Vegetable Soup with Basil Pistou

Vegetable Soup with Basil Pistou
I read this article in the New York Times yesterday (Told to Eat Its Vegetables, America Orders Fries).  Here’s a little quote to blow your mind: For example, only 23 percent of meals include a vegetable, Mr. Balzer said. (Again, fries don’t count, but lettuce on a hamburger does.) Truthfully,...

Late Spring Couscous with Spinach, Zucchini, and Pumpkin Seeds

Late Spring Couscous with Spinach, Zucchini, and Pumpkin Seeds
So the school year is wrapping up  and I am firmly planting my head in the sand related to how I am going to a) keep everyone entertained all summer, b) get my paid work done and deliver a large project at the end of August, c) maintain some sanity amidst the fighting siblings and wet bathing suits...

No Hangover Tequila Chicken Tacos with Guacamole

No Hangover Tequila Chicken Tacos with Guacamole
Well, I guess I cannot entirely guarantee that you won’t have a hangover with these tacos.  If you are so inclined to drink the remaining tequila in the bottle after you make the marinade, then you are on your own.  And it is a lonely place to be — trust me.  The tequila hangover is something...

Apple and Fontina Monte Cristo

Apple and Fontina Monte Cristo
When my husband is traveling on business (which seems to be way too much lately), I usually keep the cooking to a minimum.  I hate having a big mess to clean up when I am the only one to clean it.  And combined with homework, baths, and bedtime routines, sometimes it just seems like more than I can...

Corn and Zucchini Bisque

Corn and Zucchini Bisque
Making soup is one of my greatest pleasures.  After you know the basic models and processes, you can do just about anything and use up just about anything.  It is a tremendous stress reliever for me too — before every presidential debate (I get a little worked up over politics), I have to make...

Curried Chick Pea and Red Potato Hash

Curried Chick Pea and Red Potato Hash
Does anyone remember that show “Ready, Set, Cook?”  Basically it was a game show where you got a box of random ingredients and had to make dinner out of it.  Some of the cooking reality shows use a similar premise now, but I liked this show because the professionals had to work with regular...

Grilled Pizza with Asparagus, Caramelized Onions, and Brandied Figs

Grilled Pizza with Asparagus, Caramelized Onions, and Brandied Figs
At the beginning of last summer, we decided to abandon our patio as a dining room.  We had the obligatory table and chairs outside and never ever sat there.  Because the patio is right spanking next to our eat-in kitchen, it just always seemed so pointless to lug all of our food outside.  And then...

Rustic Ham, Bean, and Spring Green Soup

Rustic Ham, Bean, and Spring Green Soup
Our spring this year has been very dreary.  And cold.  And cloudy.  Actually that is pretty typical, I think.  We get one sunny day and I am nearly manic — excited to exercise and clean and parent with limitless energy.  But then we have to endure at least three cloudy and cold days because...

Spicy Curry Chicken Salad

Spicy Curry Chicken Salad
So I should start this post by saying it was supposed to be Grilled Chicken and Roasted Potatoes.  But you see, my husband came home very late last night and our grilling was done in the dark — so I couldn’t take any pictures of the work in progress because my photography skills are definitely...

Barbecued Chicken Tacos with Slaw

Barbecued Chicken Tacos with Slaw
Some of my favorite meals are the leftover creations I enjoy at lunchtime.  In fact, leftovers are a staple and become the basis of almost every lunch that the kids and I eat.  That’s the beauty of cooking real food at dinner time — it generally always provides you with another meal. ...