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There is something so good about this simple quesadilla, about tasting each element — the smoky peppers and sweet onions, the bright cilantro, the creamy, melty Jack. As with pizza, less is more with quesadillas — a thin layer of ingredients is best. Before serving, I love stretching open the cheese-locked layers and dropping in spoonfuls of sour cream. // alexandracooks.com

Roasted Poblano & Monterey Jack Quesadilla

September 11, 2014

A bowl of roasted tomato and bread soup aside homemade bread and a spoon.

Roasted Tomato and Bread Soup (Pappa al Pomodoro)

August 27, 2014

This no-mayo chicken salad is made with a simple dressing of olive oil and vinegar with big, plump pieces of chicken, lots of herbs, and a nice bite in the dressing. It's another nice no-mayo salad to serve at a summer gathering or to bring to a potluck. And there's only one thing to keep in mind while making it: less is not more. Don't be afraid to heap on those herbs. // alexandracooks.com

Chicken Salad with Olive Oil & Herbs

June 26, 2014

This sandwich bread can be made entirely with whole wheat flour, but I like using a mix of all-purpose and whole wheat flours, which produce a soft, light, and sturdy loaf, one that appeals, most importantly, to both toddlers and adults alike. // alexandracooks.com

Walter Sands’ Soft Sandwich Bread

May 30, 2014

A bowl of broccoli-cauliflower salad.

Cauliflower, Broccoli & Pepita Salad

May 22, 2014

In this campanelle dish, a warm anchovy-caper-olive oil sauce dresses the pasta first; then a splash of lemon juice and reserved cooking liquid thin out the sauce ensuring it coats the pasta nicely; finally chopped hard-boiled eggs and greens complete the dish to make an impromptu, deeply satisfying dinner. // alexandracooks.com

Campanelle with Hard-Boiled Eggs, Capers & Watercress

April 23, 2014

Croque madame — croque monsieur topped with a poached egg — on a cutting board.

Croque Monsieur (Croque Madame) with Poached Eggs

January 7, 2014

A bowl of white bean and escarole and sausage soup.

White Bean, Escarole & Sausage Soup

November 14, 2013

Charred eggplant produces a creaminess without the help of oil, and the charring moreover imparts such a nice smokiness to the eggplant's flesh. Some sort of flatbread or grilled bread is a must with each of these preparations, and if you happen to have some za'atar in your pantry, the aromatic spice mixture complements the eggplant so nicely. // alexandracooks.com

Burnt Eggplant with Za’atar Flatbread

July 26, 2013

When it's too hot to cook, turn off the oven. Nothing could be more refreshing than this cool summery soup — green grape and cucumber gazpacho — and spicy-sweet-crunchy salad: quinoa with mango, lime and ginger. // alexandracooks.com

Cucumber & Green Grape Gazpacho | Quinoa Salad with Mango, Lime & Ginger

July 18, 2013

Pissaladière/Focaccia: What to Do With Past-Prime Lahey Pizza Dough

June 12, 2013

In this soba noodle salad, both the tofu and noodles are dressed with the same ginger and garlic soy-based dressing. It's a great dressing to use with any number of Asian noodles, but it excels in one area in particular: complete tofu domination. // alexandracooks.com

Soba Salad with Marinated Tofu, Mint & Scallions

May 15, 2013

For Gabrielle Hamilton, the success of this prosciutto and arugula sandwich relies on a delicate balance, "the perfection of three fats together — butter, olive oil, and the white fat from prosciutto or lardo." Served on (faux) ciabatta bread, it's delicious. // alexandracooks.com

Prosciutto & Arugula Sandwich on Ciabatta

April 24, 2013

soba noodles with peanut dressing

Soba Noodle Salad with Peanut Dressing

April 18, 2013

A simple dressing of olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice with just a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes works best in this quinoa salad, both complementing quinoa's flavors while not oversaturating its delicate texture. // alexandracooks.com

Quinoa with Walnuts, Radishes & Spring Onions

April 3, 2013

a baked ham and cheese croissant

Smoked Ham (or Prosciutto) & Cheese Croissants

March 26, 2013

What to do with those Radishes …

March 23, 2013

3 Simple Tartines: Mushroom; Radicchio & Gorgonzola; Fresh Ricotta // Plus A Few More Ideas for Oscar Night

February 21, 2013

Toast with Hard Boiled Eggs & Bagna Cauda // Also, Walnut Bread

February 13, 2013

Loaded with vegetables — carrots, potatoes, onions and cabbage — a little bacon and a touch of cream, this cabbage soup is definitely hearty, best served on a cold winter day with crusty bread and nothing more. For me, it's the dill and caraway seeds that make it unlike any other I have tasted, the caraway seeds in particular imparting a lovely yet subtle flavor. // alexandracooks.com

Paul Steindler’s Cabbage Soup and A Peasant Bread Follow-Up

January 9, 2013

This pomegranate salad recipe comes from the book Turquoise by Greg and Lucy Malouf, which my aunt introduced to the family last winter when she served this stunning salad at a dinner party. The myriad textures and sweet-salty-hot dressing make this salad irresistible. // alexandracooks.com

Green Olive, Walnut & Pomegranate Salad; Thanksgiving Day Recap

November 24, 2012

It's dishes such as this that make me understand (almost) how people can be vegetarian. In In this slow-cooked kale, kale is blanched first, roughly chopped and then sautéed over low heat for thirty minutes in olive oil with onions, garlic, rosemary and chile de árbol. It's almost black and slightly crispy when finished. It is sweet and addictive. // alexandracooks.com

Suzanne Goin’s Slow-Cooked Kale ( & Stuffing)

November 18, 2012

The amazing recipe for a classic grilled cheese sandwich calls for crisping country white bread slices in a skillet on one side before topping them with cheese and sautéed shallots. The open-faced halves finish cooking in the oven before being pressed together into a traditional sandwich. This simple technique produces such a brilliant result: perfectly golden bread flanking perfectly melty cheese. // alexandracooks.com

The Best Grilled Cheese

September 11, 2012

In this eggplant caviar, eggplant is roasted (as opposed to fried), which requires minimal oil, allowing the eggplant's sweet flavor to really shine. And after a gentle mashing with a fork, the eggplant's flesh becomes creamy, a perfect consistency to whip into a spread to spoon over grilled bread. // alexandracooks.com

Eggplant Caviar on Grilled Bread

September 5, 2012

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