Category: How-To
Homemade Egg Pasta
When I was in high school, I started seriously reading cookbooks — trying to decipher how to cook. My obsession began with vegetarian ones (I was a vegetarian at the time). I collected them, paging through the recipes and imagining the day when I could figure out how to take those words and translate them [...]
Roasted Five Spice Squash Seeds
These might look a lot like roasted pumpkin seeds. But they aren’t. They’re actually from a spaghetti squash. And they’re just as delicious. Ok. Are you ready for this? This might blow your mind a little … You can roast seeds from any squash for a delicious snack. Seriously. Squash seeds are edible and can [...]
Butternut Squash, Toasted Walnut and Dried Cranberry Salad
So. I’ve had a couple of butternut squashes in my fridge. They’ve been taunting me. Staring me down. Begging me to do something, anything with them. But I was nervous. It’s been years since I handled and cooked squashes in their whole form. Typically, I take the easy way out and buy squash that’s already [...]
Prosciutto with Figs and Balsamic Vinegar
When you mention figs, many people hesitate to answer. There’s this pause, a long trying-to-find-the-most-non-offensive-thing-to-say pause. And then, there’s an “Eh … ” Except most often, when you press those same hesitant people, they admit that their exposure to figs has been limited to a certain cookie and other baked goods. They haven’t experienced a [...]
Bacon, Lettuce, Avocado and Tomato Sandwiches (AKA the BLAT)
Every time I look at this sandwich, my mind goes blank and I start to salivate a little. It’s not just a BLT — it’s something to behold: creamy, crispy, salty, sweet and juicy. The mind blankness makes it hard to write … let alone come up with some entertaining introduction. So, let’s pretend that [...]
How to Bake Bacon: A Less Mess Method
When my power went out on Sunday and I couldn’t work on Monday and Tuesday, it wasn’t a restful few days vacation. There was the stress of having no power and no running water, the worry about the kids safety and health and the extreme concern over my job and freelance writing. It was unsettling, [...]
How to Freeze Fresh Corn
There comes a point in every season where it almost feels like you just want to get on with it. It’s not that I dislike summer (or fall or winter or spring). Not at all. But when we start to hit transition, I get a little antsy. As I sit here in my living room, [...]









