Do those gorgeous pallets of raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, and blueberries that are in just about every stall at the farmers market during the summer entice you as much as they do me? They are so pretty! I just get all dizzy with fantasies of mixed berry tarts and sundaes and pies, oh my! But tarts … Read more
A staple starter in pretty much every Italian eatery, and most bar and grilles, I think bruschetta get’s over looked. It’s also really easy to make an utterly underwhelming batch; just use off-season tomatoes and dried basil instead of fresh and you will be one sad Mac. Here’s how to make it right, and then … Read more
Red wine drinkers face a familiar summer dilemma: switch to white or sweat through a glass of Rioja. The Spanish, ever resourceful, have found the perfect workaround: turn red wine into punch and add more booze. ¡Hurra! Sangría isn’t just a beverage—it’s a chilled, boozy celebration of comfort, cleverness, and seasonal rebellion. If you haven’t … Read more
Mmm….it’s Saturday again and we’re hungry. You know what that means…. Saturday afternoon lunch, ba-by! And on the board this time is a crispy, gooey, cordon bleu panini. Let’s do this. Chicken Cordon Bleu Panini Special Equipment Option One: Cast Iron Gridle + Cast Iron Skillet or Foil Wrapped Brick Option Two: Panini Press Ingredients … Read more
Generally speaking, I don’t have food addictions. I get on kicks where I will eat a lot of something for a few weeks and move on to my next fixation. Chili-cheese dip seems to be my one constant. I have been making it for so long I have it down to a fine science, and … Read more
I’m at yet another potluck, and someone is staring down at my chili with a confused look on their face. “This looks like chili.” “Yeah,” I say, “it is chili.” “uh….with pasta? How does that work?” “It just does,” I assure them. I found the base recipe years ago in a Betty Crocker vegetarian cookbook … Read more
Meatballs are one of those versatile dishes that might seem mystifying or hard to make, but they don’t have to be. I will likely post more meatball recipes when we get back to the cooler, fall weather, but a turkey-spinach meatball has the right flavors for summer. Turkey Spinach Meatballs Ingredients 1 10-ounce package of … Read more
I’m a huge fan of fried chicken, but less excited about what the saturated grease does to my stomach. Enter this easy recipe that gives you utterly yummy, juicy chicken legs with 1/3 of the fat and none of the nasty. It does take about a day of advanced planning, but in general, it’s a … Read more
Ah, carrot cake… Is there anything better? All you people with your red velvet and cheesecake obsessions need to take this dollar I’m holding down to the corner and buy yourself a clue. But then, if you make a cake you have this behemoth darkening your fridge. The solution? Well, it’s me so I think … Read more
So, you like Mexican food, but maybe you are getting a little burnt out on that red tomato flavor? Enter the verde! This is a great sauce that you can use for just about any dish you would normally garnish or make with a salsa roja or ranchera sauce and get a great, new taste. … Read more