Steam Bag Salmon

I try to cook salmon at least twice a week in my house. Since it’s one of a few safe fish items, I rely on it for our regular dose of omega-3’s. But like most fish dishes, Salmon can get old and boring. If cooked too much it becomes dry and tasteless and no one likes [...]

The Perfect Bowl of Grits

 There’s nothing like a warm bowl (or side) of grits to start the day. Classicly Southern but enjoyed  around the world, grits are inexpensive and add texture to any meal. You can make all the fancy dishes in the world but if you can’t cook a pot of grits, you are no cook in my [...]

Leftover Mashed Potatoes Heaven

Every Thanksgiving I make garlic and herb mashed potatoes and everyone loves them. But despite all the love, I always seem to make too much and they end up sitting in the fridge, waiting for me to get up the guts to toss them. I was racking mybrain about what to do with the leftover [...]

Mushroom Turkey Loaf

Sounds kind of funky, eh? Well, as a lover of meat loaf I try to find new and inventive ways to reinvent this all-american classic comfort food. I started using ground turkey a few years ago for low-fat meatballs and bolognese, but it works just as well in meatloaf – or uhm,  turkey loaf.

Farfalle Carbonara

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I know most people are used to carbonara over spaghetti or linguine, but I happen to think it also goes well with small pasta like farfalle. My recipe is a little different from traditional cabonara: instead of creme fraiche I use heavy cream (cheaper) and instead of white onions I use red (like the sweetness).

Hearty Chicken Soup

How was your weekend? We are dealing with some serious wildfires here in Southern California so I spent most of the weekend indoors, trying to keep the smoke and soot out of the house, playing with the kids and catching up on chores. So I needed a meal that was easy and simple. One that [...]

Chicken Fajitas

Not excatly a fall staple, but chicken fajitas is still one of my favorite comfort foods. Maybe it’s the warm tortillas and the cool sour cream, but either way us Southern Californians enjoy tex-mex year round. This recipe was pretty simple and the side dish of rice and black beans is self-explanatory. I also won’t [...]

Whiskful Thinking

A good whisk is an essential kitchen tool. From making sauces to beating eggs, you get the best results with a quality whisk. In my experience a silicone-coated balloon whisk is the best there is (especially if you hate scrating up your pans like I do) although for certain heavier items I like to use a [...]

Cookbook Upgrades

I love cookbooks. From the tried and true, to the hip and new, my shelves runneth over with them. As a bargain hunter I like to scour flea markets and thrift stores to find little hidden treasures. In my opinion some of the best cookbooks were made during the Great Depression because folks were forced to [...]

No Bake Cheesecake

My family loves this quick and easy no-bake cheesecake. It’s a great dessert on a weeknight when you’re short on time and just want something sweet and filling.