I made a batch of strawberry scones this week with some berries from the grocery; they weren’t fabulous, but the resulting scones sure were. For a bit of extra bright flavor, I whipped up an easy lemon glaze to fancify the scones. They’re great for breakfast.

glazed strawberry-lemon scones

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat or white whole-wheat flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup sugar
4 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup fresh strawberries, diced
zest of 1 lemon (divided
1 cup buttermilk

for the glaze:
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 tsp. lemon zest
1/2 to 2/3 cup (or more) powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 500°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Make the glaze by whisking together the lemon juice, zest and powdered sugar, starting with 1/2 cup sugar and adding more as needed to produce a thick, creamy glaze.

In a large bowl, mix together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar with a fork. Add the cubed butter and use your fingertips to squish the butter into the flour mixture, until the mixture has very coarse crumbles and the butter is distributed throughout the mixture. Add the diced strawberries and the lemon zest, and use the fork to combine gently. Pour in the buttermilk and use the fork to stir it gently into the flour, then dump the mixture out onto a lightly floured cutting board or countertop, and knead it gently just until the dough comes together in a solid mass (don’t over-work the dough).

Divide the dough in half with a knife or bench scraper, and press each half into a circle about 1/2 inch thick. Cut each circle into 6 wedges. Transfer the scones to the baking sheet. Reduce the oven temperature to 450 degrees, and put the pan in the oven. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the scones are a nice golden brown. Remove the scones from the oven and, while they’re still warm, spoon some of the glaze over each.

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I wondered, what about creating a roasted-vegetable salad based on this Ligurian classic? Turns out, roasted fingerling potatoes and green beans, with a creamy basil dressing, make a fine salad, indeed.

roasted fingerling potato and green bean salad recipe

(serves 2)

8 to 10 small fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise
olive oil
1 generous cup slender green beans (fresh or frozen; thawed if frozen), trimmed
1 Tbsp. toasted pine nuts
1 large handful baby arugula, washed and spun dry

for the dressing

1/2 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
4 Tbsp. slivered fresh basil
1 Tbsp. sliced scallion greens or chives
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. honey
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees; line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. On the baking sheet, toss the halved fingerling potatoes with a drizzle of olive oil, arrange them cut-side up and sprinkle with a bit of salt. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until the potatoes are starting to brown in patches. Add the green beans and roast for another 3 minutes. Remove vegetables from oven and cool slightly.

Combine the dressing ingredients in a tall jar and use an immersion blender to whirl everything together until it’s a pale green.

Arrange some baby arugula on 2 salad plates; divide the warm roasted vegetables between the two plates and drizzle with dressing. Scatter pine nuts on top and season with coarse salt and pepper.

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It’s a classic French bistro salad, a very simple combination of frisée, bacon, egg and a mustardy dressing. What’s interesting about it—aside from its, you know, classic Frenchness—is its amazing combination of flavors and textures: salty, tangy, bitter, crunchy, creamy, rich. For just a few basic ingredients, this salad packs a big punch. This, plus a nicely grilled steak and a hunk of bread, makes a fine dinner, and it’s perfect on its own as a light but protein-packed lunch.

When I saw that Vicky Tewes of Thistlehair Farm in Northern Kentucky had fresh local frisée—the wiry, slightly bitter green that forms the foundation of salade lyonnaise—I knew I had to make it for dinner. And I promised Vicki that I’d share the recipe. So here you go.

While this is not a fussy salad recipe, it is important to get the egg right. I’ve tried several cooking methods, and have determined that a lightly poached egg is ideal for salade lyonnaise. You want the white cooked through and the yolk warm and runny, so it combines with the dressing to envelop the frisée in a rich and lovely way.

salade lyonnaise recipe

(serves 4)

1 large head frisée (curly endive), washed and spun dry
4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
4 large eggs, as fresh as you can get them
sea salt and freshly cracked pepper

for the dressing:

1/3 cup white-wine or champagne vinegar
3 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. honey
1/2 cup olive oil
salt & pepper

Make the dressing: Combine all the ingredients to a lidded glass jar, cover and shake vigorously to emulsify the dressing.

Make the salad: Tear or slice the frisée into bite-size pieces and transfer it to a large bowl. Season the lettuce with a pinch of sea salt.

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat; add the bacon and cook until it’s crisp and brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the bacon from the pan and drain it on a plate lined with paper towel.

Just before assembling the salads, poach the eggs (here’s a how-to on poaching eggs, if you’re unsure of the technique) until the white is cooked and the yolk still runny. Remove the eggs to a bowl while you work quickly to assemble the salad. Toss the frisée with some of the dressing until it’s well-coated; divide the lettuce among 4 serving plates. Top each salad with cooked bacon and a poached egg, seasoning with more sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste. Serve at once.

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Recently, I tinkered with a recipe for homemade granola bars, and landed on one that I really like. It’s made with agave and honey; puffed rice and Grape Nuts cereals add a bit of crunch. While I love whole almonds in my granola, you could use pecans or walnuts, and shift the type of dried fruit you add.

Cut these homemade granola bars into squares and pack them for a mid-morning at-work snack, an after-workout nibble or a healthy after-school treat.

homemade crunchy-chewy granola bars

3 Tbsp. natural almond or peanut butter
3 Tbsp. honey
3 Tbsp. agave nectar
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups puffed rice cereal
1/2 c. Grape Nuts cereal
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup whole almonds, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup flaxseed
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup dried fruit (raisins, cranberries and/or blueberries), optional

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line an 8-inch or 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing the paper to overhang on two sides.

In a small saucepan, combine nut butter, honey, agave nectar, brown sugar and vanilla. Heat over medium-low, whisking frequently, until the brown sugar dissolves and the nut butter is incorporated smoothly into the mixture.

In a large bowl, combine puffed rice, oats, Grape Nuts, chopped almonds, flaxseed, sunflower seeds and dried fruit. Pour the warm honey mixture over the oat mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until the mixture is thoroughly blended. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and use the spatula to press the mixture firmly.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the granola bars are golden brown all over. Remove the pan from the oven and again use the rubber spatula to press down on the mixture. Let the bars cool completely in the pan, then use the overhanging parchment paper to lift them out of the pan. On a cutting board, use a sharp knife to cut 16 pieces.

See more recipes in my Better Than Store-Bought series.

This pizza recipe couldn’t be easier: sauté some ‘shrooms, crumble some cheese, schmear on some pesto (I especially love arugula pesto here), bake. Done.

mushroom and 3-cheese pizza recipe

8 oz. brown (cremini) mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 Tbsp. pesto (basil pesto or arugula pesto)
2 oz. plain goat cheese, crumbled
4 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, diced
2 Tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 whole-wheat pitas
fresh basil, sliced into ribbons, for serving

Preheat oven to 425 degrees; line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. In a heavy skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat until it shimmers; add the mushrooms and toss to coat with oil. Sprinkle mushrooms with a pinch of salt and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until they’ve released their juices and are a deep golden brown, about 7 minutes. Add minced garlic, stir, and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Season vegetables to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Set aside.

Arrange 2 pita breads on the foil-lined baking sheet; spread each with 1 Tbsp. of pesto. Divide the sautéed mushrooms between the pizzas. Scatter mozzarella chunks and goat cheese crumbles over the mushrooms, then sprinkle with the Parmesan. Bake the pizzas for 7 to 10 minutes, until the cheese is well melted and beginning to brown. (You can run the pizzas under the broiler for a minute to further brown the cheese if you’d like.) Remove the pizzas from the oven, and scatter the fresh basil over each.

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Even better: It’d be a great recipe to make for Mom this weekend.

Olive oil and cornmeal may seem unusual additions to a cake recipe, but they’re essential here, adding flavor and texture. The crunchy sugar topping is unexpected and delightful.

And you can top this orange olive oil cake with just about anything: lightly sweetened seasonal fruit (berries, orange segments, tropical fruit like kiwi and pineapple), Greek yogurt whisked with a bit of orange marmalade, simple whipped cream. When we made this cake for company recently, I spooned a mixture of strawberries, red raspberries and blackberries over individual slices of cake, then added a dollop of whipped cream.

easy orange olive oil cornmeal cake recipe

1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for preparing the pan
2 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dry white wine or orange juice (or a combination)
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 to 1/3 cup turbinado (raw) sugar or granulated sugar

seasonal fruit, whipped cream and/or yogurt for serving

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut a piece of waxed paper to fit the bottom of an 8- or 9-inch baking pan. Grease the bottom and sides of the pan with olive oil; place the waxed paper circle in the bottom of the pan and rub it with oil.

In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, wine/orange juice and orange zest until smooth. Add flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt; whisk gently to combine. The batter will be quite thick. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan; sprinkle the top evenly with 1/4 to 1/3 cup of turbinado or granulated sugar (topping will be thick). Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean and the edges just begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. Cool the cake in the pan for 30 minutes or so, then run a thin knife around the perimeter to loosen and invert the cake onto a plate.

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Easy as it is to grow, you may well find yourself with a glut of arugula. For my money, it’s best picked small and tender; once arugula’s leaves get large and deeply lobed, it takes on a stemmy quality and strong flavor that I like less well in salads.

After Cincinnati’s recent warm spell caused a growth spurt, I found myself with a colander-ful of arugula that was big and long-stemmed. Not great for salad; great for pesto. We grilled a couple of mild Italian sausages and drizzled some of the pesto on top. Delicious.

easy arugula pesto

4 cups (lightly packed) fresh arugula
1/2 cup good-quality olive oil
1/2 cup (lightly packed) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. toasted pine nuts
3 small cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse to combine, until the mixture is as smooth or as chunky as you like.

how to use arugula pesto

• serve grilled hot or mild Italian sausages with arugula pesto for dipping
• toss cooked pasta with cooked spring vegetables (shelled or sugar snap peas, asparagus, mushrooms) and arugula pesto
• schmear your pizza dough with arugula pesto before topping
• make crostini with arugula pesto and shredded Parmesan or Fontina cheese; broil until the cheese is bubbly
• mix a few tablespoons of arugula pesto into cooked white or brown rice for an easy side dish
• stir a spoonful of arugula pesto onto a plate of scrambled eggs

On a night of ravenous hunger, decide that what you want is something warm soft and tasty with a little crunch, to be eaten in a bowl with a spoon, curled up on the couch and reading a magazine.

Precisely. I had bookmarked this recipe for zucchini with pasta, when I came across the key ingredient—a small, toasted pasta called Fregola Sarda—in an Italian specialty market. Fregola is shaped like Israeli couscous, aka, pearl pasta. But it’s toasted to a golden brown, which gives it the most wonderful, deep flavor. I’ve since found Fregola many times in specialty stores; if you can’t find it, see the variations below. This recipe is, indeed, comforting; it’s one of my go-to recipes all year long. Be sure to sprinkle the dish generously with grated Parmesan and a touch of coarse sea salt before serving; the melty cheese and the crunchy bite of the salt really makes this dish sing.

Even better: This zucchini pasta recipe makes a fantastic Leftover Lunch the next day.

pasta with zucchini and pine nuts

(adapted from Chocolate & Zucchini)

3 zucchini, in very small dice or, alternately, julienned on a mandoline
2 Tbsp. olive oil
handful or two of pine nuts, toasted
1 Tbsp. of dried Herbes de Provence
6 ounces (or so) Fregola Sarda (or see variations below)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan plus more for sprinkling
coarse pepper and sea salt

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook Fregola according to package directions (about 10 minutes or longer, depending on the size of the pasta). In the meantime, warm olive oil in a large skillet; add zucchini and toss to coat. Sauté until a bit golden and translucent. Sprinkle with Herbes de Provence, salt and pepper. When the pasta is done, drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of cooking liquid. Add pasta to zucchini in your skillet; add liquid to make a sauce. Add Parmesan and pine nuts. Dish into pasta bowls or plates, sprinkling with additional grated Parmesan and sea salt. Serve immediately.

Variation 1: If you can’t find Fregola Sarda, you might try this with Israeli couscous (pearl pasta); orzo would also work. I’ve not tried this, but I think it would do the trick: Spread the pasta on a large rimmed baking sheet and toast in a 350 degree oven until nicely toasted.

Variation 2: In my book, any combination of zucchini and pasta is a winner. You could do this with fettuccine, and slice the zucchini thinly into long ribbons (a vegetable peeler is perfect for this). Or julienne the squash on a mandoline.

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I’m told the pepper-and-egg sandwich is classic Italian comfort food; in searching around the interwebs I found variations on this terrific meatless sandwich recipe that involved sautéeing sliced peppers and scrambling the egg. But this version, inspired by one I discovered on Cooking with Caitlin‘s blog, is even easier: Crack an egg into half a red pepper. Grill.

I added cheese. We ate. We made that “mmmmmmmm …” sound you do when something is really tasty.

Here’s the thing: Serve this sandwich on a really, REALLY good toasted and buttered English muffin. Cincinnati folks can procure the extraordinary English muffins from Blue Oven Bakery; Wolferman’s are good, too. Failing that, fat slices of good sourdough bread, toasted, would do the trick. And please, for the love of Pete, don’t skip the cheese. Go for a sliced sandwich cheese that melts well; we like Hoffman’s Super Sharp from the deli. This pepper and egg sandwich is great for breakfast or for a Meatless Monday dinner. And it’s become one of our favorite meals, particularly on those “what are we gonna make?” nights.

grilled pepper and egg sandwich

(serves 2)

1 large red bell pepper
2 fresh eggs
2 (or, OK, 4) slices cheddar or American cheese
2 English muffins, split
salt and pepper

Preheat grill to medium, or preheat broiler. Carefully core the pepper, cutting as close to the green stem as possible (you want a “cup” that will contain the egg). Halve the pepper lengthwise and remove seeds and ribs. Season each pepper half well with kosher salt. Crack one egg into each pepper “cup” and season generously with freshly ground pepper. Carefully transfer the peppers to the grill and cook, covered, for about 12 minutes or until the peppers are lightly softened and charred and the eggs are set. (If using the broiler, check for doneness after about 8 minutes.) Toast the English muffins on the grill or broiler; butter one half of each muffin and top the other half with the sliced cheese and toast to melt. Place one pepper-egg on a cheese-topped muffin half, top with the buttered half.

I often pick up a hearty, seedy loaf from Blue Oven Bakery during our Saturday market trips, but if I find myself bread-less during the week, I’ll sometimes drizzle a whole-wheat pita or a piece of naan bread with a smidge of olive oil, give it a pinch of sea salt and heat it under the broiler.

Another house favorite, especially when the weather permits firing up the grill, is this simple grilled flatbread. It comes together in about half an hour, it’s very easy to make with ingredients you have on hand (providing you have a packet of yeast in the pantry, which I encourage, even if you’re not much of a bread baker) and it’s quite delicious.

It’s also quite flexible: You can finish the flatbread with just a pinch of coarse sea salt, or add fresh thyme or rosemary, or a sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan. This flatbread satisfies my wheaty, yeasty craving.

easy grilled flatbread

(makes 4)

1/2 teaspoon yeast (either rapid-rise or regular)
pinch of sugar
1/2 cup very warm water
1 Tbsp. olive oil, plus more for brushing dough
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (use part whole-wheat flour if you’d like)
3/4 tsp. coarse salt, plus more for sprinkling

About 30 minutes before serving, make the dough; preheat your grill on medium about 15 minutes before serving.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, use a fork to whisk together warm water, yeast and pinch of sugar (this feeds the yeast); let sit for several minutes until the mixture begins to bubble and foam. Add flour and begin mixing on low speed to combine; add olive oil and then salt. Knead the dough on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes until it’s smooth and stretchy. It should feel tacky, like a Post-it note, but not all stickygooey on your fingers. (Alternately, use a wooden spoon to stir the dough together in a mixing bowl and finish the kneading with your hands.)

Remove dough from the bowl and drizzle in a bit of olive oil; return dough to bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes. (A sunny spot in your kitchen works, or you can turn on your oven light—but not the oven itself—and place the bowl in there.) Divide the dough into 4 pieces; on a lightly floured surface, roll each into a roundish shape about 8 inches in diameter. Brush both sides of each round lightly with olive oil.

Gently transfer the rounds to the heated grill (probably 2 at a time will fit), close the lid and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the flatbread is nicely puffed and golden, with toasty grill marks. Turn and continue cooking for another 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from grill, finish with salt, herbs or seasonings and serve immediately. (Note: For extra-crispy flatbreads, make them in advance and then re-warm them on the grill before serving.)

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