Let’s look back at what I cooked and a few recipes you really shouldn’t miss!
🌯 Mexican Burritos with Guacamole & Homemade Tortillas
We kicked off the week with Mexican burritos, fresh guacamole and homemade tortillas. I’d forgotten to buy the tortillas, so I improvised with flour, Greek yoghurt, olive oil, salt and warm water. They were so easy to make and honestly, much better than shop-bought ones!
My special touch? Brown champignons de Paris, adding an extra savoury flavour to the filling. Sometimes forgetting an ingredient leads to the best discoveries!
🍕 Homemade Pizza, Pinsa Style
I also revisited my authentic Italian pizza recipe, shaping the pizzas like pinsas. The dough was my usual pizza dough, rather than traditional pinsa dough, but I let it rise twice before shaping. The result was amazing! I made a generous batch, too, so we could enjoy the leftovers the following day.
🍝 Italian Conchiglioni Ripieni
One of the recipes I’d been dreaming of making for ages finally made it to our table: spinach and ricotta stuffed pasta shells, or conchiglioni ripieni. Filled with spinach, ricotta, shallots, dill and Parmesan, covered with tomato passata, mozzarella and Gruyère, they were pure comfort food.
I shared the full recipe in a separate post, so do have a look if you fancy trying them yourself!
🍎 My Greek Upside-Down Apple Cake
This one is always a huge success: my Greek upside-down apple cake! Just look at the photos and judge for yourselves. It’s one of those recipes that never disappoints, especially now that apples and autumn flavours are back in season.
🧁 Chocolate-Banana Muffins for My Child & Friends
I baked chocolate-banana muffins to spoil my child and friends before they headed off to a horse-jumping competition. And because a little extra chocolate never hurts, she decided to add more chocolate chips at the last minute!
She hoped they would sink deeper into the muffins while baking, but they mostly stayed on top creating a lovely little decoration. A happy accident, and a delicious treat for the road!
🍗 Juicy Air Fryer Chicken Bites with Gnocchi
For a quick dinner, I made my super-juicy air fryer chicken bites and served them with leftover gnocchi from another meal. My husband has complimented these chicken bites so many times that I’m starting to think everyone needs to try them!
They’re quick, easy and perfect for those evenings when you want something delicious without spending hours in the kitchen.
I also made a simple steamed broccoli salad with olive oil, salt and fresh lemon juice. It was exactly what I wanted alongside the meal: fresh, bright and full of fibre.
🥔 Chicken Thighs with Hasselback Potatoes for My Students
I made my roasted chicken thighs with Hasselback potatoes again for my student children. They absolutely fell in love with this meal, so naturally, it went straight back onto the menu!
This time, I managed to keep a portion for myself and now I understand exactly why they love it so much. The golden potatoes, the fragrant rosemary and thyme, and the delicious roasting juices make this a real winner.
If you haven’t tried it yet, you definitely should!
🍝 My Son’s Favourite Lasagna
Another family classic went into the freezer: my son’s favourite lasagna (check the photo and you can tell why :) I always try to keep a special portion ready for him to take whenever he needs it. There’s something lovely about knowing that a homemade meal is waiting for your child, even when they’re away from home. And by doing so pften, I became an expert !
🌰 Roasted Chestnuts in the Air Fryer
As the evenings get cooler, roasted chestnuts are back! I made them in my Ninja Crispi air fryer, and what a lovely invention it is. So easy, so comforting, and perfect for enjoying on a cosy autumn evening.
Just remember not to roast them for too long, as they can dry out. Around 15 minutes seemed to be my sweet spot, but start with less and check them as they cook.
🌶️ Spetzofai: A Greek Comfort-Food Classic
When the weather finally turned cooler, I made one of my old-time favourites: Spetzofai, a traditional Greek dish of aubergines, peppers and sausages simmered in a thick, slightly spicy sauce.
This is exactly the kind of food I crave when autumn arrives: warming, full of flavour and perfect for sharing with crusty bread.
🍰 Ravani: A Taste of Greek Autumn
And of course, no week in my kitchen would be complete without dessert! Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a little obsessed with baking — which probably explains my latest cookbook, Vivian Is Cooking BAKING.
This week, I made my Greek ravani, and just look at that beautiful autumnal orange colour in the photos. Soft, sweet and wonderfully comforting, it’s the perfect cake to enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea.
❤️ A Week Full of Homemade Goodness
Looking back, it was a week full of variety: Mexican-inspired dinners, Italian favourites, Greek classics, quick air fryer meals, homemade treats and plenty of food prepared with my family in mind.
Some recipes were planned, others came from improvisation, leftovers or simply a craving. But that’s what I love about home cooking: it’s creative, practical and full of little surprises.
Tell me, which recipe would you try first? The homemade tortillas, the stuffed pasta shells, the juicy chicken bites or one of my Greek cakes? I’d love to know! (there is already one reader that said would try the pasta shells)
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