What’s TNBT? Every new year people make predictions. One time I read that The Next Big Thing would be a frying pan that somehow let you know when the pan reached the perfect temperature to add eggs or hamburger or pancakes.

It wasn’t.

This year I’ve read, in a few places, that Peruvian cuisine would be TNBT.

Maybe. Maybe not. 

But I do know that we have the Peruvians to thank for potatoes. Centuries ago, Spanish conquistadors set out to the Americas to find El Dorado, the land of gold and plenty. They never found that. But they did find plenty of potatoes, a culinary treasure to be sure.

Potatoes, which no one in Europe knew about then, flourished in the volcanic soil of the Peruvian Andes. The conquistadors took note at how the Peruvians roasted potatoes whole, until the insides were soft and the outsides crunchy and dark.

Baked Potato.

My favorite.

If I could only pick one food to live on for the rest of my life it would be a baked potato.

Baked potatoes are so good (especially if you use an organic Russet, or Idaho potato) that, IMHO you don’t need to do anything with it except sprinkle the insides with salt (I like a mineraly sea salt) and freshly ground black pepper.

But okay, butter works too (unsalted always tastes fresher and cleaner).

And some people like to add sour cream and chives. And other people like Baked Stuffed Potatoes, which I have to confess, are a wonderful make-ahead side dish, and so versatile that there are more versions than you could possibly consider cooking.

Here’s one recipe:

Baked Stuffed Potatoes with Horseradish and Dill

4 large Russet potatoes

4 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons cream cheese

1/2 cup dairy sour cream

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

1-1/2 tablespoons prepared white horseradish

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Scrub the potatoes and dry them. Pierce the potatoes and place them in the oven (or you can wait and pierce the potatoes after 20-30 minutes). Bake the potatoes for about an hour or until you can easily pierce into the flesh with the tip of a sharp knife. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice them in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a bowl. Add the butter and cream cheese and mash into the potatoes. Add the sour cream, dill and horseradish and mix them in. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Using equal amounts, stuff the mixture back into the skins. Place the potato halves on a cookie sheet. Reheat the potatoes until hot (10-15 minutes depending on whether the potatoes have been refrigerated). Makes 4-8 servings

Yesterday, while I was organizing some children’s books, I came across “The Turnip,” which I wrote about yesterday.

Reading it again put me into even more of a turnip frame of mind.

And I was thinking how ironic it is that turnips are so under appreciated in the United States but are considered so worthwhile in Europe that dozens of folk tales — not just the one about the huge turnip — have been written about them.

Like the one about a poor farmer who exchanges a cartload of turnips for a magical musical instrument which he plays and wins the heart of a beautiful princess.

And a Russian legend that tells of elves who steal all of a farmer’s turnips and when he goes after the thieves they refuse to give up the vegetables and instead give him a magic tablecloth that provides food, a goat who sneezes gold coins and a whistle that dispatches with unwanted guests.

And the one about the rabbit who gives his turnip to a poor family who gives it to an even poorer family who gives it to another, needier family who gives it to the most destitute of all — the rabbit.

Of course folk tales are often about the poor and needy. And the truth is that the rich have always disdained turnips as coarse, harsh, humble fare, fit only for the underclass.

But at one time oats had that reputation too. Samuel Johnson said oats were eaten by people in Scotland but only by horses in England. Nowadays everyone, rich, poor and in between, eats oats.

Same goes for beans. Saint Jerome forbade the nuns in his charge to eat any.

And potatoes, once thought poisonous so only animals and the poorest of the poor ate them. Today our fanciest restaurants serve beans and potatoes. 

So I can’t see any reason why we shouldn’t eat more turnips. They add variety, they’re widely available and are inexpensive. And, when made the right way, they taste good.

Like in this recipe, which is an absolutely perfect accompaniment to roasted chicken, baked fish and pot roast.

Rutabaga and Potato Croquettes

1-1/3 cups mashed potatoes

2/3 cup mashed cooked rutabaga

1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg

salt (about 3/4 teaspoon) and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 large egg yolks

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 large egg

2 tablespoons vegetable or chicken stock or milk

2/3 cup packed fresh breadcrumbs

vegetable oil for frying

Mix the mashed potatoes, mashed rutabaga, nutmeg, salt, pepper and egg yolks together in a bowl. (To make mashed potato and rutabaga, peel and dice the vegetables, then boil in water for abut 15 minutes.) Shape portions of the mixture into finger shapes about 2-inches long, 1-inch wide. Dredge the fingers in the flour. Beat the whole egg and stock together in a dish. Coat the flour coated fingers with the egg mixture. Press the fingers into the breadcrumbs, coating all sides. Refrigerate for about one hour. Heat about 1/2-inch vegetable oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the fingers, a few at a time, leaving space between them so they can fry properly. Fry for 3-5 minutes, turning the fingers to brown all sides, or until well browned. Drain on paper towels. Makes 4 servings

I had to try turnips several times before I got sold on them. 

The first time I cooked one was many years ago when one of my daughters was studying vocabulary words for the SATs. We had eaten a turnip dish a couple of nights before, one that we thought smelled and tasted rotten and I told her that the best hint for the word “noisome,” if that should ever come up on the exam, was to remember that turnip recipe.

It didn’t. But everyone in the family knows what the word noisome means.

Anyway, years passed. When you’re a food writer you have to eat stuff you may not like and experiment with ingredients and recipes, some of which you might not like. All part of the learning process.

And I learned that smaller turnips are not at all harsh, smelly or bitter. In fact, they can add a nice touch as a side dish during the winter.

I’ve made dozens of turnip dishes since the SAT time. Here’s one we all like. Another good thing about it — you can prepare it ahead a day or so and pop it in the oven just before serving.

Turnip Custard

1-1/2 pounds turnips, peeled and diced

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1/2 cup half and half cream, light cream or whole milk

1 large egg

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup packed fresh breadcrumbs

1/4 cup grated Swiss cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the turnip dice in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the turnip is tender. Drain the water from the pan. Mash the turnips. Add salt and pepper to taste; add the nutmeg and mix ingredients. Beat the cream and egg together, add to the turnips and blend ingredients thoroughly. Place the mixture in a casserole dish. Heat the butter in a saute pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted and looks foamy, add the breadcrumbs and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until browned. Scatter the breadcrumbs over the turnip mixture. Sprinkle with the cheese. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until hot. Makes 6 servings

It always seemed odd to me that Popeye tried so hard to get kids to eat spinach. I love spinach. Always did. And so did everyone else I knew.

Years later I realized that when Popeye flexed his tattooed biceps to down some spinach before going into the fray with a bunch of bad guys, it was canned spinach he ate. 

A gruesome prospect.

Fresh spinach is another thing entirely. It’s got everything going for it in terms of taste and nutrition. I prefer the flat leaf variety to the curly, but either will do. You just need to wash it carefully to make sure all the sand is off the leaves. I soak it a couple of times, then run the leaves under cold water before using it for all sorts of dishes.

Most of the time I stir fry fresh spinach in olive oil (heated first with a sliced garlic clove). It takes less than two minutes. Occasionally I add an ingredient or two, like orange peel and chili peppers or soy sauce and fresh ginger. But one of my favorites is this recipe for Stir Fried Spinach with Raisins and Pignoli Nuts. It sounds fancy, and can be, depending on what else you are serving.

But it needn’t be. I am making this tonight as a side dish. It takes just a few minutes. It’s National Fresh Spinach Day, so it seems like a good time for this dish. But any old time would be good too.

Stir Fried Spinach with Raisins and Pignoli Nuts

1/3 cup raisins

hot water

2 bunches fresh spinach

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 clove garlic, sliced

1 large shallot, finely chopped

1/4 cup pignoli nuts

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the raisins in a small bowl, cover with hot water and let them rest for 10-15 minutes or until they soften and “plump.” Drain the raisins and set them aside. Wash the spinach carefully to remove all the sand, then dry in a salad spinner or kitchen towel. Set aside. Heat the olive oil in a stirfry pan or saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or so or until the garlic slices are browned. Remove and discard the garlic slices. Add the shallot and pignoli nuts and cook, stirring occasionally, for a minute or until the nuts brown lightly. Add the raisins and spinach, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and stir fry for 2-3 minutes or until the spinach has wilted and the pan juices have evaporated (if there is an excess of liquid, place the cooked spinach in a strainer and press to get rid of the liquid). Makes 4 servings

Everyone who knows me knows I’m an indoor sort of girl, like Jack called Rose in the movie “Titanic.” My husband Ed says that if the temperature goes below 66 or above 74, I’m not comfortable.

Actually, I’ve tried to be a little more accommodating over the years. My thermostat has a broader range now, but of course, there’s always the flying insects, like May flies and mosquitoes to consider too. Outdoors has its hazards.

But I do like to watch the outdoors from my kitchen window and also watch the people in my backyard who are running around and playing ball and all the other stuff I prefer to watch than do.

And besides, I can multi-task in the kitchen: watch the outdoor people and cook something for when they come in.

If my children and grandchildren are here and it’s summer and it’s hot out, it’s probably salad and something grilled. Like grilled chicken and this lentil salad, which is easy to put together, looks pretty, goes with almost any grilled meat and tastes good too. 

Simple Summer Lentil Salad

1 cup lentils

1 large tomato, chopped (or use 2 cups halved grape tomatoes)

1 cup thawed frozen or cooked fresh lima beans or peas

3-4 scallions, chopped

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup olive oil

3-4 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon grated fresh lemon peel

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the lentils in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat snd simmer the ingredients for 15-20 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Drain the lentils and place them in a bowl. Add the tomato, lima beans, scallions, parsley and basil. Toss ingredients to distribute them evenly. Mix the olive oil, red wine vinegar, mustard and lemon peel and pour this mixture over the lentils. Toss to coat the ingredients with the dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings

So on Mother’s Day, when my grownup children come with their families, do I cook what they like or what I like? 

We eat at home. Call me cranky but I can’t handle the Mother’s Day brunch service at a restaurant.

But I digress. So about the food. I like turkey, but my daughter Meredith doesn’t and anyway we have turkey so often you’d think it was always Thanksgiving around here.

Mer and my other daughter Gillian don’t eat beef, but my husband Ed and son-in-law Jesse (and I) like it.

We all eat lamb, except it really isn’t Ed’s favorite and so he eats it obligingly.

Chicken — well, okay. Chicken is the kind of food that almost serves all purposes but you have it enough and so often that you wouldn’t choose it as a must-have for a special get-together.

We all like Mujadarrah, a vegetarian bulgur wheat, lentil and onion casserole, but it doesn’t seem as spring-like as I would like on Mothers Day.

Even dessert can be problematic. I like vanilla and so does my grandson Zev, but the others like chocolate. Which means I would love love love a white vanilla-y cake with White Mountain Frosting and coconut, but my son-in-law Greg would want chocolate cake and fudge frosting.

I like pie but my daughter Gillian doesn’t. However, my grandchildren, Lila (age 5), Nina (age 4) and Zev (age 10) do like pie — so maybe I’m on to something here.

So here’s what I’ll do. I’ll probably grill some stuff if the weather’s good, and make a bunch of grain and vegetable salads and side dishes and then everyone can pick and choose what they like and undoubtedly I will have some leftovers to eat on Monday. As for dessert, I still have an apple pie in my freezer, from the pile I made last November during apple season, and I always have Grand Finale Cookies there too — those are the fabulous oatmeal-chocolate chip cookies you can find here and in my book, Hip Kosher. So maybe I will make a vanilla cake too or just let it rest at vanilla ice cream. 

Here’s a recipe for one of the side dishes I’m going to cook.

Bulgur Wheat Pilaf with Apricots and Pistachio Nuts

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

6 ounces mushrooms, sliced

1 cup bulgur wheat

2 cups vegetable (or chicken) stock

3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste

freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1-1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

1/2 cup chopped dried apricots

1/2 cup shelled pistachio nuts

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

pinch cinnamon or 1/4 teaspoon grated fresh lemon peel

Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook for about 3 minutes, or until softened. Add the bulgur and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring often. Pour in the stock and add the salt, pepper, fresh herb and apricots. Stir, bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer for about 25 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in the pistachio nuts, parsley and cinnamon or lemon peel. Makes 6-8 servings