Pasta Salad for Lunch and Dinner, Please! You guys! This pasta salad––full of roasted tomatoes, a zingy oregano vinaigrette and cubed mozzarella––is just what the doctor ordered. I’m literally eating it as I type! Usually, I try not to be too effusive about my recipes, calling things the “best” or “favorite” is not my style….
Summer
Baked Feta and Tomato Confit
Baked Feta and Tomato Confit Here’s the inside scoop on my all-time favorite meal: it would include tomatoes. There’s a story my mom likes to tell about a family trip to Canada when I was a toddler (which I remember nothing of). As she was making dinner, I ate every single cherry tomato out of…
Summer Cooking
Why I Don’t Meal Plan During Summer Break Routine is good, and so is a break from routine. Summer cooking means cooking from the farmer’s market, grilling outdoors, making big snack platters that “count” as dinner, and generally just relaxing and enjoying a looser schedule. During the school year, our schedule is like a military…
Tuna Poke Recipe
Simple Tuna Poke Bowls Summer cooking is all about low fuss and high reward. Actually, all cooking should rely on that ratio. Tuna poke, using sushi-grade fish, is the type of meal I’m talking about! Refreshing, flavorful, and finished without the use of a single pot or pan. Poke tuna is a ubiquitous Hawaiian convenience…
Matcha Limeade
Sometimes you want a tall, refreshing libation (without the added alcohol). Matcha limeade is the cool down you’re looking for. I’ve made this matcha limeade for weekend gatherings and al fresco entertaining, and it’s always a hit. Use either organic ceremonial grade matcha powder or individual matcha packets from Trader Joe’s. I’ve used both in…
Slow Roasted Sockeye Salmon
Slow Roasted Salmon with Lemon and Dill Slow roasted salmon with lemon and dill is easy, fresh and fast. A low and slow temperature melts the fat in the salmon and makes the finished product super tender. Top it with herbed yogurt sauce or chermoula for a dish that’s simple enough for a weeknight meal and impressive…
Aperol Spritz
A Summer Thirst Quencher We’re having a relatively quiet summer around here. No big European adventures and our travel plans are centered around family time in Sun Valley, Idaho, and San Diego. But when we’re at home in Houston, battling the humidity and trying not to spontaneously combust, there’s nothing like a cold Aperol spritz…
Roasted Za’atar Okra
Simple Roasted Okra Whether you’re a lover or a hater of the South’s favorite slimy vegetable, I think you should give this a shot. Roasted za’atar okra is crunchy from a high heat oven and flavorful with the elements of one of my favorite spice blends. Za’atar is a middle Eastern staple made with sumac,…
Gluten-Free Berry Crisp
An Epic Gluten-Free Berry Crisp Sixteen years and a lifetime ago, when I finished cooking school in San Francisco, I did an externship at Greens restaurant. I was a pastry assistant (which meant hanging with the sweet pastry chef in a still and quiet 5am kitchen). Working “the line” during dinner service did not appeal,…
Spinach Salad with Pesto and Peas
Spinach Salad with Pesto and Peas, Please! If you’re hosting friends for a backyard BBQ this weekend — or heading to a lake house, the beach or the mountains — make this easy spinach salad. It’s my go-to summer salad, full of flavor, easy to put together and always a crowd pleaser. I found this…