The best ever, super-flavorful and always moist.
Pot Roast with Potatoes
Tender sliced meat and a load of delicious vegetables—cooked at the same time.
Penuche (Brown Sugar Fudge)
Back in her New Hampshire kitchen, Gram used to make “brown sugar fudge.” A friend of hers made “butterscotch creams.” Still another made “penuche.” They were all, more or less, the same thing: Brown sugar and dairy, and sometimes other ingredients, cooked and cooled into a soft, sturdy, very sweet candy.
Crispy Potato Salad
When I was a child, potato salad was one of the few things I had to eat fresh while it was still warm. As soon as my mama finished adding the seasonings, I wanted a bowl because I wasn’t a fan of cold potato salad. Now, as an adult, I can eat cold potato salad, but I just prefer it to have some crunch or for it to be on the chunky side, so crispy potato salad was the perfect combo! One day, I cooked roasted potatoes and ate a few crispy ones and thought about a coating being on it but with a mayo richness, and that’s when I had the idea to try it as a chunky potato salad! I added carrots because I love a raw cold crunch, like crisp lettuce or cold veggies. The best part is that this salad holds some of the firmness when it cools, and it’s still delicious! Let me tell you, the shredded carrots are optional, but will blow your mind altogether! – Toya Boudy
African Spinach Stew
Spinach is a sign of strength, resourcefulness, and its connection to earth. It’s a humble and grounding meal that can heal the body as well. All those things you need when starting over from any point; in fact, it’s one of your greatest needs! I cooked this and I immediately thought of my daddy; the bold flavors go perfectly with smoked meats. I sent him a container and he immediately called and said how he loved it and how the flavor was crazy! – Toya Boudy
Plain Cake
Malinda Russell wrote down a recipe for plain cake back in 1866, when she was the first known Black woman to publish a cookbook in this country. What I love about it is how it’s just the basics, but still full of meaning. When I bake this cake, I think of how she didn’t just write recipes, she left a piece of herself in those pages. It reminds me that even the simplest cake can carry a story and a whole lot of history with it. – Toya Boudy
Homestyle White Beans
I’m a bean-any-way-you-cook-them type of girl, and I’m a sucker for a good pot of white beans. For some reason, I don’t want fried chicken with white beans; I want baked chicken or ham. It just feels like the right thing to do. To me, white beans have a smoother and softer taste, almost heartwarming. You can eat them with rice, but recently, I cooked and ate them alone in a bowl when it was cold outside. My advice would be to fill a quart-size freezer bag with cooked beans, and freeze it for a go-to meal in the future. – Toya Boudy
Oyster Dip
Let me tell you this ahead of time: You need discipline when making this, or you need to make double. It’s that good! It is a cute, quick appetizer that’s perfect for a dinner where you want to leave an impression but you don’t want to work that hard. This dip has never failed me; you can actually put a teaspoon of it on a cracker with chopped green onion and call it a day! – Toya Boudy
Mini Crawfish Pies
In New Orleans, there’s nothing more exciting than walking up to the food table and seeing mini crawfish pies! It’s a homestyle New Orleans delicacy: crawfish with a creamy light gravy, sautéed seasonings, and a buttered crust. It’s the best three to four bites of YO LIFE. I think the mini pies are the best bet, because you get the most servings and you get to freeze them if you make too many! Pop them in the oven to reheat, and joy is born again! – Toya Boudy
Dukkah-Crusted Feta with Fennel Salad and Tahini Vinaigrette
With fennel, citrus, and fresh dill or mint alongside feta that’s simultaneously creamy and crunchy, this is the kind of salad that’s ideal for a midday lunch to keep you going, or a post-work dinner on the patio where you can unwind with flavors that soothe. Each component—dukkah, crusted feta, and vinaigrette—can be made ahead, and you won’t be hard pressed to find other purposes for all of them throughout the rest of the week.
Picnic-Ready Chicken Sandwiches with Garlic Labneh and Pickled Vegetables
While mayonnaise might be the most popular condiment for classic picnic sandwiches, labneh has a thicker (and less melty) consistency and adds ideal amounts of brightness and creaminess. (That said, if you can’t get your hands on labneh, mayonnaise will be delicious, too, and it will serve a similar purpose). Blackened chicken thighs, once rested, will remain juicy and delicious, and layers of carrots and radish quickly bathed in banana pepper pickling liquid will pack the punch every picnic needs.
Picnic-Ready Rice Salad with Mushrooms, Peas, and Herbs
While rice might not be the first thing that comes to mind when picnics are mentioned, when herbs, mushrooms, and peas are added to the equation, it rounds out an outdoor meal with fresh flavors and zero sogginess. Feel free to swap dill, mint, or chives with any tender herbs, but this combination compliments everything really well. Keep leftovers chilled and serve them for quick and convenient meals back at home.
Picnic-Ready Plantain Chips with Black Bean Dip
We all know there’s no picnic without chips and dip, and when you make plantain and black bean varieties, you can expect expectations to be exceeded. Plantain chips will hold their crunch (be sure they’re well-cooked, drained, and entirely cooled before packing them up), and creamy black bean dip (add chipotle peppers if you’re picnicking with friends who appreciate a kick) will be an exciting alternative to store-bought hummus or salsa. There’s also room to play around with your plantain seasonings—if making your own spice mix sounds tedious and you’ve got suya spice or your personal favorite salt blend on hand, you’ll be all set.
Chicken and Rice for One
You can substitute one chicken leg quarter, trimmed, for the two thighs. If you don’t have medium-grain rice, substitute long-grain. You can make the sofrito and cilantro sauce up to a day ahead. Use unsalted chicken broth to avoid over-salting the dish (the Sazón provides plenty of salt). Serve this with hot sauce and a squeeze of lime, if you wish.
Leon’s Duck Ragù
The duck ragù from Leon’s in NYC is one of my friend Nikki’s favorite recipes, and she asked me if I could get her the recipe. The folks at Leon’s kindly responded with a more “at-home friendly” version of their loved dish, and while it’s still time consuming, it would make for an excellent weekend project—sure to impress.
The Lemon Cookie
They call me the cookie lady. The kids in my family do, at least, because they’ve come to expect that I’ll show up with a big batch of these soft and fluffy delicias every time there’s a holiday gathering. I am always happy to oblige. Think of these as a cross between a sugar cookie and extra-sour lemonade. – Paola Velez
Chocolate Malta Cake
We’ve all seen our fair share of chocolate sweets and bakes infused with coffee. But have you ever heard about, let alone taste, what happens when you give malta a try instead? Bitter, sweet, rich, hoppy, and amazingly elevated. – Paola Velez
PB&J Pots de Crème
Pot de crème is a fancy French term for “pudding,” which is an ideal vehicle for the very American flavors of a PB&J. In this case, it’s guava jelly, because #caribbean. – Paola Velez
Toasted Sugar Cookies
The cream cheese adds a pleasant chew to these cookies, plus a subtle tanginess.
Toasted Sugar
You can easily double this recipe. Just use a larger, 9×13-inch baking dish. The cook time won’t change.
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