A few days ago I had a message from my friend, Arthur. Arthur is married to my pastry chef friend, Elizabeth. Elizabeth is an excellent cook, obviously, and she can make absolutely anything. Well, anything except shellfish. Elizabeth is big time allergic to...
White Lasagna
My friend Kim gave me the bones of this recipe at least 15 years ago, and I still have it in my recipe box in her handwriting. I elaborated on the recipe a bit, and rearranged it to make it more user-friendly, but the essence is the same: Italian-seasoned meat,...
Macaroni and Cheese
Let me be perfectly clear right up front: this may not be the Mac and Cheese you were expecting. I’ve been making this Macaroni and Cheese for a long time. It has many similarities to the Macaroni and Cheese that my mom made for us growing up, but I’ve long since lost...
Lemon Chicken Pasta with Rosemary
I’m on week 3 of working 7 days in a row, so I’ll be quick. Luckily, Lemon Chicken Pasta is the perfect thing for this situation, plus it’s really good. Welcome to your new family favorite! This is one of those one-pot pasta recipes. You don’t cook the noodles before...
Creole Chicken Fettuccine
This is exactly the sort of dinner I like whenever my week and To Do list are nuts. It’s a tried and true recipe, widely accepted and acceptable, and it doesn’t trash the kitchen. It's the holiday season as I write this--y'all know the fun doesn't let up until Lent...
Tuscan Chicken Tortellini
Fresh cheese tortellini is the unsung hero of the cold case in your grocery store. It cooks super fast, goes with everything, and is excellent in soups, salads, and a huge variety of pasta dishes. Plus, it’s hearty enough that you know you’ve eaten. I always try to...
Baked Ziti
***Lazy Chef Edition*** I love you, dear reader, I really do, and because I love you so, I have a gift. Below is a Baked Ziti as good as any on The Sopranos, but in a crazy easy one-dish pasta version. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t rat me out. It’s a week before...
Cajun Chicken Pasta
So it was a rainy weekend, I had a lot of work to do--I’m taking a bookkeeping class, don’t laugh--and I really wanted comfort food with as little effort on my part as I could manage. I often feel that way, I must admit. Anyway, I’d also promised y’all I’d share your...
Couscous Salad
I’ve shared a version of this salad in my Lazy Cook classes for a while now--turns out I’m not the only lazy cook out there, who knew?--and I frequently run into somebody or another who tells me that they make this salad all the time. So do I! Couscous Salad is in...
Roasted Breadcrumb Shrimp over Lemon Spaghetti
I feel like maybe I’ve done a lot of noodle posts lately. Have I? I hope it’s not too many. As the weather gets better and the days get longer, I want faster and easier dinners, and sometimes that means pasta. Roasted Breadcrumb Shrimp over Lemon Spaghetti...
Spicy Sausage in Tomato Basil Cream
Spicy Sausage in Tomato Basil Cream has been a house favorite here for many years. Lots of our friends are familiar with it because I’ve served it to dinner guests numerous times. It’s easy to make, it doesn’t take long, and calls for ingredients I nearly always have...
Creole Spaghetti?
This is the spaghetti I grew up on. Trust me, it’s comfort food at its very finest. I’ve cooked it for my family forever, and my youngest daughter will eat no other without complaint. She even asked me to tell you all that this is the best spaghetti ever, and she personally cannot possibly eat spaghetti anywhere but home without significant disappointment. It’s not your typical spaghetti, and she’s made more than a few converts over the years by dragging home friends when she knew it was on the menu.