I’m beginning to think there’s nothing quite as satisfying as making a tray of slow-roasted tomatoes.  Now, I know I’ve said this about a lot of things.  Bread, for example.  And it’s true that there’s nothing quite as satisfying as making a loaf of bread with your own two hands.  But man, these tomatoes are something.  And they are simple.  So simple, that the extraordinary flavor almost doesn’t make sense.  The flavor is sweet, but intense.  Sultry, even.  You’ll see.  You’ll be smitten, too. Continue reading →

My sister is a huge fan of roasted red pepper hummus so she was one inspiration behind me creating my own version at home.  The other inspiration was my fancy new blender that I just knew would create the smoothest, creamiest hummus I’ve ever made.

And I was right.  This was the smoothest, creamiest hummus that has ever come from my kitchen.

I’ve been without a regular blender for over a year now.  The last one I owned, an overpriced and under-performing Kitchen Aid blender, broke as soon as the warranty expired.  And I wasn’t in a big rush to run out and replace it with another piece of junk.  I’ve never been a huge fan of blenders because I have never owned one that worked really well.  Sure, they all claim to crush ice.  But they never really do. Continue reading →

This week I am participating in the second round of Eating Down the Fridge. The challenge was created by Kim O’Donnel of The Washington Post blog A Mighty Appetite.  The goal is to completely avoid food shopping (including eating out) for a full week, and instead concentrate on using what is already stored in your refrigerator, freezer, and pantry.  Because I have been out of town, I started the challenge a couple of days late.  But as of Monday, I have done no food shopping or eating out (with one exception) and I plan on continuing at least through Monday, but perhaps even longer if I can.

Perhaps a week doesn’t sound like a very long time to go without shopping, and for those of us without kids it’s not that long at all.  But my goal for this challenge is to use up things in my freezer and pantry that have long been neglected.  And although I don’t do major grocery shopping more than a few times a month, I am used to popping up to my local market a few times a week for various ingredients, fresh fruits and vegetables.  And quite frankly, I’ve been eating out a lot lately, so eating 21 meals in a row at home will be a bit of a challenge for me! Continue reading →

While we mostly eat guacamole during spring and summer when Southern California is bursting with fresh, local avocados, I couldn’t resist digging through the large pile of perfectly ripe Haas avocados at the grocery store the other day. I guess I can thank the Superbowl for that! Continue reading →

Want to wow your guests during this year’s round of holiday parties?  Serve them this Smoked Tuna Dip and watch the compliments flood in. They’ll never know that you whipped it up ten minutes before they arrived!

I first tasted this Smoked Tuna Dip at a restaurant in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida. We were there for a military function of some sort and this dip was set out on the appetizer table. We could not stop eating it and by the end of the night, my friend and I had pestered the owner enough that he finally gave up the recipe. Continue reading →

If you’re reading this post and you haven’t voted yet, I’d prefer that you bookmark this recipe, go find your local polling place, and come back and read this later.  Really!  Go vote!  And please, if you’re in San Diego, don’t let this silly rain keep you from voting in this historic election.

But when it’s all over and we can relax and (hopefully) breathe a sigh of relief, I want you to make these oven-roasted sweet potato french fries.  I’ve made several versions of these over the years but this batch is by far the best.  As usual, it’s the simplest combination of ingredients that makes me the happiest! Continue reading →

It’s time to eat your vegetables!

I really haven’t been eating enough veggies lately.  Bacon? Plenty.  Chocolate chip cookies? Oh yeah!  Pizza? Three days worth.  Cinnamon buns? That was our dinner the other night.

Something’s seriously gotta change around here!  Granted, I have been cooking at home a lot lately.  But if I don’t get back to cooking some of my healthier recipes, I’m still gonna end up looking like I’ve been eating at McDonald’s every night! Continue reading →

Does your morning bagel need a fall makeover?  Do you crave pumpkin cheesecake but don’t need the extra 1000 calories?  Do you like quick and easy recipes that taste really, really good?   If you answered yes to any of those questions, you’ll love this Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Spread! Continue reading →