Here are two vegetarian recipes we frequently make. The first is Zuni's Pasta which can be easily described as penne with aromatic oil and canned tuna. It feels fancy with the addition of toasted pine nuts and the sourcing of expensive oil-packed tuna.

The second is gnocchi. Gnocchi is somewhat finicky: follow the details in the instructions and it is successful, become over-confident and a little non-chalant about pulling off the little potato pillows and they will collapse into effortful sogginess. It makes it absolutely impossible not to apologize for - contrary to Julia Child's injunction against apologizing to guests. Successful gnocchi can be served with Smitten Kitchen’s Tomato Broth, or Ricardo's creamy Tomato-Spinach one, which I which I made often before having children at the table. To make gnocchi a more substantial meal, I recommend a baguette. That is, yes, carbs on top of carbs, but I haven't found a better idea yet.

Our vegetarian repertoire is small. I feel the need to add to it, but face the following challenges: beans, eggplant, winter, habit.