Cheesesteaks

An ex-boyfriend’s mom—who emigrated from Colombia—made the best meat sauce—she would fry sofrito for the base and simply add cooked ground beef, sazón, and jarred tomato sauce. My version is a bit more bougie—it calls for caramelized tomato paste and white wine—but the result is just as good.

This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.

This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.

Just like the state fair, minus the crowds.

This traditional dish of beef, sour cream, and mustard may have originated in Russia, but it’s about time for a version with ramen noodles, don’t you think?

A pinch of sugar in the spice rub ensures picture-perfect grill marks with layers of flavor.

This dish is not only a quick meal option but also a practical way to use leftover phở noodles when you’re out of broth.

Rather than breaded and fried as you might expect croquettes to be, these are something more akin to a seared chicken salad patty.