I always considered myself a mashed potato person, but my sister loved Thanksgiving stuffing. It took me a few years, but I got there. Thanksgiving is my preferred holiday. I’ve mentioned this before, but a holiday based around food, friends, and family is the perfect holiday for me. Thanksgiving has no real rules when it […]

Yes, believe it or not, there is a National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day, it’s October 21st. It’s funny, I would have thought it was closer to Thanksgiving. The Fall baking season is in full swing, holiday meal planning has begun and pumpkin desserts are now more popular than ever. So naturally, a dessert combining two of America’s […]

Love or hate them, Brussels sprouts have been considered a tradition at Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations for centuries. My childhood memories of sprouts are not flattering. Most of my friends have similar stories. To clarify, there is nothing more unappealing than a mushy, flavorless, overcooked sprout–nothing! But this dish for roasted Brussels sprouts with almonds and […]

Put down the pumpkin and back away. The Fall season offers so much more than pumpkin bread and Halloween jack-o-lanterns. The cooler months bring lovely changing colors, shorter days, cozy nights, and rich, flavorful cocktails that warm your body from the toes up. While I lean slightly toward the lighter, fruity, less sweet cocktails generally, […]

I recently learned that potatoes originated in South America and that although they were brought over to Europe in the early 1500s, it actually took a few hundred years for people to get over their apparent distrust of this strange new food. Fascinating. Fast forward to current times, potatoes, in any form, are considered a […]

Sometimes you just need something different. Meet different. It’s called a Mezcal smash and this beauty is a lightly adapted cocktail from Half Baked Harvests’ Black Widow Smash. Like Tieghan said (and I agree) fresh blackberries muddled with herbs, citrus, and mezcal are the perfect cocktail for Halloween and all the many cool nights before […]

Not all salads are created equal. Some are complex, with many competing flavors and others are simple and subtle. In the salad world, both are needed. This is a simple one; a lovely butter lettuce and watercress salad with a creamy walnut dressing. Now don’t misunderstand me, by “simple” I don’t mean boring, I mean […]

Some recipes you just need in your life, this is one of those. If you are a chocolate lover, keep reading. This rich, decadent double chocolate banana bread is something I’ve recently become obsessed with. This recipe is not mine, it’s from a food blog called Just So Tasty. I have only lightly adapted the […]

This is a lovely recipe from Ian Garten’s Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That? cookboo that I have been making for years. My husband first introduced me to this effortless shrimp dish years ago after having it at a friend’s house. Now, it’s considered a staple in my weekday meal repertoire. Ina Garten is a well-known […]

Sometimes you just need something that’s uncomplicated. This is that. But don’t get me wrong, there is no sacrifice to flavor just because it’s simple. This gin + grapefruit cocktail is simple and straightforward in method, but vibrant and memorable in taste. Absent of any soda, this pint-size beverage is fruity and spicy with just […]

I love living in California, but I will always consider myself a New Yorker at heart.  Why I’m Still A New Yorker I talk fast. Relaxing is challenging for me. 90% of things in my closet (clothing, shoes, and handbags) are black. Good restaurant service can make or break a restaurant experience for me. I […]

People don’t typically invite former professional chefs over to dinner. I’m serious. That sounds funny, I know, but it’s true. I have other chef friends who say the same. Honestly, it’s a thing. Truthfully, people should know that chefs make excellent guests because they eat everything and are extremely appreciative of not having to cook […]

Mozzarella is an Italian curd cheese made from water buffalo milk, not to be confused with North American buffalo or bison. The Italian Mediterranean buffalo breed was believed to have been introduced to Italy during the Roman times. Because Italian water buffalo are herded in just a few countries (mainly Italy and Bulgaria), most mozzarella you eat […]

These chocolate-raspberry walnut rugelach are by far one of my favorite cookies. Within the history of Jewish foods that have traveled across continents, there are many examples of flavor changes and other adaptations, rugelach is one of them. What is Rugelach? Rugelach, pronounced “ROO-gəl-əkh“, for those unfamiliar, are crescent-shaped, yeast dough pastries with a variety of fillings […]

An elixir by definition is “a magical or medicinal potion“. I’ve always loved that word. When used in this juice recipe, it implies healing powers. In some ways, that’s true. This superfood juice elixir is as healthy as you can get in the juice world, thanks to the superfoods it’s made with. But, what are […]