What to Cook

Happy Labor Day! (Is saying that really a thing? Why is that a thing?) If you have kids, they may be back to school, or they may be counting those final hours. As they pack up for the first days of school, I always take a long look at those backpacks filled with school supplies. All those pencils with their sharp little tips (or those mechanical pencils filled with lead and ready to go), those bright and shiny notebooks, that binder with its neat dividers and loose-leaf paper distributed just so. If you have kids (or even if you don’t), …

The Difference Between Bruschetta and Crostini I adore bruschetta and crostini, and think there is no better go-to appetizer for entertaining. Both are pieces of toast with toppings. The rest is often a little loose, in terms of what you may see on a restaurant menu and how the kitchen defines it. But let’s get into the details.   What is Bruschetta? Bruschetta pronounced [brusˈketta], which translates to “a little burnt thing” in Italian (don’t go away, it’s not burnt, it’s just a cute translation), is a crusty slab of grilled or toasted country bread, usually rubbed with garlic, brushed with …

If there is one thing, one single thing, that I think you can do to make a gathering feel more special, it’s to offer up a signature drink. It doesn’t have to be fancy, it doesn’t have to be alcoholic, simply make one beverage just for the occasion, and present it to your guests in addition to the usual assortment of soft drinks, beer, and wine. It just says, hey there, I put some extra thought into this occasion—thanks for coming over. This is a good idea all year long (hot ginger apple cider toddies for the winter? Yes, please), but …

Even though I love a good slaw all year round, Summer is definitely slaw season. It’s hard to image a barbecue or a picnic or a warm weather potluck of any kind without a slaw or two on the table. Plus, I love a slaw for topping a taco, whether it be a fish taco or turkey, or a fish sandwich, or a burger or pulled pork piled on a roll. And I adore a basic slaw—cabbage-centric, maybe some carrots for color, a bit of onion for bite, and a creamy mayo-based dressing. Classics are classics for a reason. But …

The Intentional Leftover is key to my whole cooking world. I never make just enough chicken for a meal, or just enough steak, or just enough quinoa, or just enough rice. There are so many leftovers that are amazing springboards for the next meal, or just bulk up a soup or salad, or that give you a little inspiration to use up other odds and ends in the fridge.   Extra rice has so many potentials uses all week long, you’ll be glad to have leftovers hanging out in the fridge.   Types of Rice Most of these recipes can work …

Summer is salad season for sure—I eat salads all year round, but in the summer salads just seems to make themselves, and gorgeously we might added.  If you want into a farmers’ market a salad might leap into your environmentally friendly basket or tote, demanding to be taken home.    Here are some of my all time favorite summer salad recipes: 1. Simple Vegetarian Pasta Salad You can never go wrong with a vegetarian pasta salad.   2. Bright, Herby Three Bean Salad This colorful and super simple bean salad is very perky with with herbs, spelt and hearts of …