Like so many others, when the new year approaches, I begin to entertain thoughts of healthier eating. I imagine spending all of December 31 sweeping out my refrigerator and pantry, getting rid of the crackers, chocolate (even the baking kind) and oozy cheeses, and replacing them with kale, flax seed meal and dried beans. MostRead more »

One of the basic truths of cooking is that there are as many pasta sauces out there in the world as there are home cooks. I grew up eating my mom’s long-simmered sauce that was bursting with zucchini, peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes and onions. My husband grew up eating a more basic marinara, studded with roundsRead more »

I come from a family with a well-established set of holiday traditions. We make cranberry bread at least once in December, we light candles and make wishes for the coming year on Christmas Eve and on Christmas morning, we always have the same breakfast. It’s been this way as long as I can remember andRead more »

Soup and bread are one of the most natural pairings I know. Truly, what goes better with a bowl of warm, belly-filling soup than a roll, hunk of baguette or even just a slice of basic, buttered toast? The trouble I so often run into is the fact that I buy lovely loaves of breadRead more »

Now that Thanksgiving has passed, there’s no way to deny it: The holiday season is here. I, for one, welcome the onslaught of parties, cookie exchanges and evenings spent shopping and wrapping gifts. There’s something so joyful and cozy about the many moments of celebration that will be folded into the next four weeks. WithRead more »

I come from one of those families where the Thanksgiving menu is essentially written on stone tablets. Many years ago, it was declared that there shall be turkey with stuffing (some cooked inside the bird and some cooked outside). Mashed potatoes are compulsory, as are sautéed Brussels sprouts, homemade gravy and cranberry jelly in theRead more »

I grew up in a waffle-loving household. At least one Saturday morning a month, my sister and I would convince our dad to stir up a batch of batter and pull out his curvy, chrome waffle iron (circa 1955). He’d serve up the waffles as they came off the machine and it was up toRead more »

I believe that it’s important to have at least one really good chicken recipe in your array of kitchen skills. It needs to be one that you know from heart and can make no matter where you’re cooking or how limited the assortment of available tools. It’s even better if it’s a dish that canRead more »

I made my first solo pot of soup in November, on a Sunday afternoon, when I was a senior in college. I had found a giant orange Dutch oven at a local thrift store for the bargain price of $10 and it called for nothing more than a colossal batch of soup. I made beefRead more »

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve found that having people over for brunch is my favorite way to entertain. It has none of the frenzy of the weeknight, post-work dinner party and neither does it carry the gravitas (or booze demands) of a Saturday night event. Brunch is low-key, works just as well for families asRead more »