Ranch dressing! It’s the natural partner for cold and crunchy iceberg lettuce, carrot sticks and slices of takeout pizza. I have two different versions of ranch dressing, one full of herbs and lemon, and the other full of jalapeño and cilantro. I’ve also been known to tone down the “green things” and jalapeños for picky…
All Recipes
Tamari-Honey Chicken Drumsticks
Last spring, we were navigating some food issues and intolerances and in need of simple family meals free of gluten, dairy, soy and a whole host of other ingredients. It was a challenge to say the least, but there were a few good new recipes that came out of it. Tamari-honey chicken drumsticks were one…
Indian-Spiced Marinated Tomatoes
The first time I made these Indian-spiced tomatoes I was a student in the professional program at Tante Marie’s Cooking School in San Francisco. When this recipe for Indian-spiced tomatoes landed in my hands, it sounded like an abomination. Why cover delicious, in-season tomatoes with strong spices, chilies, ginger and onions? Not to mention brown…
Rustic Strawberry Galette
I’m a lazy cook at heart. Sign me up for anything that’s unfussy, uncomplicated and if there’s a shortcut involved, all the better. That’s why I opt for recipes like this rustic strawberry galette. The pastry dough is forgiving — and I wouldn’t judge if you bought frozen pie dough — and the filling is…
Arugula, Watermelon and Feta Salad
I use toasted pine nuts in this recipe. Slivered almonds or toasted pecan pieces would also be delicious, or if you have nut allergies leave them out entirely.
Arugula, Basil and Avocado Pesto
Pesto, Reinvented We’ve evolved a bit this year. Now that our dinners are centered around a gluten-free and dairy-free main dish, we’ve started changing up some of our favorite recipes so they’ll work for our family. This arugula, basil and avocado pesto is one of the happy outcomes of months of recipe testing and tweaking. Arugula was added to…
La Taqueria Green Sauce
This is stuff dreams are made of. Or at least really good food memories. Mouth-watering day dreams of dorado carnitas with spicy green sauce oozing from tabletop squeeze bottles. The parking is impossible, the line is long and the plancha is sizzling at this ubiquitous Mexican joint. La Taqueria, in San Francisco’s Mission neighborhood, has some of the…
Jalapeno Mint Margarita
Welcome to margarita week. It’s the genius idea of Kate Ramos from Hola Jalapeño. When she invited me share a recipe in her curated mix, I ran to get my shaker. Nothing like a good marg to beat the Texas heat and humidity. Especially a jalapeño mint margarita that tastes fresh from the garden. In March, we had two quick trips to Mexico…
Kale Guacamole
Just in time for your Cinco de Mayo fiesta, kale guacamole that will satisfy a crowd. We’ve been eating this non-stop over here: As an after school snack, on toast and of course tacos. It’s fresh, tasty and quick to put together. When we recently found ourselves with a bowl of ripe avocados and leftover…
Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
This is a simple Mexican soup. If you would like to add corn tortillas as a garnish, toast and cut them into thin strips. I prefer my soup with a lot of lime – about a whole juiced lime on top of every bowl. This would also be delicious with a cup of hominy or…