Cooking Articles

A Little on the Irish . . .

Corned beef and cabbage, Irish stew, potato pancakes or soda bread. Our family is not Irish, but we enjoy a li’l touch o’ the green festivities at this time of the year. And although we’ve been...

More On Crockpot Cheesecake

After experiencing my first success with creating a cheesecake in the slow cooker (did you try last week’s Chocolate Cheescake?), I’ve been off-and-running like a thoroughbred at the Kentucky Derby....

Kid-Friendly Egg Fun

Does your family join in traditional egg decorating with the spring festivities? If so, you’re actually participating in a custom that dates back to many an ancient springtime festival. Customarily...

Cookies From Bachelors Young and Old

Last week I visited with my graduate school mentors in Minneapolis. On my birthday (all hail to the July of my Years! 36!) I dined with my advisor--whom I call "Doc" but who insists on my calling him...

A Bundle of Mussel Joy

So here I am, carrying one 5 lb., 3 oz bundle of pure heaven all wrapped up tight and ready to take home. Inside the bundle it glistens, all black and shiny… with a beard. No, this bundle of joy is...

If Nothing Else, Don't Be Late For Easter Brunch

Daylight savings time is a great idea. It saves electricity by extending the possible daylight hours. Great idea. Except when the spring daylight savings time falls on Easter. That is not such a great...

An Ode to the Onion

When it comes to slow cooking, one of the most frequently used ingredients is the humble onion. The crockpot really mellows the sometimes pungent flavor, and as the sharp flavor fades to the background...

A Sustainable Approach to Fish

There are just a few weeks left in the Lenten season and if you are following a religious dietary prohibition against meat, you may be looking for some fresh new fish recipes. You also may be a bit confused...

Shopping For Dinner In a New York Minute

I have bittersweet news, dear readers. I have left New York, possibly for good. After seven years of East Coast living my frigid bones are in need of some serious defrosting. I miss the sun, my family,...

Leftovers Are For The Birds!

Over the past weeks, we’ve been talking about some creative ways to use leftovers, and here’s yet another one for you. It's one of the most simple and enjoyable activities we have discovered over the...

Beans and the Modern Bachelor

If there's a classic image of the bachelor seared into the collective American imagination, it's of some dude hunched over in a dirty, old armchair dressed in boxers and a t-shirt. He has a bad case of...

Finger Lickin' Spring Picnic

In many parts of the country, it looks like spring has officially sprung a few weeks early. Summer-like temperatures have brought many of us outside to enjoy the beautiful weather. And where is the best...

It's Greek To Me . . . And To You Too!

March 25th is Greek Independence Day, so let's celebrate Greek food. So much more than feta cheese and phyllo (FEE-lo) dough, Greek cuisine is about fresh ingredients and vibrant, simple flavors. Although...

When Life Hands You Meyer Lemons

If life handed you lemons and you made lemonade would anyone care if the lemon were already sweet? Would calling a clunker of a car a “lemon” have quite the impact if the thought of biting into a...

Now's the Time, Asparagus at Its Prime

You see it all the time in restaurants and it has a permanent place on the grocery shelf, but there is a reason why right now, like no other time during the year, is the time for asparagus. Although you...

Making Cents of the Organic Food Debate

If you have been paying attention to the news lately, then you know that a hot topic on many people’s mind is the debate over our present food system. In my own home, we often talk about whether there...