• Chicken tamale pie

    chicken tamale pie

    Several years ago, I had something called “tamale pie” at brunch in Dallas. I started looking for a recipe for it shortly afterward… but I never really found one that looked right. So I made up my own. This chicken tamale pie is super duper easy, low-maintenance, and delicious. It’s not the same as actual […]

  • Beet hummus

    beet hummus recipe

    I’m going to be honest with you: I hate beets. I really WANT to like them. Not only are they incredibly good for you, they’re also a gorgeous color. But every time I eat them, they just taste like dirt. So why am I sharing this beet hummus recipe with you? Because it’s delicious—whether you […]

  • Easy and fast recipes for people who don’t cook

    macaroni and cheese

    As I read about restaurants in the United States and elsewhere closing their doors to help stop the spread of coronavirus, I started thinking about people (like some members of my family) who eat out for every meal and for whom using the toaster or pushing buttons on the microwave is the extent of their […]

  • Kale pesto

    making kale pesto

    In the pantheon of trendy foods, kale is Jupiter. Everyone from Gwyneth to Beyonce is a fan, and even fast-food restaurants are trying to get in on the action. But, honestly? I don’t really like the way it tastes. If I’m going to be chowing down on raw leaves, I’ll take spinach any day. Still, I know […]

  • Beergaritas

    pitcher of beergaritas

    It would be lovely if we all had endless supplies of margaritas made from fresh-squeezed lime juice, agave syrup and premium tequila, rimmed with a fancy artisanal salt blend and garnished with a sliver of orange peel. But sometimes, you just need a bunch of margaritas, stat. Maybe you’re having a party… or maybe it’s […]

  • Slow cooker Buffalo chicken

    buffalo chicken sandwich

    A couple of years ago, every party we went to had the same dip. I’m pretty sure it was related to the beginnings of Pinterest, but for whatever reason, it seemed like Buffalo chicken dip was taking over the world. I have never liked Buffalo sauce, and canned chicken grosses me out, so I never tasted […]

  • Beer-braised brisket

    beer-braised brisket

    First things first: You won’t be able to make this for dinner tonight. But if you’re looking for something meaty and delicious that is easy to put together and goes into the oven hours before it needs to be served, this is perfect. It would definitely work for Valentine’s Day dinner, or for any night where you […]

  • Slow-cooker veggie chili

    veggie chili

    After I graduated from college and moved to South Carolina, my dinners generally came from a can, a box, the freezer, or a restaurant. I baked cookies and cakes and muffins occasionally, but I really didn’t know how to cook “real” (non-sugary) food, particularly meals that could go from stove (or microwave) to my tiny table in about […]

  • Bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin

    bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin

    Do you guys remember those “Pork: The Other White Meat” commercials from the 80s? Apparently they worked pretty well, because every time I see the word “pork” — even in regard to wasteful spending in Washington — I think of that phrase. But I didn’t really eat a ton of pork as a child, I […]

  • Pumpkin-gingerbread trifle

    pumpkin trifle

    Despite the unseasonably warm temperatures in southern California, it’s October and therefore pumpkin season. I do like a pumpkin spice latte on occasion, but I prefer pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread and other things that actually contain pumpkin. So when Toby suggested I make a trifle, my mind immediately went to pumpkin. I thought about doing […]