113 nanci recipes

An ancient Roman bread recipe from Cato the Elder: grape juice, feta, lard, cumin, and anise baked on bay leaves. A fascinating taste of history you can bake at home.

Liquamen, an ancient Roman fish sauce made from anchovies, oregano, salt, and grape juice. A quick stovetop recreation of the fermented condiment that flavored nearly every dish in ancient Rome.

Cherry cake mix cookies dipped in semi-sweet chocolate and sprinkled with toasted almonds. A clever shortcut treat that looks bakery-fancy with under 10 minutes of hands-on work.

Butterscotch-glazed apples in a crunchy oat crust, topped with whipped cream folded with crushed peanut brittle and orange zest. A no-bake filling pie that's equal parts cozy and fancy.

Microwaved artichokes transform into edible bowls filled with tangy yogurt-dill sauce and crowned with tender poached shrimp for an elegant appetizer that looks restaurant-fancy but cooks in 45 minutes.

Nicomedes' anchovy, an ancient Roman culinary trick: blanched turnip slices shaped like anchovy filets, dressed with olive oil, salt, and poppy seeds to mimic fish without fish. Brilliant vegetarian party piece.

A buttery, custard-like chess pie loaded with earthy black walnuts and baked until the center is just set. Simple Southern baking with a rich, caramelized filling that needs no fancy technique.

Chicken Veronique sautés boneless breasts in butter with mushrooms, scallions, and white wine, then finishes in a silky cream sauce studded with seedless grapes. A classic French bistro dish that feels fancy but cooks in one skillet.

Flattened chicken breasts stuffed with curried rice, sweet raisins, and herbs, then pan-browned and simmered in white wine. An elegant weeknight main that looks fancy but comes together in about an hour.

No-bake chocolate truffles made with cream cheese, vanilla wafers, and a secret splash of raspberry preserves, then rolled in chopped almonds or cocoa for an elegant candy that looks fancy but takes minutes.

Old Bay-seasoned shrimp folded into scrambled eggs with sautéed leeks, tomato, and cream cheese, finished in the oven until set. A fancy brunch-worthy egg dish that serves 3 in about 40 minutes.

Star-shaped chocolate sandwich cookies cut from a chewy cocoa-and-chip sheet bake, then filled with sweet cream cheese frosting. A festive holiday cookie that looks fancy but skips the rolled-dough fuss.

Salt-smothered chicken buried in a bed of red-hot rock salt with ginger, tangerine peel, and Szechuan peppercorn marinade sealed in the cavity. An ancient Cantonese technique that steams the bird to silken tenderness.

Mom Doyle's beef brisket bakes tender in a tight foil packet with just onion soup mix and water, no fuss and no fancy ingredients. The foil traps steam so the meat turns fork-tender and makes its own savory gravy.

Like other country tarts, thus plum tart is full of delicious flavor, and it doesn't have to be fancy looking, it is a rustic shell; homemade country style plum tart always make everyone come back for an extra slice!

A layered coffee cake built on a yellow cake mix and sour cream batter, swirled with a crunchy brown sugar streusel packed with chocolate chips, walnuts, and cinnamon. Easy enough for a weekday morning, fancy enough for brunch guests.