When hosting friends for a sit-down dinner, I always go overboard. Whether it's place cards (obviously helpful) or an over-set table (obviously required), I try to make things as special as possible. When it comes to menu planning, alongside the pre-dinner munchies like a cheeseboard or spiced ...
Onion and Gruyere Tarts
In planning for friends to gather at our place this weekend, I racked my brain to think what sort of pre-dinner snack would look good on our fall table and taste like a well-thought out precursor to our dinner of Chicken and 40 Cloves of Garlic.
The answer? Little onion and gruyere tarts from ...
An Easy Lime Tart
I'm a sucker for a light dessert... Whether it's a fluffy, espresso-filled tiramisu on the patio at Carmine's in Chicago or a teeny creme brûlée at Brooklyn and the Butcher, there's something about having a dessert that's pale in color and whipped to perfection that I just love.
This isn't to ...
A Basil and Peach Bourbon Smash
Having come home from our Oaks Day travels with something like 600 new bottles of Bourbon, I was itching to try something new cocktail-wise.
B and I consulted our friend Erin down at Red Hog one night for a suggestion or two on how to use a bottle of Willett. The first thing she suggested? ...
An Easter Blueberry Tart
When I first joined Pinterest several years ago, one of the first recipes I found and made was a blueberry tart from Martha Stewart. Incredibly simple, with a shortbread crust and gelled berry filling, I always up the recipe by 50% to fill my 11" tart tin.
Whether served plain, or with ...
Going Green
In an effort to keep my eating habits on track, and to happily say "no, thank you" to offers of fish and chips, bangers and mash, and green beer, I've whipped up my favorite version of a kale salad... the best kind of green.
This version uses sweet/tart dried currants, the pleasant, soft crunch ...
Sprung a Leek
If I'm being honest here, I've not always been a fan of vegetables. I grew up on a farm, and had way too many forced feedings of turnips and cabbage cooked down within an inch of their life. I loved the sweet corn though, and green beans when they were cooked just enough to still be snappy. I was ...
Penuche Frosting
It was as we were driving to Chicago for the Northwestern/Wisconsin game that an episode of The Splendid Table came on where host Francis Lam was discussing taking care… Author and activist Cecile Richards was a guest, and the two began a discussion about her love of pie baking and pie ...
Butternut Squash Ravioli: Two Ways
Usually, before heading out of Chicago, the man and I head to Eataly for groceries. Knowing we can find some of our favorite red wines, excellent-quality olive oil, suuuuuper good prosciutto, and freshly made mozzarella, we carry in our huge burlap "Choose your Salumi" bag and fill 'er up with ...
