Stuck on Simmer: A Kitchen Therapy Story

Every so often, schedules change, plans get canceled, or maybe you simply find yourself with nothing to do. I never mind a little downtime—we can all use some peace and quiet—but I often end up spending those quiet moments in the kitchen. As many of you know, cooking is therapeutic for me. It lets me get lost in a passion I enjoy while creating something new: a meal, a seasonal treat, and, if all goes well, a new blog post.

I recently found myself in one of those quiet moments. Jules was out for the night, Ava was settling into her new college dorm, and while my dog Theo is a great listener, conversation with him is usually limited.

My first thought was to make one of the dinner recipes I save for solo nights, usually because it includes ingredients my girls aren’t particularly into. Then I remembered the signed edition of Big Heart Little Stove I had recently bought by one of my favorite chefs, Erin French.

What better time to try one of her recipes?

Recipe Roulette

Because I had extra time and wanted to have some fun in the kitchen, I decided to play Recipe Roulette. Instead of searching through the book for a recipe that sounded appealing, I opened to a random page and committed to whatever I found.

The result was Erin’s Old-Fashioned Apple Walnut Cake, and my mood lifted immediately.

I’m not much of a cake maker. I prefer the artistic freedom of cooking to the precision of baking. But this recipe was exactly what I needed: autumn-inspired ingredients, clear steps, and enough structure to help me settle into the quiet night.

When Life Gets Stuck on Simmer

For someone who does not usually flaunt his baking skills, I have to say this cake was damn amazing.

Unfortunately, Erin French does not have this exact recipe available online, and it wouldn’t be right for me to share it here. But this post was never really about the recipe.

It was about finding a little creative spark when your mood is stuck on simmer.

That spark doesn’t have to come from the kitchen. It could be a puzzle, a book, a journal entry, a walk, or even finally tackling that closet you keep pretending not to see.

So, if you find yourself in a funk, don’t let it simmer too long. Turn up the music, get a little funky, shake off those bluesy vibes, and who knows?

You might just come out of it with a clearer head, a happier heart, and a sweet little victory cooling on the counter.

Easy Baked Pasta

This is a simple pasta dish that’s perfect for a quick weeknight meal.

Don’t confuse this recipe with a big Sunday gravy-and-meatballs dinner—this is a quick, 20–25 minute, start-to-finish meal that makes 2 large or 4 small servings.

You’ll start with a quick marinara in an oven-safe skillet, then finish everything under the broiler.

The secret ingredient to this recipe is the pasta water. Whether you are making a marinara, a pesto sauce or a cream sauce, the starch of pasta water elevates the taste and texture of your sauce. You only need a small amount for this dish, one ladle or about 1/4 cup.

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 sprig fresh basil (add it to the sauce stem and all; you’ll pull it out once it wilts)
• Shredded mozzarella + grated Parmesan (to your liking)
• 6–8 oz pasta (your choice)

1. In a large, oven-safe skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the garlic.
2. Once the garlic starts to sizzle (don’t let it brown), add the tomatoes.
3. Stir in the oregano. Add the basil sprig, gently placing it right into the sauce.
4. Cover and let the sauce simmer for about 15 minutes.
5. While it simmers, boil your pasta per the package directions. Cook until al dente and reserve a bit of pasta water (the pasta will finish cooking in the sauce).
6. Remove the wilted basil, then add the al dente pasta to the sauce.
7. Stir in 1 ladle (about 1/4 cup) of pasta water. You can also add salt and crushed red pepper to taste.
8. Add shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan. I like to add just a bit so it’s not too cheesy, but you can do it to your liking.
9. Finish under the broiler on high for 2–3 minutes, until the sauce bubbles and the cheese just starts to melt. (No broiler? Bake at 425°F for about 10 minutes, or until bubbling and melted.)
10. Carefully remove the pan, plate, and garnish with chopped parsley if you’d like—then enjoy.

Ciambella Rustica

For years, a big part of our Easter tradition has involved baked goods. We would make Easter bread, Italian rice pie (which Ava has since taken over and now claims as her own), fiadone cheese pockets, and pizza rustica—also known as pizza chena, or simply Easter ham pie.

Pizza rustica, as I prefer to call it, is a rustic pie made with eggs, various meats such as ham, salami, pepperoni, or mortadella, and cheese—provolone being my choice. I also like to add black olives, simply because I love them, and they complement this dish beautifully.

This year, I discovered an interesting variation called Ciambella Rustica, courtesy of Giovanni Siracusa. The concept and ingredients are basically the same, with the addition of flour and olive oil, which transforms it into more of a bread or savory cake. It can be baked in either a tube pan or a Bundt pan (cue My Big Fat Greek Wedding). I was intrigued and decided this was the recipe I would follow this year.

The process was wonderfully simple—everything mixed in one bowl, poured into the pan, and baked. The result had the same savory flavors as traditional pizza rustica, but with a more bread-like texture that was surprisingly complementary.

The beautiful part of traditions is the comfort of revisiting moments we love. Another wonderful part is allowing ourselves to update them—carrying the original meaning forward in a new and special way. This recipe does exactly that.

I realize I’m sharing this a bit late for Easter, but honestly, it’s a dish worth making any time of year. It’s far too delicious to enjoy just once.

To watch Giovanni Siracusa’s process and to get his recipe, click here.

Pizza with Mussels and Lemon Hummus

It was pizza night and I wanted to do something fun and a little unexpected, so I turned a pack of frozen mussel meat into a seafood gourmet pizza. Frozen mussels are already cooked and incredibly versatile, making them perfect for a quick, creative meal.

Instead of a traditional red sauce, I went Mediterranean and used lemon hummus as the base. I drizzled olive oil mixed with minced garlic and sea salt over both the hummus and the mussels to build flavor in layers.

The pizza baked at 475°F for about 10 minutes, until the crust was crisp, and was finished with fresh chopped parsley. Simple, bright, and absolutely delicious.

This pizza is easy to customize—use your favorite dough or flatbread, make it personal-sized or shareable, and swap in any hummus you love. Have fun with it and enjoy.