Leigh Belanger

1 month ago | justcook.butcherbox.com | Leigh Belanger

Last Updated on August 5, 2020You know how it goes in summertime. Sometimes you want nothing more than an afternoon spent loafing in the backyard, beer in hand, poking at the coals, and tending to whatever you’ve thrown on the grill. Other days, you want to be as far away from the cooking process as possible—the beach is calling and you must answer. That’s why grilling a big hunk of meat is the move. First, you grill. Then, you use the leftover meat to pack some sandwiches for a beach picnic.

1 month ago | justcook.butcherbox.com | Leigh Belanger

Last Updated on January 30, 2025Lasagna. The queen of all casseroles. Lasagna is a time-intensive project, there’s no getting around it. But what better way to spend a winter afternoon than making a super-satisfying dish with a festive presentation for a cozy wintry dinner—whether that’s for an easy holiday meal or not. Freeze a few pieces for a weeknight night down the road, and/or even wrap up a few portions and gift to a friend who is tired of cooking but still wants to eat well.

1 month ago | justcook.butcherbox.com | Leigh Belanger

Last Updated on June 19, 2020Last week I talked about learning to share the kitchen with my kids. Whether it’s out of sheer cooking fatigue or the desire to have them be more self-reliant (or a little of both), in the past three months, my two boys have been doing more for themselves in the kitchen than ever. And I’ve been mostly hands-off. But while giving them freedom is one way for them to learn, I’ve been thinking it might be good to teach them some actual skills, too. Where to begin?

1 month ago | justcook.butcherbox.com | Leigh Belanger

Last Updated on April 30, 2020While the world’s best tacos might be devoured late at night on a street corner in Mexico City, there’s really no wrong time or place to eat one. Appropriate for any meal; portable and versatile and inexpensive and delicious—tacos may actually be the perfect food. So if Taco Tuesday hasn’t found its way into your kitchen’s weekly rotation yet, now’s the time.

1 month ago | justcook.butcherbox.com | Leigh Belanger

Last Updated on September 29, 2020In these weeks where we’re all staying home, preparing the day’s meals can start to feel a little like Groundhog Day—wasn’t I just standing in this exact same spot yesterday, making this exact same grilled cheese sandwich? And possibly the day before that? Even for the most devoted home cooks, 24/7 meal prep is a grind. What constant cooking does offer though, is a chance to streamline your process.