Herbs & Spices

This burger and the side that follows are fancy enough to entertain with and much more affordable than steaks and lobster for your crew!

Serve the Seared Peppers and Onions (page 46) with any or all of these Fajita Burgers. They’re hot! Wrap the pepper and onion topping in a warm, soft tortilla with a burger, or pile a quarter of the mixture on each plate and garnish with a little cilantro. Top with a burger of your choice.

Better than burritos and tacos, these wraps have crunch and the lettuce lets the flavors of the fillings shine through.

This is salmon with some soul. It’s groovy.

A lower-carb alternative to pot stickers and other dumplings.

Montalcino, Italy, is the city I married in. I will make this dish for John every September 24, for our wedding anniversary. The way to anyone’s heart, forever and ever, is through their stomach! This is not your average chicken dinner.

Unreal! Forget Buffalo wings—not only are these healthier than deep-fried wings and way lower in fat, they simply are the best chicken wings you’ll ever have! They are super, über-snacks that can be a simple supper, with salad or veggies on the side. The only carbs come from natural juice and honey. Unlike the small, snipped wings served in some bars and restaurants, homemade wings are larger and have more meat. Allow three or four for a full dinner portion per person, though my sweetie and I can eat all twelve if we’re watching a double feature that night!

Better than burritos and tacos, these wraps have crunch and the lettuce lets the flavors of the fillings shine through.

Feel free to swap out the green vegetable for whatever looks good. My husband, John, loves salami and really all pork in general. The only thing he likes better is a meal like this one, which combines pork and crispy salami-topped side dishes!

This dish is so good that if you ever share it with friends they’ll each be calling you the next week for home delivery. Ask for a generous tip.

This one is for Howard Stern. Howard loves the ground turkey. Here ya go, baby!

Why roast the carrots? Well let me tell you, a roasted carrot will kick a boiled carrot’s you know what, any day. That’s why.

I admit, toasting the bread cubes is the hardest part of this recipe for me. I burn a lot of bread, often. Use your favorite method for remembering: the rubber band around the wrist, a timer, or assign someone in the house to stand guard at the oven. (I use John.) It’s always such a drag to have to do a “do over” when it comes to making croutons. It’s humbling.

Exotic, easy, and healthy, too, this simple dish is just delish.

Thai-style food made with ingredients available in any grocery store. If you’re not into beef, try it with pork or chicken, instead.

This dish is what I call a “Retro Metro.” Back in the day, Chicken Divan—poultry, poulet sauce, broccoli, and mushrooms—was a continental cuisine staple. As a special treat, my mom would take me to NYC to the Magic Pan for Chicken Divan Crepes. This is an easy cosmopolitan update on the classic. The broccoli is swapped out for asparagus and the preparation time is reduced. Enjoy!