This is what happens when your kids watch Gordon Ramsay’s MasterChef Jr, and this is why I love cooking shows.  Never in a million years would have I thought to make this recipe with my kids (ages 7 and 9 at the time), yet I did. The results were surprisingly decent.  Croquembouche pronounced “croque-en-bouche”, is a beautiful […]

And so we approach our first COVID Christmas. Who could ever imagine this is where we would be? Cookie season is in full swing, yet to be honest, my spirits are nowhere near where they typically are this time of year. I don’t feel particularly festive. Many are back in lockdown, gatherings are not permitted […]

Popular all over Latin America, dulce de leche confections called alfajores come in many varieties. Here is my twist on this beloved classic, halvah-caramel alfajores; delicate butter cookies with an irresistible halvah-caramel center and dusted with powdered sugar that will make you swoon at first bite. I’m serious, this is the cookie to kick off cookie […]

I’m not sure if a fish dish can be considered sexy, but if it can, this braised fish with tomato sauce should be. A healthful dish with flaky white fish and rich, flavorful stewed tomatoes and spinach. The bonus here, it’s also a quick meal and can be pulled together on a hectic weekday night […]

An apple tart tatin is a classic French dessert everyone should learn how to make. It is also the perfect easy dessert to make for any holiday meal. Considered a simply pastry where the fruit (most commonly apples) are caramelized in butter and sugar before the tart is baked. A tarte tatin is for the most part, […]

Crispy, oven-baked leaf potatoes. These are an adapted version of a dish my mom used to make when I was a kid. Scalloped potatoes were one of her signature dishes. Talk about decadent; potatoes, cream, butter, cheese…need I say more, they were outrageously good. My leaf potatoes are a slightly healthier twist, I still use […]

Green bean casserole was a dish my mom, and millions of others, make for Thanksgiving. It’s a reliable, love-hate dish, that many of us have had at least once in our lives, if not more. Many, including my mother, still make this dish, but many, like myself, have adapted or modernized it over the years. […]

Bolognese, known in Italian as ragù alla bolognese, ragù bolognese, or simply ragù is a meat-based sauce in Italian cuisine, commonly associated with the city of Bologna. But contrary to popular belief, Bolognese has no definitive tie to the city of Bologna, in northern Italy. Food historians typically agree that the dish originated in Imola, […]

A simple roast chicken is a technique that everyone should master, but it’s not easy. One of the first things they teach you in culinary school is that the test of a good chef (or restaurant) can be determined by their roast chicken and not their most elaborate dish. I’m serious. And I’ve tested this theory […]

In the 50s, a gin martini was what mom and dad sipped before dinner with the family, but not a lot has changed since then. Considered an iconic cocktail, a simple gin martini is one of the world’s most famous drinks. With its clean, bracing taste, there is no mystery to the martini, and all […]

Broccolini is a favorite, but then again, there are not many vegetables I don’t love. This recipe for broccolini with candied pecans was a no-brainer for me, the perfect blending of a few simple things I’m fond of. But broccolini is a confusing vegetable for some. To start, it isn’t baby broccoli. So, what is […]

While life is far from “normal” it continues. With that, I mean, fall and pumpkin season is now in full swing. I’ll be honest, COVID holidays look very different than normal holidays once did. I don’t know about you, but crowds now terrify me. Gatherings of any kind immediately put one on edge. And while […]

I say this loud and proud, these no-bake Oreo cookie dough bites are not healthful by any means, but they are worthy, especially if you are an Oreo lover. This was a fun recipe to develop and truthfully, I did it for my son who loves my eggless chocolate chip cookie dough bites (and Oreos) […]

Oat milk is all the rage these days. And oat milk could not be more simple to make. This popular dairy-free alternative is just rolled oats and water blended then well strained to remove the pulp. The result is easy, creamy, DIY oat milk! Lately, this dairy-free milk alternative seems to be popping up all […]

I bet you had no idea I’m part German. I used to think that’s where my love of apple strudel came from. But truth be told, strudel is not German. This iconic pastry is most often associated with Austrian cuisine and can be traced back to the 17th century. The first handwritten recipe for a […]