Nothing screams summer barbecue like a good old fashioned cheese burger. But since the price of beef has increased it’s nice to have another tasty and satisfying alternative. Many people wrinkle their noses at the thought of a turkey burger, as they are usually dry, boring and uninspiring. I’m hoping to change that perception - [...]

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Who ever thought of grilling lettuce? I certainly never had. I thought we only ate it in salads and on sandwiches and such. Shows how much this foodista knows!

The first time I had grilled Romaine lettuce was at the French Laundry, Thomas Keller’s famous restaurant in Yountville, California. If memory serves, it was a called [...]

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You’ve had a long hard day, haven’t you? You’re hungry, you’ve worked your tail off, and the last thing you want to do is slave over dinner. I know the feeling. It’s days like this when all I want to do is veg out in front of the evening news with a nice glass of [...]

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Unless you have some fancy-schmancy dinner party planned, I find it best to go to the farmer’s market with nary a menu in mind, and let the recently harvested fruits and veggies dictate what I’ll be serving. Coming home with my fresh loot, I spread everything on the counter, take a step back, and look [...]

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One of my favorite light summer dinners to make is refreshing gazpacho. This chilled soup is sure to quickly soothe an overly hot body. The recipes that I prefer are those without bread, making them lighter and healthier (especially if you’re dieting).
This recipe is from my mother’s friend, Vicki Sebastiani, founder of Viansa Winery in [...]

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You can’t have tapas without having a good sausage or two, and the two that top my list are cantipalitos and morcilla.
Cantipalitos are little red sausages with smoked paprika - an essential ingredient in Spanish cooking - and garlic (among a few other things). They are smoky sweet with a nice garlic tang, and are [...]

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There’s something so gratifying in growing your own food. Not only does it taste better, but it’s such a wonderful feeling to “forage” for your dinner.
The weather in Seattle has been less than perfect. With March-like rain and temperatures, my poor tomatoes sit in their well-watered pots, yearning to produce, and farmer’s market favorites such [...]

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Kids have it so easy today. They get shuttled to school in cushy SUVs with Sponge Bob playing on the DVD player (my brother and I cross-country skied 2 miles to the bus stop in the winter).
Their toys are impeccably scrutinized by safety officials (we threw lawn darts and chewed on lead-full toys).
They’re safely strapped [...]

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I’ve been painting my kitchen all weekend. And if you’ve never taken on the task of painting a room, let me tell you something, hire someone. Or at least know what you’re getting yourself into. I took a look at our kitchen and cockily exclaimed, “Psh, I can totally do this myself!” And I did [...]

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Flowers enhance food in both an alluring and fun way. They give a romantic dinner a sensual touch, or add a bit of playfulness with a surprising splash of color. Best of all, there’s that little “lift” of fragrance that’s unbeatable.
My favorite is to toss in a small amount of nasturtiums or pansies to a [...]

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