Bite into this mild-mannered-looking burger and you’ll get a cheesy surprise and the big flavors of garlicky arugula pesto. My burgers come off the same grill that has been at the Rock since it first opened 70 years ago (it was the only piece of the kitchen that was unharmed from the fire), and it has probably grilled about 21⁄2 million burgers since then. I mean, off of that grill came burgers to feed our boys going off to World War II and coming home from ‘Nam. It served the hungry during the Depression. When I think of all the people who have been comforted by the food coming off of that grill, it gives me perspective and makes me happy that I can keep the Rock and its amazing history alive.

Pesto
1 cup (about 4 ounces) finely grated Parmesan cheese
About 2 cups arugula
1⁄2 cup toasted pine nuts
1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1⁄4–1⁄2 teaspoon salt

Burgers
1⁄2 recipe meatball mixture (about 21⁄2 pounds)
6 slices fresh mozzarella cheese
2 teaspoons canola oil
6 hamburger buns, toasted

Make the pesto. Place the Parmesan, arugula, pine nuts, olive oil, garlic, and pepper in a food processor and blend for 15 seconds. Stop and scrape the sides of the bowl, and process until the pesto is smooth, about 10 seconds more. Taste and add the salt if necessary.

Stuff the burgers. Take 1⁄3 cup meat mixture and form it into a flat circle, about 4″ in diameter. (Make the patty slightly larger or smaller depending on the width of your mozzarella cheese slice—the patty should be just slightly wider than the cheese slice.) Place a piece of cheese in the center and top with another 1⁄3 cup meat mixture, also flattened into a circle. Seal the edges shut and repeat with the remaining meat and cheese, until you have 6 filled hamburger patties.

Cook the burgers. Heat the canola oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place the burgers in the pan (as many as will fit), cover, and cook until browned, about 3 to 6 minutes per side. Place each burger on the bottom half of a bun, top the burger with about 2 tablespoons pesto, cover with the bun top, and serve.

Canned tuna is a great value, so why just use it for tuna salad? Paired with pasta and capers, it makes a great, rustic, and flavorful dinner that seems fancy even though it’s pretty bare bones.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
1⁄3 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and roughly chopped
1 can (28 ounces) chopped tomatoes with juice (about 3 cups)
1 tablespoon + 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1 pound spaghetti
2 cans (6 ounces each) olive oil–packed tuna, drained
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1⁄2 lemon

Make the sauce. Pour the oil into a large skillet. Add the garlic and cook gently over medium heat until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 to 11⁄2 minutes. Add the parsley and capers and cook for 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes and their juices. Bring to a simmer and then reduce the heat to medium-low, add 1⁄2 teaspoon of the salt, and simmer gently until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Boil the pasta. While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of water to a boil with the remaining 1 tablespoon of salt. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions until it is al dente. Reserve 1⁄4 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot.

Add the tuna and serve. Break the tuna into small flakes and add to the sauce along with the pepper. Add the sauce and the butter to the pasta, tossing gently until the butter is completely melted (add a little pasta water if the pasta seems dry). Squeeze the lemon half over the pasta, toss, divide the pasta among 4 bowls, and serve.

Having some ground meat in the freezer definitely comes in handy — especially when I have a kitchen full of hungry kids clamoring for food! Mini burgers are a great solution. They’re the perfect handheld size, and grown-ups love them too, so really they’re a win-win snack (double the serving for a meal). These turkey burger BLTs are extra-yummy, but you can scratch the BLT part if you don’t have the fixings and just top them with ketchup, mustard, pickles, or Swiss. Any kind of ground meat works here, even super-lean and flavorful bison. Oven-cooking the bacon and burgers is a lot less messy than pan-frying, though of course the burgers are great grilled, too.

Ingredients
6 slices bacon, cut in half crosswise
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1⁄8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound ground turkey (light or dark meat, or a combo of the two)
6 mini buns or dinner rolls, about 3″ in diameter, split
1⁄2 cup mayonnaise
1⁄2 garlic clove, finely minced
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons (1⁄4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
2–3 lettuce leaves, torn into 3″ pieces
2 ripe tomatoes, sliced

Cook the bacon. Adjust 1 oven rack to the uppermost position and leave the other in the middle position. Heat the oven to 425°F. Arrange the bacon in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until crisped and browned, about 12 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate. Pour the bacon fat from the baking sheet into an airtight container (or top off the bacon fat you already have stored in the fridge) and refrigerate. Wipe off the baking sheet and turn on the broiler.

Make the burgers and the mayo. Sprinkle the salt and the pepper over the ground turkey and gently mix to combine (squeezing and compacting meat makes for tough burgers). Divide the turkey into 6 mounds and lightly roll each portion into a ball. Place the balls on the baking sheet and flatten them with your hands into patties slightly larger than the buns (the burgers will shrink a little with cooking). Arrange the buns, cut-side up, on a second baking sheet and place on the middle rack. Broil the burgers on the upper rack until cooked through and lightly browned, 5 to 6 minutes. While the burgers cook, mix the mayonnaise, garlic, and lemon juice in a small bowl.

Toast the buns. Take the burgers and buns out; set the burgers aside. Brush the cut side of the buns with some melted butter and broil just until lightly toasted, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from the oven and spread each bun with the garlic mayonnaise. Place a patty on each bun bottom, top with bacon, lettuce, tomato, and the bun top, and serve.

D2D
Save the fat left over from cooking bacon in an airtight container in the fridge. Use it instead of butter or oil for sautéing or roasting vegetables or pan-searing chicken.

If your kids are like mine, they would eat pasta every night of the week — and for lunch, too! That’s why I know this meal will be a hit with your whole family. My kids go bananas because they’re getting pasta, and I’m happy because they’re getting some veggies and protein from the olives. (Fred, well, he’s just a happy guy in general.) Because it’s as delicious warm as it is at room temperature, the dish is a real winner for picnics and barbecues.

Tomato Sauce
1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, cored and chopped into 1⁄2″ cubes
1 sweet onion (such as Vidalia), finely chopped
1/2 orange, red, or yellow bell pepper, seeded and ribbed and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 jalapeño pepper (or less to taste), seeded and ribbed
1⁄ tablespoon finely chopped basil, cilantro, and/or oregano
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste (optional)

Pasta
1 tablespoon + 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1 pound orecchiette pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into 1⁄2″ cubes
1⁄2 cup sliced black olives (preferably the oil-cured kind)
Finely chopped fresh basil or oregano (optional)

Make the tomato sauce. Combine the tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, garlic, jalapeño pepper, herbs, vinegar or lime juice, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. If you want your sauce to have a smoother texture, add the optional tomato paste.

Boil the pasta. Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 1 tablespoon of salt. Add the pasta and the olive oil and cook until the pasta is al dente. Drain, reserving 1⁄4 cup of the pasta cooking water.

Toss it all together. Place the orecchiette in a large serving bowl and add the warmed sauce. Toss to combine, then add the mozzarella, olives, and herbs (if using), and the remaining 1⁄4 teaspoon salt. Toss a couple of times so that the mozzarella gets a little melty (you can add a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta cooking water to make the pasta saucier or get the cheese to melt a little more). Serve right away or at room temperature.

D2D
Pasta is amazing for breakfast! Microwave leftover cooked pasta from the night before with some butter and a touch of olive oil. Top with a fried or poached egg, and if you’re really feeling decadent, some crumbled bacon.

Maybe it’s because I own and run a restaurant, but it’s definitely one of my pet peeves when I order a meal and know right off the bat that I could’ve made it better. Now I’m the first to admit that there are some restaurant dishes I’ll never be able to one-up (I mean, how do they get the soup into those Shanghai soup dumplings anyway?), but there are others that I can definitely top, and cheesy enchiladas are one of them.

That’s why I never, ever order enchiladas in restaurants anymore, and honestly speaking, I bet you won’t either once you’ve tried making them yourself. Super simple, inexpensive, and so good, they leave you feeling happy and satisfied, not comatose, after eating.

Ingredients
About 2 1⁄4 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 small red or white onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeño chile pepper, seeded and ribbed for a milder flavor, finely chopped (optional)
1 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
3 cups No-Cook Garden Vegetable Sauce or your favorite salsa
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 (8″) flour or whole-wheat tortillas
2 cups (8 ounces) grated Cheddar and/or Monterey Jack cheese
Sour cream, for serving

Make the filling. Heat the oven to 400°F. Place the chicken in a large bowl and gently mix with the onion, jalapeño (if using), all but 2 tablespoons of the cilantro, 1⁄2 cup of the vegetable sauce, the lime juice, salt, and pepper.

Roll and bake the enchiladas. Evenly spread 1⁄2 cup of the vegetable sauce over the bottom of a 13″ x 9″ baking dish. Place the tortillas on your work surface and divide the filling among them, arranging it in a strip down the center of each tortilla. Roll the tortillas around the filling and place the filled tortillas seam-side down in the baking dish.

Cover with the remaining 2 cups of sauce. Sprinkle evenly with the cheese. Bake the enchiladas until the sauce is golden brown and bubbling, 20 to 30 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining cilantro and serve hot with sour cream on the side.

Flank and skirt steaks are two of my favorite low-cost, big-flavor meats. Turned into fajitas, one steak easily stretches into four servings (and the recipe can be doubled to serve more), especially when smothered with onions and peppers. Fajitas are super adaptable to nearly any situation, too — if you have tortillas in the fridge (quesadillas are a house favorite so we always do), you’re in the clear. If not, serve it as southwestern steak stir-fry alongside some red beans and rice.

Ingredients
21⁄2 tablespoons olive oil
2 limes, juiced
1⁄4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1⁄2 to 2 jalapeño chile peppers, ribbed, seeded, and finely diced (optional)
2 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
11⁄4 pounds flank or skirt steak, sliced crosswise into 1⁄4″-thick pieces
2 large green or red bell peppers or 1 cup of roasted pepper strips
1 large white onion
8 flour tortillas
Salsa, for serving

Marinate the meat. Whisk 11⁄2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the lime juice, cilantro, jalapeños (if using), garlic, cumin, paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper together in a large bowl. Place the meat in the marinade and toss to coat. Set aside while you slice the peppers and onion into 1⁄4″-thick strips.

Sear the steak. Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet (cast iron works great) for 3 minutes over medium-high heat. Remove the steak from the marinade. Drizzle 1⁄2 tablespoon of the olive oil into the pan and then add half of the steak to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the steak is nicely seared on all sides, about 2 minutes. Transfer the steak to a large plate and repeat with the remaining steak slices. Use tongs and a wad of paper towels to wipe out the skillet (be careful—it’s hot).

Brown the vegetables. Place the skillet back over the heat and drizzle in the remaining 1⁄2 tablespoon of olive oil in the pan. Add the onion and bell peppers to the pan and cook until charred and softened, about 5 minutes. Heat the tortIllas. While the onion and peppers cook, wrap the stack of tortillas in a kitchen towel or paper towels and place them on a plate. Microwave them until they are soft and supple, 20 to 30 seconds. Transfer the steak and vegetables to a large shallow dish and serve with the warm tortillas and the salsa.

I’m a crispy kinda girl, so I always pat my shrimp dry with a paper towel before broiling or pan-searing so they brown better. Buy whatever size shrimp is on sale — if using smaller shrimp, just shave the cooking time by a few minutes so you don’t overcook them. And if you don’t have feta, don’t stress it — you can top the shrimp with grated Parmesan or pecorino, or leave them bare.

1 pound medium IQF shrimp (see D2D tip below) peeled and deveined, thawed
5 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
21⁄2 teaspoons salt
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces orzo pasta (about 1 1⁄4 cups)
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
1⁄2 teaspoon dried basil or oregano
1⁄4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
3 ounces feta cheese (about 3⁄4 cup), crumbled

Marinate the shrimp. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. Stir together 1 tablespoon olive oil, about one-third of the garlic, 1⁄4 teaspoon of the salt, and a pinch of black pepper in a bowl. Mix in the shrimp and marinate for 10 minutes.

Boil the orzo. Stir 2 teaspoons of the salt into a large pot of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the orzo and cook until al dente, then drain. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and set aside.

Broil the shrimp. Adjust an oven rack to the upppermost position (the rack should be about 3″ from the broiler) and heat the broiler to high. Meanwhile, place the tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 11⁄2 tablespoons olive oil and add the remaining garlic, the basil or oregano, the red-pepper flakes, the remaining 1⁄4 teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste. Stir to combine, and then spread the mixture out in an even layer. Scatter the shrimp over the tomatoes in a single layer. Broil until the edges of the shrimp are beginning to brown and the shrimp are opaque throughout, 5 to 6 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Divide the orzo among four bowls. Stir the shrimp into the tomatoes and spoon the mixture over each serving of orzo. Sprinkle with feta, drizzle with the remaining 11⁄2 tablespoons olive oil, and serve.

Shop Smart
Most warehouse big-box stores offer 5-pound bulk packs of frozen shrimp. these are often a great value when compared to buying frozen 1-pound bags of shrimp.

D2D
I buy only individually quick frozen (IQF) shrimp packaged in bulk 3- to 5-pound bags. it’s a great value, often costing $3 less per pound than fresh shrimp. Buying shell-on shrimp rather than already cleaned shrimp will save you even more and give you shells to make stock with (see opposite page). IQF shrimp aren’t frozen in giant ice blocks, either, meaning they’re quick to defrost for last-minute meal prep.

Winter squash is a great keeper; there’s often acorn, butternut or spaghetti squash stashed away in my garage (it lasts for months in a cool, dark, dry spot) ready to be turned into quick roasted side dishes.

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5 tablespoons olive oil
2 leeks, white parts only, cleaned and finely minced
5 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth, homemade or store-bought
3 cups finely chopped butternut squash
1 cup chopped dried apricots
1 cup chopped dried figs
1 teaspoon turmeric
1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger
1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne
11⁄2 cups couscous
1⁄4 cup finely chopped mint

Make the couscous base. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-low heat. Add the leeks, garlic, and 1⁄2 teaspoon of the salt, cover, and cook until the leeks are very tender but not brown, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour in the broth and then add the squash, apricots, figs, turmeric, ginger, and cayenne. Stir in the remaining salt and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the squash is tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

Cook the couscous and serve. Mix in the couscous, cover, turn off the heat, and let it stand for 10 minutes. Add all but 1 tablespoon of the mint and fluff the couscous with a fork to combine. Transfer to a large platter. Serve sprinkled with the remaining mint.

My kids always hang out with me in the kitchen, peeling and chopping vegetables and stirring roux. This pasta salad is one of their favorite recipes to make. It’s perfect for young cooks because it’s simple, totally delicious, and can be varied to their hearts’ content just by adding whatever is in the fridge. Toss the pasta salad with the dressing, then give them free rein to raid the fridge and finish off the salad with whatever they think would be tasty additions.

Salad
8 ounces farfalle (bow-tie) pasta
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
About 1 cup diced ham
1 cup (about 4 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar or Swiss cheese
1 large tomato, diced
1⁄4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
6 ounces salad greens
2 hard-cooked eggs, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon light or dark brown sugar
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Boil the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions or until it is al dente. Drain, transfer to a large bowl, and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

Prepare the vinaigrette. While the pasta cooks, make the vinaigrette. Whisk the mustard, vinegar, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl. While whisking, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and set aside.

Toss the salad. Add the vinaigrette to the pasta and toss to coat. Add the ham, cheese, tomato, parsley, and greens and toss to incorporate. Transfer the pasta salad to a serving bowl, sprinkle the egg on top, season with salt and pepper, and serve.

D2D
Sometimes I wonder what people did before the Internet! the Web can be a great source for deals, especially when you’re buying in bulk. If you’re partial to a certain brand, whether it’s tea, good-quality baking chocolate, or dried pasta, try finding it in bulk online. even when you factor in shipping, the savings can be immense.

After tasting one too many underwhelming and pricey Alfredo dishes in restaurants, I decided to create my own recipe for a perfectly creamy Parmesan sauce, one bursting with garlic and cheese. Of course, it’s yummiest made with heavy cream or half-and-half, but most of the time I’ll go for what’s in the fridge, whole or 2% milk, for a lighter sauce that’s just as tasty. It’s fantastic simply tossed with pasta and some pan-seared shrimp and steamed broccoli.

Ingredients
11⁄2 sticks (3⁄4 cup) unsalted butter
6 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
1⁄2 teaspoon white pepper
1 quart (4 cups) cream, half-and-half, whole milk, or low-fat milk
1 cup (4 ounces) grated Parmesan-Romano cheese blend or 1⁄2 cup each of Parmesan and Romano
2 cups (8 ounces) grated whole-milk or part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon salt

Make the sauce. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, pepper, and cream or milk, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring it to a simmer (watch the pot—it can boil over in a split second) while stirring often. Stir in the Parmesan-Romano mixture, reduce the heat to medium-low, and let the sauce simmer, stirring often, until the garlic has mellowed, about 12 minutes. Stir in the mozzarella and continue to cook until the cheese is melted. Turn off the heat and whisk the sauce until it is smooth (a blender or immersion blender works great). Stir in the salt.

Divide and store. Cool the sauce to room temperature and then divide it between 2 quart-size resealable freezer bags. Refrigerate it for up to 3 days or freeze it for up to 3 months. (After defrosting it overnight in the refrigerator, rewarm the sauce gently over medium-low heat, being careful not to let the sauce boil—boiling it will cause it to separate. If it separates, use a whisk, blender, or immersion blender to smooth it out.)