Chef's Notes Plus

Sandwich Makeovers

Lunch used to be a welcome break at the office or a fun break at school, and now? Ugh, it just the worst. Suddenly we’re all expected to stop the 30 things we are simultaneously giving 100% of our attention to make lunch, and who has the energy? The default […]

Chef's Notes Plus

What I’m Cooking: Tangy Couscous Salad

One of my favorite flavor profiles is the Italian agrodolce, a sweet and sour sauce that makes any dish more exciting. Made simply by reducing vinegar with honey, agrodolce can be created on its own and added to dishes later, but I often prepare this sticky and sweet sauce in […]

Chef's Notes Plus

What I’m Cooking: Green Bean and Potato Salad

The main course is sort of the easy part. We can all grill chicken or roast a pork loin, but with limited ingredients, it can be the sides that throw us off. You can only eat boxed macaroni and cheese so many times, even during a global pandemic. Veggie sides […]

Chef's Notes Plus

What I’m Cooking: Not Brisket

I’ve never celebrated Passover, but I am not immune to cravings for Mrs. Maisel-quality brisket when all of my friends are preparing for Seder. I put all of the ingredients for a tasty braised brisket on my grocery store order this week, and well, unfortunately, this will be a brisket-less […]

Chef's Notes Plus

Ask us Anything!

We’re all becoming quite well acquainted with our kitchens lately, and we bet you’ve encountered a question or two (or ten) along the way. Well, you’re in luck, because we are here to fill you in! Scroll to the bottom of this post and leave your questions in the comments. […]

Chef's Notes Plus

What I’m Cooking: Lentil Soup

We may be socially isolated, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make new friends. Let me start! Hi, CIA DISH! I’m Laura, and I am the editor here. You might come to recognize my voice (at least, my written one) throughout the recipes and posts on this site. I’m a […]

Chef's Notes Plus

Home School: Easy Tomato Sauce

Reasons Why You Might Want to Make Tomato Sauce This Week: It’s delicious, and pasta is a pretty efficient comfort food. It’s also versatile and good for more than pasta (read: pizza, stirred into broth to make a soup, smeared on bread, etc.) It’s easy. It’s endlessly customizable, meaning you […]

Chef's Notes Plus

Home School: Blanching Vegetables

Our new feature, Home School, will highlight the methods and techniques that we use in the kitchen everyday. Whether you’re new to daily cooking or just need to freshen up on some of your skills, we’ll focus on the basics to help you deal with limited ingredients and limited time! […]

Chef's Notes Plus

Resourceful Cooking

Things are feeling awfully uncertain. And while we can’t do too much to help you navigate this surreal experience, we can at least try and help you figure out some of the basics. After all, cooking is our calm place. First, here are our best reminders for stocking your pantry […]

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FAQ: Corned Beef and Cabbage

Classic Corned Beef and Cabbage is one of our favorite food rituals, but it’s a home-cooked dish that folks seem to struggle with! So, we’re offering up some answers to the questions we get most often regarding this St. Patrick’s Day staple! Question: Um, what is corned beef? Answer: Fair […]

Chef's Notes Plus, Family Fun

Snack Sushi

Sushi is generally an outside food, meaning we eat it outside of the house when someone else makes it for us. And for a lot of reasons, this is generally a fine practice. Good sushi fish can be hard to find and hard to store. Plus, who even knows how […]

Chef's Notes Plus

All About Roux

If you’re feeling the spirit of Mardi Gras, you may be inspired to try your hand at a Cajun or Creole recipe, like gumbo or shrimp etouffee. The key to many of these flavorful, complex dishes is the roux, a cooked flour and fat mixture that thickens, colors, and flavors […]