From the category archives:

comfort food

Spiced Chicken and Rice

November 12, 2010

I know the big T is just under two weeks away, and I get why everyone’s talking cranberry relish and turkey like it’s their job. But we’ve all gotta eat between now and then, and this is one damn good way to get nourished. Last week, we had the first cold weekend in DC. Now [...]

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Two Bruschette for Spring

June 17, 2010

While I’ve usually thought of May as the true spring-to-summer transition month, these days, June seems to be taking on that role. One day the weather’s as hot and sticky as boiling caramel, the next it’s as cold and damp as the dish towel. But the erratic weather carries with it the promise of vegetable [...]

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Smothered Cabbage Risotto

April 1, 2010

Among the oft-neglected cookbooks on my shelf is a big, light green volume called

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Beets with Fennel, Orange, and Walnuts

March 1, 2010

It’d be unfair if I didn’t confess to you that as I try to write about beets and fennel and orange and walnuts, I’m watching Lydia Bastianich add home-cured mackerel to cannelini bean bruschetta and red onion salad, and all I can think about is how delicious that oily, vinegary cured fish must taste. Holy [...]

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Ginger Fried Rice

February 21, 2010

It’s a rare day that I get to make lunch for myself at home. When I do, I tend to steer clear of the fancy in favor of those simple things that simply don’t work in my office toaster. Especially in winter, when I put a premium on warm, cozy meals and crusty, toasty bread, [...]

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Soup of Fresh Shelling Beans and Sorrel

October 19, 2009

Is it Monday? I’m pretty sure it’s Monday. The last two weeks have been a blur of sniffles, tissues, and gallons (I mean it) of chai. I came down with a cold just around the start of the month. Chalk it up to a late recovery from August’s crunch time at work. I took a [...]

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Crostini of All Sorts

October 5, 2009

During a recent stop at the bookstore on my street, Idle Time Books (which, btw, had a cameo in A Few Good Men), I was thumbing through cookbook author Deborah Madison’s latest book, What We Eat When We Eat Alone, which she co-wrote with her artist-partner Patrick McFarlin. WWEWWEA (liberally abbreviating the long title here…) [...]

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Carrot-Zucchini Bread

October 1, 2009

This is the kind of recipe I live for. It reminds me of those really good bran muffins you find at local coffee shops, with the nutty, wholesome flavors and tops that crust around the edges and never are perfectly round. It’s got a more well-defined crumb than carrot kugel, but it’s not as sweet [...]