Friends!
I'm so excited to share the first of many cooking episodes here on this site. For a long time you've seen many posts here with step-by-step photos which take you through the recipes, but we've decided to spice things up around here and give some of the how-to's in a video format for those of…
I submitted the manuscript for my third book today. It nearly killed me, but I did it. It was a really hard deadline to make, particularly with the whirlwind that is my life. So thanks for sticking with me and all of my meager posting around here. I promise the tons of useful content in…
What is your favorite thing to can?
I love canning because it can save foods that I can't finish in time—ripe tomatoes or a super-sized backyard harvest—from going to waste. Plus, canning your foods even brings out deeper flavors from your fresh ingredients. But most importantly, it makes your food last for a super long time.…
UPDATE. Thank you all for your beautiful and heartfelt answers. You have reminded me even more what a magical time Spring is, full of rebirth and hope. The winners are:
#316: Sarah: "My favorite thing about Spring is remembering life and beauty. My daughter Abbot was (still)born at 38 weeks last Spring. She was beauty."
#383: Cristina:…
I spent hours weeding yesterday. I think it was approximately 400 degrees out. There were four of us weeding my great-aunt's former vegetable garden at Tulipwood that I ambitiously thought we should "plant" this year. All of it. I don't think anyone has ever successfully completed the task of taming all of that garden. It…
What are your New Year's Eve plans?
Are you going to rock out on the streets near you? Or are you going to play it cool and have a glass of champagne at home?
If you find yourself playing hostess, or wanting to be someone's favorite guest, here is a list of some New Year's Eve foods that will help you ring it in with a content stomach.
Thin Crust Pizza - This is a family New Year's Eve tradition of mine and I love, love, love it.
Homemade Cheese Spread - This is so versatile, you can flavor it with something sweet or something savory and spread it on crackers. Even homemade crackers if you want!
Pickled Red Beet Eggs - I had these over Christmas and they are always such a crowd pleaser. They're great on rye toast or just as they are. And they're beautiful too.
Hell's Chicken Wings - Not that I want to give you nightmares to ring in the New Year, but if you love chicken wings as much as I do, you'll love these.
Chicken Tenders - Or if you want something more mild and tame, these are great in a nice BBQ dipping sauce.
Deviled Eggs - We have lots of chickens and thus lots of eggs. This is a great well tested recipe that is creamy and spicy.
34 Morton Street Specials - This is a family recipe from the 40s, when my grandmother and great aunt lived in New York City. You'll love it.
Grandma's Spinach Dip - Grandma always has good recipes, and they're always healthy.
Devils on Horseback - Speaking of healthy, these are not. But they are incredible. Salty and sweet and gooey, oh my.
Soft German Pretzels and Horseradish Mustard - My brother makes these for an Oktoberfest with a bunch of boys. It'll be a crowd pleaser, especially if there are some meaty boys in your midst.
I'm noticing a hell and devil theme in my recipes... what does it mean?
And for something to wash it down with...
Homemade Tonic Water with a splash of gin or just by itself.
Holiday Punch - Because I've seen it make even the least giddy person quite... giddy.
Happy New Year! What do you have planned for the festivities? Are you staying home? Are you going to a fancy restaurant? Do you have absolutely no idea what you're doing like me?
I ate a lot over the past few weeks. I also cooked a lot. I'm very full. Very, very full.
The very first thing I ate was this:
A Muffuletta. Have you heard of it? Someone called me that as a nickname often and I didn't know it was an actual thing until I went to…
As you may know by now, based on the affair I've been having with sriracha, and my infatuation with chicken wings... I like spicy foods.
I love spicy foods.
I would make sacrifices for spicy foods.
I think I've run out of hot sauces to try. Well I thought I did, but then my friend…
It all started when someone told me I sounded like Greta Garbo. I blamed it on the cotton fields of Arkansas where I'd spent the weekend, but I now think the cotton fields are innocent.
Let me back track for a moment.
I had a book shindig at Omnivore Books in San Francisco last night. My friends…