Remember the Naked Chef?
You know, the guy with the cool hair, very energetic, talks fast, cooks even faster, Jamie Oliver? About 10 years ago when he became famous, he was referred to as the Naked Chef. These days he is simply Jamie. I did not understand what the nakedness was all about back then. I [...]

Once upon a time, in a land not far away, with a twist of a fork, two side dishes accidentally met on a plate. The first one, pasta, loved by all, orzo shaped, whimsical and a bit chewy, seasoned simply, and the second one, garbanzo beans, not as mainstream as pasta, a bit more serious [...]

This soup has been waiting to be published for a looong time. With all the holidays bustle of shopping and cookies baking, it got buried under a pile of other recipes and things to do and write about that wouldn’t wait any longer.
It’s been waiting since…. hmmm, 3 weeks ago? It was freezing cold here. [...]

Sometimes the simple things in life are the trickiest ones to nail down.
Not to discourage you, but you might think that by taking a no-cooking recipe with a few basic ingredients, whizzing them all together in a food processor, then voila, you’ll have hummus? Eh, no. It doesn’t quite work that way.
Life’s simplest pleasures are at [...]

Originally, I had nothing to say about it. Too easy to create, too quick to make, there was no opportunity to blurt a word out before it was done. But it’s beauty too astounding to ignore, I had to share. Its expected tart sweet gorgeous tang, I could not wait until Thanksgiving.
Yes, I’m talking about [...]

Sometimes I fear people might get the wrong impression about me. I am aware that some people might think that since I was a personal chef for a few years, or because I own more then 130 cookbooks (I don’t count anymore), am subscribed to 3 food magazines (well, now Gourmet is gone…), and prefer [...]

Sometimes unplanned dishes are the most delicious (Ooh, a rhyme!). And sometimes making pasta for dinner is actually an excuse to eat kale.
Kale, chard, mustard greens, and all their green friends are new in our fridge, on our table, in our hearts, and now also in our backyard (more about it later). Those are ingredients [...]

Since the movie Julie & Julia came out (Have you watched it yet? You should!), I’ve been seeing and hearing so much about Julia Child’s Potage Parmentier (potato-leek soup) and her famous  Boeuf Bourguignon recipes. A perfect timing indeed since, if you haven’t noticed yet where you live, like say in… California, fall is here. [...]

Yesterday turned out to be a beautiful sunny day. It started grayish and rainy but around 10 am the sky became clearer and bluer. That made me happy and at the same time nervous, realizing all of a sudden that summer is coming to an…. end. I had a little panic attack. Then I started [...]

An innocent and unsuspecting salad… but then… a little hand…

Who could it be?

There’s a tree in our front yard. Every year, a late bloomer.
All the other trees in the neighborhood are standing tall and proud, showing their flowers to everyone. Some trees are in the next stage of clinging to the last flowers which are peeking through the new fresh leaves that come after. The real fast ones have [...]

 
What do you call the 4th addition to a trilogy? Foursome? Quartet? Freelogy?
I gave you Flaky and Creamy recipe…
then we had Crunchy…
and then Sweet and Smoky…
and now this Buttery thing.

It’s winter. Well, you know it. But this one seems to be not just any winter, but a looooong winterrrrrrrr. And I love grilled meat! And I can’t wait ‘till the global colding that’s been going on here in the past few weeks will end. Snow in March? Com’on… I have already done some“ grilling [...]

Let’s talk about quiche.
Every now and then I like to have a good quiche and eat it too. Of course.
But not just any quiche. Not one with a soggy bottom, ahem ehhm, or one that is waaay too rich and makes you feel so stuffed and guilty after eating it, or one that…. Oh, let’s [...]

Let me tell you about the crunchiest, bestest (as little kids say) cabbage salad I have ever had. Cabbage, like zucchini, might seem like a boring vegetable – at least to me, but I am now a changed woman – and so overlooked. It is not exactly the star of any meal, is it? You [...]

Photo from Gourmet magazine
In our efforts to eat less meat and less frequently, I made these Black-Bean Burgers about a week ago.
This was a new kind of dish for me. I have never tried before to make something of this sort as beans are not very popular in house. I was skeptic about the recipe and [...]

No, I am not going to give you another decadent chocolate dessert recipe for Valentine’s Day. They seem to be all over the place as it is. You don’t really need another one. Do you? On the other hand, what are you going to have for dinner before the dessert? Or is it going to [...]

 Are you a foodie? Are you a foodie and a parent? Do your kids share your passion for food? Or do they give you a hard time? Watch the video:

I am a foodie and a picky eater in a choosy finicky, or conscious eating way. Since we got married, I got my husband all excited [...]

Creamy mashed potatoes with tanned and crunchy and cheesy topping. A combination of all good things together in one dish. Doesn’t this make it the ultimate comfort side dish? I assume that you don’t really need a recipe for mashed potatoes, do you?! But I will share a few tips for making an even better [...]

We have two food addictions in this house. One is for Brussels sprouts (recipes here and here) – now it’s like we’re trying to compensate for all those years we thought we hated them and wouldn’t eat them (what picky eaters we were) – and a newer addiction for zucchini pancakes. Once looked upon as [...]

Dear blog readers and subscribers,
It’s time for another weekly meal plan suggestion. As always, mix and match according to what you and your family like to eat.
A reminder – one day left to vote for your favorite animal – is it chicken/fish/lamb/beef/pork, so I know what kind of recipes you are looking for. The poll [...]

I used to hate Brussels sprouts, but I have already told you everything about it in Try something new: Brussels sprouts. So, let’s assume that you have tried it – as I said, and liked it – as I knew you would, and pick up from there?
For the past 3 years I’ve been making Brussels [...]

I really don’t have anything to write about this recipe. Maybe except for – you can reheat leftover mashed potatoes in the microwave, or if you have an extra 20-30 minutes make these pancakes?
Light-as-a-feather potato pancakes

Makes about 10 pancakes
2 cups mashed potatoes
1 cup onion, small diced
2-4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Salt, pepper
Extra [...]

This recipe was originally posted on my seattlepi.com blog.

This vinaigrette was my best kept secret. Until now.It is ridiculously good and quick to make, yet sophisticated. You won’t believe it until you try it.Orange marmalade is a food item I always keep in the pantry or in the fridge (after opening) since we love this [...]

My husband went grocery shopping and came back home with this weird looking squash. I was amazed and surprised, I must admit, about this initiative. I still remember the days when he refused to eat vegetables, and until this day I still have to shove fruits down his throat. Like a little baby, he won’t [...]

And there you have it. A photo of raw chicken breasts on an indoor grill… eh, not the most exciting photo, you might say, but hey, this is real life…

Some days I have no idea what I am going to make for dinner. Most nights I hardly have any time to cook.
Dinner tonight was just [...]

I love bread, especially artisanal bread. And they can be quite costly ranging $3-$5 each! So, when I have leftovers, which doesn’t happen often (because I like my bread toasted so it taste fresh and crunchy even after 4 days), it will break my heart to throw it in the trash (it’ll break my grandma’s [...]

Orzo is pasta shaped like rice and is one of my favorite kinds of pasta.
This salad is very easy and quick to make. It is colorful and delicious. It is festive enough to serve at a party or a holiday dinner.
The recipe here is basic, but think of your favorite ingredients and play with it. You [...]

I thought that in addition to posting recipes on the blog, I will collect a few to create a weekly menu for you. This way you can have a meal plan for the week. How easy is that? It sure does;
* Save time on planning and thinking what to cook (that’s the part that takes [...]

Eating heirloom tomatoes is a summer must-do thing. It is a real treat.
I saw heirloom tomatoes at the grocery store this week. They were $5.99/lb. (Yep. Ouch.). But today we went to a farm that is located 15 minutes drive from our house – how cool is that?! – for $3.99/lb.

Lesson learned: shopping at a [...]

I love it when things works like this; A sunny day, I pick up the kids from school, we go to the park (preferably by a lake), come back home around 5:30, I give the baby some food, put her to sleep, and then start working on dinner.
Today was a day like that. My kind of [...]

If you think you don’t like eggplants, think again. Or, at least, give it another try, OK?
Recipe for one eggplant:
1 large eggplant, sliced to 1 – 1 ½ – inch slices
Extra virgin olive oil (evoo)
Salt
Preheat oven broiler.
Brush the eggplant slices lightly with evoo and sprinkle with salt, on both sides. Place on baking sheet.
Broil in [...]

For many many years I hated Brussels sprouts. I didn’t want to hear about them or look at them. Not think about them eaither. But after a few Thanksgivings and Christmases, I started to have doubts. I thought that if this is a staple at the table during the holidays season, (you see it in [...]

Makes 4 servings
4 medium size artichokes*
2 tablespoons salt
1 small lemon, juiced, halves saved
3 sprigs thyme, optional
2 garlic cloves, slightly smashed, optional
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
Soak artichokes in water to clean. Shake them in the water to take the dirt out. If a lot of dirt comes out, rinse 1-2 more times until the water is clean.
Fill pot [...]

We love corn.We love corn so much that we make it for dinner 2-4 times a week during summer. (I know it is a carb-y food, but summer is short).A few years ago, when I used to buy my produce at the local produce store, the owner once asked we if we have rabbits, because [...]

For a long time, this was (nearly) the only salad that I made for dinner. I have repeated making it so my son will get familiar with it, and hopefully, give it a try some day. For a while he only ate the tomatoes. Later on he gave other ingredients a try, and finally we [...]