Ah, brown butter. Everyone’s favorite food group. Butter is pretty great already, but when you cook it and it gets all nutty and brown, that’s when it becomes the best thing ever. I’m always surprised when a friend asks me what brown butter is. What I want to say is, “Have you been living under a rock?” But what I actually say is more of a waterfall of words telling them how marvelous and life-changing […]
Today I want to share a quick tip that will change the way you eat avocados. I learned about marinating avocados from the California Avocado dinner I attended at EVO last summer. It is so simple, so easy, so perfect that you’ll wonder why you never thought of it yourself! (Or maybe that was just me.) Start with really good, ripe avocados. I like the Hass variety grown in CA. (They are not paying me […]
Last year I decided that I wanted to make a chalkboard to use in my photography. It’s been all the rage and I fell prey to the desire to be part of the trend. So, I bring you my own version of the DIY Chalkboard that I use a lot in my photography and when I’m playing school with my kids. :) I frequent thrift stores because my husband and I are always on […]
Awhile back a friend of mine told me that thyme was a great natural remedy for coughs and colds. I made this Honey Thyme Homemade Cough Syrup to reap the benefits of both honey and thyme in fighting off germs and helping to relieve those uncomfortable symptoms of colds. Health Benefits of Honey and Thyme Over the last 10 years or so I’ve really turned to natural remedies first before I hit the pharmacy. The […]
Cherry season has arrived! Let’s all give a hip-hip-hooray! Today I want to share a tip I learned years ago from The Martha about pitting cherries without one of those handy-dandy cherry pitters. If I had a cherry tree of my own, I’d buy one. But this is good enough for us occasional pitters. How To Pit Cherries Without a Cherry Pitter: If you have a cherry pitter, awesome. If you don’t, allow me to […]
I like poaching chicken because it’s super easy. I’m busy, you’re busy. We’re all busy. Poaching the chicken in a flavorful broth is the way to go because it only takes a few minutes to do. And bonus points because it also works well if you forgot to thaw out the chicken overnight or during the day. You can mix up the herbs and spices here according to what recipe(s) you’ll be making. A 3-4 […]
Cooking dry beans at home in a slow-cooker is much more economical than buying canned beans. Plus–you can infuse the beans with different herbs and spices that will make your bean dishes taste even better. I prefer using my slow-cooker because I find the beans turn out more uniformly cooked and I don’t have to babysit a simmering pot all day. Slow-Cooker White Beans Ingredients: 1 lb. dry white beans (navy or Great Northern) 1 […]
(Forgive my undying love for Gourmet magazine. I’m still sad that it won’t be around after next month. My tributes will continue over the next few weeks, I’m sure.) The first page I opened to in the October 2009 issue of Gourmet showed lovely orange gnocchi with a sprinkling of cheese and dotted with sage leaves. I fell in love and shoved the magazine into my husband’s hands and asked him if he wanted me […]
Wonderful Ingrid left a comment asking the following question regarding ice cream: Lindsey, I have a question…when making the custard do you remove it from the heat as soon as it hits 160 or after it hits 160, coats the back of a spoon, AND you can leave a trail? I know this can be confusing–even if you are a seasoned custard maker. I find that checking the temperature is more accurate than coating the […]
(Click HERE for the updated recipe.) Peppermint Bark Brownies have one of my most asked for and popular recipes. People love these! The idea for Peppermint Bark Brownies came from my friend, Tania, who brought me brownies topped with a layer of melted (and cooled) Andes Mints when I had my second baby. The following Christmas, after making her brownies several times, I decided to try to make brownies with peppermint bark on top instead. […]