In honor of Cinco de Mayo, I’ve prepared what is perhaps one of the lesser-known Mexican treats—the humble sope. Made from corn masa soaked in lime, these simple corn disks make the perfect base for whatever ingredients you have available—I happen to like a simple vegetarian version, but they’re great with chorizo, ground chicken, or beef.

You can find sopes in Mexican specialty food stores or well-stocked grocery stores. While you’re at it, do yourself a favor and pick up some Mexican crema for a delicious, authentic taste.

The fresh pesto from my last post can be great on more than just pasta. I like to use it as a sandwich spread on this delicious take on the Italian sub. This sandwich is great with all different types of sausage—from Kielbasa to vegan—but feel free to omit it and just add extra mozzarella and vegetables.

Fresh basil pesto is one of those foods that you’ve probably bought prepared, but once you make it fresh you will find yourself making it again and again. Fresh lemon juice and zest brightens up the flavors and keeps your pesto tasting fresh for days.

My mother, in an attempt to break her ridiculously expensive habit of stopping off daily at the local coffee shop for a latte and a bran muffin, came up with a truly terrific bran muffin recipe. The batter can last in the fridge for up to a week, so you can make yourself warm, crusty and delicious bran muffins every day if you like. These muffins are chock full of vegetables, fruit, and nuts in addition to the healthy bran fiber, so you can feel really good about your breakfast.

This is one of those magical dishes that impresses everyone. It makes a perfect appetizer served alongside cold sparkling wine or champagne but sometimes I have them by themselves for dinner.