Notes about Recipes in this book

• Pour-in-the-pan pizza with tomatoes and mozzarella

  • lean1 on November 13, 2023

    I have made this recipe many times and it is so easy and so tasty with very little actual work. Most of it is rising time.

  • redbird on February 05, 2025

    Unfortunately, this recipe didn't appeal to us. Too cheesy, too oily. Also, the oil smoked terribly and I am spending this morning cleaning the oven. Not a repeat.

• Ham, Gruyère and asparagus tartines

  • et12 on June 22, 2024

    These were nice and very quick to put together. I couldn’t find Gruyère so had to use Emmental and felt the tartine outdated benefit from a sharper cheese.

• Harissa mayonnaise with olives and lemons

  • lean1 on November 13, 2023

    Made with non fat Greek yogurt. Very flavorful. Gets better after sitting for a few hours. Mix really well.

• Panini with mortadella, provolone and broccoli rabe

  • et12 on June 03, 2024

    I don’t think I’ve ever had broccoli in a sandwich before and I liked it. Was fairly easy to make and made for a tasty and different sandwich. I used crusty rolls and simply minced some pickled jalapeños instead of using crushed red peppers.

• Inverted pizza with pears, goat cheese and pistachios

  • et12 on November 09, 2024

    This was an excellent combination of flavours and textures. We enjoyed it as a nice lunch on a cozy winter day.

• Kimchi grilled cheese with ham

  • Jane on December 10, 2023

    I liked this toastie so much that I had it for brunch or lunch four days in a row. I used different cheeses I had to use up - once muenster, two days Brie and one day mozzarella. They all worked well - I think any soft cheese would work. Now on my regular lunch rotation.

  • MollyB on January 29, 2024

    These sandwiches were great! The spiciness of the kimchi was nicely balanced by the salty ham and melted cheese. The mayo/kimchi-liquid mix on the outside of the bread worked beautifully. I will definitely be making this again - it would take well to different cheeses and meats.

  • chawkins on May 04, 2025

    This was okay for me, I wished my Costco Kimchi was spicier. I used Vermont sharp cheddar and left-over spiral-cut baked ham from Aldi.

• Kale salad with za'atar, feta and pita crisps

  • Lottabooks on November 14, 2023

    This was very good; made 1/2 recipe, used Peppadew peppers, and Syrian za'atar purchased at a spice store in Seattle. One tip: if washing the kale, use a salad spinner - I only patted dry and I thought the salad was a bit soggy. Half recipe made a perfect small bowl (side salad size) for the two of us.

  • hbakke on May 12, 2024

    Nice salad. We loved the addition of the peppadew peppers. They added the perfect amount of mild pickled flavor to the salad.

• Crispy chickpea, cucumber and mint salad

  • et12 on December 06, 2024

    Lovely lunch option with bright and earthy flavours

• Shredded carrot salad with cumin and cashews

  • Lottabooks on November 14, 2023

    Good; 2 servings + 2 leftover servings. WATCH THE TARKA CAREFULLY - I left it a little too long and it was a little burnt (still good).

• Lentil salad with arugula and pickled sweet peppers

  • truefamilyfood on January 22, 2026

    Great little lunch salad. Really liked the sweet cherry peppers and shallots

• Beet salad with horseradish dressing and caraway breadcrumbs

  • VegasCook37 on June 07, 2025

    Made 6/25 easy roasted beets with a simple dressing and breadcrumbs. Served with Salmon traybake Great layer of flavors. Don’t be afraid of the horseradish as sour cream and beets balance it

• Browned butter vinaigrette with walnuts and herbs

  • JMBH1 on January 22, 2025

    Very good dressing. It would be good as a warm spinach salad dressing. Leftovers solidify so not a good option for brown bag lunches. Could use leftovers as a compound butter alternative so make a double recipe for extras in the fridge.

• Roasted acorn squash with orange-pumpkin seed vinaigrette

  • et12 on December 08, 2024

    Made this with butternut squash and it turned out well. Loved the vinaigrette but I don’t think I salted the squash enough.

• Brown rice and mushroom risotto with miso and scallions

  • Jane on December 15, 2023

    I make risottos (risotti?) a lot but this is the first time I've made one with brown rice. It does take longer but since you only stir it occasionally it was mainly hands-off. I liked the Asian slant of this with sake rather than white wine (I used Chinese rice wine) and white miso. There was lots of umami flavors with mushrooms and miso. This will become one of my standby dinners now I have the short-grain brown rice (not a rice I usually buy). The recipe says it serves 4-6 - I think it serves 3.

• Toasted barley with shiitake mushrooms and kimchi

  • eyeGillian on December 02, 2023

    This was delicious. Used a mild sauerkraut style kimchi. Topped with cucumber, soft-yolked egg & toasted sesame seeds as suggested, which added a welcome change of texture and colour. A lovely meatless meal.

• Coconut rice with lemon grass and cashews

  • et12 on January 09, 2024

    This was ok but nothing remarkable. Makes for a more interesting side of rice but on its own it did not make for an exciting meal.

• Stir-fried zucchini and kimchi rice bowls

  • Cassondra on January 28, 2026

    Super easy. I added leftover steak and loved it.

• Baharat-spiced beef and butter-toasted pine nut rice bowls

  • SACarlson on January 16, 2024

    I was a bit sceptical of this recipe, and even quite late in the cooking I thought that it was going to be quite boring. However, the dill leaves at the end, the pine nuts, and a sprinkle of sumac really brought it all together. It was really delicious.

  • Lottabooks on April 17, 2024

    This was very flavorful. I used ground lamb - but be aware that supermarkets used to sell 1 lb., but now are shrinking down the packages to 12 oz. I used 12 oz. and shorted some of the spices, but it could have been a bit spicier. And, 12 oz. really only served 3 and it was so good I wished for another serving. Very easy - served with basmati rice (tip: start the rice first, because when all ingredients are prepped, this is a fast dish). Nothing to chop except dill and dill stems. Toppings were essential: whole milk yogurt, sumac, and lemon wedges. Needed a little more salt - but the sumac really made the dish sing. I served some at the table for additional sprinkling.

  • Logan92995 on February 23, 2026

    Not bad, though the directions were a little unclear as to how to cook the beef -- with the butter used to toast the pine nuts or not. Ended up using the same butter. Dill was a little lost in this one for me, but wish I had added some sumac, per a comment from another user.

• Rosemary-tomato rice and beans

  • Lottabooks on April 20, 2024

    Made this for Cookbook Club at Ruby's Books in Folsom, California. We sampled about 10 of the dishes from this cookbook and all were terrific. I used Cento tomatoes and thought the flavor was very good. Also drizzled a little bit of Italian chili oil on top, and added a parmesan rind with the tomato juice. The rice needed more liquid - have some on hand and check the pot periodically. I used Carnaroli rice.

• Basque-style leek and potato soup

  • et12 on January 22, 2024

    Quick to make and good portion sizes. Flavours were subtle but gave a nice little hit of acidity with the lemon juice. Make sure the head of garlic is really soft before you finish cooking to get a sweeter flavour.

  • hbakke on May 20, 2024

    This is a pretty basic soup that benefited from a good squeeze of lemon at the end of cooking. I subbed rutabaga for half the amount of potatoes.

• Cauliflower and chickpea tagine

  • Logan92995 on July 14, 2025

    Not bad, but a little on the blander side. Recommend doubling the suggested about of salt.

• Garlicky white bean soup with broccoli rabe and Parmesan

  • mpo on November 12, 2023

    I cut the beans in half and added shrimp. The broccoli rabe maintained it's bitterness so if you aren't a fan of that (which my husband was not) then you may want to sub out the greens, for even kale.

  • et12 on January 17, 2024

    Easy to put together, few ingredients but lots of flavour. We really liked this as a light option for dinner.

• Tomato masala pasta with chicken

  • Jane on December 04, 2023

    This is OK as a quick weeknight meal to feed the family but really not any more than that. Admittedly I had to use regular canned diced tomatoes rather than fire-roasted but I can't imagine it would be much better with the switch. It's perfectly edible though best eaten immediately (the sauce gets absorbed in leftovers making it more boring). And this review is from someone who loves chicken tikka masala!

• Orecchiette with cherry tomatoes and mozzarella

  • et12 on April 27, 2025

    I thought this was ok. A nice summer pasta that went well with a side salad. Really quick to put together

• Carrot lime soup with cilantro

  • et12 on June 10, 2024

    A really nice soup. I’m impressed with how creamy it felt despite the absence of cream. I added the juice of nearly an entire lime because I felt the recommended amount wasn’t enough. I also used some pickled jalapeños instead if fresh ones which added a nice brightness to the topping.

• Chickpea, chorizo and spinach soup

  • Lepa on January 06, 2024

    This is quick and comforting. My soup looked very different from the picture, which shows a red broth.

  • et12 on April 27, 2025

    Quick and easy way to make a tasty soup.

• Ginger-curry pork with green beans

  • cook_fresco on January 16, 2024

    This was delicious. The instructions worked perfectly. I used both garlic and onion (I love that this recipe gives guidelines, not hard and fast amounts), about 50% more meat and so added a little more water and spices (just cardamom and a cinnamon stick which I took out not long after adding the beans as it was becoming overpowering). Served with spicy air fryer cauliflower (turmeric, salt, chilli flakes, cumin seeds in oil) and rice. Everyone loved it!

  • morleigh10 on March 26, 2024

    It was good. I haven't made curry with pork before so I really liked that. I ended up adding cornstarch to thicken the sauce so it wasn't watery. Idk if I would make it like this again because the curry cubes work just as well to make the sauce.

• Harissa-spiced butternut squash soup with toasted pumpkin seeds

  • Jane on December 17, 2023

    This was a very easy soup to make. The harissa and paprika just gives a little kick not a blast of heat (though I suppose it depends on the heat level in your harissa and paprika). The toasted pumpkin seeds (half pureed in the soup and half as garnish) is a nice touch.

• Chicken curry with tomatoes and yogurt

  • Jane on December 13, 2023

    This was a simple curry with curry powder being the only spice. And it was very quick and easy to make. I generally prefer curries with more depth of flavor but this was fine for a quick weeknight dinner.

• Slow-roasted pork shoulder with fennel, garlic and rosemary

  • Maefleur on October 23, 2023

    My roast was a little over 3lbs and took just under 4 hrs to come to the desired temp of 195ºF. It was tender, juicy and flavorful!

• Ziti with sweet peppers, bacon and paprika

  • Soulkitchenjen on October 25, 2023

    This is the most boring pasta I’ve ever made. It tastes earthy and a little burnt (you’re supposed to char the onions and peppers). The bacon somehow does nothing to contribute to the flavor. It’s all very one note and that note isn’t a good one.

• Ginger-lime grilled snapper with herb sauce

  • eyeGillian on December 02, 2023

    Really enjoyed the perky sauce. Served with pan-grilled mahi-mahi fillets & farro pilaf.

• Fettuccine with miso and kale pesto

  • eyeGillian on December 02, 2023

    This pesto was even tastier than the famous kale sauce in Josh McFadden’s "Six Seasons". I loved the way the miso added body and salty umami to the sauce. Served with tagliatelli & grilled bread. Yum!

• Chicken with avocado-cilantro sauce

  • morleigh10 on December 05, 2023

    This was very quick and easy to make. I felt like the sauce was missing something, maybe more salt or a squirt of lime juice. It did have a little bit of a kick to it, not spicy taste wise, but we felt it in our nose.

• Thai stir-fried chicken and asparagus

  • morleigh10 on December 29, 2023

    This was good. It's not a recipe I will be craving to make, but it was good to make to use up leftover veggies so I would make it again.

• Stir-fried hoisin pork and broccoli

  • MollyB on March 06, 2024

    Pretty good and easy, about what you’d expect from the ingredient list. Nice for a weeknight dinner with rice, but I probably won’t go out of my way to make it again.

• Stir-fried rice noodles with broccolini and oyster sauce

  • et12 on May 20, 2024

    Nice and easy. I love the charring on the broccoli which gets cooked perfectly.

• Stir-fried peppers and eggplant with black bean sauce

  • et12 on May 20, 2025

    Came together quickly,strong flavours but a fairly light sauce. Cooked ours in a wok instead the instructed frying pan, with half the oil and served over rice for a lighter main option.

• Stir-fried orange-miso chicken

  • Lottabooks on June 02, 2025

    Quick and easy pantry dish, served over rice. I like salt but found this was a little too salty. Next time will decrease miso in the sauce to 1 tablespoon. Also, I felt it needed a slight kick- maybe a few red pepper flakes in the sauce or siracha or sambal oelek. As the sauce thickens, thin with homemade chicken stock.

• Stir-fried gochujang chicken

  • et12 on September 07, 2025

    This was incredibly quick to make (can throw together in the time it takes to make rice) and so flavourful. A great weekday meal.

  • Cassondra on February 01, 2026

    Love this recipe, but this ingredient list is missing a few things. Like gochujang.

  • kate_m1102s on June 02, 2026

    Very good and super easy. Reduced the oil and baked at 450 for 16 min, then broiled for 3 min. Put 2/3 sauce on before baking and brushed remaining sauce before broiling. Served with fried rice. Entire family loved it.

• Broiled salmon with yogurt, citrus and warm spices

  • andrea_ox1qfs on January 14, 2026

    Everyone needs to try this recipe at least once, it quickly became the only way I make salmon!

• Harissa-roasted salmon with lemon, olive and parsley relish

  • Maefleur on April 21, 2026

    Spice will depend on your harissa, and the relish adds a nice freshness.