For Hanukkah, for a sweet breakfast, for any reason: Chocolate-filled Challah

Semi-sweet chocolate and brown sugar add a delicious twist to challah, a traditional Jewish braided bread, creating an almost dessertlike loaf.

Chocolate-filled Challah

THE HOLIDAYS ARE OVERLAPPING AGAIN. This year, Hanukkah begins at sundown on December 22, just two days before Christmas Eve. Lucky for you, this chocolate-filled challah is a delicious, impressive, dessertlike bread you can make to celebrate everyone. You’ll find the recipe—and variations on a theme—right here.

Simple holiday treats for the win: Hazelnut Rosemary Jam Cookies

The humble, traditional thumbprint cookie gets a mysterious upgrade with fresh rosemary. Recipe below.

Hazelnut Rosemary Jam Cookies
THE HOLIDAYS ARE UPON US. And that means having something to take to a holiday party. Something to serve at your holiday party. Or something to bring out when unexpected guests turn up. These Hazelnut Rosemary Jam Cookies do that in spades, with nice subtle flavors that will have people asking for the recipe. You’ll find it right here.

Cook, enjoy, repeat: Braised Chicken with Artichokes and Olives

Chicken drumsticks and thighs turn into an easy-to-cook, big-flavored braise with bacon, marinated artichoke hearts, olives, garlic and lemon juice and zest.

Braised Chicken with Artichokes and Olives

WE’RE NOW ENTERING OUR FOURTEENTH YEAR OF DOING BLUE KITCHEN. That’s, give or take, with a new recipe almost every week, a lot of recipes. Some new recipes immediately get added to our go-to list and show up on our table again and again. Others, no matter how delicious, get unfairly forgotten. Like this one. Continue reading “Cook, enjoy, repeat: Braised Chicken with Artichokes and Olives”

Eating, drinking, walking and museuming our way through Mexico City

Ciudad de Mexico

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]W[/su_dropcap]e were in Mexico City recently. Ciudad de México, CDMX. On our return, a colleague asked me what we’d done. I said, “We drank mezcal and ate bugs.” Totally true. We also did other things. Continue reading “Eating, drinking, walking and museuming our way through Mexico City”

Step aside, tofurkey: Kasha Mushroom Cheese Casserole has vegetarian guests covered

Layers of kasha, mushroom-Parmesan sauce, spinach and cheeses bake into a delectable vegetarian main course for Thanksgiving—or for any wintry night. Recipe below.

Kasha Mushroom Cheese Casserole

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]W[/su_dropcap]e always seem to have at least one vegetarian at our Thanksgiving table. So we’re always looking for a delicious main course dish that doesn’t leave the vegetarians in our life feeling second best. And more specifically, that isn’t tofurkey. Continue reading “Step aside, tofurkey: Kasha Mushroom Cheese Casserole has vegetarian guests covered”

Three get-dinner-done-now helpers we love

Trader Joe’s Mahi Mahi Burgers

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]W[/su_dropcap]e’re here because we like to cook. So are you. But sometimes cooking is less about fun recipes or new techniques, and more about getting a healthyish dinner on the table quickly and with minimal effort. Here are three store-bought foods that help us do just that. Continue reading “Three get-dinner-done-now helpers we love”

Hospitality baked in a hotel pan: Texas Sheet Cake with Pistachios

Texas sheet cake, a Lone Star State tradition, is big and generous and easy to make. Here, we dress it up with pistachios and Himalayan pink salt. Recipe—and substitutions—below.

Texas Sheet Cake
Texas Sheet Cake with Pistachios

SO IT TURNS OUT TEXAS SHEET CAKE IS A THING. Over the weekend, I was rumbling around on the intertubes, looking for something to bake but not anything complicated, like a Napoleon, or annoying, like (grinding teeth) cookies. And this is when I stumbled over a thing millions—literally millions—of Americans already know: Texas sheet cake. Continue reading “Hospitality baked in a hotel pan: Texas Sheet Cake with Pistachios”

Dessert? Dinner? Five recipes show how dried tart cherries do both

Ricotta Chevre Cake

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]L[/su_dropcap]ast week’s scone recipe left us with a surplus of dried tart cherries—and a reminder of how deliciously versatile they are. Here are five ways you can use dried cherries, some sweet, some savory. Continue reading “Dessert? Dinner? Five recipes show how dried tart cherries do both”

Autumnal, rustic and offhandedly impressive: Walnut and Boozy Cherry Scones

Dried tart cherries are plumped in bourbon, then baked into easy-to-make, not-too-sweet scones. Recipe below.

Walnut and Boozy Cherry Scones

SCONES ARE THE PERFECT BAKED DESSERT for someone who doesn’t bake much and prefers baked goods that aren’t too overly sweet. In other words, me. Continue reading “Autumnal, rustic and offhandedly impressive: Walnut and Boozy Cherry Scones”

Not French, but sort of French: Braised Duck Legs with Sauerkraut and Apple

Duck legs are braised in a mix of sauerkraut, apples and shallots for a rustic, satisfying, cold weather meal. Recipe below.

Braised Duck Legs with Sauerkraut and Apple

THE FRANCOPHILE IS AT IT AGAIN. This recipe is not authentically French or even French-inspired, but built from French longing. It started when my colleague Brian brought some chocolate confections back from Paris. Continue reading “Not French, but sort of French: Braised Duck Legs with Sauerkraut and Apple”