Browse Recipes
Self-taught chef and recipe developer. No culinary school, no shortcuts. Every recipe here teaches a technique, not just a method.
Easy appetizers and snack recipes perfect for parties, holidays, game day, or everyday cravings. Find dips, finger foods, quick bites, and crowd-pleasing snacks for any occasion.
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 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 …
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 …
Wedding showers trigger a particular craving, often experienced during the second mimosa. You realize you’ve been standing for 40 minutes, and you don’t want a substantial meal, just something small. Finger foods act as the social glue here. They allow people to mingle and watch the bride open her fourth blender. The best options have …
I love potlucks but hate driving to them. I have to deal with a seatbelt-ensnared casserole, sudden stops, and runaway sauce. These are the dishes I actually bring so that I can get here calm, not sweaty, and without having to apologize. They’re durable, explain an oven-borrowing hostage negotiation scenario, and are forgiving at room …
There is a unique kind of pressure when it comes to cookouts on Memorial Day; you want the food to look plentiful, but you also want to be able to enjoy the day. I tend to overcommit (one year I made three “quick salads” and ran out of serving bowls), so this list is full …
I enjoy bridal showers. I enjoy the clinking of glasses, the aunts making comparisons, and the somewhat chaotic arrangement at the gift table. I’m not quiet about the food I like. I want a spread that feels a bit special, but also that the host does not have to do all the work, and can …
The world contains two types of nachos. The First has a brilliantly cheesed upper layer that has been well broiled and is hot, sitting over a pathetic mound of unadorned tortilla chips who are waiting for a fate that will never come. The second has two tiers, and every chip gets beans, cheese, and at …