One of the most relaxing things for me after a long day is to change out of the clothes I’ve been wearing all day into some comfy loungewear (or PJs), tie my hair back, and set to work in the kitchen. One of the easiest and most rewarding things to make is a whole roast…

The year I got married also saw many other weddings among our close friends as well as the first big, splashy royal wedding in a while. Yes, it was the same year Will & Kate wed. 2011 really was the year of weddings in my world! I remember rushing home from work on that Friday…

Sometimes the best meals in life come from family and familial events. It’s not that the food itself was the best. It could be quite plain and rather ordinary, really, but it’s the fond memories tied to the dish or meal that make it extraordinary. When my brother and I were kids, family gatherings in…

Salad-in-a-jar is definitely not a “new” thing, but I always took it for an absurd fad. Why on earth,” I thought, “would someone need to put their salad, dressing and all, in a jar to carry it to work for lunch?” And, “Wouldn’t the salad get wilted and soggy by lunchtime?” I couldn’t fathom that…

My recent dealings with the veggie-packed polentas have inspired me to fill more days and shopping carts and plates with fresh produce. I like veggies as a rule, but I think I just needed that push to bring them to the forefront better after the comfort-food-era better known as Winter. I really need to get…

There is a sense of pure Spring wonder that emanates from peas. The plump, verdant orbs burst with sweet earthiness, but not the kind of hard, dormant earthiness you get from beets. It is the lively, fresh kind that you can’t resist digging your fingers into. The same goes for asparagus. It’s bright and clean…