It’s time for some pantry hacks… After five or six weeks at home – (aren’t the days and weeks just blurring together?) – you are probably digging deep into the back of your pantry – and your other kitchen cabinets. Here are some ways to use a likely underused appliance – your high-powered blender – to stretch your pantry a… Read More
How to Celebrate Easter Without Candy – (well, eating it, at least)
Easter is a spring holiday that is often intertwined with candy. But celebrating Easter without candy may be a necessity for your family. Maybe you have food allergies or intolerances in your family? Maybe you are practicing healthier eating and want to share this with your friends and neighbor? Or maybe you just want a break from the sugar… Read More
Food Memories: Moving Forward Samosas
Do you have food memories? I have foods that are inextricably tied to certain places, events, and, more than perhaps anything else, people. Food memories can be a unique, visceral way of virtually transporting yourself to different times, places, and to connect – or reconnect – with distant friends or family. I reconnect with my long-deceased grandparents with every Saint… Read More
Mix and Match Instapot Recipes: 5 Ideas, Endless Tempting Possibilities
Are you ready to try these mix and match Instapot recipes? Are you in a dinner rut? Do you need some help to rethink what’s on the menu? Is your pressure cooker gathering dust in a corner while you surrender and order pizza? Try these easy mix and match Instapot recipes for a fresh take on dinner. Choose one from each… Read More
The Big Game, Big Island Style: 5 Recipes to Try
The Big Game is always in the dead of winter, so celebrating Big Island style can help ease those mid-winter blues. Plus a tropical theme makes the menu itself something to celebrate, regardless of which team wins – or if you are just watching the commercials. Use your new air fryer: Huli Huli chicken wings If an air fryer is… Read More
20 Top Trader Joe’s Picks
What are your top Trader Joe’s picks? If you live near Trader Joe’s, you probably live at Trader’s Joe’s. For me, it is one of the only places where grocery shopping is invariably interesting and enjoyable. And, with the notable exception of Sunday evenings when the lines tend to be interminable, it is my go-to stop for sips, snacks and… Read More
5 Holiday Food Traditions: Simple and Special
What are your holiday food traditions? Are warm baking spices a prerequisite to the season? Or do you need a standing rib roast to make it official? Here are five holiday food traditions that you may want to include in your home this season. Decorate a gingerbread house: Decorating for the holidays in our house can be challenging, so an… Read More
2 Cakes for Fall Celebrations
Does the fall weather – and produce – inspire you to bake? After a summer filled with “assembling” fresh fruits and vegetables into salads, slaws, and salsas, there is something satisfying about coming inside and turning on the oven. Here are two great cakes for fall celebrations. This fall, I’ve taken two recipes I’ve been making for awhile and tweaked… Read More
3 Reasons You Should Grill Your Pizza
Are you ready to grill your pizza? Homemade pizza tends to have a mediocre reputation. Unless you have installed a several-thousand-dollar imported Neapolitan-style pizza oven in your backyard, it can really be hit or miss. But if you have a teen or tween with a growing appetite, it can be appealing to make a batch of this crowd-pleaser without the extra… Read More