Years ago, I started a simple family food tradition. We lived in Europe, and I wanted to share with my children a tradition from my childhood: Sunday pancakes. Not Swedish pancakes, not French crepes, but good old American-style pancakes doused with maple syrup.

Each Sunday, I would make our pancakes from scratch (no such thing as a mix in Europe), and my children would help out, stirring the batter, flipping the cakes, and arguing over who would stand on the stool next to the stove. Eventually my children didn't need a stool, and then they lost interest in making the pancakes, but they never lost interest in eating them.

We moved from Switzerland to London and eventually to Copenhagen, and with each move, we packed our belongings, our memories and our family traditions, only to unpack and arrange them in our new home, carefully placing and comforting ourselves with the familiar, while reassuring ourselves with our rituals. The first morning we woke in our new house, we would make Sunday pancakes, even if it was Monday or any other day, because some rituals are that important.

I still make Sunday pancakes from time to time. Whenever I can, I try to slip some healthy grains into the batter, because, after all, that’s the motherly thing to do. Sometimes I substitute a little almond flour, whole-wheat or kamut flour in the mix. The whole-grain flours add a nuttier density to the pancakes, while the almond flour is lighter. Fortunately, all of these substitutions have passed the Sunday morning pancake taste-test. (It can be tricky messing with a family tradition, after all.) In this recipe, you can simply omit the whole-wheat or almond flour and use 2 cups all-purpose flour, if desired.

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole-wheat or almond flour

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 large egg, lightly whisked

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for cooking

Whisk the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl. Whisk the buttermilk, egg and butter together in a separate bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour and stir to combine without over-mixing.

Melt a nob of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Scoop or pour large spoonfuls of the batter into pan. Cook the pancakes until golden brown on both sides and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes, flipping once. Serve warm with maple syrup.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

It took me a long while to make puttanesca sauce, the feisty Italian tomato sauce packed with sharp, pungent and briny flavors. I admit it was the anchovies that gave me pause. While I don't mind anchovies in moderation, I don't liberally cook with them, either, foolishly reverting to a childhood bias against their salty fishiness. I should know better.

Anchovies are a magical ingredient, a bright star in the cuisines of the Mediterranean and Asia (think fish sauce). When used in moderation, anchovies melt into a dish, amplifying its overall flavor and producing an elusive umami quality that keeps us digging in for more. Anchovies work particularly well when combined with other strong ingredients, which is why they are a marvelous component in puttanesca sauce, which teems with tomatoes, olives, garlic, chili flakes and capers.

Puttanesca sauce is often served with pasta, but it’s also delicious with fish. In this recipe it complements briny, sweet shrimp. I tweaked it to make a fresher rendition, with whole grape (or cherry) tomatoes replacing canned plum tomatoes. Simply cook them long enough so that they begin to break down and release their juices. A splash of white wine adds the extra moisture needed for the sauce. If desired, you can serve the shrimp puttanesca over pasta or rice. This makes an easy weeknight dinner and can be prepared in about 30 minutes.

Shrimp Puttanesca

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

20 to 24 large shrimp, shelled and deveined

Salt

1 small yellow onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 anchovy filets, chopped

1 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes

1 pound grape tomatoes, halved if large

1/3 cup pitted Kalamata or oil-cured olives, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 teaspoons capers, drained and rinsed

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp in one layer and lightly season with salt. Cook until pink on both sides and barely cooked through the centers (they will continue to cook in the sauce), about 4 minutes, turning once. Transfer to a plate.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to the same skillet. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic, anchovies and red pepper flakes and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, olives, white wine, tomato paste, capers and black pepper. Cook until the tomatoes break down and the sauce thickens, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently to break up the tomatoes.

Nestle the shrimp into the sauce and simmer until thoroughly cooked and heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the parsley. Serve warm with crusty bread.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

I am not one to look a gift horse in the mouth. Or in this case, turn down a gift of fresh pears from a friend who, yes, grows her own pears -- especially in the fall, when I love to bake fruit crisps, crumbles and tarts. When I received a box of Warren pears from her, I devised a number of ways to use the fruit, besides as a sugary dessert.

Pears are wonderful for baking and poaching, as most varieties hold their shape well during the cooking process. This recipe is a “healthy” version of a crumble, with the pear halves roasted in the oven, then topped with yogurt, honey and a streusel topping. Call it a healthy dessert or a decadent breakfast, but just be sure to make it.

Roasted Pears and Yogurt Streusel

Active Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 teaspoons plus 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 ripe but firm pears, such as Warren or Bartlett

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup old-fashioned oats

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup brown sugar

Pinch of salt

1 cup whole milk plain Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons runny honey, plus extra for drizzling

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Whisk the sugar and the 2 teaspoons cinnamon in a small bowl.

Cut the pears in half lengthwise and remove the cores. Set aside half of the butter for the streusel. Brush the cut sides of the pears with the remaining butter and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. Arrange the pears in a baking pan and roast in the oven, cut side up, until tender but not mushy, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and cool while you prepare the streusel.

Combine the oats, walnuts, brown sugar, the 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and the salt in a bowl. Add the reserved butter and stir to coat. Spread on a small, rimmed baking pan and bake in the oven until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring once or twice.

Whisk the yogurt, honey and vanilla in a small bowl. Arrange the pears in bowls. Spoon the yogurt into the centers of the pears. Sprinkle the streusel over the yogurt and pears. Drizzle with additional honey.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS