Gwyneth Paltrow gets a bad rap. A lot of which, I think, is caused by her affinity for trying new things. It also seems to have something to do with how good she is at the new things she tries. Maybe it’s our inner middle schooler feeling insecure or snarky, but it seems like whenever she tackles…

A month or two ago, Cooking Light featured a great article on salads. This might seem like a bit of an oxymoron, but it was pretty interesting. It showed groups of ingredients that played well together. Most of these combinations weren’t earth shattering, but for me, they worked more like a reminder. “Oh yeah, I…

I’ve been eyeing this cookbook  for a while now. My husband likes to say I stalk my purchases. Instead of impulsively buying something, I like to visit it – often. I’m particularly guilty of this when it comes to cookbooks. Looking them over carefully, reading the recipes and glancing at the pictures, I take my time determining if they’re worthy of coming…

A week or so ago, I started making this salad. I served it with these potatoes and a rotisserie chicken from the store. No big deal, right? That’s what I thought too. Fresh, seasonal strawberries are the star of this dish. The tangy balsamic vinegar and goat cheese are a nice complement to the sweetness of the berries.…

My husband has a host of vegetables he doesn’t like, and mushrooms top the list. Last week, he was out-of-town for work, so I did what I usually do when he’s gone, cook something he’d hate. And let me tell you, he really missed out on this one. I slowly sautéed cremini mushrooms with a chopped shallot…

This last weekend, the husband and I went to my hometown to see my parents. Over the course of our trip, Keegan played tech guru and set up my parents Blu-ray. We introduced them to Pandora and subsequently, Adele and the Dougie. If you’ve met my mom, you know we’re a lot alike. We both love…

Tonight, I had plans to make this couscous. Lucky for you, I was overcome with a bout of laziness. The thought of roasting butternut squash seemed like too much work, so I rooted around my fridge and came up with this Spanish-inspired couscous. The mixture of spicy olives and arugula plays nicely with sweet notes…

This weekend, I had the privilege of hosting a  Sip & See with some friends for Megan and her new son, Tate. I had never heard of a Sip & See before, but I’ve been told it’s a Southern tradition. Basically, it’s like a shower, but instead of having it before the baby arrives, you host it after the baby is here.  Just by looking…

Last week, the blog Cupcakes & Cashmere posted the most delicious recipe for a sandwich.* The husband and I tried it on Saturday with some soup. It was delicious. Completely smitten with the flavor combination, I used the same ingredients to modify Ellie Krieger’s pita pizzas the next day.  The resulting dish was easy and elegant. I think…

Couscous is a great blank canvas for a variety of ingredients. Lately, I’ve been adding toasted almonds, dried cherries, goat cheese and roasted butternut squash to mine. This weeknight side is easy to put together and could serve as your main dish. We’ve been eating ours with tilapia.