Pan-seared lemony chicken thighs
This chicken makes a great main dish, but I love it most as an addition to salads, grain bowls, and all manner of brown bag lunches: its bright, rich flavor complements all sorts of dishes.
Author Archives: Mike Bierschenk
King Ranch chicken, a little gussied up
King Ranch casserole is a Texas classic, creamy and chickeny and just barely spicy. My version keeps all the things that make it great, while also brightening it up a bit for modern tastes.
Roasted asparagus with grapefruit and walnuts
This riff on a classic roasted asparagus bridges the gap between winter and spring: the last of the winter citrus and some nuts from the pantry meld with the first of the spring vegetables.
Spring pea salad with bacon dressing
It’s spring! It’s time to eat peas, and this salad is one of my favorite ways. With its fresh sweet peas, mild spicy zing, and room temperature appeal, it makes a great potluck dish.
Chewy caramel swirl pecan bars
Rich, chewy bites of buttery cookie with chopped pecans and ribbons of caramel — maybe a little over-the-top, but what’s wrong with that?
Steel-cut oat salad with walnuts and raisins
Delicious whole grains in your diet without hours of stove time! Great as a side dish with a protein and/or a vegetable dish, but also a perfect brown-bag lunch star.
Sizzling cabbage salad
Late last week my friend Matthew sent me a message: “Re: your food blog — If you take requests or suggestions, I’d love to see a salad or two from […]
Spicy bulgur and spinach
Winter finally got to me. I usually maintain a fairly even keel about the season, and actually rather like the snow when it’s being picturesque (and when I can watch […]
Toasted walnut banana bread
Ever had a culinary white whale? Wait, step back: I’m showing my literature scholar roots here. For those who haven’t been exposed to Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick, that’s a reference to the […]
Cilantro smoothie
I started working on this recipe a few months back. I can’t remember how or why, but somehow I stumbled across a recipe for a “Tropical Smoothie” on the Kitchn, […]
Optional Kitchen 