What is the best thing to put in a pie? Your teeth. But some people think it’s cherries…including Tom, who just so happens to have a birthday this month and has been known to request cherry pie for the occasion. Tart cherries make especially good pies, but sweet cherries work too, and you can use …
In the Pacific Northwest, I equated hot summer nights in July with making fresh berry jams. With the box fan in the back screen door, I spent hours over steaming hot pots, stirring down the bubbling jam. The hot, sticky job filled the air with a pleasingly, fragrant intensity. The benefits of air conditioning don’t …
Warm, sunny weather and outdoor grilling go perfectly together. Whether sizzling up steaks, chicken, burgers, or spending hours smoking meats, there’s nothing like pulling meat hot off the grill, ready to join side dishes at the table. One of our favorite side dishes takes advantage of the already hot grill…skewered vegetables. Grilled shish kabobs, where …
About a year ago my sister and I were talking , and she mentioned she likes to order risotto in a restaurant because she doesn’t make it at home. Same for me! I had a recipe for risotto once. Reading through the process, it seemed intimidating. Slowly stirring the rice and broth while it simmered …
I’ve always loved spinach, in any form. But finding a way my family thought it was palatable was another story. A number of years ago I started sautéing spinach with garlic, and that was a winner. When I found a recipe for sautéing greens, and adding them to a grilled cheese sandwich, I had a …
When I share recipes with you, I consider the month and season. Salads in the summer; heavier meal items in the winter. Apples, sweet potatoes and cranberries are great in the Fall, and what’s December without some sort of sweet treat? Though I don’t really celebrate a traditional St. Patrick’s Day, March is great for …
Chicken Parmigiana is a classic Italian dish and my family always looks forward to this meal! The ingredients are simple, but I won’t lie, it’s not a quick-put-together. There are multiple steps in preparing the simple ingredients, but the results are delicious! Plan ahead to allow enough time for prep, so you’re not desperately hungry …
In cooking, as in most all areas of life, the hardest part can be the planning. And before you can plan, you have to have ideas. As much as I love to cook, sometimes I feel “out of ideas”. On these occasions, I ask family members what they’re “hungry for”. Making sure I have pantry staples …
Several years ago (around this time of year) my dad bought some shortbread cookies at Costco. They were large square cookies that had been dipped in chocolate on the diagonal…super pretty and incredibly delicious! Over the next few weeks, a couple more packages of these cookies found their way to our home much to the …
The holidays are just around the corner and with it comes extra opportunities to gather with friends and family. These types of gatherings often include traditional sit-down meals. And there’s nothing like food to get the party started…even before dinner is ready. Charcuterie boards have risen in popularity over the last few years. With the …
October thrusts us into the heart of Autumn…the season known for “pumpkin and spice”. Many of us have a special love for pumpkin flavored comfort foods with their sweet, warm spices. Having lived in Virginia where sweet potatoes grow plentifully, I began substituting the deep rich flavor of the bright orange fleshed sweet potato in …
If you’ve never made a homemade spaghetti sauce, you’ll be surprised with how simple it is. It’s easy and it allows you to avoid preservatives and other additives that are found in prepared jar sauces and packaged seasoning mixes. And…it’s delicious. When dining at a famous Italian restaurant in the San Francisco Bay area many …
