For those of you who want to make jambalaya, gumbo, or other Cajun favorites, look for two-inch okra in your local farmers' markets. Mid-to-late August is prime okra time here in the South, and you need to pick through the piles of fresh okra and get the smallest ones you can find. Large okra can ...
Shooting a Cooking Video
I thought writing a cookbook was hard – then I discovered what it takes to shoot eleven cooking videos in one day! On Thursday, July 19th I had the opportunity to display my cooking skills for an eight hour video shoot with a young filmmaker named Juan Ossa, and his assistant, Natasha Yakimenko. How ...
Pasta with Bolognese Sauce
Every Italian family makes its own version of “Sunday gravy.” This recipe could have just as easily gone in my sausage chapter, but the consistency of the ground meat in the sauce stands out more than the sausage does. A couple of ingredients may give you pause, but please use them. The bread ...
Chicken Pomodoro
In this recipe, I made a bow to traditional chicken recipes by cooking the cutlets first. However, unlike real chicken, the analogue cutlets cook in just two to three minutes on each side. Take the cutlets off the heat and let them rest on a plate while you make the simple, delicious sauce, which ...
Cannellini Chorizo Stew
This recipe will take you about fifteen minutes to prepare and assemble before you leave for work. Your efforts will be rewarded when you walk in the door knowing that all you have to do is wash and slice the spinach, sauté the sausages, make a salad, and dinner will be on the table. You can use ...
Bangers and Mash
My meatless version earned a 9.5 from my carnivore hubby! Bangers and Mash is a classic British dish. Even if you’re not a Brit, what carnivore wouldn’t love a huge mound of creamy mashed potatoes, topped with a sausage or two? Talk about the ultimate comfort food! When I started researching ...
Brazilian Feijoada
Feijoada has been a staple in my culinary repertoire ever since I was introduced to the dish by Frances Moore Lappé in her seminal book, Diet for a Small Planet. It seemed exotic to me as a teen, and the hearty flavor of the beans was very satisfying on a brisk autumn evening. I’ve made many ...
Sweet n’ Sour Cabbage with Kielbasa
Since my father was Hungarian and I grew up in Cleveland, I enjoy making many delicious dishes from Hungary, Poland, Russia, Austria, and other eastern European countries. The trouble is that most of them are very meat-centric! Here’s my new slow cooker take on an old classic. This is a ...
