At the center of my pumpkin carving memories is a heaping pile of slimy pumpkin guts tangled with smooth-skinned seeds, which, unfortunately, were always thrown into the trash. But last year I learned how to roast pumpkin seeds (without …
The season is here. The onslaught of pumpkin spice recipes can either be seen as a frightful epidemic (Pumpkin Spice Clorox?!) or the best time of year ( Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes !). Either way, it can be overwhelming, especially i…
Who doesn’t want to bottle up the essence of summer and put it in a jar? You may not be able to pack away the sunshine or lazy holiday afternoons, but you can still savor that juicy peach or perfectly ripe blueberry with one of our 5 eas…
For coffee lovers—and, really, for almost everyone—dropping $5 on a speciality coffee or tea drink is a not-so-unusual occurrence. Maybe even an everyday occurrence. But if you're like me and these little indulgences start to put a strai…
You've done the work of picking the perfect watermelon and hauling it home, despite a weight that is roughly equal to that of a small toddler. Now it's time to enjoy your watermelon. Skip the boring cubes and opt for one of these waterme…
No matter what I've read or been told, there is a part of me that wonders, “Do I really have to wash a few lettuce leaves for my sandwich?” or “Can my kids actually get sick if I give them that non-organic lettuce straight from the packa…
Here in Nashville, we rarely have a summer day that doesn't cross the 90 degree threshold. So when I get home, I'm a lot more likely to be standing in front of the fridge with the door open, enjoying the arctic chill (and, uh, checking o…
During the summer, my kids are outside playing a lot, which is awesome. But when my neighbor's kids were recently sent home from camp because they were dehydrated, I realized that it's easier than I thought for the kids to get overheated…
I'd always heard that the key to keeping berries fresh as long as possible was to keep from washing them until right before eating. It's true that moisture from a quick wash can cause mold to proliferate, but keeping them dirty doesn't e…
In some ways, rhubarb are like ramps: The food world goes crazy for them every spring and summer and, though with good reason, family cooks are left wondering what in the world do I do with this. Fret not feeder of children! You, too, ca…
I love the idea of getting a box of fresh, locally grown produce each week, especially if I have the satisfaction of knowing that I had a hand, even if indirectly, in helping grow each lovely tomato, radish, or head of butter lettuce. An…
I've been so busy that I haven't had time to visit the farmer's market since it's been back in its spring glory. So last weekend, with a couple of hours to spare, I grabbed a stack of reusable bags and my older son (you know, to help hol…
My kids are working their way through their scouting badges, which means we've been spending a lot of time outdoors recently. And I couldn't be happier. On those first excursions into the woods, we stuck to hot dogs on sticks for a simpl…
If the word "vegetarian" strikes fear into your heart—or the hearts of your children—fear not. The recipes in these vegetarian cookbooks are easy, hearty, and (trust me!) seriously good. And these books don't try to convert you to their …
I still remember visiting a friend's house as a teenager and learning that people make salad dressing from scratch. Wonder of wonders! As a child raised on a solid stream of store-bought, low-fat ranch, I had no idea this was even possib…
Summer is coming. The school year is almost over (how'd that happen?), and the burn out is real. I need some easy, healthy dinners I can get on the table quickly to save me from ordering in most nights these days. Because swim suits are …
Well, it was a good run here in the Northeast where, on a few days this winter, our weather was even better than yours, Los Angeles! But the party is over and, as a good number of us settle into seasonably cold temps and brace for winter…
Citrus is widely available throughout the year, which is why we sometimes forget that winter is peak season. If you live in a cold weather climate like I do (California and Florida, humor me for a moment), the invigorating hue of a blood…
I love that, in spite of living in a world where you can get pretty much any food you want at any time you want it, there are still foods and drinks that only come out during a particular season or holiday. Eggnog is one of the best—and …
We always love shopping from indie businesses, but we're especially excited to shop small today in a show of support for Small Business Saturday . When it comes to food and kitchen products, many small, often family-owned, purveyors are …
Thanksgiving is over. You successfully cooked a turkey (or someone in your family did), everyone feasted, and now there are leftovers. Lots and lots of leftovers. Since there are only so many turkey sandwiches a person can take, I found …
Every Thanksgiving I run into the same problem. I'm swamped trying to get our Thanksgiving feast on the table and the kids are restless waiting for the food to be done. There’s only so much parade watching that they can tolerate. And tho…
Thanksgiving is around the corner, which means the task of cooking a turkey is looming ahead for many of us. Roasting is almost always the best option for cooking a Thanksgiving bird because it's easy to do even if you don't cook often (…
Pumpkins look pretty on your stoop or porch through Thanksgiving but, honestly, come November first and I'm done with mine, especially if they've been decorated for Halloween. Instead, I pull out the wreathes and gourdes (fancy!) and use…