When we were little, my brother and I had distinctly different eating styles. While an early-in-life petting zoo incident led me to stay away from anything that ever had a face (a phase which lasted nearly 20 years before I came to my senses), he refused to eat anything that ever had a root. My parents, of course, insisted he eat some kind of vegetable and so every night they would put three baby carrots on his plate along with whatever protein and starch they were serving, and every night he would pretend to choke them down while actually stuffing them in the pockets of his sweatpants. Inevitably, he would forget they were there and toss his pants in the family hamper at the end of the night. On laundry day, my mom would discover a dozen petrified baby carrots at the bottom of the dryer. Weirdly, these shriveled, ugly carrots actually look kind of like my brother’s laundered ones, but, though I (thankfully) never tasted the ones he left in his pants, I am willing to wager these are much better.

Slow-roasting draws the carrots’ natural sugars out, while a slightly sweet and spicy glaze makes them more special than simple buttered carrots. I like to serve these alongside grilled meats.

• ingredients
• 2 lbs peeled baby carrots (I prefer to use actual baby carrots, known as petites carrottes, with the tips of their stems intact) $3
• extra virgin olive oil Pantry
• salt and pepper to taste Pantry
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted $1 for a stick
• Sriracha to taste (I usually use about 2 tsp) $2 for 16 oz.
• 1 tbsp honey Pantry

Total Cost of Ingredients $6

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Spread carrots out on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Use your hands to toss to ensure carrots are well-coated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Roast for 18-20 minutes, rotating halfway through.

In a small bowl toss together the butter, Sriracha and honey.

Drizzle over cooked carrots and toss to coat. Serve warm.

Serves 3-4.

These scones are the very definition of “lovely.” Fragrant, sophisticated, beautiful, yet utterly simple, they need nothing more than a smear of butter and a cup of tea to be just perfect, though serving them with a little pot of jam or some honey is quite nice too.

I swear, I did not mean for this dish to feature Christmas colors (unlike Sandra Lee, I do not coordinate my food with my decor), but, alas, there they are. Perhaps it was an unconscious choice.

In any case, this is my favorite way to throw together pretty-looking appetizers while doing seven other things (likely including but not limited to: talking on the phone, checking Facebook, washing a dish and cooking whatever else I’m serving). Basically, they require half an eye and very little thought to put together yet they always turn out gorgeously.

• ingredients
• extra virgin olive oil Pantry
• 1 onion, sliced thinly $0.50
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar Pantry
• 1 baguette, sliced into 1/2”-thick slices $1.50
• 6 oz. ricotta $3 for 14 oz.
• 1 jalapeño, sliced very thinly $0.25
• honey Pantry
• Balsamic Cranberry Sauce (or your favorite fruit preserves) $2 for 1 1/2 cups
• black pepper to taste Pantry

Total Cost of Ingredients $7.25

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Drizzle 3 tbsp olive oil into a medium frying pan over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook for 18-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until caramelized. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Remove from heat.

Arrange baguette slices on a baking sheet and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly crisp. Let cool.

Spread baguette slices liberally with ricotta.

Top 1/3 of the slices with 2-3 slices jalapeño and a drizzle of honey.

Top 1/3 of the slices with a few pinches of caramelized onions.

Top 1/3 of the slices with a spoonful of cranberry sauce or preserves.

Top all crostini with a sprinkle of freshly-ground black pepper.

Serves 4-6.

I always forget how much I like tofu as a sandwich filling. I think of it for stir-fries and curries but somehow sandwiches fall off my tofu radar. Thank goodness I remembered because this one is a winner.

This meaty grilled tofu preparation is one that even the most finicky carnivore will crave. Vegans can easily sub soy mayonnaise for the regular stuff.

I highly (like, highly) recommend serving these with sweet potato fries.

• ingredients
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil plus more for the pan Pantry
• 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar Pantry
• leaves from 1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped $1 for a bunch
• 2 cloves garlic, minced, divided Pantry
• salt and pepper to taste Pantry
• 8 oz. firm tofu, sliced into 3“x3” squares, about 1/4” thick $1.50 for 14 oz.
• 1/2 red onion, sliced 0.50
• 2 sandwich rolls (I’m fond of Earth Grains Thin Buns) $3 for 8 rolls
• 3 tbsp mayonnaise Pantry
• juice of 1/2 lemon $0.50
• 1 handful fresh baby spinach $1 for 2 cups

Total Cost of Ingredients $7.50

Directions

Combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, rosemary, one minced clove of garlic, salt and pepper to taste in a bowl and mix well.

Place sliced tofu in a shallow pan or baking dish and cover with marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for fifteen minutes.

Once tofu has marinated, heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat and brush with olive oil. Grill tofu and onions (at the same time if the grill/pan is big enough) until charred on both sides. Add salt to taste if needed.

Toast the sandwich buns if desired.

Mix together the remaining garlic clove, the mayonnaise, the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Spread on both sides of each bun.

To assemble the sandwiches, divide the spinach, tofu and grilled onions between the buns. Serve warm.

Makes 2 sandwiches.

My relationship with jalapeños, Asian chilies, Sriracha, hot sauce and all other things spicy is not unlike that of many women with prototypical “bad boys”: I want them, badly. I beg for them, swearing up and down that I can handle their intensity—that this time it will be different. My head says “No!” but my body says “Yes! Yes! Yes!” I manage, time after time, to forget that my over-exuberance has left me burned in the past. Burned and crying on the kitchen floor, begging for a glass of milk.

Clearly, there is a balance I’ve been unable to strike consistently—a way in which I can have my jalapeño and eat it too. I think this pasta recipe is a great first step: a creamy bechamel sauce featuring a healthy amount of finely-chopped green jalapeño and red onion ensures that the spiciness is kept in check both because of the spice-calming dairy present and because the jalapeños are cooked twice (once when the sauce is made and then again in the oven), taming their bite just enough…but not too much. This pasta dish is the culinary equivalent of a nice Jewish doctor…who happens to ride a motorcycle.

• ingredients
• 8 oz. penne pasta $1 for 14 oz.
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter $1 for a stick
• 1/2 red onion, very finely chopped $0.50
• 1 green jalapeño, very finely chopped $0.25
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour Pantry
• 3/4 cup whole milk or half-and-half $1 for a pint
• 1/8 cup grated Parmesan $3.50 for 8 oz.
• salt and pepper to taste Pantry

Total Cost of Ingredients $7.25

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cook pasta in salted boiling water according to package directions. Drain and return to pot.

While pasta cooks, melt butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Add onion and jalapeño and cook for 2-3 minutes, until onions are translucent and mixture is very fragrant. Sprinkle flour over the mixture and stir with a whisk.

Slowly pour in the milk or half-and-half, whisking constantly, forming a creamy sauce. Stir in Parmesan and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Toss pasta with the sauce and divide between 2-3 ramekins or heat-proof bowls (or 1 large baking dish). Bake for 12-15 minutes. Place under broiler briefly if desired for an extra-bubbly top.

Serves 2-4.