The first year Dave and I dated we planted a small lavender plant and a Hood Strawberry plant in his backyard, side by side. Though I had a hunch and hope then that we would be together a long time, I had no idea we would be living in the same house nine years later.
We used to make giardinera back when I worked at Southpark. I think we served it with a charcuterie board, but I loved taking it and adding it to mixed greens for a salad for my shift meal, or just munching on it as is. It was always so refreshing, and had plenty of flavor
I had my first Singapore Sling this year on my birthday. Most sources say the Singapore Sling was developed at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore, but it’s possible it was developed a bit earlier. (Check out this article from Imbibe.) It is a bit sweeter than cocktails I normally select, but so refreshing on a
The first time I made this summer side dish was about ten years ago in my apartment in downtown Portland. I had a balcony with a tiny tabletop grill and could look out towards the city while I cooked. I originally meant for two separate sides of grilled veggies and couscous, but decided to combine
Summer grilling and potluck season is here! As a kid, I always loved my mom’s potato salad, but I quickly learned not all potato salads are created equally. They can be too gloppy, have too much mayo, or just be blah. I don’t remember exactly how my mom made hers, but it was flavorful without
This recipe was inspired by ingredients rather than a particular dish, but it is strongly influenced by my exposure to Moroccan and Middle Eastern recipes. I bought sumac for the first time when I started noticing it in Ottolenghi cookbooks. Sumac is a beautiful red color, and is tangy, without the acidity that citrus has.
Grain salads are a great lunch or side dish. Grains are very nutritious, and full of fiber so they are satiating. Add in some colorful vegetables, sweet and chewy dried apricots, crunchy walnuts, and a zippy vinaigrette, and it makes a dish that is both beautiful and exciting for the palate. For this recipe I
I fell for radicchio salads back in 2007, shortly after I moved to Portland. This is my favorite salad, and I’ve even been known to whip it up for a late night snack after work. Although I don’t make it exactly the same way every time, I follow a pretty close routine. It’s very basic,
This white bean and cabbage soup is extremely basic. I debated whether or not to post it because it’s almost too simple. However, it’s a current favorite, and so good that I’m sharing the recipe anyway. This humble soup is also very inexpensive to make. It’s little more than beans, cabbage, onion, garlic, and bay
This is a dish that seems sort of fancy, but is really super easy, especially if you want to use store-bought pie crust. (No judgement here!) Often times I am inspired by ingredients to create, and the idea for this recipe came while I was enjoying some Face Rock Creamery Vampire Slayer. I was thinking









