Holiday Recipes
7-Minute Holiday Caramel Sauce
7-Minute Holiday Caramel Sauce is a holiday twist on my classic recipe, and adjustments for classic and salted variations are included in the recipe header. Easy and foolproof! As I was purchasing my favorite vanilla bean ice cream a few months ago, a friendly cashier asked me if I had tried a flavor called…
3-Ingredient Cinnamon Ornaments
Three simple ingredients come together with ease for a project that’s fun for adults and kids alike. Once dried, you can decorate as desired or opt for a rustic look. Great as a gift and the aroma will last for years! Choosing the right gifts for the many special people in our lives can…
Jeweled Cranberry Orange Relish… and a Thanksgiving bonus recipe
A cup of jewel-like pomegranate seeds and an orange-enhancing splash of triple sec take classic cranberry relish to new heights! When I was growing up, my family spent every Thanksgiving at my maternal grandparents’ house. My grandmother graciously opened her home to family, and any friends with no family. She put all the extra…
How to Make Kimchi
Make kimchi worthy of a Korean kitchen in your kitchen with these easy instructions. The flavor-packed, probiotic-rich condiment will keep for months and can be added to tacos, burgers, eggs, rice, pasta, and grain bowls or enjoyed as a simple side dish. My intro to traditional kimchi-making came in an unexpected way several years…
Easy Scalloped Apples
An easy-to-make alternative to applesauce that can be enjoyed as a side dish, over oatmeal, mixed with yogurt, or even as a cheater version of apple crisp. (Just sprinkle with granola!) The inspiration for this recipe goes all the way back to 5th grade and THE BEST after-school playdates. In the dwindling days of summer…
John’s Favorite Ice Cream Cake
A few weeks ago, I was working at my computer when the doorbell rang. Although I got up right away, I opened the door to find no one there. A quick glance up and down the street revealed nobody, but as I turned to close the door I noticed a yellow rose, attractively wrapped with…
Abby’s Watermelon Salad
A little sweet, a little salty… this quick-to-assemble salad is perfect on a summer night paired with something off the grill. Though we only attended the same school for one year and weren’t even in the same grade, my friend Abby and I have a unique history and never fail to relive old memories…
William’s Habanero Hot Sauce… and a hot sauce taste test
Though we often cheat and hope for no frost (or April snow, as was the case this year), the safe time for backyard planting where I live is always said to begin on Mother’s Day. Ever since my husband and I bought our first house, we’ve planted a garden. There is something so satisfying about…
Muesli Baked Oatmeal
If you were to choose your career all over again, what would you be? I love what I do, but I could have been very happy as a scientist. Given my love of experimenting in the kitchen, a career in the lab would have suited me well. Though it’s not exactly research for a new…
Beer Margaritas
This unconventional recipe makes a large pitcherful and tastes like the best version of the classic drink. Leftovers freeze well and become slushy-like! Cinco de Mayo is the perfect reason to enjoy a favorite Mexican meal, but what exactly is the holiday all about? Cinco de Mayo—the fifth of May—commemorates the Mexican army’s 1862…
Simple Vanilla Syrup
A deliciously easy (and economical) way to sweeten homemade iced coffee, lattes, and a variety of other drinks and desserts. For basic simple syrup, simply omit the vanilla. Have you ever added sugar to a glass of iced tea, stirred vigorously to dissolve it, only to find a puddle of semi-dissolved granules at the…
Beef Pot Roast
There’s something special about the aroma of a roast as it slowly cooks to fork-tender perfection. The savory smell is homey, comforting, and makes me want to curl up on the sofa with a good book. Curiously, I recently read that one’s sense of smell accounts for 75 to 95 percent of a food’s perceived…
