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  • The Chopping Blog

Red Beans and Rice: A Louisiana Favorite

I'm back with another bean edition! I have such a variety of beans stocked up that I might as well pop in every so often with a new bean recipe for you. Legumes have been a big part of my heritage, ...

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Birthday Cake Pancakes

Birthdays were always special in my house growing up. I managed to draw out the celebration and enjoyed the whole month rather than just one day! I got to choose what we had for dinner, and usually ...

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Matcha Cheesecake Brownies: Recipe Testing Adventure

One of the coolest parts of my job is being able to test new recipes and make sure they work to fit the needs of our classes and events. I love being able to take a recipe that I have never made ...

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Rainbow Bagels

One of the only things that can make bagels better than they already are is by making them rainbow colored! Bagels are one of those foods that most people are intimidated by and overestimate the ...

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Sunday is for Braising

Braising and slow cooking are among my favorite cooking methods. These dishes are full of deep rich flavor, typically come together in one pot, and utilize an array of inexpensive cuts of meat. When ...

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Your New Favorite Buttercream Recipe

Swiss meringue buttercream is always my go-to buttercream for cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and everything in between. It has a silky smooth, soft, fluffy texture, which makes it so easy to work with. ...

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Pigs in a Blank-et Spaces with We Are Never Ever Getting Back to Cheddar Chili Dip for Super Bowl

Love football? Love Taylor Swift? Either way, this one’s for you!

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Gluten-Free Korean Fried Chicken

Sweet and spicy, crispy and crunchy, savory and scrumptious. These are the words that describe the epic Korean fried chicken my husband and I made last weekend. Everyone in my family loves fried ...

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The Best Gluten-Free Pizza

Are you tired of settling for lackluster gluten-free pizza options that leave you wanting more? Does the dough taste like a flavorless cracker that falls apart by just looking at it? Well, get ready ...

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Don't Have a Pasta Machine? Make Chiusoni

Pasta Workshop is one of my favorite classes to teach at The Chopping Block. Students are always so engaged in the pasta making and want to continue on with it outside of the classroom. Since most ...

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Orange Crisps

“Citrus Season” is considered to be December through April, so we are smack in the midst of it right now – and does my kitchen ever show it! We have everything from Clementines and Ruby Red ...

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Sous Vide and What It’s All About

With sous vide becoming a more accessible kitchen tool, I feel it is often seen as the one method home cooks should use to cook anything, and the truth is, it isn’t. While you technically could cook ...

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Cheese Sauce 2.0: Sodium Citrate

Have you ever attempted making cheese sauce at home and found it to be a bit of a kitchen challenge? In a world where gluten allergies are on the rise, using a roux isn’t always my go to. And often ...

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Liquid Gold: Cooking with Tallow

In a previous blog, Making Sense of Cooking Fats, I briefly touch on one of my favorite fats for cooking: tallow. Tallow is rendered beef fat from the kidney and other fatty areas of the steer. ...

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Dumplings for a Crowd

Dumplings, sweet or savory filled packages of yumminess, can be found in pretty much every corner of the world. From Polish pierogi to Korean mandu to Spanish empanadas to Italian ravioli, dumplings ...

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Cinnamon Roll Holiday Snowflake

My childhood Christmases and New Year's mornings were practically sponsored by the scent of cinnamon rolls. It was the kind of tradition that set the tone for a day filled with joy and holiday ...

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Warming and Hearty Tex-Mex Beef Chili

This won’t be your traditional Texas style chili, but it will contain all of the same rich and spicy flavors you would expect from such. My Tex-Mex chili follows the techniques and flavor profiles of ...

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Kolaczki for your Christmas Cookie Tray

The holiday season is in full swing, and that means Christmas cookies! This time of year always brings me back to being a little kid, baking cookies with my mom. Every year we make a variety of ...

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A Taste of Tuscany: Duck Ragu

After reading Andrea’s most recent blog, and living vicariously through her epic Cook Like a Tuscan culinary tour, I am super inspired by all things Tuscan right now. Plus, Italian food has a special ...

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Cozy December Delights: Easy Meals for Chilly Nights

As December unfolds in the Midwest, the landscape transforms into a winter wonderland, painting everything in shades of white. The chilly air invites us to seek comfort and warmth, not just from ...

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Roasted Pears for Salads or Just Snacks

Last week was Thanksgiving and amidst all the “favorites” and “must haves” I usually like to slide in a little something fun and different. This year it was a salad with a whole roasted pear half ...

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Holiday Chinese 5 Spice Candied Nuts

When the holiday season approaches, I always get plenty of use out of my home kitchen. One tradition that I hold dear is crafting batches of Chinese 5 Spice Candied Nuts. Whether destined for the ...

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Spice Up Your Kitchen Gadget Collection with a FinaMill

I feel like there are two types of people in the kitchen – those that love gadgets and those that keep kitchen gadgets to a minimum. My kitchen drawers would definitely disclose that I love kitchen ...

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The Anatomy of Pie Crust

My passion for pie started at a very young age. My grandmother Ruby was a pie aficionado - her chocolate pie was hands down the best I ever tasted, somehow intense with chocolate, yet light as a ...

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Fluffy Southern-Style Biscuits

You can never have enough recipes for biscuits, in my opinion. It’s always worth trying out a new batch of delicious flaky pillows of butter-filled dough. As we enter the holiday season, I’ve also ...

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Cinnamon Apple Crisp: The Perfect Fall Dessert

It wouldn’t be fall without an apple dessert! I love a good apple pie (especially The Chopping Block's), but sometimes I don't want to fuss with pie dough. This recipe gives you everything you know ...

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Between a Squash and a Hard Place: Fritters to Save your Thanksgiving

As a home cook, I am often asked about my Thanksgiving menu. This is the holiday that is known for marathon cooking (and eating) sessions. My inner chef should be elated with all the details that go ...

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How to Cook with Persimmons

I’m a persimmon newbie. This time of year, my grocery store stocks persimmons, and every year I eye them thinking this is the year I’ll finally try them. This has seriously been going on for at least ...

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Falling for Flavor: Irresistible Appetizers to Spice Up Your Season

Fall brings with it a symphony of colors, and what better way to complement the season than with delicious fall appetizers that tantalize your taste buds? In this post, we'll dive into the heart of ...

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Savory Stuffed Pumpkins for All of Fall

I struggle with Halloween party food. I know it’s supposed to be a time to embrace the tacky (as Executive Chef/Owner Lisa Counts likes to remind me), but as I scoured Pinterest looking for something ...

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Real Caramel Apples

Caramel apples have come a long way since I was a kid. Back then, caramel apples were for Halloween and nothing else.

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Scary Good Brownies

Trick or Treat? Treats, please! Halloween is just around the corner. While I’ve seen lots of Halloween festivities in the past few weeks, this coming weekend is when the majority of Halloween parties ...

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Low Waste Cooking: Veg Stock and Carrot Ginger Soup

Trying to minimize waste in a home kitchen can be a difficult task. As we prioritize convenience in our daily lives, we end up disposing of plenty of usable and delicious ingredients. And the kicker ...

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Burnt by Choice: Allium Alchemy

In all my culinary career, few techniques offer the depth and complexity that burnt allium provides. Burnt allium is the practice of charring allium family members like onions, garlic, and shallots ...

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Cinnamon Rolls for Holiday Breakfasts

As the holidays approach us, I've been getting in the mood to start making my favorite desserts. In my family, we always make cinnamon rolls to enjoy for breakfast or really any time of the day.

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Double Double Baked Potatoes

Growing up in the 1980s, one the fanciest side dishes you could get in a restaurant was a double baked potato. Maybe it wasn’t the fanciest but to a little Midwestern picky eater kid, it was the end ...

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The Perfect Autumn Comfort: Butternut Squash Mac-n-Cheese

Last month, my husband and I dropped our daughter off for her first year of college at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. It’s been a great experience so far with all of the clubs and ...

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The Benefits of Curry

Curry isn't just delicious; it also offers several health benefits. Many of the spices used in curry, like turmeric, ginger, and cumin are packed with antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory ...

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Hot Steel Cut Oatmeal – Fast

Many see the onset of cooler weather as ringing in soup season – and count me as one of those many! But when my feet hit that cold floor first thing in the morning, soup isn’t on my mind as much as a ...

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Gluten Free Pâte à Choux

Gluten free baking has been on my mind a lot recently. Not because I’m gluten free myself. Personally I believe gluten is a miracle protein with attributes so close to magic that all the powers of ...

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Apple Pie Eggrolls

I always look forward to Autumn, when the weather gets cooler, I can get out my boots, throw on some flannel, and enjoy all my favorite fall activities. At the top of my list of fall activities is ...

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Dough Isn’t (that) Scary

If you’re anything like me, maybe you’ve said things such as, “I’m a good cook but not really a baker” or, “I just don’t have the patience to make bread.” Now, maybe there’s some truth behind this, ...

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Welcome Fall with Red Wine Braised Beef Short Ribs

Fall is right around the corner, and nothing is better than eating cozy meals on a chilly night. There is something so special about short ribs. They seem fancy, yet they are so simple and easy to ...

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Searching for Scallops

Just one of the perks of living in the Panhandle of Florida is the close proximity to bays where oysters and scallops are harvested. One of my favorite late summer activities is to go to Cape San ...

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Diving into a Valid Tea Leaf Salad

Last month, I started to dive into the world of Burmese cooking. Have you tried my egg curry recipe yet? I got very excited to plummet gracefully from an elevated platform of knowledge with a ...

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Deep into Quiche

In the realm of quiche discussions, there are those who begin with a clever quip about what Real Men eat, and then there’s me, who is more bothered by the perpetual resurfacing of that maxim than the ...

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3-Ingredient Homemade Hot Sauce

This summer has been a great growing season for our habanero and jalafuego plants, and they have produced quite a bit of fruit. Fortunately, hot chilies are extremely versatile, but if you’re a chili ...

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Lemon Posset: Newest Internet Fad

You know I love a good food trend like butter boards but have you seen the lemon custard that has been sweeping across the internet? For the past few months, I have seen different variations of ...

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Cook Off Book

In case you haven’t realized yet, I write a lot of recipes—for clients, my newsletter, blogs, and for my own use. If I had to guess, I’ve written somewhere in the neighborhood of about 800 recipes ...

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A Lighter Eggplant Parmigiana

I love eggplant parmigiana, and with eggplants being in abundance this time of year, I’ve found myself absolutely craving the dish. However, I wanted a simpler preparation, something that didn’t ...

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Copycat Luxardo Cherries

Cocktails are back in popularity and here to stay. Our cocktail classes and wine classes are proof of that - people love to drink but not just because of the effect of the alcohol. Our students love ...

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Got Blueberries? Make Lemon Blueberry Buckle

Last year, I told you all about my annual girl’s trip to Maine with my mom. This year, since we were adding a baby, my daughter Scarlett, we decided to stay a bit closer to Chicago. We settled on New ...

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Brown Sugar Oatmeal Cast Iron Cookie

They say necessity is the mother of invention, now I know I didn’t invent the cast iron cookie, but I’d imagine whoever did was in a situation similar to my own: I don’t have a baking sheet.

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Tangzhong: The Japanese Secret to the Fluffiest Bread

It was some years back… I was running a kitchen for a brewery on Chicago's Northside, where crafting savory dishes was my forte. Baking bread? Not my usual gig.

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Butternut Squash Breakdown

When it comes to knife skills, one of the more difficult items to approach are dense gourds of awkward shapes and sizes. Today we will tackle and breakdown a large butternut squash and talk about ...

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Biscochitos: Traditional New Mexican Cookies

My love of New Mexican food is no secret. I try to eat all of the chiles (New Mexico's state vegetable) each time I visit, and my recent trip was no exception. I enjoyed a delicious green chile ...

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Fearless Egg Curry

If I were to ever utter any regrets about my life, it would be the years I wasted being a picky eater. My remorse comes into play when I think of the doors that I never opened when I’d be given the ...

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The Greatest Carnival Food

Earlier this week, I spent a day at the Great Amusement Park. I was honestly surprised at how few people over the age of 30 there were. Weren’t other parents taking their kids? I mean, don’t they ...

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Pupusas: A Culinary Adventure

Writing a monthly blog is a great opportunity for me to further my culinary education. I really enjoy trying new recipes from different cultures in order to expand my knowledge, but also just because ...

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DIY Stroopwafels

My very first encounter with Stroopwafels was on my flight to New Zealand eight years ago. I had never heard of such a snack before. So, when the flight attendant said peanuts or waffle, I jumped at ...

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Dan Dan Noodles Made Easy: Unraveling the Sichuan Magic

Virtual cooking classes offer a gateway to a world of culinary exploration, where you can learn how to cook and unlock your inner chef. In addition to the many delightful dishes you can learn to ...

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Kvass: Sweet, Refreshing and Good for your Gut

By now we’ve all heard of the benefits of good bacteria in our body’s micro biome and the wonder it does for effective digestion and overall gut health. We’ve had the kombucha, the yogurt and the ...

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Building a Better Kabob

Growing up, I spent summers at Sebec Lake visiting my grandparents and cousins. I remember sitting on the porch shucking corn and shelling peas, nightly boat rides, family dinners on the porch, and ...

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Ditch the Potato Salad: 3 Easy Grilled Sides to Bring to your Next BBQ

The summer is far from over and with plenty of sunny days and warm weather ahead, we can expect plenty more barbeques and backyard bashes with friends and family in the next few months.

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Strawberry Memories Inspire Mascarpone Cake

Strawberries must be one of the most popular fruits. It is a rare occasion when we have a student who says they don’t like strawberries. If we put a strawberry-focused recipe or class on our class ...

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Back to Basics: Reading Recipes

Odds are if you are follow The Chopping Blog, you either like to cook, are looking for inspiration or are one of my relatives. There is an assumption that most of us reading these blogs are familiar ...

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Couscous from Scratch

I was preparing a curry with a Moroccan leaning. Everyone’s Favorite Grocery Store had no couscous (?) except for pearled/Israeli couscous of which it had two kinds (?). I wanted fine couscous, so of ...

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Falafel-Bulgur Burgers: A Mediterranean-Inspired Meat-Free Option

I love a charred juicy cheeseburger with all the fixin’s, but every once and a while it’s nice to have a healthy, meat-free alternative. Most people, when they think of vegetarian burger options, ...

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Peschi Dolci: Sweet Peach Cookies

Growing up Sicilian, we knew how to party! It seemed every weekend we attended some sort of a special event or get together. I remember frequenting different banquet halls all throughout Illinois and ...

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Embrace Freshness with Zucchini & Corn Pasta: Farmer's Market Delight

As summer rolls around, farmers markets come alive with vibrant displays of fresh produce. It's the perfect time to explore creative recipes that make the most of these locally grown ingredients.

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Sweet Scarlett’s Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake

It’s summer and as far as I’m concerned, there’s no better time for all things strawberry rhubarb (my mom would agree!). I’ve picked strawberries for as long as I can remember. But I’m taking a break ...

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A Love Letter to Aquafaba

Finding ways to minimize waste in the kitchen is not only great for the environment, but it can be great for your wallet too. As a chef, some of these small changes can really make a difference in ...

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Pretty and Easy Zucchini

Zucchini season is upon us once again, and I’d like to share with you my go-to ways to prepare it. It’s easy and versatile and the char on the zucchini makes it pretty enough to serve to company. It ...

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The Best Ways to Cool Off This Summer

Summer is here, temperatures are rising, and we are all scrambling for something cold to cool us off. Frozen desserts fly off the shelves at our grocery stores, but why not make some yourself at ...

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From Scratch Barbeque Sauce

I have come to notice that many of the barbeque sauce recipes I’ve come across online consist of mainly a few ingredients. They’ll contain basic condiments, some sugar, and a couple of spices. These ...

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Key Lime Pie for the Summer Dessert Win

Summer is all about having fun and enjoying good food. And what better way to do that than with an easy, delicious recipe for any occasion? One of my favorite desserts for the season is Key Lime Pie!

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Low Country Boil Meets The Midwest

The beginning of summer is probably one of the most challenging times for me when it comes to meal preparation. My days are overwhelmed adjusting to the change of routine that inevitably comes with ...

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Beef Jerky Three Ways - What's the Winner?

Whether you're on a road trip, hiking in the mountains, or just need a quick protein boost, beef jerky is the perfect snack to satisfy your hunger and keep you going. It's a great source of protein, ...

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Preserve Rhubarb with Mostardo

During the growing season, there are some crops I’m happy to see arrive at local markets. I buy them and serve a nice meal incorporating them or featuring them. Zucchini, for one. Then there are ...

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Restaurant Redemption: Grilled Salmon Caesar Salad

A couple months ago my husband and I set out to see the funk band Lettuce, and grabbed a bite to eat beforehand. I didn’t want to be bogged down by a heavy meal and I love salads with a protein, so I ...

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Stuffed Fresno Chiles: A Versatile Filling for Your Next Party

It all started with me needing to clean out my fridge. I had Fresno chilis that were about to go bad, ground beef that was starting to oxidize… what was I going to do? I have had stuffed peppers on ...

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Zucchini Pie (aka Mock Apple Pie)

Zucchini season is just around the corner and with that comes the inevitable mass quantities of it. If you are a gardener, you know exactly what I am talking about. Us gardeners are coupled with the ...

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How to Build your own Recipes

Once you’ve honed a few keys techniques and have had success executing some delicious or more elaborate recipes at home, it’s time you start building some of your own tasty creations! This is how you ...

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A Simply Delicious Lesson in Tarts

Tarts are one of the most versatile and delightful desserts you can make at home. They are easy to prepare, elegant to serve, and can be filled with almost anything you like. But do you know where ...

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How to Use Harissa or How Can You Not Use Harissa?

I've had a hankering for harissa lately. The spicy and aromatic chile paste that is widely used in Middle Eastern and North African cooking adds a kick of spice to any meal, from soups and stews to ...

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Treat Mom to an Elegant Brunch this Mother’s Day

Did you forget to make brunch reservations this Mother’s Day? Don’t worry, because you’re going to learn how to make an impressive restaurant-quality brunch that will have the special mom in your ...

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Dessert for One Please

I always want something sweet after dinner to complete my meal and to satisfy my sweet tooth. There are many times that there is no dessert in the house to get me that sweet satisfaction. But I ...

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Beans in the Raw

A popular question that I get from many home cooks is whether or not it's worth it to take the time to soak and prepare beans from raw instead of just using canned beans. Canned beans are a wonderful ...

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Rosé Sangria: A Perfect Springtime Drink

As the temperatures start to rise and the flowers begin to bloom, it's the perfect time to enjoy a refreshing and light cocktail. Sangria is an ideal springtime drink that's sure to impress your ...

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A Taste of Greece at Home

When I left Greece last fall, I came home with a suitcase full of Greek ingredients. What better way to put them to use than to cook for my travel partner on that trip Cheryl and her life partner ...

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Spring Green Superfood Salad

Nine times out of ten, my lunches consist of a vegetable and/or grain salad topped with protein. I know that may sound boring, but trust me when I say it’s delicious and full of variety. It’s a ...

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Easy Eggplant Involtini

My husband and I love eggplant, and I never tire of finding different ways to prepare it. “Involtini” translates to “rolls” or “little bundles,” and I think I’ve truly fallen in love with these ...

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How to Make Authentic German Krapfen

Every once in a while, I get a call for help from my dear friend Carol Himmel and when she calls, I jump. Carol is always helping others, donating her time, energy, resources and attention so when ...

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Holiday Baking Traditions

Growing up in a Sicilian household, we had numerous different holiday traditions. In my family, we had Feast of the Seven Dishes for Christmas Eve, Zeppole for St. Joseph’s Day, lentils for New ...

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Carrot and Coconut Soup

The Midwest will just not let its grip off this cold weather, and while I enjoy soup 365 days a year, I also want something light and spring-like this time of year.

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Classic Potatoes Anna Gets a Simpler Makeover

Cuisine doesn't get any more classical French than Potatoes Anna. This was one of the recipes included in Auguste Escoffier's cookbook published in 1902 and named "Pommes de Terre Anna." If you ...

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