The Chopping Block Cooking Blog

Butternut Squash and Barley Risotto

I love squash – roasted, sautéed, sweet, savory, in a pie, and in risotto. While this risotto is absolutely delicious, it is unlike most traditional risotto recipes. Here we are using pearled ...

Tis the Season for Chai Spiced Pumpkin

I have never been obsessed like some people are with pumpkin spiced lattes, pies, candles and other things of that nature. Don’t get me wrong; I love those flavors all year round, and pumpkin pie ...

Orange Cranberry Bread

When I was a kid, I always knew that we were getting close to Thanksgiving once I smelled my mom’s Orange Cranberry Bread. As the reigning Chopping Block Queen of Quick Breads, I decided that ...

A Customer Appreciation Day Like No Other

I celebrated my 18th anniversary at The Chopping Block this past Monday. 18 years! That means that: I am old. I have been involved in 18 different Customer Appreciation Days over my time at this ...

Spanakopita: Light and Flaky Spinach Pie

I’ll do just about anything to get my kids to eat spinach. Things are obviously a bit crazy in the world right now, and it can be such a battle these days to consistently get veggies in their diet, ...

Build or Buy a Better Grain Bowl

There is nothing I like to eat more than an all-in-one, quick, delicious “bowl” for lunch or dinner. The possibilities are endless when it come to flavor profiles, textures, and what you can mix in. ...

Eating all the Chilies in New Mexico

Every time I visit my sister and brother-in-law in Santa Fe, New Mexico, I insist on eating as many dishes with chilies as possible. I say to them all of the time, "I have to eat all of the chilies!" ...

Waffle It

Toward the end of summer, I had a unique opportunity to help a friend who keeps bees harvest their honey. It was a very special day for me as I have a real interest in keeping bees and this was my ...

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

The crisp fall weather has been great lately. Leaving off the furnace, and letting the cool, gentle breeze blow in through the windows has been so refreshing. And then yesterday, it snowed. Talk ...

Let's Get Squashed

One of the best things about fall being in full swing is the multitude of squash options that become available to spice up our recipe repertoire as the weather gets cooler. Of course, there’s ...