Beef

I don’t think I fully appreciated a good oven-braised pot roast until I turned 40. It’s a great thing. Pot roast is a generic term for browned meat cooked with vegetables in a covered pot.  It began appearing in cookbooks in the late 19th century. But this cooking method known as “braising” (or slow cooking in […]

Sweden is a stunningly beautiful place, and authentic Swedish meatballs are worth a trip there alone. Seriously, they were amazing. I traveled to Stockholm in the summer with my family, the first stop in a three-part European adventure. I had never been to Sweden before and quickly fell in love with the simple natural beauty, […]

Shaking beef, also known as “Bò lúc lắc”–meaning sautéed dried beef–is a French-inspired Vietnamese dish that my entire family loves. The Vietnamese name translates to “shaking beef,” which is the main cooking method for this incredibly easy and tasty dish. Historically, beef was once considered a luxurious delicacy in Vietnamese cuisine. Beef was often reserved […]

The Muffuletta is one of the greatest sandwiches ever created, yet sadly many have never heard of it. The Muffuletta is a New Orleans classic, created in 1906 by a local grocery owner named Salvatore Lupo. Lupo, an attentive man, watched as Sicilian farmers would come to his store, The Central Grocery & Deli, and order an […]

I have always loved lamb kofta but, surprisingly, I have not made it very often until recently.  A trip to Iceland put lamb back on my radar–one of my sons, who does not eat fish, ate lamb almost every night while we were there. When we returned, I started looking for ways to add more […]

My whole family is obsessed with Mexican food. It’s recently become a thing. My husband has made it a practice to take the boys to various local Mexican taquerias for either breakfast or lunch in search of the “best taco“. My boys were hooked after the second outing. Their love of tacos and tortas is […]

A good friend of mine from college loves Chimichurri sauce.  The last time we were together, she ordered it as a side to a dish that didn’t come with it.  That didn’t matter, it just worked.  I have always loved this simple sauce myself, when made right, but had forgotten about it over the years. […]

Holistic Health Coach Jennifer Joffe is my featured Changemaker this month.  I lived near Jennifer for almost 3 years, but we did not get introduced until she had moved to Portland, been certified as a Holistic Health Coach, and launched Project Healthy Body. “Health Coach” is a term that has been popping up a lot lately. […]

Spaghetti with meatballs and marinara sauce, is considered an American family favorite.  Many think this well-known favorite is Italian, but it isn’t. Italy has its version of meatballs, but they are called “polpettes” but they are not served with pasta.  Unlike most American meatballs, polpettes are typically made from turkey or fish and are much […]

Corned beef hash is a labor of love.  It takes commitment, planning, and someone in your family who loves it.  For me, that is my older son, and he could live on it.  Well, this and kreplach.   While I will do almost anything for my boys, I am a reasonable person.  I do not […]

Shepherd’s pie, or “cottage pie” as it’s also known, is a meat pie with a mashed potato topping.  It can be made in numerous ways.  Traditionally, Shepherd’s pie is made with ground lamb or mutton, and Cottage pie is made with beef.  The vegetables used also vary.  Carrots and onions are the most common, but […]

Erik Burmeister is my featured Changemaker this month. Most in my local community already know this dynamic community leader: Erik is the Menlo Park City School District’s young and progressive Superintendent.  His vision for our schools is creative and thoughtful.  I had the pleasure of meeting Erik a few years ago when he was still […]

Pho, pronounced “Fuh,”  is everywhere these days.  Pho is a popular Vietnamese street food and is now considered the national dish there.  Truthfully, Pho is a relatively simple noodle soup, that has captivated many by its overall simplicity but rich, memorable flavors.  Pho consists of broth, rice noodles called “banh pho,” herbs, and meat, typically […]

Beef Bourguignon is a classic French dish that will forever remind me of culinary school. French for “Burgundy beef,” this is a rich well-known, French meat stew.  A simple food in many ways, the dish is flavored with garlic, onions, carrots, and herbs.  There is nothing all that fancy about this dish, but it’s wonderful. […]

People always ask me if I watch cooking shows, and whether I would ever want to go on a show.  The answers are, respectively, “sometimes” and “never.”  There are a ton of interesting cooking shows out there.  I’m not opposed to them.  But the truth is that I can’t always relate to them. My kids […]