On particularly busy days, a melody from the Sound of Music floats through my mind. But instead of “how do you solve a problem like Maria,” what I’m singing to myself is, “how do you solve a problem like our dinner?” Sometimes cooking dinner is the last task of a day full of many other […]
Lately I’ve been reading The Curious Cook by the food scientist Harold McGee. He addresses some of the most perplexing kitchen questions, like “does blowing on hot food actually cool it down?” And “what can you do to keep guacamole from turning brown so quickly?” One other important question he tackles: is it okay to […]
When my husband and I lived in Chicago, we started a tradition of avoiding restaurants on Valentine’s Day. We figured they would be just too crowded. But since we still wanted to have a special meal without having to cook all day, we began to put together a great big indoor picnic with different kinds […]
If you’re familiar with the squeaky deliciousness of cheese curds, then you may have also had them served in one or two classic ways. You may have had them deep fried (maybe at home, or maybe at a state fair). Or, you may have had them in poutine, a dish that originated in Quebec and […]
There are some appetizers I almost always serve if I’m hosting a winter party. Spinach-Artichoke Dip. Bacon-Wrapped Dates. A nice cheddar with some fancy crackers. Sometimes I make a spiced nut mix. But I love to try new recipes to add to the mix, and I’ve recently found one that gives mozzarella a distinctly wintery […]
Have you been tasked with bringing a salad or side to your next holiday gathering? If so, this Quinoa Harvest Salad is just the thing! In fact, I’m bringing it to a Thanksgiving party tonight, where we’re expecting 60 people. It’s our big Thanksgiving outreach party for our ministry, where we serve Thanksgiving-inspired turkey sandwiches […]
This spring, my sister had an exciting research trip planned all across England, and my family and I decided to tag along. Her travels took her to the gorgeous Cornish coast in southwestern England, London and Oxford. We also made sure we saw the white cliffs of Dover and the cathedral in Canterbury too. Travel […]
Broccoli cheddar soup is the taste of an efficient workday. It’s the taste of being in a place without obligations, surrounded by the hum of conversations that have nothing to do with me. That’s because broccoli cheddar soup is the lunch I usually order at Panera Bread when I clear out of the house so […]
Rediscovering best-loved recipes and trying new ones. That is what I have been doing for the past month. Before that, for about a year, my husband and I lived with his parents. Most of our belongings went into storage, and my routine of cooking daily meals got tucked away too. When we moved into our […]
If you’ve been a Conebella Farm Cheese customer for a while, you know that Don and Pam Gable like to keep things fresh. When you come to their farm store, see them at a farm market, or find them at a festival, you can often find new flavors in addition to the classics. Now they’re […]