I got obsessed with vegan Caesar salad this past week, but then my pal Alison reminded me that...
Meals you can make ahead of time. Just the thing for when you have people over and don’t want to be stressing in the kitchen.

browse the recipes:
Strawberry Rhubarb Compote
It's just about rhubarb season here in Montana, we just need a few more warm-ish weeks to ripen...
Avocado Ranch
I made this dressing to go with Bison Taco Salad, and had some extra so the next day I tried it on...
Bison Taco Salad with Avocado Ranch
Taco salad is a fresh way to enjoy a pound of ground bison or beef and an easy way to achieve...
Spinach Salad with Honey Dijon Vinaigrette
Local vegetable season is upon us here in Bozeman...rejoice! Amaltheia had bags of their baby...
New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies, Less Sweet
I've been known to enjoy a cookie in the morning with my coffee, but most of the time they are too...
Egg Salad
A text with a friend yesterday reminded me to post some of my "just stir it together" favorites,...
Braised Beef Soup with Chard and Spelt
I love this soup by Joshua McFadden for its varied textures. You braise the beef separately and...
Brothy Beans with Bacon
A little bit of bacon goes a long way with this pot of beans. Keep them brothy or reduce to barely...
Silken Tofu Chocolate Pudding
Guittard Chocolate has a pretty blue bag out that caught my attention, 72% chocolate sweetened...
Artichoke Nibbles
My Mom made a lot of recipes from Sunset magazine in the 1970's and these Artichoke Nibbles are...
Rustic Chard Tart with Italian Egg Pastry
as published in Edible Bozeman, Spring 2020; adapted from my Rustic Chard Tart 2012 and Rustic...
Raw Kale Salad with Quinoa
This salad has been a favorite of mine since before I moved to Montana, over a dozen years ago. I...
One Pot Rice and Beans
New York Times Cooking ran a one-pot meal feature and it inspired me to simplify our rice and bean...
Chicken Tortilla Soup with Tomatillo Salsa
I've adapted this recipe from the outstanding original from Romney Steele's cookbook, My Nepenthe:...
Osso Buco
Osso buco refers to a cross-cut piece of beef shank that exposes the "hole in the bone" and...
Gravlax
Salmon is easy to cure at home but for some reason has people intimidated. No more! As long as you...
Graham Crackers
These graham crackers are adapted from the bakery, Miette, published in Miette: Recipes from San...
Big Pot of Tomatoes
It's tomato season and more tomatoes ripen each day. This is a great thing, but what do you do...
Blue Bottle Coffee’s Saffron Snickerdoodles
When I lived on the SF Peninsula I would get to the city as frequently as possible to enjoy time...
Mocha Maca Budino with Silken Tofu
Dense and chocolatey, yet lighter than a full-dairy budino or pot de crème and way easier to make!...
How to Cook Beans
A no-recipe, recipe for cooking beans. Dried beans are simple to cook, they just take a little...
Amy’s Perfect Pie Dough (the easy way)
I turned a few apples into filling and wanted to make hand pies, but I didn't want to deal with...
Beef Stew with Wine and Shallots (can be made with Bison or Elk)
Cold temps make me want to slow cook a big piece of meat, like this bison from North Bridger...
Barbacoa
I love the limey acidity in this slow cooked, spicy beef that I like to serve as soft tacos with...
Butternut Squash and Hominy Enchiladas
Here at RIPE, I don't do food styling, I cook dinner. So, please imagine this mound of Tillamook...
Meatballs with Three Montana Meats
Something about this year got me to buy a smallish chest freezer (9 cu ft) and step up my support...
Salad of Beets and Oranges
William Werner tossed this salad together for us when Alison, Lawrence & Ann, and I visited...
Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Oven space is always at a premium when you're cooking a holiday meal, especially Thanksgiving, so...
Overnight Steel-Cut or Whole Grain Oats in the Slow Cooker
Cool autumn mornings call for something warm at breakfast, but there's still the same, never a...
Oven Roasted Tomatoes for Pasta or Polenta
You don't need to do much to a good tomato. A pinch of flaky salt (Maldon or Jacobsen are my...
Grilled Eggplant Gyros
To salt or not to salt the eggplant? That is the question. Short on time the last time I made...
Quinoa Black Bean Burgers
It's hard to find a decent veggie burger recipe, but Kathryne Taylor of the blog Cookie + Kate is...
Via’s Rice (Spanish Rice)
Spanish Rice, Mexican Rice, Arroz Rojo, Red Rice, no matter what you call it, cooking rice with a...
Meyer Lemon Curd
Bi-Rite Market's selection of citrus is always something to behold, but especially when you...
Shoyu Ramen adapted from Bon Appétit Magazine
Bones, and bonito and bunches and bunches of green onions. Rich slices of pork, jammy soft-boiled...
Parchment Baked Cod with Fennel, Kale & Orange
We've got quite a collection of cookbooks here at home...an everyday pleasure I seem to have...
Black Bean Tortilla Soup
Yummy, feel-good dinner coming right up! Another great recipe from Kathryne Taylor of the whole...
How to Cook Dried Hominy
Sometimes you can find red hominy instead of the regular white (thanks Rancho Gordo!) but no...
Refried Beans
Back when I worked a lot and hired a nanny to help around the house, Via's cooking sustained me...
Madeleines, The Best by Daniel Boulud
I tested madeleine recipes for days before I finally found what I consider The Best. I made...
Miso Marinade for “Black Cod”
Talk to your fishmonger, but usually when you select black cod you're buying sablefish. Or...
Cashew Butternut Squash Soup
If you're familiar with vegan desserts and alternative milks, you know the surprising creamy...
Pot Roast (Beef or Bison)
Pot roast, daube, stew, even ragu, they're all very similar: meat seasoned and browned on...
Cornbread
This cornbread recipe, "California Cornbread", comes from my cooking school archives. I can still...
Wild Rice Salad with Kale and Cranberries
Make yourself this sweet and savory rice salad for dinner tonight and you'll get a bonus—delicious...
Thanksgiving 101—Recipe Roundup from RIPE
I put together this post to help you cook a great Thanksgiving dinner and remain in a happy state...
Dinner Ideas for Fall—Recipe Roundup from RIPE
My friend with twin babies is finally cooking again after a year of frozen meals and survival...
Spicy Squash Soup (or any Winter Squash like Carnival, Butternut, Kabocha, Red Kuri)
Collecting colorful winter squash and cooking up a batch of soup without having to go to...
Black Pepper Ranch
Black pepper and buttermilk make a great dip, drizzle, or dressing—think of it as ranch dressing...
Pork or Chicken Posole in the Slow Cooker
Posole is a slow cooked stew/soup made with hominy (the namesake, "posole"), chiles, and...
Saffron Rosewater Ice Cream
A small scoop of saffron ice cream concludes dinner on a sweet note without being a sugar bomb. I...
Baked Tofu with Orange Sesame Marinade
I never thought I'd get excited about tofu for dinner, but things have changed. Three...
Sweet Potato Noodles with Stir-Fried Veggies and Tofu
Have you tried sweet potato noodles? They cook in five minutes and taste great with stir fried...
Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
Jesse Tyler Ferguson shared this recipe in Food and Wine (December 2016) and it's a good one!...
Slow Cooker Carnitas
"It's like bacon!" exclaimed my 11 year old. He tolerates my creations of squash and beans and...
Pipikaula (Hawaiian Beef Jerky)
My friend, Mary Ann, is almost Hawaiian, even though she is a haole and lives in the snow when...
Nepenthe’s Bean Salad with Fresh Herbs and Vinaigrette
"Taste your ingredients" is something I always say when I'm teaching a class, and it is especially...
Corn Tortillas
When I plan a hands-on cooking class, I'm on the hunt for something Fun, something to get my...
Spinach Lasagna
Simple cooking relies on the best tasting, best quality ingredients. For lasagna, that means...
Black Bean Chili
What did Julia Child order when she went to Cafe Beaujolais in Mendocino CA? This chili! No...
How to Cook Beans
These giant white beans are Royal Coronas from Rancho Gordo. Serve them simply with olive oil and...
Lentil Soup and Parmesan Croutons
I saw the original recipe for this lentil soup (and Parmesan Croutons!) in Remedy...
Eggnog, Small Batch
Eggnog latte? No thanks. A small glass of really good eggnog with a shot of Cognac or bourbon?...
Winter Squash Enchiladas
Jumbled together in bins at the market, you'll find all kinds of winter squash: Delicata,...
Ham Hock and Greens
We are so lucky to live near several producers of piggie goodness; thanks to the Co-Op and...
French Onion Soup Gratinée
French onion soup isn't difficult to make, but it does take some time. You're looking at 45...
Slow Cooker Beef Ragu
Last weekend I spent some time with Donna Hay The New Classics and tried the slow-cooked beef...
Crab Cakes
I'm not going to lie. These babies are a project. On the upside, make them ahead (night...
Cocoa Buckwheat Granola
Chocolate for breakfast. Sure you can! Maximize nutrition with this cocoa buckwheat granola,...
Crème Anglaise & Coconut Crème Anglaise
Egg yolks. Lonely and leftover from angel food cake making. They're practically begging to be...
Farro
Farro is an ancient variety of wheat, usually sold and prepared with its whole grain intact,...
Miso Butter with Chives
I didn't think butter could be improved upon, but by adding white miso and rice vinegar you get a...
Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Skewers (aka Chicken Shawarma)
This spicy yogurt marinade takes chicken dinner to the next level. Skewer and either grill, broil,...
French Vinaigrette
This classic vinaigrette enhances your fresh garden greens and beautiful farmer's market produce...
New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies
With patience, you can bake chocolate chip cookies that are crisp on the outside and chewy...
Chia Seed Pudding
Stir a few tablespoons of chia seeds into unsweetened almond milk, wait a bit, and you have...
Candied Kumquats
"Be sure and eat the skin." I shot my then boyfriend, Christopher, a skeptical look, but...
Kabocha Soup with Green Garlic
The garlic bulb you know and love reveals itself in the spring garden as "green garlic" or "spring...
Chipotle Chicken Chili
Start stocking canned beans and chipotle peppers in your pantry so you can make this spicy chicken...
Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
Can we talk about San Marzano tomatoes? Wow! This sauce! Simple ingredients, yet so rich and...
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
I made these at CSC last night and we preferred a less sweet version that put the sugar in the...
Rustic Spinach Tart + Italian Egg Pastry
A slice of this Spinach Tart served with salad greens + a simple vinaigrette = elegant lunch...
Your House Granola
Make your own house granola. It's a delicious topping for your morning yogurt and a great way to...
Pickled Red Onions
A batch of these pickled red onions will last in your fridge two or three weeks. Use a forkful to...
Eggplant Lasagna
Roasted eggplant slices baked in layers with parmesan and a meaty, creamy, tomato-y sauce...you'll...
Chicken & Broccoli Casserole
Chicken Broccoli. It announced "company's coming!" back in the 1970's, when I was a kid learning...
Rustic Chard Tart
The savory tarts of the Mediterranean are my inspiration for this Rustic Chard Tart, a slice of...
Bittersweet Chocolate Pots de Crème
Chocolate pots de crème are a festive (and easy!) way to enjoy dessert with family and friends,...
Birria
“Beef stew” takes on a whole new dimension with dried chiles and the other wonderful, savory...
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork with Apple Mustard Sauce
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork with Apple Mustard Sauce serves 8 See ingredients for both “The meat &...
Checkerboard Shortbread
When my brother lived in Seattle, I frequented Café Besalu on every trip. Many of their...
Barley & Oat Chocolate Chip Minis
Crisp, lacy caramelization spotted with chocolate chips...yum. Does it get any better than...
Black Bean Chili
Here's a family dinner staple that I'm writing up especially for Elise, who has a hungry,...
Perfect Pie Crust, Whole Wheat
Here is a perfectly simple, perfectly delicious pie crust. Know this and get to work on the...