Mise en place is a term that means “everything in its place.” It’s the prep work that happens before the actual cooking begins. Mise en place can extend to the kitchen as well. When my drawers and cabinets (and pantry and refrigerator) are organized and everything is in place, there’s a synergy to my cooking and meal planning. I…
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
Arugula, Watermelon and Feta Salad Save Print Prep time 15 mins Total time 15 mins 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. Author: Marcia W. Smart Recipe type: Salad Ingredients 3 cups…
Wine Pick: Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore
Bubbles are always refreshing, especially when it’s prosecco instead of my usual La Croix. And with summer about to swing into full gear, this is one of those bottles that should be locked and loaded for out-of-town weekends and pre-dinner aperitifs. It’s also perfect in an Aperol spritz, and if you haven’t had one of those classic Italian aperitivos,…
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…
Weeknight Dinners: May 8-12
MONDAY Breakfast for dinner! We need something easy and fast, and my youngest requested hash browns for dinner, so why not? We have three dozen farm eggs in our refrigerator that are begging to be whipped into a strata or frittata. I’m considering making two different frittatas, one that’s dairy-free and one with goat cheese, both…
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…
Slow Cooker Tortilla Soup
Slow Cooker Tortilla Soup Save Print Prep time 10 mins Cook time 8 hours Total time 8 hours 10 mins 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…
Weeknight Dinners: May 1-5
Olé! We are officially entering margarita weather, and I can’t wait to share a recipe for a healthy(ish) jalapeno and mint version later this week. We are working towards the finish line of summer, but first there are dance recitals, baseball playoffs and finals. One foot in front of the other, soldiers. I feel like the best way to…
Weeknight Dinners: April 23-28
SUNDAY It’s gorgeous in Houston, cool and crisp with a full blue sky. A good grill night for sure. Since I already have pre-marinated carne asada from Trader Joe’s, I’ll just doctor it up with some fresh lime juice. It wakes up the flavor and makes it taste brighter. I’ll let it sit at room temperature…