It’s official: I make my own tomato sauce. Not that I used jarred versions before, but now I seem to use A LOT of tomato sauce, making it constantly, with batches to fill my freezer and frequently—even daily—it seems I have a simmering pan full of tomatoes on the stove top. Which, if you think [...]

Sigh. I have been smiling since yesterday; we went to a frantoio. A frantoio is a an olive-oil pressing facility/palazzo. It is the olive oil version of a winery. October and November represent the time frame where olives are shaken or combed off trees—into nets—and gathered for pressing.
It is when nuovo olio (new oil) shows [...]

The truth is, I often make quesadillas. They are a knee jerk response to ‘what’s for lunch’? In their simplest form, I just make them with cheese and refried beans… and maybe a smear of salsa if I add in a few extra seconds for prep. I am a big fan of crispy on the [...]

…Lemongrass Buerre Blanc and Soy Balsamic Glaze.
I don’t care how complicated it sounds: you won’t complain once you have tasted it. My husband said it was the best salmon he has ever tasted in his LIFE. And he eats salmon—regularly—in fabulous restaurants.
Need a second opinion? My son, who had tried salmon in the past and [...]

It is here! The week of Thanksgiving, where you stock your fridge and pantry and start making food. I just made this Brandied Cranberry Sauce, brimming with notes of orange (recipe follows). It keeps for days in the fridge.
If you haven’t figured out your whole menu, or are looking for last minute inspiration or simply [...]

Why don’t you just bring an appetizer? Maybe a dip and some veggies? Sure, you think, wondering why you were left with the boring alternative. I can bring the 1950’s veggie platter. But it is true, people crave the green crunchy alternative to the creamy, oily, cheesy, bread-crusted delights we hide under the diminutive term [...]