Feature Archives - Page 9 of 102

Dinner Planner – Week of November 6, 2023

So much Thanksgiving excitement happening here! Thanksgiving is on Thursday, November 23rd. Here are some ways I am here for you! (1) I have a new Thanksgiving cooking class up which you can purchase and watch on your own time. Click here for more details. There is also an option to become a subscriber and you have access to the ENTIRE library of classes (5 years worth!) (2) Purchase my Thanksgiving ebook for $15. This is the same one as last year with over 100 recipes, tips and tricks so you don’t have to search my site for hours. Such a time-saver and it will get you holiday-ready! (3) My newsletters, including last week’s, include tips for things you can do in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. Newsletter is FREE. Subscribe here. Here’s your dinner planner for the week:

Chocolate Chunk Pecan Slab Pie Recipe

Before I start talking about pie, my Thanksgiving ebook is available and here to help you! It’s a PDF with over 100 of my best Thanksgiving recipes, tips and tricks for $15. No searching the website for hours. Everything you need to know is in one printable book!

I am bringing back the slab pie! This is a perfect way to enjoy pie for a crowd and also to serve in small portions. I basically double the crust for a 15 x 10 jelly roll pan and keep the filling the same as for a single 9- or 10-inch pie. The result is a thinner pie, but it also allows you to enjoy smaller portions of a pie and cut into whatever size pieces you want. I tried freezing this slab pie in advance and defrosting it in the fridge and it was GREAT! For a little extra, you can drizzle with melted chocolate and refrigerate to firm up.Continue reading

Dinner Planner – Week of October 30, 2023

I have had a hard time this week with the current events and decided to limit my social media and news-watching. If I don’t respond to you on Instagram as quickly as possible, you know why! This Monday’s newsletter will take the place of my normal “4 weeks before Thanksgiving” post I usually put on my site. And if you take my monthly online cooking class, the Thanksgiving class will be uploaded this week!! In the meantime, Hubs and I are going to have a little getaway for my birthday (which was the other day) in Santa Barbara this weekend. We’ll do our IG live on Monday from there as well!

Dinner Planner – Week of October 23, 2023

I am back from my trip to Paris and even though I missed Hubs, it was too quick! I spent a few days with dear friends and then joined a small group hosted by reps from Staub in the US. We went to the Staub factory in Merville, France, which was like being a kid in a candy store. I saw how all Staub enameled cast iron is made from start to finish. As you know, I started buying Staub in my 20’s when I was first married and built my collection slowly over time. I am still using the same pieces in my daily cooking and I still believe Staub is the highest quality, most beautiful and versatile cookware. For anyone interested in all the restaurants and shops I visited in Paris (+ some of the ones I didn’t get to), it will all be in this Monday’s newsletter! Here’s your dinner planner for the week:

Dinner Planner – Week of October 16, 2023

My heart is heavy. The past week has been more than difficult to comprehend and I fear there will be less peace instead of more, at least in the near future. I am en route to Paris for a solo trip to visit a few friends and then take a tour of the Staub Factory outside of Paris, which has always been on my bucket list. Feel free to follow along on Instagram if you’re looking for a distraction. Stay safe. Check in on your friends and loved ones who may feel anxious and alone right now. I am very proud of my community and I appreciate and love you.

Baked “Fried” Chicken Recipe

Fast food chicken sandwiches are all the rage but they’re not using good quality chicken and we all know that deep-fried food is terrible for you, especially if made in a restaurant. Restaurants use THE CHEAPEST, WORST oil possible which gets heated over and over again. It’s very inflammatory. We can make a great version at home and you can decide how you want to cook it: bone-in, skin-on in the oven or boneless, skinless in the oven or pan-fried on the stove. You can air fry the chicken, but I have ‘t tested that out. I think what a lot of people like on these chicken sandwiches is the sauce, so I’ve given you a couple suggestions below. You obviously can serve the chicken as is and not on a sandwich! If you are plant-based, I have the most insane vegan chickpea patty recipe coming soon. SO GOOD!

Dinner Planner – Week of October 9, 2023

I am back from visiting my mom and she really recuperated incredibly well after her procedure. I had a lovely time on Long Island (the weather after the epic rainstorm was perfection) and I even got to visit Anna in Jersey City, her new home! I have a lot to catch up on and I am also getting ready for a big trip next Friday to Paris. I’ll be visiting friends for a couple days and then I was lucky enough to be invited by Staub to go to their factory outside of the city. Some people like to go to Paris to shop and see the Eiffel Tower. My dream is to go to the Staub factory!! You’ll have to follow on Instagram to come along with me! Here’s your dinner planner for the week:Continue reading

One Pot Mediterranean Quinoa Recipe

I LOVE a one pot meal! If you haven’t tried any of my one pot barley or farro recipes, you must! I know many people need to avoid gluten grains, so I thought I would make a version with quinoa. Quinoa is a light, fluffy seed that feels like a grain. It’s technically a pseudo-cereal, so many people who can’t tolerate grains, do well with quinoa. You know I’ll add vegetables anywhere I can, and this recipe is so easy and so flexible. Quinoa needs flavor boosters, so I love the olives here, as well as the dried herbs. If you dislike olives, use half the amount of capers. If you dislike capers too, add some feta or another salty cheese before serving. This is a great meal prep recipe and is awesome in school lunch boxes or to bring to the office. If you decide to swap in some stock for some or all of the water, adjust the added salt in case the stock has salt. Remember, be conservative – you can always add more salt later.