Everyone (including my co-blogger/griller extraordinaire) touts polenta as this amazingly tasty, healthy, quick dish.  Up until last week, I thought it was just too good to be true.  Every time I’ve tried to make it, it’s taken on the consistency of what I imagine brick layers use to slap houses together (ok, full disclosure: I’ve [...]

Welcome to Karen, our first guest blogger!  Karen will be writing a three part series on making the shift from processed food to whole food. Karen is a blogger of Test Drive Kitchen where she tests and reviews quick & easy healthy recipes for the family. Currently, Karen is enjoying the full time job of being [...]

My friend K is not only one of the best home cooks I know, but she is also far and away the most resourceful cook ever. She was canning before it was trendy, finds deals on craigslist like a champ, and can tell you the best price on any esoteric food ingredient in the city. [...]

Gonna make this garden grow… assuming I don’t kill it first. Last year I planted some oregano, basil, thyme, sage, and cilantro in a couple containers on my deck.  I honestly didn’t think they’d make it through the season.  My thumbs could not be less green.  But low and beyond… they not only lived, but [...]

Sometimes I make a dish and can’t believe how good it is.  Like, I’m genuinely shocked that it is good.  Michelle the Food Ruiner still lives in my head even when Michelle the Good Food Maker is at the wheel. I used to be a terrible cook.  I think I’ve mentioned this before.  I once [...]

The last few weeks in DC has been a bit surreal. Maybe it’s the throngs of cherry blossom pilgrims, or the mid-80s and sunny weather, but everyone seems to be wandering around the streets in a blissful, slightly confused daze. It’s hard to believe that only two months ago, we were digging through feet of [...]

Sunday night for dinner I had three things that I desperately wanted to use: 1. Any of the beautiful herbs living on my deck that were ready to be picked.  Most likely oregano or thyme. 2. Cornmeal — I wanted to make polenta.  I have a ton of cornmeal for a reason that I cannot [...]

I was flipping through the most recent edition of Saveur magazine a couple weeks ago when I came upon a recipe for Paskha, a Russian dessert so central to Russian Orthodox Easter celebrations that it is actually named after the holiday (Paskha–> Pascal). I never knew the dish was Russian, but it makes sense. My [...]

Last summer Ona did a post on quinoa.  She used words like “crunchy” and “nutty” and “beige” — all words that made you want to run out and make some quinoa for dinner.  It is a blank slate and is ridiculously good for you, so why not make it for dinner? Because it is really [...]

A few years ago I stumbled upon this fantastic recipe for flourless chocolate cupcakes.  I made them for Passover last year and Passover this year and a few occasions in between because they are technically not a Passover recipe.  They are oh so chocolatey and delicious and dense and chocolatey… grown up cupcakes (no offense [...]