I adore bulgur, similar to brown rice but made from durum wheat. It’s very inexpensive, high in fiber and is delicious in tabbouleh, pilaf, alongside fish or grilled vegetables, but my favorite way to use it is in the following recipe for the ultimate satisfying yet simple meal. Buy the bulgur in the bulk section to save money (since you won’t be paying for packaging).

When you think of rice cakes, you likely think of the Styrofoam-like disks that are so wonderful for holding a smear of peanut butter, jelly or hummus. But the lunchtime staple made so popular in the 1970’s is entirely different from this dish, which showcases chewy short-grain rice and fresh scallops. While scallops are usually an expensive treat, this dish is a great way to stretch their fresh taste and lovely texture. The bright flavors of lemon and parsley go a long way to make this dish light yet satisfying.

This is an old family recipe that my grandmother and mother used to make; hence the “add some matzoh meal”, or “mix with a wooden spoon”. My mother probably watched my grandma Bailka and wrote down conventional amounts that my grandmother would have called a glassful or a spoonful! We would stand around in the kitchen, waiting for the little kugels or kugelahs to come out of the oven. They rarely made it to the table!

Parmesan chicken is such a warm and homey standby—pretty basic and not very fancy. Sure, there is the Italian version—Chicken Parmesan—with lots of lovely red sauce and mozzarella to finish it—but basic parmesan chicken? Slap some breadcrumbs and cheese on some chicken and bake, right?

Well, this version is something special and includes some epicurian touches—while still managing to be totally affordable.

If you can believe it, I actually found another use for pizza dough: doughnuts. These simple yet classic cinnamon-sugar doughnuts are nothing more than lightly fried pizza dough yet they taste entirely different. It’s also not necessary to deep fry them—an inch or so of vegetable oil in a deep frying pan or pot will do. This recipe was inspired by an episode of Giada De Laurentis’ Food Network show Everyday Italian.