The idea for this recipe popped into my head in the late months of this past winter, and then not long after, I got clobbered with the can’t get off the couch, don’t even want to think about cooking fatigue of first-trimester pregnancy. So even though this isn’t a huge project of a dinner, the … Read more
Winter
Take-Out-Style Chicken
What a surprising and winning recipe this is. First time I made this, David and ate it up and delightedly looked forward to leftovers. Not long after, I made this for my parents, who were in town for a visit, and it was a crowd-pleasing dinner. (This was true even for my dad, who doesn’t … Read more
Not Boring Lentil Soup
It’s January, which means so many people are turning to things like lentil soups to help with new year’s resolutions. But that’s not what I’m doing (or recommending). This lentil soup is here because I spent December tweaking it and perfecting it. It’s here because after trying so, so many boring and lackluster lentil soups, … Read more
Homemade Sloppy Joes
Sloppy Joes are considered a quick and easy weeknight option. They aren’t something I grew up with, but when I wanted to try them at home this fall (to use up some leftover hamburger buns from what is likely the last grilling night of the season), I wanted to get a bit creative and improve … Read more
Pear and Walnut Coffee Cake
My sister joined us for the weekend as our first house guest in the new apartment, and I made this coffee cake to celebrate. Things aren’t quite put together just yet in the kitchen, which this time meant we didn’t have any cinnamon on hand, so I substituted Chinese five spice instead. I’ve done that … Read more
Pan-seared Kumquat Chicken
For my birthday, David took me to one of the best restaurants in our new neighborhood: Craigie on Main. It’s a French restaurant that’s known for it’s consistent high-quality, creative cooking. It’s been on my list of places I’d love to visit for as long as I’ve been in Boston, and now that we live … Read more
Wild Blueberry and Pear Crisp
We moved! Although I’ve loved spending the past few years in my kitchen in Boston’s North End, it’s time for a change. David and I are lucky enough to have found a great place on the other side of the river that we both love. We’re much closer to nature, with a little back yard … Read more
Beet + Pomegranate Winter Salad
I brought this salad to a brunch where my friends and their brand-new babies were gathering on a recent chilly Sunday morning. With donuts, cheesy egg bakes, and mimosas on the menu, it helped to make a small contribution of vegetables. It can be tough for a salad to compete with all that, but people … Read more
Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad
Given that it’s been absolutely frigid for weeks on end, most of my cooking has been one of two things: long-simmering stove-top dishes or supplementing the heating in my apartment by turning on the oven, chopping some vegetables, and allowing them to roast all afternoon. With all the snow, and cold, and damp, cooking in … Read more
White Bean & Kale Soup with Chicken Sausage
Perhaps it isn’t such a surprise to find a kale and white bean soup on a food blog smack dab in the middle of January. Not only have we been confronted with weeks upon weeks of achingly cold weather, but the recipe fits well into the content niche of post-new-year’s resolutions but pre-Valentine’s Day indulgence. … Read more
