Last night I came dangerously close to choosing a jarred sauce to pair with the lobster ravioli we splurged on at The Pasta Shoppe in Oak Park. I had the jar of alfredo all ready to go, and while I’m sure I’d have loved it (Bertolli Alfredo may not be authentic, but it’s divine), I [...]

We’re not saving any money by joining a produce delivery service. Buying local and organic is hella expensive, and it’s even more expensive to have a Fresh Picks Double Box delivered to our door farm-fresh (or damn near it) every other week. That said, signing up for deliveries from Irv & Shelly’s Fresh Picks is [...]

I had never tried rainbow chard before, so I didn’t know what to expect when I got a huge bunch of it in my CSA delivery. Luckily, Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian came to my rescue.
I’ve loved the original How to Cook Everything for years, so when my husband and I decided to [...]

So let’s talk a little bit about Quorn. I know I’ve sung it’s praises before, but since my husband and I started doing Meatless Mondays we’ve used it as an excuse to try more of their delicious soy-free, meat-free products.
The Gruyere Chik’n Cutlets made the most phenomenal “chicken parm” (although it lacked both actual chicken [...]

CONFESSION: I really want a Mexican grandmother. I make outstanding Mexican food, if I do say so myself. I’m incredibly comfortable with the flavor profiles, but there are some dishes — some of my favorite dishes — that I just can’t tackle. Chiles rellenos, stuffed peppers, and tamales, are the ones best taught, I figure, [...]

CONFESSION: I used to be very narrowminded about vegetarian cuisine. When we first started Meatless Mondays back in November, we kept things really simple and traditional. Stir fries with tofu, and this, a simple falafel pita. I make my own falafel, mostly because I’m extremely picky about the texture. I like my falafel when it’s [...]

When I first discovered Doña María’s Ready-to-Serve molé sauce I was really, really skeptical. Molé, a spicy chocolate sauce, is one of those things that I’ve tasted done really, really well and really poorly. And, quite frankly, my expectations were so low that I actually reserved some of the sauce and only made half my [...]

There’s nothing terribly special about that meal, but that’s one reason I love it so much. I’ve talked before about how doctoring up a little Hamburger Helper can make a simple meal really fancy. Adding fresh mushrooms and onions (sauté them separately, please!), a splash of wine and some fresh asiago to Hamburger Helper Stroganoff [...]

QUICK TIP: Just Say No to LaChoy. Look, I’m sorry; I know there are plenty of wonderful people out there who work for LaChoy and all, but if you want real Asian, Chop Suey ain’t it. (I feel the same way about American-brand Mexican food). Now, bear in mind that this is coming from a [...]

CONFESSION: For a very long time I was a well-done girl. Meat needed to be cooked through… meat-colored meat was unacceptable. I still sort of am, in many ways. I’m venturing into the medium range for my steaks, but burgers must be well-done, and a drip of blood-red meat juice still makes me squick. But [...]

Tastefully Simple makes some really great sauces. When my friend Angela hosted a Tastefully Simple party a few months back, I picked up a number of things. Their Garlic Garlic has become a new staple in my house, and the beer bread has been a longtime favorite.
The Bayou Bourbon Glaze was appealing immediately, even though [...]

CONFESSION: By stereotypical “Mom’s home cooking” standards, I overseason everything. At least, that’s what it seems like when I read recipes in church and family cookbooks. I need a lot of flavor in my food and I don’t use much salt at all, so I compensate for [...]