Customizable Recipes
Food is about nourishing, fueling and healing your body, not just filling it.
The most beautiful thing about cooking is that it is not exclusive, most people cook. Even if it is not something that comes naturally, with practice and desire you can become a great cook. On this site I will give you techniques, tools and a few suggestions for flavor pairings so that you can experiment, expand and improve your culinary repertoire.
Professional cooking is all about adjusting to variables, that may mean playing with the heat under the pan, cooling something quickly over an ice bath, adding water when something is too thick or thickener if something is too thin. When you are adjusting the flavor of a dish consider the flavor profile, it may not always be salt that is needed, sometimes it will be sweet, sour, even bitter that would round out your dish. When you are looking for any of these flavor adjustments there are so many options to build flavor. If you are looking for salty you may use soy sauce instead of salt, when you are looking for sweetness you may add fruit in place of sugar. In this website I will try to give you many options to suit your taste and encourage you to play around, cooking is fun and you should not be nervous to play around with it!
When it comes to baking I will give specific recipes, but for savory foods I find that when you are cooking at home it is very important to adjust to the tastes of those you are cooking for since you know them well. I will give a framework for you to start from, to spark your creativity in the kitchen.
What I suggest for all cooking is that you buy as locally and with the seasons as possible so that your food tastes the way it should and can be made simply which tends to be the healthiest way to eat. Another important tip is to season as you cook so you are not bombing your food with salt at the end and to make sure you taste as you go so you can adjust the seasoning. Although health is of utmost importance, you will find plenty of the 20% as I like to call it, here on the site.
Whenever you have a question, you can submit it through the Ask Mama J (Contact Julie) tab.
Recipe Reading Tip
Whenever you are using a recipe remember to read through the whole recipe one time before you begin so that you know what to expect moving forward. Being able to use your time more efficiently is important. You may realize that you have to soak something overnight and it may change your plans entirely. Ingredient lists at the top of a recipe can slow you down if you gather and prep the ingredients and then get to the method and realize you had time to cut and prep some things during the cooking process.
Read the recipes below
Pasta with Broccoli Rabe, White Beans and Sausage
This is a pretty quick to pull together meal that you can serve your family with a simple salad and feel good about it. My father made this pasta dish all the time when I was growing up, it might be my all time favorite dish. The contrast of the bitter greens, the...
The Best Salmon (or Tuna) Salad Recipe
Salmon salad is a simple, quick and healthy lunch or dinner on top of a green salad loaded with veggies. It is also great as a sandwich if you have some great bread or as an appetizer on crostini or a crisp piece of endive. This recipe is written with what I had in...
Quick and Delicious Shaved Brussels Sprouts
These Brussels sprouts couldn't be easier. I have seen pre-shaved Brussels in stores which would make this about a 6 minute dish. One cup of Brussels sprouts contains 3g of fiber, 3g of protein, calcium, iron and potassium. This paired beautifully with a simple...
Simple Roasted Asparagus
The arrival of local asparagus in stores is one of my favorite culinary signals of spring. I just found (not so local) organic asparagus at Trader Joe's and had to pick them up in hopes that cooking them would melt the snow outside a little faster. Asparagus has...
Simple Baked Fish Filets
This is such a quick, easy and tasty way to prepare fish filets. You can use this method on most any type of fish! Think bass, flounder, grouper, trout, salmon, barramundi, bluefish, bream, cod and my favorite, red snapper. This is a no recipe needed type of...
Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes
These mashed potatoes are so creamy, flavorful and satisfying. As one of the best comfort foods around I can't believe I never put Parmigiano-Reggiano in them before today. I had to use my Russet potatoes and was making meatloaf with my Best Ever Meatball Recipe....
Classic Brioche French Toast Recipe
This recipe is the classic, simple version that pleases every crowd. French Toast is one of those cheat meals that comes with no guilt here. It's the next best thing to my dad's Swedish Pancakes for a truly comforting special treat breakfast. Growing up my dad made...
Crunchy, Creamy Baby Potatoes aka Crash Potatoes
These potatoes rarely make it to the table as everyone in the family steals them before I can get them there! I often put these under a spatchcocked chicken after flattening them. I add some leeks to enhance the flavor, they have an incredible, extra creamy quality...
Simple Weeknight Salmon
Salmon is a nutritional powerhouse. A few years ago I was working, we had a very simply baked salmon in a family style type set-up. A body builder came to tell me how delicious the salmon was, he had 6 pieces. He said he knew what he was talking about because he...
Nonni’s Green Bean Recipe
The food that I remember most fondly from my Nonni's table is her green beans. My Nonni was an always perfectly dressed and coifed woman who wore her high heels every day, until the very end in her nineties! We went to her apartment in Yonkers often for Sunday...
Taco Nachos
This quick to put together dish is a fun spin on Taco Tuesday! It's kind of like a dip without the heavy creaminess of a dip and with grass-fed beef you are getting a great source of protein. Just be aware that you want to eat this with people closest to you as it...
Protein Packed Italian Wedding Soup
This recipe is packed with protein and veggies that your kids won't even realize are there while they are scarfing it down. I added carrots and mushrooms along with the onions and garlic to the meatballs to sneak in some extra nutrition. I find that instead of...
Garbage Bread aka Dirty Bread aka Stromboli
Crisp, tender crust, flavor packed, cheesy goodness. This recipe has many names and even more variations. You can easily make this vegan or vegetarian. I like to make the recipe for pizza crust from Bobby Flay's Bobby at Home which he got from pizza legend Chris...
Beef Barley Soup
Tender, flavorful meat. Loads of beautiful vegetables and a stock that will warm your bones. This is the most hearty soup you could ask for on these cold winter nights. I used leftover Prime Rib bones to make the stock and chopped up the meat for the soup. I also...
Rustic Creamy Mushroom Pasta
Loaded with flavor, perfectly creamy, balanced and incredibly satisfying. This pasta dish was inspired by my trip to Sardinia during my studies at The Culinary Institute of America. We stayed at The Hotel Miramonti just outside of Seulo and it was an absolute...
Chicken Salad with Kale, Pomegranate and Pistachios
When you are in the mood for a chicken salad why not up the nutrition ante...Tuscan kale is packed with vitamins c, b6 and k along with antioxidants and minerals.Pomegranate seeds boast fiber, vitamin c, k and antioxidants. They are anti-inflammatory and so much...
Easy Meat and Veggie Lasagna
I have always preferred a veggie lasagna to meat lasagna. My family prefers meat lasagna over everything. I finally found a perfect marriage of the two so we are all at the ultimate satisfaction level. If you are a parent you will appreciate this... My daughter who...
Quick and Simple Chicken Fajitas
My family could eat this or some variation of it every night. It is such an economical way to feed your family and the chicken can be swapped out for steak if that's what you prefer or you could go vegan and swap out the meat for sliced mushrooms! It is so simple...
Roasted Spatchcock Chicken or Pork with Potatoes and Leeks
This almost one-pot dish is so quick and simple, you will be bowled over by how tasty it is! This budget friendly meal came together using what I had on hand at the time and it leaves nothing to be desired. The chicken is moist and flavorful and the skin is crispy...
Thanksgiving Meal Planning
It's almost here! If you are hosting Thanksgiving this year you are somewhere in the range of having your plan set with multiple lists color coded by day for shopping, prepping and cooking or... you don't even know where you are getting your turkey from. Here are...
Best Ever Coco-Nutty Chocolate Chip Cookies
These cookies have brightened the days of so many people I love. This is my go-to cookie recipe that I have been tweaking to perfection for the last couple of years. These cookies are everything in their title and they are crisp, tender and chewy. Absolute cookie...
The Easiest Most Delicious Beef and Bean Chili
When I have a party in the cooler months chili is often on the menu. Everyone loves this beef and bean chili! It is fantastic on its own, with corn chips, over yellow rice with some finely grated Vermont cheddar cheese on top, over mac and cheese or over a Hummel...
Thanksgiving Host Gifts and Drink Tips
Did you know that in 1939 Thanksgiving was moved from the 4th Thursday in November to the 3rd Thursday because FDR hoped that it would help boost the economy to have another week between Thanksgiving and Christmas? Well, the country hated it and 2 years later in...
Nutella Pancakes
These pancakes are my kids all time favorite treat breakfast. When you cut into them the Nutella squeezes out and that unmistakable chocolatey hazelnut beauty shows itself. When you are cooking them you want to make sure you are watching for those signature popping...
Simple Roasted Spaghetti Squash
Spaghetti squash is great on its own and is a great carb swap for vegan and GF friends. It is nutrient dense and low calorie. It provides fiber, vitamins c, b6 and manganese. It is harvested early in the fall and can be stored in a cool, dry place (not the...
Better Than Diner Hash Recipe
Other than sushi, what my kids missed the most during quarantine was our trips to the diner. I have made countless hashes over the last 6 months, it is the ultimate in customizable recipes and they work for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Of course they shine beside...
The Best Ever Meatball Recipe (and Sauce!)
These meatballs are so moist and flavorful I had to shoo my family away so I could get some to the table! They are so great that they easily stand alone. When I made my tester for seasoning adjustment my husband asked me to save a bunch on the side for him before...
Quick and Easy Minestrone
I love fall for all of it's glorious soup! This week's weather switched from summer to fall perfectly in sync with the start of school and so began Parkis soup season! I have been itching to try The Blue Zones Minestrone recipes. Yesterday, time and ingredients...
Summer Panzanella Salad Recipe
I have never sought out a panzanella salad. Last week I had half of a loaf of my homemade sourdough bread that didn't fit into the plan that I made surrounding my CSA, so I decided to work it right into a salad I planned on making and the whole family absolutely...
Crispy Kale Chips
Crispy Kale Chips are one of my kids' favorite snacks and subsequently one of mine as well. They are healthy, delicious and very easy to customize to your taste/mood. Snacking is one of the hardest times to eat clean which is why it is important to keep those...
Pasta with Eggplant and Cherry Tomatoes
This recipe is highly customizable. This time around I added 1/4 lb of beef that I had left over. If I had thought ahead I would have added a can of cannellini beans as well. This is one of the recipes that is great for people to test their ability to cook to their...
Simple Sautéed Corn
Summer corn is one of the greatest flavors. You can add it to pastas, quesadillas, casseroles or eat it plain. This is the simplest way to cook it although I do know people who eat it raw off the cob, die hards! You can keep your corn in the fridge for a few days...
Summer Vegetable Quesadillas
Quesadillas are such a kid-friendly dinner, they have become a 2x/month staple. The best thing about quesadillas is that you can make so many variations and the whole family loves them!Last week I had zucchini in my CSA box, it will be my challenge all summer to...
Garlic Basil Compound Butter
At The CIA we learned to make Maître d'hôtel butter which is what this is, but as an Italian-American I will call it compound butter! Compound butter is a great way to add flavor to so many dishes! It is also a great way to preserve fresh herbs. You can substitute...
Cheeseburger Quesadillas with Chipotle Crema
Food waste is something that I am always trying to find ways to avoid. This weekend we had a family barbecue and half of the people cancelled within the last two days. We were left with lots of leftovers! Things that I had to work with: cooked cheeseburgers, corn...
Drying Herbs
Large herb harvest in your garden this year? Did you get a bunch of parsley, dill or basil from your CSA that you know you won't get to before it gets too sad to eat? Maybe you went to the grocery store and bought a bunch of parsley but only needed a tablespoon....
Garlic Scape and Basil Pesto with Walnuts and Orange
This herbaceous, cheesy and bright pesto comes together quickly in a food processor or with a mortar and pestle. The orange was a last minute inspiration/experiment that went very well. As my 8 year old said "The smell when you put your face over it is incredible!"...
All About Burgers
Burgers are one of the most crave worthy food categories. That is why we are so lucky that they are so easy to make at home and we can easily make them better than anywhere you go out to eat. I am all about the 100% grass fed chuck/brisket mix for flavor/health...
Caramelized Onions
Onions are amazing raw or cooked. Caramelizing onions pulls out the natural sugars and browning those sugars creates the other worldly flavor of caramelization. You can make a small batch (that is what this recipe is for) or a giant batch (my largest was 60lbs.,...
Delicious Roasted Chicken and Potatoes
This recipe will give you deeply flavored, crisp and fluffy potatoes and the most flavorful/moist chicken with little bits of heavenly burnt garlic. Equipment:-Kitchen Shears/or Knife-Cutting Board-Sheet Pan (Mine was used for bacon at lunch, if you can...
Our Favorite Blueberry Muffins
This recipe started with the Famous Department Store Blueberry Muffins recipe from KAF. It is a strong start, but mine are light, moist, soft, crunchy and packed with flavor. Some of the changes that I made and why: -Whisking the whole recipe by hand because I have...
Mom’s Any Fruit Crisp
I use my mom's base recipe for this and modify each time. Her recipe is written for Blueberry Crisp or Apple Crisp, but you can use any fruit. Blueberry is home to me, what we grew up having as our summer treat. Now, for my family I usually make strawberry rhubarb...
Cauliflower Cream Sauce
This light, smooth, cheesy sauce is so delicious my family begs for it all the time. We love it the most as the base sauce for homemade pizza with spinach or broccoli rabe and sausage. It is also great with pasta and broccoli. My husband likes to use it as a dip...
Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler with Fresh Whipped Cream
I made this recipe/cocktail combo for dessert for Seasonal Ingredient Week during my Advanced Cooking class at The Culinary Institute of America. You would think this is so simple for a class at The CIA, but the flavor is amazing. When you give your chef something...
The Best Coleslaw Recipe
This is absolutely delicious on its own. The best use for coleslaw is when paired with something fatty like beef, pork, fried chicken, fish or tofu. Coleslaw will brighten up each bite and cut through the fat. You can use it when making tacos, sandwiches, hot dogs...
Lemon Chicken Rice Soup
This is my son's favorite soup and perfect for all seasons as it is warm and comforting while also being light and fresh. I always think of the diner when we eat this, but this version tastes lighter and fresher than that of the diner's. In this recipe I made the...
Mom’s Chocolate Cake
This chocolate cake is special, the cake is dark, moist and deeply chocolatey and the meringue frosting is light, smooth and not overly sweet. Two things that take this over the top is the addition of raw sugar to keep the cake from sticking to the pan and the...
Stuffed Cabbage
This Stuffed Cabbage recipe is another recipe that I developed from my Versatile Bolognese recipe. These cabbage rolls were light but filling, complex and perfectly balanced so that you can taste every ingredient that is on your plate. I couldn't be happier with...
Shepherd’s Pie
The other day I posted a recipe for Bolognese with a promise of a Shepherd's pie recipe to follow and here it is. This dish is so savory and rich but loaded with sweet veggies making it also light and crazy satisfying. It is the perfect comfort meal. The simple...
Versatile Bolognese
If you have ground meat in your freezer (or fresh!) This is a great Bolognese recipe, I started with Geoffrey Zakarian’s recipe @foodnetwork and modified to my taste/what I had on hand. This recipe can cover you for 4 meals. I plan on using 1/2 quart for 1 lb of...
Swiss Chard/Kidney Bean A La Raffaella Soup/or Pasta
When I was in grammar school in the 90s at St. Augustine School, the PTA made a family recipe book that I recently picked up to check out again. My dad had submitted this recipe which is very pantry staple heavy as is to be expected as he was inspired by a frequent...
Sausage and Peppers
This is the recipe that I use as a base for my sausage and peppers, which about 10 years ago I started with Rachel Ray's version and although I always make it a little different it's a very solid base I just changed some ratios and the method slightly. I remove the...
Swedish Pancakes
My ultimate comfort food. These Swedish Pancakes are our go to family breakfast when we all get together. One of my brothers and I had a competition side by side cooking them (years before I attended culinary school and he has 10 years of Swedish Pancake experience...
Squid Ink Pasta with Sous Vide Shrimp, Chorizo, Corn and Cherry Tomatoes
Two portions for most, one for some. Yield: 2 portionsIngredients: Pasta:00 Flour 500gSalt pinchEggs, whole 5 eachSquid ink 1oz. Shrimp:Shrimp (Extra Large 26-30), shelled and deveined 5-6 per person as entreeEVOO splashGarlic, crushed 2 eaBay leaf 1eaPimenton...
Nutty Triple Chocolate Pudding
Yield: 2 portions Ingredients: Toasted Hazelnuts 1/4 cup (if tree nuts are a problem you can use toasted pumpkin seeds or roasted peanuts.)Mexican Chocolate, coarse chop 1.25ozSugar 2TCocoa (Natural) 1.3TCornstarch .75TSalt PinchAlmond Milk 1/3 cup (whole milk if...
Lamb Kebabs
Yield: 2 skewers Ingredients:4oz. Lamb, cubed 8-10 piecesRed Bell, 1" squares 1/2 ea.Green Bell, 1" squares 1/2 ea.Yellow Squash, sliced 1/2 ea.Red Onion, 1/8s 1/4 ea. Salt and Pepper to taste Marinade:EVO 1/4 cup Harissa 1.5TThyme, minced 1TCayenne 1/4tCinnamon...
Tomatillo Salsa Verde
This can be used as a dip, a flavor bomb with a rice dish or as an accompaniment to homemade macaroni and cheese. Let me know how you use it! Makes about 1 cup Ingredients:5 Tomatillos, charred 1 Jalapeno, chopped 1/4 Medium Onion, chopped 1/2 Lime, juiced 1/3...
Warm Potato Salad
Serves 4-6 as side. Ingredients:16 oz Fingerling Potatoes2 Smashed Garlic ClovesMayonnaise -1 egg yolk -1tsp dijon -1tsp white wine vinegar -1c oil -Lemon juice, cayenne, salt and pepper1/2 T Dijon1/2 T White Wine Vinegar 1/2 T Sugar1/2 T Horseradish2 oz Bacon,...
Shrimp Scampi
So simple, so delicious. Yield: 1 portion Ingredients: 4 oz. Shrimp (26-30), deveined, seasoned 2 oz. White Wine 3 oz. EVOO 2 oz. Butter 3 cloves Garlic, minced/sliced 1/2 Shallot, minced 1/2 Lemon, juice Red Pepper Flakes to taste Salt and Pepper to taste 1T...
Spicy Spinach Ricotta Pasta
When I was little my father would whip up an incredible meal with anything he had in the house, it was the greatest! The only problem is that he (or I) never wrote anything down, so when something comes out great, no matter how simple it is, I plan to share it...
Olive Oil Cake
There has never been a more appropriate cake to use the word moist... sorry. I got this recipe from Chef Jim Maraldo at The Culinary Institute of America when I took his Cuisines of the Mediterranean class. When I make it at home I do not use alcohol, in its place...
Bacon Roll-Ups
Bacon Roll-Ups are an appetizer that my husband requested when we first got married as it was one of his favorites that his mom made for their holidays growing up. The original recipe is Wonder Bread, cream cheese and bacon, over the years I have made some changes...
Italian Rainbow Cookies
Ok, over the holidays I did a lot of research and testing and this is the recipe. After all of the trial and error and attempts with other recipes, Smitten Kitchen has the winner, go nowhere else. These cookies are a labor of love and so worth it. The only change...
Tips for a Healthier Holiday Season
Sometimes we get caught up this time of year, here are some tips that might be helpful: Holiday gift baking: Dark Chocolate dipped/covered dried fruit and nuts are a great gift in place of cookies, they are better for your friends and healthier for you to...
Quesadillas
Such a versatile appetizer, lunch or dinner accompaniment. Everyone loves quesadillas and there are endless options to modify them to fit your mood. When it comes to the best cheese for quesadillas that’s debatable, but I generally prefer Monterey jack for it’s...
Stuffed Peppers
Stuffed peppers are popular in many cultures, in our house we usually go Italian or Mexican style depending on the mood. They have become so popular in my house that I use stuffed pepper night to clear the veggie drawer and pantry using whatever I have on hand. For...
Fresh Pasta
There is nothing like fresh pasta. When I was little my grandma would come stay with us during summer break and we would make pasta (among many other things) and although there are less opportunities for fresh pasta these days because time is a precious commodity,...
Baked Pastas (and more)
Baked pastas can be whatever you want them to be. You can make a classic baked ziti with meat or no meat, you can make it vegetarian and change the vegetables with the seasons or you can dream up your favorite flavor combination and give it a shot, let me know if...
Meatballs
Everyone loves meatballs whether they are on a meatball parm wedge (this name is highly contested but I'm sticking with it), nestled on top of your favorite spaghetti or on their own as an appetizer or side. The beauty of meatballs is that they began as a way to...
Quiche
Essentially a baked custard in a pastry crust, quiche is often thought of as a French dish, but it actually originated in Germany. Quiche is one of my favorite fridge emptiers, when I have a bunch of random cheese ends and meats or veggies I love to throw it all in...
Chili
I would imagine there are more chili recipes in the world than any other dish. Chili has an interesting past (of course debated, but North America is safe to say as it covers so much ground) and while people fight over the origin, all I care about is the one I get...
