World Cup of Yum

French Onion Soup

Onions, bread, and cheese are three of my boyfriend’s favorite foods, so French Onion Soup was pretty much a no-brainer dish to make for him. It’s traditionally made with dry white wine, but all I happened to have on hand was cream sherry when I made this. It came out great, so now it’s what…

Apple Crisp

In case you hadn’t figured it out by now, I’m obsessed with pie. So if I deem something an acceptable replacement for pie, you know it’s legit. Making a perfect flaky pie crust is difficult and intimidating (at least for me), and sometimes I just don’t have it in me. Enter the apple crisp… which…

Roasted Garlic Lemon Broccoli

This roasted broccoli works really well as an accompaniment to a rich pasta dish, with the lemon giving it a nice brightness. The roasting crisps the garlic and develops some nice crispy bits on the broccoli as well. Guessipe Toss the broccoli with olive oil, salt, pepper, and the minced garlic. Spread on a baking…

Sunny-Side Pulao

Cookbook Club – Aarti Paarti In October, we used Aarti Sequeira’s cookbook Aarti Paarti. In it, she simplifies traditional Indian recipes and techniques to make Indian flavors accessible for the US market. To find out how many of her Indian dishes translated, go to my Cookbook Club site. For now – my dish! What Sequeira…

Cherry Turnovers

I had an extra puff pastry sheet after making my Rose in Winter Apple Tarts, so I threw together these Cherry Turnovers. They were a hit, and so easy to make that I’ve done them again many times, using whatever fruit filling I have available (apples sprinkled with cinnamon sugar work really well too). Guessipe…

Rose in Winter Apple Tarts

My friend brought these gorgeous rose-shaped apple tarts to a dinner party. I complimented her on her stunning dessert, and was blown away when she told me they were actually fairly simple to make and she would teach me. She proceeded to explain how to make them in just a handful of sentences. I have…

Anchovy Olive Almond Pasta

Even if you don’t like anchovies, don’t discount them as a magical ingredient for amping up the flavors of a pasta dish. You can use them in tomato-based sauces, or as I do here simply with garlic and olive oil. You won’t even know they’re there, but they’ll add so much depth to the dish….

Pickled Rooibos Grapes

Cookbook Club – Baco Our September cookbook was Josef Centeno’s Baco. Centeno has several restaurants in LA – I’ve been to Baco Mercat, for which the cookbook was named, and really enjoyed the sandwiches made from the flatbread he calls “baco”. To find out how our homemade versions of the baco and other selections from…

Simply Tasty Heirloom Tomatoes

When you have peak season heirloom tomatoes at their optimal ripeness, you don’t need to do much to make them delicious. A little olive oil, salt, and pepper is all it takes to bring out their natural sweet goodness. Guessipe heirloom tomatoes, sliced olive oil Himalayan pink sea salt fresh ground pepper Lay out the…

Late-Summer Salad

Figs come into season in late summer, and if you’re lucky enough to have a fig hookup (AKA a friend with a fig tree) like me, then this is a refreshing and stunningly inviting salad that’s perfect for a hot summer day. Guessipe 1 head red lettuce, washed and hand-torn 1 head spinach, washed and…

Roast Green Peppers with Fried Garlic Chips

Cookbook Club – The New Spanish Table For our August Cookbook Club, we used The New Spanish Table by Anya von Bremzen. I was at first irritated by the formatting of the book, but after an amazing meal all layout woes were forgiven. To come along on our culinary journey through all the regions of…

Chewy Fig Walnut Bars

I’m lucky to have a friend with a giant fig tree in her backyard, and around this time every year I reap the benefits of her fig harvest. One year when I was in the mood for a chewy treat, I made these bars with figs, shredded coconut, and toasted walnuts. Yum! Now I make…