– A Simple Palate is a community of food lovers who are passionate about seasonal, flavorful meals that feed the body and soul.
Bethany’s love language is slow Sunday dinners with the echo of oldie classics in the background…
Growing up in a family from Jersey and New York, Bethany’s love for food and cooking began in the kitchen at her mother’s side, learning old Italian recipes that have been passed down from family, friends, and neighbors.
Sunday evenings were almost ceremonious. The aromas of Italian cooking with the voices of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin are woven into her most cherished memories - a crowded kitchen full of cooks, splattered recipe cards, and the perfume of authentic Italian dishes. You could practically taste the love that poured into every recipe, and the same remains today. After establishing the same traditions in her family, she decided to share them with the world, too.
And that’s what you’ll find at A Simple Palate: a community of food lovers who are passionate about seasonal, flavorful meals that feed the body and soul.
Minimal ingredients and straightforward instructions are the fundamentals of each recipe at A Simple Palate. Bethany is here to help you navigate the kitchen and create successful recipes time after time, no matter your experience.
‘Cause, that’s amore!
Hey! I’m Bethany, I’m so happy you found yourself here.
Launched in 2014, this space all began because of the memories I have of cooking with my mother. I learned all of my family’s famous recipes standing right beside her. I remember those slow Sunday dinners and still cherish those memories. From that moment on, food became my life and passion. Now, it’s my full-time job!
Italian cuisine was the first I learned to cook. Here, you’ll find plenty of Italian recipes and then some.
Every recipe at A Simple Palate is tested until perfected, always seasonal, always flavorful, and best enjoyed with the favorite people in your life. We keep things simple around here. That means simple ingredients and simple instructions.
I’m a firm believer that you can be successful in the kitchen no matter your level of experience, and I’m here to help you do just that.
– Fun facts
I’m married to my best friend Drew. Who just so happens to be A Simple Palate’s tech support, web developer/designer, and official taste tester! When Drew isn’t helping with the blog, he is working as a UI/UX designer for a software company based in Los Angeles.
We both have a love for traveling and have moved around the US quite a bit together. We love trying all the delicious food along the way of each adventure we take.
I’m a very happy puppy momma to our English Springer Spaniel, Hudson.
I was born in Jersey and was raised by incredibly loving family members that are from both sides of the Hudson river. So I grew up with a deep love for both New York and Jersey.
I’m a born and raised New York Yankees fan.
🎶 Start spreading the news...
Italian food was my first love and was the first cuisine I learned how to make. Throughout my blog, you’ll find some of my family’s beloved Italian recipes.
If you are interested in my journey as a blogger, take a listen to a conversation I had with Elaine Benoit on her podcast Dishing with Delishes and check out our blogger resources guide.
– My food philosophy
Using “love” as a secret ingredient
As cheesy as it may sound, my love is best demonstrated through cooking. It’s true that the more you love what you are doing, the more it will show. I put my whole heart into each recipe I create and share with you because I want the food you create to be nourishment to your body and soul.
Room for indulgence
I love eating healthy, but balance doesn’t mean deprivation. On my blog, you’ll find tons of comfort food recipes like pasta, pizza, and cookies. Some of these dishes are traditionally made as a homage to my Jersey roots and love for Italian cooking, others have a modern healthy twist while still being indulgent.
Cooking with “clean” ingredients
I try my best to always cook with products that do not contain preservatives, added hormones, chemicals, or artificial flavors. Because of this, I believe in buying high-quality, local ingredients from businesses and farms that uphold the same values.
Balance
In my daily life and on my blog, I follow a label-less diet. This means eating mostly vegetarian/plant-based, creating baked sweets that are filled with nutritious ingredients, and still enjoying recipes that include meat and dairy in moderation.
– Recipes for every occasion & experience level
Conquer busy weeknights with our 10-minute teriyaki chicken.
Learn how to make crispy New York style pizza with our Cast Iron Skillet Pizza.
Satisfy your sweet tooth by making our surprisingly wholesome chewy almond butter cookies.
Spice up your meatless meals with our favorite vegetarian fajitas.
Want more?
Subscribe here and we’ll send you an email as new recipes are published AND a copy of our Indulgent Desserts ebook!
– Frequently asked questions
Can I share your recipes on my own website or social?
Friends, I absolutely love sharing my recipes with you. But all of A Simple Palate content is exclusively mine – all pictures, recipes, texts, unless stated otherwise. Do not copy or paste my recipes to your blog/site or any other platform. You are, however, welcome to share my photography with a link credited to the original post. I reserve the right to ask you to remove anything of mine from your site/platform. If you have any questions on sharing my recipes, please ask!
Yep, I can tell you’re from back East, yup; I can tell YOU’RE part Italiana, yes? Cuz, NJ+NY+Italiana = GORGEOUS! Bellissima! Anyway, WE are mostly Eye-talian (Me = Sicilian mostly) and I am trying YOUR chicken Parma, Bethany, because: 1) The 92 year old madre ORDERED it (LOL!) (SHE is 42% Italiana) 2) I loooooooooooooooove to cook, esp. Italian, it’s how *I* relax and 3) Mom does NOT cook, I am her DAILY chef! And, since I’m retired, I can cook all the dishes and learn alllll the Italian words I can – I got the time! Well, gotta go. Gonna give YOUR CP a whirl, and THANK YOU for this site and all you do. Ya know, some cooks are just BORN, and you obviously were/are…Salut to you and Drew! Ciao!
You’re too kind. Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy the chicken parmesan. I just had it the other night while visiting my family back east and it’s truly one of my favorites!
Gm can i use a smaller cast iron pot for the cinnamon raisin bread recipe? Or it must be 6 qt? Ty!
You should have success using a 4 QT cast iron pot!
Bethany congratulations you are the first cook I have come across to use the simplest ingredients that my family has always used except we never never put oregano in a tomato sauce we’re going to use for pasta lasagna excetera because it’ll make it taste like pizza I also cannot eat onions I was glad to see that you used carrots instead, that’s what I do. I also use only cento tomato passata(strained)because it removes the skin and the seeds, which is something else I can’t eat. We stopped using the paste because the meat makes the sauce thick. I eliminate the four hours by using a pressure cooker and in a half an hour or so, it’s done meat and all.
You Aced it!. Congratulations
I am trying your egg plant rollatina.
Hope you enjoy it!
Me too
I made the eggplant rollatini last night, it was great! Thank you! You should add the word “lengthwise” so people know to cut the eggplant lengthwise instead and they make sure they buy large eggplants.
Just changed it! Thanks you, Liz 🙂 so glad you enjoyed it!
You are amazingggggggg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh, and did I say U are soo pretty(just saying):)
you’re so sweet! Thank you!!
Hi Bethany! Cant wait to try your San Marzano Tomato Sauce but the recipe calls for 5 28 oz cans of the tomatoes. Is this correct? Seems like a lot. Thank you!
Hi Doreen! I always cut the recipe in half when I don’t need all the servings (3 cans). Or you can make the full serving and freeze half for a later time! 🙂
We are putting together college cookbook for our grandsons , we would like to use some of your recipes and photos for their cookbook if permitted
Thanks
Fred
of course you can! Thanks for asking 🙂
Was surfing for a Parm recipe to determine if the mozzarella goes under or over the sauce. Looks like under. (I think I’ve actually done both in the past, but I want to do it correctly) In the process I found those nice deep dish pans. I’m tired of my lasagna overflowing my typical “cake” pan. Ordered a set to check them out and they are MUCH more reasonably priced than almost all the alternatives I’ve looked at. My preference was definitely toward stainless steel as opposed to other materials. Nice dog BTW. Mine is a Labrador Retriever and she loves anything Italian.
Thank you for the Mahi, Mahi recipe. Hands down a really super.delicious fish taco.
All you heard at the table was “mmmmm, now these are a wow, good.”
Thank you so much, Becky! Super glad you all enjoyed it 🙂
Hi Bethany, I would love to make the chicken Parmesan for guests and was wondering if I could refrigerate the chicken after sautéing it and then add the mozzarella and gravy later. Can’t wait to make your San Marzano marinara.
Hi Erin! Yes, you can do that no problem. 🙂 Hope you and your guests enjoy it!
I am interested in trying your Moroccan chickpea stew. My wife and I are on low sodium diets. Your table showing nutritional values does not list sodium. Could you please let me know what the sodium is?
Thank you
I just made your sauce and is very acidic. What can I do to cut the acidity down? Otherwise it looks great.
hey jess! I would either cook it longer or add 1-2 additional Tablespoons of tomato paste (or as much as you need). Whenever I need to speed up a sauce and cut the acidy, I add more tomato paste. Some tomatoes are just more acidic, so if that doesn’t help 1-2 teaspoons of sugar should help.
Bethany, As you’re from an Italian family (I am not), what type of pasta is chicken parm usually served with? From a traditional Italian point of view. I only ask because I ordered it out and it came to the table with penne? I always thought it was served with spaghetti.
Usually I’ve had chicken parmesan served with spaghetti but have also had it served with penne too! 🙂
Hi Bethany! I would love to try your receipy of lasagna with italian sausages but what is a link of sausages in grams THANK YOU!
Hi ginette! It should be about 4 oz per link, which is a little over 100 grams. Hope this helps!
Bethany, your recipes are fantastic! Plant-based whole food is the way to eat. Thank you for all you do to help us nourish our families!
Thanks so much Tina <3
Hey Bethany,
Tried your cinnamon raisin no knead bread and it killed…I’m interested in doing a sage and sausage no knead loaf but don’t know what the introduction of meat into the dough would do to cook times…any insights, quantities, etc???
Thanks in advance and keep the good stuff coming!
John
Hi John, Thank you so much! So happy you enjoyed the bread. I’ve actually not baked no knead breads with meat/sausage. You could certainly give it a try! I would brown the sausage, dry the oils and excess moisture on a paper towel, then gently fold it in to the risen dough. Let me know if you try it out!
Why don’t you let our cinnamon raisin bread go through a second rise before baking? Doesn’t that make for a denser, heavier crumb?
If the bread is handled gently enough, it shouldn’t need a second rise. 🙂
Your recipes look great especially the 10-Minute Teriyaki Chicken & Broccoli one which I am looking for to trying to make. Also, we have almost the same name!
hahah too funny! I thought there was an error for a second. Thanks for reaching out. 🙂
Hi Bethany,
Thank you for the DELICIOUS eggplant rollatini recipe! I am so grateful for an eggplant main dish that doesn’t require frying the eggplant. I look forward to trying many more of your tempting recipes. Thank you for such a lovely blog with your beautiful story. Best wishes to you, Drew and Hudson!
That means so much to me! Thank you. I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe and I appreciate all your kind words. 🙂 Hope you find more delicious recipes on here to enjoy!
I’ve been in the restaurant business for over 30 years, mostly as a chef. I’ve cooked my whole life growing up in the kitchen with my Sicilian mother. This is one of the simplest and best Marinara sauces I’ve ever cooked. The San Marzano tomatoes are a must as are the parm rind and carrots. I still use my mother’s recipe for Sunday sauce that includes spicy Italian sausage and all day on the stove, but this is my go to now for Marinara!! BTW…Frank and Dean are ALWAYS playing while I cook!
wow, thank you! That is such a compliment. I’m SO pleased you loved the sauce that much! Thanks so much for sharing, Bill. 🙂
WOOW its amazing to read this .
You made my day .
Thank you so much for it
Wow. I love this about page so much. Not only are you gorgeous–but your background and history are just as much beautiful. Folks, I knew Bethany growing up, and her family was one that welcomed you with open arms (Barb, I love you like a mother). I always knew Beth had a love for food when she’d whip up things like tomato soup using the most odd ingredients (to me)–but it would taste amazing. Her mom would wake us up with pumpkin pancakes, and I remember feeling bewildered at the combo. Those, of course, were delicious as well. All of the memories I have had growing up with Bethany were not only beautiful, but delectable. Gosh, she truly has a knack for good food. It was engrained in her. I always know I can come to her with any foodie advice. This woman is honest in her life, and in her cooking. She is a true beauty inside and out. Her recipes are straight forward, and mouthwatering.
Risa you are the sweetest! Love you “Bethany’s” Mom
The sweetest words. <3 Thank you so much friend! Love you and all of our memories together that usually revolved around food. 😉
Just made your cheesy rotini with roasted vegetables and it’s fantastic. I was browsing around for pasta recipes after my wife and I picked up some gluten-free pasta from Eataly, (Alce Nero, which btw was excellent), and luckily tried yours. Love the website and I’ll definitely be coming back for more ideas. (My one major change, though, was to substitute fontina for the cheddar. I really had to sit there for a few seconds making sure it actually said cheddar.). It’s immediately become one of our new favorites. Thanks for a great dinner!
Thank you so much, Rich! Love hearing that you enjoyed the pasta so much. And love the idea of using fontina cheese! I will have to try that myself. 🙂
Roasted Lemon Rosemary Chicken with potatoes — can I make this in the crockpot ??
Hi Brenda! I personally have never tried this. It’s meant to be an oven recipe. But, if you double the sauce, it should work!