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Self-taught chef and recipe developer. No culinary school, no shortcuts. Every recipe here teaches a technique, not just a method.
I enjoy the baby showers where the food has been catered or where there has been socializing provided for the guests and the hostess can just relax and enjoy a drink. Appetizers are ideal. They are tiny, easy to hold, and still delicious on the off chance Aunt Linda arrives 40 minutes late (which she …
Potlucks represent a unique social agreement: everyone is supposed to bring some “simple” side dish, and then the rest of the afternoon is spent watching everyone else’s contributions like it’s some kind of spectator sport. I appreciate meals that can withstand high temperatures, that do not need an emergency rescue from the kitchen, and that …
I really enjoy the Fourth of July, but I have such a strong preference for my food: it must withstand high temperatures, travel, and that one friend who “just wants a tiny taste”, and ends up eating half the tray. The list features classic BBQ recipes, sides that can survive a picnic, and desserts that …
I enjoy a salad as much as any reasonable adult, but by 1:17 p.m. I generally prefer something warm. Having cooked lunch is a small boost to your morale. It is comparable to the feeling of putting on socks right out of the dryer, but you can do it at your desk without feeling too …
I appreciate Fourth of July cookouts, although I dislike spending the whole day babysitting the side dishes as if they were delicate house plants. Ideal food options are those that you can make ahead of time, store in the fridge, and easily grab when it’s time to start cooking the hot dogs. A perfect side …
Although I appreciate a spirited Fourth of July celebration, staying in the kitchen while everyone else runs outside and pretends to know how to use sparklers is not my idea of fun. I trust these appetizers: things that can be made ahead of time, things that can withstand the heat of cooking, and things that …
Keto dinners can be strange really quickly. Think of how quickly it gets boring and sad when you eat wet “rice” replacements, lettuce wraps, and that feeling like you’re getting punished for enjoying anything carby. I’m aiming for some normalcy with this list; meals that actually taste like a dinner and not like a dieting …
Cooking in 400 degree heat with a shirt stuck to my back really is not very enjoyable, but I do still enjoy summer. Consider this list for the evenings when you’d like to make dinner feel a little more special and abundant: no oven preheating needed. Although the oven is not involved, some of these …
Even though I love desserts, I will choose another one as long as it won’t melt into a sad puddle before the fireworks. From what I’ve learned, the key is to choose a theme — berries + cream, chocolate + berries, or “frozen stuff that forgives you” — and stick with it. This includes a …
I have done enough adult lunch packing to know the emotional journey: Sunday comes with hope, Wednesday brings mild irritation, and then by Friday, it’s a sort of resignation where you eat crackers as though it’s part of your identity. The challenge is, for me, preparing lunches that resemble full meals, including items that feature …
I appreciate an authentic American BBQ, but I really do not want to be sitting in a hot kitchen for hours while everyone is simply “checking the cooler” for drinks. Here are a few Fourth of July BBQ recipes I prefer since they’re easy to prepare and remain delicious to eat, even as the party …
The most captivating Fourth of July spreads have a touch of disorder. Someone searching for the tongs again? Sauce stains on the table? Buns scattered everywhere? What works best for me is that I can prepare some ‘anchor’ grill recipes with some side dishes that I can earlier prepare and set aside. I try to …