Even though I know better, I look forward to watching the Oscars every year. The movies I like rarely win and often aren’t even nominated—but there is still something fun about watching the show. This year’s show seemed particularly strange, but I kind of liked that about it. And I certainly liked that Milk received a couple of major awards accompanied by a couple of politically charged speeches. read more+++

I basically have the palate of an 11-year-old. If I were left to my own devices I would probably eat pizza, tacos, french fries, ice cream and cookies for almost every meal. These things remain my favorites even though I have gained an appreciation for fancier stuff like oysters, truffles, curry, sushi etc.. I’m a little afraid of deep frying, which is probably a good thing, but it normally prevents me from making fries at home. I’ve been experimenting with oven fries for as long as I can remember but was never completely satisfied with the results. Until now. read more+++

By now you’re probably wondering if I weigh 400 pounds. There is a lot of sugar and butter and cheese on this site. First of all, I don’t eat all of it myself. I share. And whenever I eat something like a grilled cheese, or lasagna, I balance it out with a big salad. I am more worried about chemicals and preservatives entering my body than I am sugars or fats. I have almost eliminated industrial food from my diet (there are some things I am unwilling to give up, like: cheerios, dried pasta, and the occasional coke (preferably bottled in Mexico)). I am lucky, I live in a city with great bakeries where I can buy freshly baked organic bread and I have access to lots of stores and markets. It isn’t so difficult for me to avoid prepackaged foods. I know not everyone is so lucky. read more+++

I don’t like Valentines Day. I don’t really like holidays for that matter. I like regular days. Sure, I manage to enjoy myself at a 4th of July picnic, and I like cooking Thanksgiving dinner and I even enjoy the time leading up to Christmas and New Years. But I would generally prefer it were just a Saturday. Any Saturday. Holidays can sometimes put too much pressure on us to “have fun” or to evaluate our lives. Do we have enough friends? Do we get along with our families? Do we have a valentine? Blah. read more+++

I use the word “favorite” too often. But this time I think I mean it. This cake is the cake I make for myself. I don’t share it. I don’t bring it to work. I don’t even let Bryan have a slice unless he begs or I am feeling particularly enamored with him. It is everything I could want in a sweet. A moist buttermilk cake with a healthy crumb topped with a creamy caramel glaze. The cake is just the right amount of sweet. I’ve made this so many times and each time I fall in love with it all over again. read more+++

I spend a lot of time in NYC, it is my other hometown. Most of my closest friends live there and I try to visit as often as possible. Our favorite pastime is eating. They take me to their favorite places which quickly become my favorite places. One of these favorites is Mercadito, a small Mexican restaurant in the east village with really outstanding food and superb drinks. A while back, Mercadito opened a new space, just across Avenue B from their old space, called Mercadito Cantina. It is a slicker more designy space but the food is equally delicious. I was particularly impressed with the green rice casserole I ordered. It was a mix of melted cheese and perfectly flavored rice topped with more deliciously browned cheese. It was amazing. I have thought of it often since. read more+++

Northerners don’t understand cornbread. We turn it into a dessert. A sweet cake instead of a savory bread. And then we serve it with supper. I admit that some of the sweetened cornbreads are good, but they should be called corn cake, and served as dessert with some roasted fruit or ice cream.

But imagine if that sweetened cornbread were turned into a cookie, a legitimate dessert. A delicious, buttery, chewy-centered, crisp-edged cookie. This is that cookie. It is surprisingly good. After our first bite, we were unsure but by the last bite we were 100% positive we had found a delicious recipe. These manage to be both unusual and familiar at the same time. I think they would be best showcased alongside a dish of buttermilk ice cream, unfortunately I was too lazy to make the ice cream. Next time. read more+++

I’m a huge fan of risotto, it is my #1 comfort food. There is nothing like a bowl of creamy risotto and green salad for dinner. Risotto is especially great because it is so easy to customize. I’ve made so many varieties using flavorings like saffron, lemon, red wine and stirring in things like squash, spinach, bacon, and a variety of cheeses. Once you get the basic technique down, it is an easy dish to experiment with— great for the home cook that likes a solid structure with room to play around.

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I spent the 4th of July in Paris last summer. I’m not particularly patriotic, but the 4th has always been one of my favorite holidays. I have a rich history of celebrating our country’s independence in the suburbs while watching a parade (sometimes booing at the Republican Party float), playing bocce ball and eating some delicious grilled food.  All of this happens at the family home of one of my very best friends who comes from NYC to celebrate.  I hadn’t missed these festivities in years. When we booked our trip to France I hadn’t been thinking much about dates but as it approached I realized- we were going to miss the parade. Of course Paris is a nice consolation prize, but I was disappointed I would miss the yearly tradition. read more+++

Well fiesta might be an overstatement, but Bryan and I had a friend over for dinner last week and I decided a Mexican inspired feast was in order. What to cook? Well, as I often do, I relied on a little help from my friends. I found all of the recipes I used on my favorite blogs and they were all delicious! Because our friend is allergic to dairy, it also allowed me to create an entire meal free of dairy products. As much as I love cheese, I have to admit that I didn’t miss it at all! Everything was delicious and I have included links to recipes below. read more+++