This winter penne pasta was inspired by the contents of a produce box. I seem to inherit CSA boxes. Friends and neighbors forget to put holds on their subscriptions before leaving town, and sure enough, they end up in my kitchen. When I was a kid there was a house that was always happy to […]

There are a number of cookbooks this spring I’m wildly excited about and this exceptional vegan chili is from one of them. It is from Jess Damuck’s Health Nut: A Feel-Good Cookbook and I’ve been making it regularly ever since I saw an early version of the book last year. I’ll talk a bit more […]

These scones are inspired by a small Rangpur lime tree I planted in a terracotta pot on our patio. The tree came in the mail, kind of twig-like in a long box, and arrived about four years ago. The harvests are small, but the limes are exquisite, so I like to make everything I do […]

Grissini bring charm and drama wherever they appear. The beloved thin and crispy Italian breadsticks are great alongside a cheese board, welcome crumbled over soup, and are forever kid-friendly. At their best, they maintain snap and crunch, radiate imperfect handmade charm, and can (arguably) rival flowers when arranged in “bouquets” running the length of a […]

This sauce looks bland from here. I know. All that white. But it’s totally not. I’ve had a jar of it in the refrigerator for the past week, and it’s one of those things that makes just about everything you put it on (or in) better. I go about making it in a mortar and […]

My take on buttermilk pie – a twist on a beloved, easy to make, classic pie. Favorite aspects here are a bright, tangy, and silky textured filling cradled by a buttery, structured, home-made crust. Buttermilk is the backbone of the custard filling. And in this version, maple steps in as the sweetener, the salt isn’t […]

Do yourself a favor and buy a couple bags of wild rice. Now cook up a big pot, be patient, wait for the rice to plump and split. Freeze some for future meals, and put the rest to use in whatever you’re cooking this week. I’m never sorry to have wild rice at the ready […]

These are buttery, whole-wheat shortbread cookies – fragrant with rosewater, flecked with toasted nuts and dried rose petals. They have a crunchy dusting of sugar on top that provides a satisfying, sweet tongue scratch, and are punctuated with black sesame. I’m not going to lie – it took a few attempts to nail them down, […]

Cooking kale for just a flash over high heat without being shy with garlic is my go-to method for cooking kale, or most greens really. You want it simple and fast, so the kale retains a hint of structure and plenty of color and vibrancy. It works for kale, chard, or spinach – your choice! […]

This is a hearty, rustic, warm-you-from-the-inside baked pasta casserole. It’s what to make when the weather report icons are snowflakes or thunderclouds. Mustard notes cut into the starchy goodness of potatoes and pasta. Dueling cheeses bridge all the components, and shredded cabbage and leeks deliver winter green. It’s the sort of thing you can prep […]