Olga Massov

1 week ago | postguam.com | Olga Massov

When I think about cooking - and I think about cooking a lot - I generally divide it into everyday meals and special-occasion ones. Although both must be delicious, the former needs to be unfussy, practical and quick, preferably with minimal prep and cleanup, while the latter can be more of a project. I get especially excited when I find a dish that can work double duty as a dependable weeknight dinner and an impressive holiday main.

1 week ago | washingtonpost.com | Olga Massov

When I think about cooking — and I think about cooking a lot — I generally divide it into everyday meals and special-occasion ones. Although both must be delicious, the former needs to be unfussy, practical and quick, preferably with minimal prep and cleanup, while the latter can be more of a project. I get especially excited when I find a dish that can work double duty as a dependable weeknight dinner and an impressive holiday main.

1 week ago | washingtonpost.com | Olga Massov

Democracy Dies in DarknessBy Olga MassovAlthough lamb chops scottadito are traditionally made on the grill, this sheet pan version achieves similar results. Scottadito means “burn the fingers” in Italian, and while you won’t get the same level of smoky char that grilling delivers, the broiler-cooked chops pack a ton of flavor that belies the simplicity of the ingredients.

3 weeks ago | inquirer.com | Olga Massov

For everything we hear about breakfast being the most important meal of the day, it’s the one meal I always struggle with. I don’t get hungry until later in the morning, and prefer my first hours awake to start with coffee. In a perfect world, I’d begin each day with a just-baked, perfectly-laminated pain au chocolat. Alas, there are no good-quality pastry shops within walking distance of where I live, and it’s not the healthiest option for everyday consumption.

3 weeks ago | dailyherald.com | Olga Massov

This crowd-pleasing baked ziti is actually made with rigatoni, and strikes the right balance between cheesy and saucy. Justin Tsucalas for The Washington Post; food styling by Marie Ostrosky Much like the Santa Claus impersonator in my favorite Christmas movie, “Elf,” baked ziti has been sitting “on a throne of lies.” Though it sparkles with the magic and allure of a comforting pasta bake, it makes a lot of promises it doesn’t keep.