lovely addition to this dish. You can add in whatever vegetables you have on hand and if you don’t have Thai basil, then using regular basil will give you a slightly different but still delicious dish. I served this in lettuce cups but it’s fine on its own too.

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Recipe: Pastitsio

This is a big Greek pasta bake which is definitely a dish that will impress and fill up any guests you may have. It’s rich and creamy and meaty and carb-y all at the same time. While it takes a bit of effort to get everything together, since the meat sauce can be made ahead of time, with a little multi-tasking that could be a dish that gets into regular rotation. Classically this uses bucatini as the pasta but you can replace with ziti, penne, or rigatoni if you can’t find that in your local supermarket.

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Recipe: Kalasouna

This is an extremely pleasant cheese pie that is made even better with addition in chopped onions. In the future I would definitely whip the feta for an even and soft texture. I have never actually eaten one of these before and saw pictures online of both square and round versions, I eventually opted for the round but you should follow your heart. This is a great snack or light lunch if paired with a soup or salad that’s not too much work and can be made ahead of time.

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Recipe: Carrot-Chickpea Schnitzel

I was actually inspired to make this because they have a very similar item at our supermarket and I kind of fell in love with it. Who doesn’t like a good cutlet? Especially one that has a nice crispy outside and a soft, spiced inside. This is pretty easy to make and you and freeze these cutlets before coating for a pretty quick future meal. I almost always have chickpeas and carrots on hand which makes this a good candidate for a pantry meal. You can make this vegan by coating it with a mixture of cornflour and flour + water or you can simply use egg and flour for the coating and it will be vegetarian. Both are great!

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Recipe: Apple Galette

I make savory galettes all the time but I actually think the sweet ones are more common? This one is basically like if an apple pie and a turnover had a baby and that baby only took 15 minutes of work to make. The dough does really need to sit for 60 minutes to properly hydrate but other than that it takes very little effort to have an honestly impressive looking dessert that tastes fabulous too.

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Recipe: Vegetable Kadai

Technically I did not make these in a kadai which is a rounded bottom pot that is about halfway between a wok and a skillet with high sides but if you have a wok or a kadai it would be even better. This is a really great recipe that makes really delicious, unctuous vegetables in a thick creamy gravy. It’s great over rice or with most types of roti, naan, or other forms of bread. I topped mine with yogurt but feel free to use cream or coconut cream if you’re feeling luscious.

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