Salads

Kale, Cashew, and Cranberry Pasta Salad

Makes 4 to 6 portions This pasta salad is great cold or at room temperature (a gift from the meal prep fairies), but it’s just as good hot, if you don’t have time to give it a good chill. Ingredients 12 oz whole wheat penne 1/4 cup olive oil 1/2 […]

Chef's Notes Plus

Keep it Simple with Pumpkin Purée

Despite the abundance of pumpkin-flavored foods at every turn, we spend surprisingly little time handling actual pumpkins. After all, as proponents of “homemade is best,” an apple pie starts with apples, a cherry pie starts with cherries. But a pumpkin pie starts with…a can of pumpkin purée? Using prepared pumpkin […]

Main Dishes

Linguine with Tuna and Anchovies

Serves 4 to 6 Look for high-quality anchovies and canned tuna imported from Italy, Spain, and Portugal (they really know their tinned fish!). You can make the sauce for this dish ahead of time, through Step 2, if you like. Reheat it before moving on to Step 3 the night […]

Desserts, Pies and Tarts

Maple Pecan Pie

Makes one 9-inch pie The complementary flavors of maple and pecan combine in this pie to create an earthy, buttery, robust dessert. Be sure to purchase Grade B maple syrup as the darker amber color and deeper maple flavor are essential to this pie. In the variation that follows, adding […]

Side Dishes

Maple-Glazed Turnips

Makes 4 servings Pan-steaming, an excellent technique for cooking vegetables, uses a small amount of flavorful liquid in a covered pan. There are two benefits: a quick cooking time that helps retain nutrients and color, and a flavorful liquid you can reduce to make a simple sauce. Ingredients 2 lb […]

Beverages and Cocktails

Masala Chai

Chai is a popular Indian beverage made from black tea, milk, a sweetener, and spices. Mixtures known as chai masala may include cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, and peppercorns to give the drink its heady aroma. Some sugar or honey is essential to bring out all the flavors. Makes 8 servings

Desserts

Milk Chocolate Cinnamon Sticks

Makes about 15 pieces These adorable pieces of chocolate decor are perfect for topping your fall and winter treats, like cupcakes, cakes, and tarts. Choose the flattest baking sheet you have for smooth rolling. Ingredients 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil 8 oz milk chocolate, melted Ground cinnamon, as needed to coat […]

Main Dishes

Mushroom Tortelli with Parsley Sauce

Makes 6 to 8 servings Use whichever mushrooms you prefer for this dish. Experiment with different varieties to see how they change the flavor profile of the dish. Ingredients Mushroom Stuffing 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 garlic clove 1 shallot, minced 2 lb mixed wild mushrooms, cleaned and cut […]

Chef's Notes Plus

Opt for Cider this Presidents’ Day

The CIA loves beer so much, we have an outpost of the Brooklyn Brewery right on our campus in Hyde Park, New York! For beer enthusiasts, there is an adventure in every bottle as we search for the qualities that make each beer unique: malt, hops, technique, inclusions of fruit […]

Breakfast and Brunch, Cakes, Desserts

Pear Cake

Makes 10 to 12 servings This is a simple cake that is good for breakfast or an afternoon snack. Bosc pears are a good choice because of their lower water content. Make sure they are perfectly ripe. Consider swapping out the cinnamon for ground cardamom for a variation.