I’ve been making this dish for years, decades if I'm honest. I really thought it was my own unique creation, and I patted myself on the back for its genius every time I made it. It’s been my date night dinner, my decadent solo treat and my impressive meal for friends. I made it in my first apartment kitchen and shared it with my first house roommate. It dates, for me, to a … [Read more...] about Tomato, Brie and Herb Pasta
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Creamy Macaroni and Cheese with Country Ham and Leeks
From the first time I made macaroni and cheese, I’ve used this basic recipe, with the sauce you simply stir up. We were not a big macaroni and cheese family, and never had any version from the box until college, when the hot pot was our main cooking apparatus and I had an ingenious roommate. I think I might have originally found the recipe in a kids’ cookbook, but I don’t … [Read more...] about Creamy Macaroni and Cheese with Country Ham and Leeks
Creamy Bacon and Spinach Rigatoni
I love a simple dish with a little something special. This is such an easy weeknight dinner, with the smoky flavor of bacon, the bright color and fresh bite of spinach and a creamy sauce that is surprisingly simple. I prefer to use regular spinach, not the baby spinach sold in the salad section, which I find really ticky to cut into pieces and remove stems. I love the big, … [Read more...] about Creamy Bacon and Spinach Rigatoni
Pasta with Gorgonzola, Apples and Walnuts
When I travel, one of my greatest joys is sampling as much of the local food as possible. But on long trips, even I get a little weary. Sometimes I crave more familiar flavors, sometimes I am just too tired to search out a specialty restaurant and just want what’s close. And sometimes, this pays off. I had amazing, perfect pizza in Toledo, Spain because … [Read more...] about Pasta with Gorgonzola, Apples and Walnuts
Baked Gnocchi with Gorgonzola and Sage Cream
It is such a little bit of magic when something truly easy is also masterfully elegant. And that is the case with this simple pasta dish. So few ingredients, only a little fiddling around and you end up with bubbling deliciousness. Maybe because the ingredients are just a little out of the norm or because it basically makes its own sauce in the oven. Serve this up to your … [Read more...] about Baked Gnocchi with Gorgonzola and Sage Cream