The idea of cooking dinner every night can be overwhelming. This quote I saw on instagram sums it up, even for me and I truly enjoy cooking. “Who knew the hardest part of being an adult is figuring out what to cook for dinner every…

In my perfect world, all my weeknight dinners would be one-pan friendly and as few ingredients as possible. What’s not to love about having all the components of a complete dinner in one pan, as well as the least preparation possible. You don’t even need…

Right now it’s all about tomatoes. Ripe, plump, juicy and bursting with the flavor that is really only possible to get this time of year. Yes, we’re lucky they are available all year long, but honestly when tomatoes truly aren’t in season I will take…

  Without a doubt, now is the best time to be cooking with fresh basil. Whether from your own garden or a farmer’s market, it is infinitely more flavorful than the packages available year round in the grocery store. This is one of my favorite…

Smoked salmon is a bit of a secret weapon in the kitchen. The cooking has already been done, a small amount goes a long way and it’s a nutritional powerhouse. This is exactly why this recipe has been on repeat in my kitchen all winter.…

My husband and I never can quite agree about what type of fish should go into cioppino. He says it must be salmon for the rich flavors it imparts in the broth. He also has a memory association from the first time he tasted it…

I know, I know. I can hear you whispering the “f” word when I say that Carbonara should be on your regular dinner rotation. Yes, it’s true. Bacon, cream, butter, egg and Parmesan – they all add up to one big fat party. And that’s…

Are you among the statistics of cooks who prefer to spend an average of 27 minutes to get dinner on the table? True confessions, I count myself in that group, at least several nights a week. My personal challenge is to produce something that tastes…

The Blended Burger Project is the genius idea of the James Beard Foundation. It began as a way to encourage healthier eating that is more sustainable for our planet by blending ground meat with mushrooms. Unknowingly I had started doing my own testing for ways…

I’m in one of those phases where I will only consider a recipe if it takes less then 45 minutes to prepare and if it’s in one pan. I spent several weeks in April working on three different asparagus recipes with this goal in mind…

Don’t miss out on cooking with lemon grass because you don’t know what to do with it. I’ll admit it can be an intimidating ingredient. The long, woody stalks don’t look like something worthy of eating and their citrusy scent isn’t unleashed until you cut…

 Many people shy away from buying pears because of the frustration of not knowing when they are ripe to eat. I did the same thing until I learned the secret to knowing just when they are ready. It’s just a gently push on the stem…

Tomato season is here and for me there is no greater sense of urgency then now to enjoy their sweet full flavor and plump juicy texture. It’s truly how nature intended them to be. Technology and farming techniques have made it possible to grow and…

Right now is perhaps my favorite time of year. The light beginning early in the morning and extending well beyond what’s typical, is reason enough to feel happy about what’s to come now that summer has officially arrived. It’s also reason to be eating more of…

Our love affair with these wraps began many years ago, but I’ve resisted sharing it with you because even though I’ve tweaked and personalized the recipe my daughter got from one of the families she babysits for, I do not know the original source. I…

Eat more seafood. Three simple words and one of my New Year’s resolutions that, so far, I am staying on track with. I realize we’re all more inclined to associate eating more seafood with summer when it’s easier to fire up the grill, but with…

In the days following Thanksgiving what’s needed is a bit of redemption from overeating and ideas for what to do with leftover turkey. Here you have both. And most of the ingredients might be on hand in the pantry and refrigerator – leftover remnants from doing…

The first time I grew tomatoes I knew very little about gardening. But we had a small south facing garden spot between our walkway and house begging to be planted. So we put three Early Girls in the ground. The steady sunshine and heat thrown…

Halibut fosters a sort of love hate relationship. It’s heavenly to eat but commonly over cooked especially when grilled. Quickly searing fillets then simmering them in a sea of tomatoes, roasted red peppers and fresh tarragon increases the chances of moist texture and imparts flavor…

Poor rhubarb. Not only does it suffer an identity crisis but also it can’t always stand on its own. It’s thought of more often as a fruit even though it’s technically a vegetable, and a sour one at that – needing to be paired with…

Big flavors, healthy ingredients and dinner on the table in 30 minutes with bucatini pasta, spicy Italian chicken sausage and fresh oregano. Bucatini is my favorite pasta shape. Slightly thicker than a spaghetti noodle with a hole running down the center, buco means hole in…

My New Year’s challenge is on. To include recipes each month with just six to eight ingredients or less (not including very basic ingredients like olive oil, kosher salt, soy sauce, etc.) My daughter thinks it should be every recipe, but hey I don’t want…

In the spirit of Thanksgiving I’m straying from posting a main dish recipe just long enough to give you a cocktail and appetizer recipe to serve before the big meal. For the Old Fashioned, I went back to my recipe files from the newspaper column…

When I find myself thinking… hmmm salmon again… I quickly quiet that inner voice. I should be saying “yes, salmon again” because it tastes good and is equally good for you. But being a bit spoiled living here in the Pacific Northwest, I am sometimes…

This year I’m throwing out the traditional way to use Thanksgiving leftover turkey. My recipe slips cooked, shredded turkey into the beloved Thai Tom Kha Gai soup (coconut chicken soup). It’s a different way to use your turkey and will only take about 30 minutes…

Four of the loveliest words to hear when you’re trying to get dinner on the table in a hurry are “thirty minutes or less.” Crispy Cod with Basil Cream Dipping Sauce delivers that promise. This is one of my dependable recipes when I want something…

Fresh cod has a firm texture, mild flavor and reasonable price. That’s why I love it. And especially with this method of cooking it in parchment paper. You feel like you’re cheating it’s so easy. Crimping and sealing the parchment paper edge package is about…

This recipe pretty much never fails to deliver for an easy, simple popular dinner. Both kids and adults will love it. Double the recipe for a larger crowd and serve it for a weekend dinner party. The best part is you can use this recipe…

There are very few of us who would turn down the chance to have breakfast for dinner, especially the cook because preparation is easy and expectations are low. No one is expecting traditional dinner food. Don’t balk at the fact that all the ingredients are…

Quite often I come across people who are not familiar with Petrale Sole. Awareness of this fish is similar to how it behaves at the bottom of the ocean. Shaped like an oval platter with one side of its skin olive brown and the other…

Here is a possibility for your Valentine’s Day dinner. Not only is this recipe quick and easy, it’s a less expensive way to say I love you than a pricey cut of beef or filet of seafood. I guarantee you will find as many recipe…

Don’t be mislead by the name of this recipe. It’s not a typical Mexican-style tortilla, but instead a classical Spanish egg dish made with potatoes in the circular shape of a tortilla. This is simple home cooking at its best.  All of the ingredients you…