HYMNS IN THE KITCHEN

Harissa is hot chili paste made with peppers, spices and herbs and is of North African origin. Because of the wide variety of harissa paste that can be found at the market nowadays, this recipe is more of a method than a recipe. I urge you to taste your harissa chickpea "stew" every step of the way, adding lemon juice if you want more acidity, salt if the paste lacks in saltiness, and pasta water if it's too thick for your liking. I added leftover baked salmon to my bowl and

As the holidays approach, I'm beginning to think of great holiday table additions. I believe these sausage and caramelized onion stuffed manicotti would be perfect for a special occasion and I just might be making these for Thanksgiving this year. I'm very careful to not add salt anywhere but the caramelizing onions, because sausage has almost enough salt for the whole dish. I urge you to hold off on salting until the filling is complete; taste for salt then and depending on

Happy Monday friends! I have a recipe that requires a little patience but not a lot of effort. The chicken breast is "ground" in the food processor and spread thinly onto the pasta sheets, followed by a delicious tangy goat cheese mixture. This is topped with purple onion and lots of Parmesan for good measure. A little fresh parsley is never a bad idea and this is a delicious meal! If you are not a fan of the acquired taste of goat cheese, you can substitute it for the equall

I hope everyone's had a nice Labor Day weekend. We went camping, unplugged and enjoyed a little outdoor time. Coming home to an endless pile of camping laundry is not the time I want to start a big meal, so a simple pasta salad like this one is perfect. Frying up the skirt steak is the only thing that requires any effort, really; everything else is just chop, dice, mix and serve. Perfect for a night when you have other priorities. Enjoy! Steak and Arugula Pasta Salad Serves 8

This recipe will heavily rely your preference. You can choose your favorite pasta, you can choose how much pesto to add to your pasta, and you can choose whether or not to add a protein to it. I personally enjoy my spaghetti pasta with a healthy amount of the pesto and some crispy seared chicken breast, and it was delicious! I made one meal out of the pesto and froze the rest to be used another day. Now, I know that when you see pesto, you think basil and pine nuts. That does

This dish has so many components. Chicken sautéed with white wine and lemon juice, creamy Parmesan sauce, and brightness from the herbs and peas. The breadcrumb topping is the cherry on top, adding a little texture to this carbonara with its pleasant crunch and also adding to a beautiful presentation. This is a perfect springtime meal, and I'm sure anyone you feed this to will be delighted. I hope you give this dish a try! Enjoy. Chicken Carbonara with Peas Serves 6 Ingredien

This is an easy kid-pleasing meal that adults will enjoy too! Cheeseburger flavors, quick prep and clean up- but it didn't come out of a box! I've used one of my very favorite spice mix- Trader Joe's Onion Salt, but I have given an option of substitute spices (see notes below). I hope you give this one a try, and enjoy! Cheesy Hamburger Macaroni Serves 4-6 Ingredients: 1 1/2 lb ground beef 2 cups macaroni pasta (any pasta will work) 2 cups assorted cheese (such as mozzarella

This is a good make-ahead meal. The reason I say this is because once this Lo Mein has had some time to sit in its own juices, it develops a better taste. I'm not kidding. I don't know what happens in this pot overnight, but I've tried this recipe twice now and both times it tasted better reheated the next day. Which, for me, is perfect. We love having company over and often have a large potluck-style dinner to attend or host, so I'm always on a lookout for overnight meals fo

I won't lie, this recipe has quite a few steps. You first need to pound, bread and fry the chicken, then make the vegetable sauce and cook the pasta. But I'll tell you what- it is worth it! Make this on a day when you don't have much going on and then maybe invite some friends for dinner, because this makes a lot. I used my Cajun seasoning in this recipe, and my husband claims it's now among his favorite dishes. I hope you give it a try! Cajun Penne with Chicken Serves 8-10 I

I've recently been asked where I get the majority of my meal inspiration, and my reply was "At the grocery store!" It is not unusual for me to venture out to the store with the main necessities in mind (milk, eggs, sugar) but with no actual shopping list in hand. I'll walk through the aisles and look for food items that are new-to-me and think of the different ways I could turn them into a delicious dish. And (obsessively organized people, look away), I actually enjoy shoppin