Even though it seems to be billed as a fall fruit, I love a good apple all year round. In a lively discussion about favorite fruits this past week, I decided apples hold the number one spot for me right now, and if I’m eating one on its own, I like a sweet, red one. …
Continue reading “I have a good ‘peeling’ you’ll love these apple bars”
Earlier this week, I made a fabulous apple cake. (I promise to share the recipe with you in an upcoming column.) I realized after I peeled and diced all my apples, though, that I had more than the recipe called for, and while I put a few extras into the batter, I was a little …
Continue reading “Beat the heat with a yummy microwaved dessert”
Once, back in my college days, when I was living away from home, I was visiting over a weekend. I grabbed a banana off the counter, and about that time, my sister came around the corner. She gave me a horrified look. “What are you doing?” she demanded. “Eating a banana?” I told her, confused. …
Continue reading “Do what feels ‘ripe’ with those brown bananas”
We have homemade pizza night most weeks at our house. At this point, it’s down to a science. I mix up the dough while Joey sautes some veggies or debones a rotisserie chicken, and then we work together to assemble the pie before popping it in the oven. It’s a quick, delicious meal, and with …
Continue reading “This dishy pizza bake can really wow a crowd”
During my junior year of high school, we read Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter” in English class. Our final project included the option to create a video, and for some reason, my group thought it would be an excellent idea to recreate scenes from the classic novel in a mashup with jokes from “Monty Python …
Continue reading “Want to try something new? ‘Mousse’ around and find out.”
When the Mexican American Fastpitch Softball Tournament rolls into Newton every summer, Joey and I try to make it out to watch a few hours of the action. The games are definitely entertaining, but if I’m being honest, I’m mostly there for the food. Trying to pick what to eat from the various vendors is …
Continue reading “There’s a kernel of summer flavor in this pasta salad”
In an interview with the Food Network, Chinese food expert Nadia Liu Spellman explained hoisin sauce, a condiment that is new to my refrigerator as of this week. “I would call it the ketchup of Chinese cuisine, because it’s used as an ingredient but also as a finishing sauce and condiment,” Liu Spellman said in …
Continue reading “‘Hoi’ can’t recommend these Mongolian noodles enough”
Something I probably haven’t mentioned often is that I have a constant helper in the kitchen when I try recipes for this column. Sometimes she gets to sample something, and sometimes she is informed that the particular creation at hand is “not good for puppies.” Regardless, our 15-year-old schnauzer, K.C., hopefully follows me around the …
Continue reading “Turn over a new leaf with basil lemon sugar cookies”
On most days, Joey and I work in the same newspaper office or together from home. Every once in awhile, though, we go our separate ways. Recently, when we had such a day, Joey shot me a text, “Hey, it’s been a really long day. Do you mind figuring out dinner for tonight?” Challenge accepted. …
Continue reading “Cheese, spinach are the stuff dinner dreams are made of”
One of the most popular questions I get from people when they find out I write a recipe column is whether I have had any food fails when trying new dishes. The answer is a resounding yes. And if you were to ask me what the biggest fail of all time was, I would, without …
Continue reading “Prepare a honey of a meal for dinner this week”
