It’s the dark days I remember most from when I was Paige’s age. The ones like today where the house would take on a greyness, as if the angry rain clouds outside were threatening to burst into our warm, dry home. Sometimes we’d put on a light, and the yellow pall it cast was...
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“Will, Will! We’re having that bread Mommy gave us yesterday for breakfast with strawberries!” Paige chirped to her brother after sneaking a peek at the counter where I was preparing breakfast. There were smiles and dashes for the table. Then the “mmms …” I don’t think I will ever tire of hearing Will say,...
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When I opened the door to let the dogs out early this morning, I was smacked with chilly air. Not winter cold, but brisk enough to send me retreating to the comfort of the couch farthest from my open living room windows. I wrapped my fuzzy green blanket around me and started reading. Against...
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A relative walked into my kitchen yesterday, wishing happy Easter and greeting the kids and I. She carried a platter of caprese salad, setting it down on my kitchen island. I could feel her eyes scanning the counter tops, looking … hoping. But there was nothing yet to see, with dishes tucked into the...
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Confession: I was kind of picky as a child. I’m not anymore, but when I was young, my list of things that I wouldn’t eat was extensive, including whole cuisines and categories of food. It’s a wonder anyone put up with me. But even when I was young, really good cooking could sway me...
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Some times I catch myself saying things I don’t really mean. Like “No, you finish the last bite of the ooey-gooey delicious dessert, I’m fine” or “Sure! Lasagna sounds great!” But the times that just shock me are when I find myself mechanically saying something I said as a child that’s no longer true...
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Lately, I have gotten really into smoothies and juices. Not in a juice-fasting or cleansing sort of way, but in a supplementing all the water I drink way. It’s nice to have something other than coffee and water once in awhile, and juices and smoothies are much better for you than soda. Plus they...
Read more →This might just be my favorite scone recipe ever. It’s everything a good scone should be — subtle, but flavorful. Perfect with coffee or tea. And totally memorable. Scones unfairly get a bad rap, I think. It’s usually with folks who’ve only had the dry, rock-like version that some stores sell. And really, if...
Read more →Coffee cake is one of those things. It’s comforting and familiar and perfect for breakfast. This one, made from a recipe from the 1930s, has a dense crumb and an irresistible buttery cinnamon sugar topping. No, it’s not that impossibly fluffy and almost-dessert-sweet coffee cake from the grocery store. But it doesn’t want to...
Read more →These eggs remind me of summer. Sweet fresh tomatoes are encircled with the brilliant flavor of fresh basil. There’s slightly sweet roasted garlic, which I have been obsessed with lately, blended with rich heavy cream — a nod to winter. And the warmth of the baked dish make it perfect for a chilly morning....
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