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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When the weather starts to heat up nothing is better than nice, cold cucumbers. So mild, crisp and freshening on a hot day. They just seem to scream, “Summer!”
With so many different varieties out there it’s nice to explore new ways of preparation. They’re not just for salads! My ultimate favorite is the lemon [...]

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I have a bit of Irish running through my blood so genetically I love potatoes. Baked, gratin, mashed, fried, hash browned, and I will even admit it, Tater Tots.
Tonight we’re barbecuing with our friends and nothing goes better with ribs than a good potato salad (and corn bread and coleslaw, but Irish girl here is [...]

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