Last year I discovered that roasting lemons brings out their natural goodness – and it makes the rind edible. So, the other morning when I woke up craving juice (and then sadly realized that we didn't have any in the apartment) I decided to make a breakfast tabbouleh with roasted lemons. It was incredible. It was so good that I finished it in two mornings. And that was a boon for me, because it's a simple meal to make and the bright lemony flavor is perfect for a quick morning pick-me-up.

Fried chicken doesn't have to be cooked in a quart of oil – sometimes it can just be cooked with butter. And it tastes amazing.

I stumbled across a recipe for oven fried chicken on Epicurious about 6 years ago, and it's been one of my favorite dishes since the first time I cooked it. I've switched up the seasonings because I like fried chicken with a little bit of heat. But the amazing thing about this dish, is that making the mashed potatoes to go with the chicken takes more effort to make. Honest and for true.

And just thinking about that crunchy, salty, peppery skin is making me hungry. Try this, and you will be very popular with your friends, family and most importantly – yourself.

(Roasted Chicken with Potatoes, Carrots and Lavender)

Saint Patrick's Day isn't all about hitting the first open bar at 9 a.m. and then eating lunch sans pants.

To me it's a day to celebrate the potato. My cousin and I even have a Saint Patrick's day tradition where we call each other and shout out the names of potato dishes, before we mutually clink the phone with our whiskey glasses.

However, as a woman with a whole lot of Irish in her, I always feel guilty laughing at the old John Belushi skit, "Bad Luck of the Irish." Especially when he yells, "Potato famine! Still scares 'em doesn't it!"

But, let's not think about that. Instead, let's go through some of my favorite potato dishes that have graced our plates over the past 12 months.

The other day I was talking about leftover food with a group of people, and one of them said something that piqued my interest.

“I don't worry about leftovers, because I've been eating the same thing for lunch for the last 3 years.”

The only time I've ever heard of someone eating something that consistently, was when Jennifer Aniston and Courtney Cox worked together on Friends. Apparently they ate a Cobb Salad everyday for 10 years. In the small scheme of things I find that kind of consistency remarkable.

So, I asked my friendly acquaintance which lunch recipe kept him coming back for more. And he said it was Mujadara, a brown rice and lentil dish with fruit, nuts, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin. He said he uses pork or chicken in the dish as well. He said it's great either warm or at room temperature.

Well, well, well. Who wouldn't want to eat that consistently? This dish has the double benefit of being very budget conscious as well as incredibly delicious. And just saying: “I'm having Mujadara for lunch” makes a mid-day meal feel a little elegant.