Last 2 Weeks in My Kitchen: Mexican Burritos, Greek Classics & Autumn Comfort Food

What a beginning of October in my kitchen! From homemade Mexican burritos and Italian pasta to Greek family favourites, air fryer experiments and plenty of baking, there was something delicious happening almost every day. Not unusual though !❤️

Let’s look back at what I cooked and a few recipes you really shouldn’t miss!

Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Pasta Shells (Conchiglioni Ripieni)

I’d been dreaming of making these beautiful Italian stuffed pasta shells for ages, and today was finally the day! Giant pasta shells filled with spinach, ricotta, shallots, dill and Parmesan, nestled in tomato passata with basil and topped with melting mozzarella and Gruyère. A little effort to fill the shells, lots of flavour, and pure comfort food with an Italian twist!

And for the perfect Italian-inspired meal? I’d serve my homemade tiramisu for dessert (the classic or the kid-friendly version, one of my iconic recipes included in my latest cookbook, Vivian Is Cooking BAKING!) Given that it's the apple season, I made instead my Greek reversed apple pie that is always a smash (included too in my baking cookbook).

Next on my cooking wish list: cannoli siciliani. I can’t wait to try making these iconic Sicilian pastries! ❤️

Roasted Chestnuts in the Air Fryer

🌰Chestnuts are starting to appear at the markets, and I picked up a batch at the market this Sunday. Last night, I made my favourite roasted chestnuts using my Ninja Crispi air fryer — such an easy way to enjoy this autumn treat!

The quality of the chestnuts I bought wasn't the best, but the result was still amazing. 😍

My little tip: Be careful not to roast them for too long, or they can become dry. Start with a shorter cooking time and check them as you go. For me, 15 minutes seems to be the sweet spot!

Warm, fragrant and delicious — perfect for cosy autumn evenings. 🍁

Have you started enjoying chestnuts yet?

Homemade Pizza, Pinsa Style!

Yesterday, I revisited my authentic Italian pizza recipe and decided to shape the pizzas like pinsa. Just to be clear: I used my usual pizza dough, not traditional pinsa dough, which has a different recipe and preparation method. This was all about trying a different shape!

I let the dough rise twice before shaping the pizzas (profited from the sunny day that warmed the house), and the result was amazing: beautifully baked, delicious and full of flavour.

I’m so glad I made a bigger batch, too as we enjoyed our pizzas today and had leftovers for the next day! Homemade pizza is even better when you get to enjoy it twice. ❤️

Have you ever tried shaping your pizza this way?

Roasted Chicken Thighs with Hasselback Potatoes

Today, I spent some time in the kitchen preparing a little something for my children, who are students, so they can start the week with homemade lunches ready to go. (If you have students far from home, check also my Students page or my Batch cooking post with lots of tips/ressources)

Chicken thighs, golden Hasselback potatoes and fragrant herbs. Simple ingredients, beautiful colours and so much flavour! I used Amandine potatoes, with fresh rosemary and thyme branches that filled the kitchen with the most wonderful aroma.

And honestly, look how beautiful they turned out! Sometimes, the simplest meals are the most satisfying, especially when they're prepared with a little extra love. To complete the lunchboxes, I also baked my Chocolate Booster, a delicious chocolate tray cake featured in my latest cookbook, Vivian Is Cooking BAKING!

Greek Triangle Tyropitakia with Filo

Recently, I made these little Greek cheese pies for an event I was invited to. Golden, crispy filo pastry wrapped around a delicious filling of feta, Gruyère and Emmental. The perfect little bites to share!

Known as tyropitakia with fyllo, these Greek cheese pastries are ideal for parties, aperitifs and buffets. Can be done in the oven or in the airfryer to make them wonderfully crispy with just a little olive oil. Check also my other version of tyropitakia (Kourou) that are also yummy! and can be done in the air fryer too. 

Why Buy a Cookbook Nowadays?

We have recipes everywhere today. Google. Pinterest. Instagram. YouTube. AI.

So why would you still buy a cookbook? Because a cookbook gives you something the internet doesn't.

📖 It is curated.

You don't have to scroll through hundreds of recipes wondering which one is worth trying. Someone has selected, developed and organised the recipes for you.

👩‍🍳 It inspires you to cook.

A cookbook invites you to open a page and start cooking. No notifications, no endless scrolling, no distractions.

❤️ It creates memories.

A cookbook becomes part of your kitchen. Favourite pages get marked, recipes get repeated, and memories are created around the table.

🏡 It stays with you.

Websites change. Links disappear. Algorithms change.

A cookbook sits on your shelf and remains yours.

And that's why I still believe in cookbooks — and why I created my three:

🇬🇷 Vivian Is Cooking GREEK — my collection of Greek recipes and Mediterranean flavours.

🧁 Vivian Is Cooking BAKING — for homemade cakes, breads, pastries and all things delicious.

🇫🇷 Vivian Is Cooking – Cuisine Grecque — my Greek cooking collection for French-speaking readers.

There are recipes everywhere today, and that's wonderful.

But you don't buy a cookbook because you can't find recipes. You buy one because you want a collection of recipes that you love, trust and want to keep.

And maybe, one day, pass on. ❤️

A Recipe for Remembering

October is a month of remembrance. In France, All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ traditions make this a time to think of those we have loved and lost. Greece has its own long traditions of honouring and remembering the departed.

It felt like the right moment to bring back one of my older recipes: Nefeli’s Breads.

In Greece, these soft little breads are traditionally made to commemorate someone dear who has passed away and shared with others, often at church.

I originally published this recipe in 2014, inspired by my grandmother’s recipe, and named it after my first daughter, Nefeli. On 6 October 2026, she would have been 23.

Some recipes are worth bringing back simply because they carry memories.

You can find the original recipe for Nefeli’s Breads here. ❤️

October Is Apple Season

October is apple season — and what better excuse to bring home a big basket of them?

Apples are wonderful in both sweet and savoury cooking: pies, cakes, crumbles, compotes, salads, sauces, and even with meat and cheese.

🍎 Which Apple for What?

A quick guide:

Olive Oil: How to Choose a Good One

There are hundreds of bottles on the shelf. Which one should you take home?

Forget the fancy labels. Five things matter most...

Hello October! 🍂 Autumn Recipes & Ideas from My Kitchen

Hello October! 🍁

The days are getting shorter, the evenings cooler, and suddenly we start craving warm soups, comforting dishes, cinnamon, apples and cosy baking.

October is such a lovely month in the kitchen. In France, it is the season for pumpkins and squash, leeks, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, beetroot, celery, turnips and parsnips, while apples, pears, grapes, quinces and chestnuts bring plenty of inspiration for something sweet.

So, what could we cook this month?

Healthy Kitchen Essentials: Cook Safe!

Cooking healthy isn’t just about ingredients — it’s also about what you cook with! Scratched non-stick pans, old plastic containers, and worn utensils can release chemicals into your food.

Quick essentials for a safe kitchen:

• Cookware: Stainless steel, cast iron, glass, ceramic

• Utensils: Wood, bamboo, stainless steel, food-grade silicone

• Storage: Glass, stainless steel, silicone bags

To make it easy and practical, I designed the Healthy Kitchen Essentials Printable Poster. This A4 guide has clear checklists for cookware, utensils, and storage, plus tips on when to replace worn items. Print it, frame it, and enjoy a safer, more organized kitchen every day!

✨ Instant download on Etsy

Cook safe. Cook simple. Cook happy!

💡 Want more tips like this? Check my Tips page of the blog — small ideas that make everyday cooking easier and faster.

Milopitakia (Greek Mini Apple Pies)

🌟 Difficulty	⏱️ Time	🍽️ Serves	🔪 Skill level
★★ Easy	~1 hr	~30 pieces	Beginner–Intermediate

October, the month of apples!

That's why I decided to present you today a recipe that was missing from my blog and that I like a lot: milopitakia!

Milopitakia, in greek, means mini apple pies but they are actually more kind of apple-filled cookies to be more precise.

Whatever you call them, I am sure that you will like them once you taste them, so here it goes in order to have them for real at your place :)

They look gorgeous too, no?