Parmesan

These make-ahead packs are perfect for camping trips as well as quick and easy breakfasts on the go.

You wouldn't blanch tender herbs such as basil, but doing so here softens the collards and kale.

When not using this pesto to dress this very green salad, you could schmear it on just about any sandwich, or stir it into scrambled eggs.

Bursting with the big, brash flavors of green olives, anchovies, and capers, this herbaceous pasta sauce isn't afraid to bite back.

This risotto is dotted with beautiful green spring vegetables and makes a lovely vegetarian lunch or dinner. Delicious with a roasted beet and arugula salad, it's simple to make. There is no arduous stirring; the rice cooker takes care of everything.

The colorcoded salad is one of Babylonstoren's signature dishes and always features a mix of fruits and vegetables on the same plate. Engelbrecht says produce that looks good together tastes great together, too, and she's developed specific vinaigrettes to complement the red, yellow, and green options.

Babylonstoren's chef Maranda Engelbrecht uses exotic tamarillos. If you can get them, great. If not, tomatoes are your best swap.

This entire dish is right out of Rose and Ruthie's River Café playbook, with just a few tweaks of my own. They taught me how to make fonduta, a silky sauce rich with crème fraîche and egg yolks. It takes less time and just a bit more effort than tomato sauce, and turns a plate of pasta into an elegant and impressive meal. Get yourself some asparagus spears that are as thick as your pointer finger—not those thin or sprouty ones—and you'll enjoy the juicy slivers in each bite.

Bolognese is a hearty sauce that needs a toothy, wide noodle like fresh pappardelle, or a sturdy dried shape like rigatoni.—Mike Easton

Lush confited garlic takes toasty, cheesy baguettes to another level.

If you're making this entire menu in a single oven, put the souffléed gnocchi in the oven to bake after the fennel and carrots have been roasting for 10 minutes.

A classic ribollita is cooked one day, then reheated and served the next. To do that, just hold back the last croutons so they keep their crunch.

A fun alternative to classic potato gnocchi.

Thin, crisp toast has never let me down. Making a batch while I mull over what’s for dinner always saves me, later, when kids are circling or a guest arrives early. It must be made from stale bread—a fresh loaf is difficult to slice very thin, which is what you must do for crunchy, tender, non mouth-injuring toast. A 350°F oven will help make toast for a crowd without much risk of burning (as long as you use a timer and stand by vigilantly!).