Stunning orange-almond tart.

Having company for dinner on Saturday night gave me the perfect excuse to fuss. Except I didn’t. Let me explain: I love the planning and execution of making a great meal in equal measure. I love …

Read More ›

Holiday food gift: fig-thyme jam.

For several deeply held reasons, I am attempting to scale back the scope of Christmas (at least the spending and gifting parts of Christmas) in favor of a quieter, simpler, more loving approach. Because I have …

Read More ›

Avoiding kitchen disasters.

Even accomplished home cooks feel the pressure of preparing a big feast for family and friends on Thanksgiving Day. It’s a perfect storm of anxieties: Beloved traditions, high expectations, a huge menu and a big crowd …

Read More ›

Walnut blue cheese spread.

I’ve had a request to bring this walnut-blue cheese spread to Thanksgiving—again (it’s THAT good)—so I thought I’d share the recipe—again. I originally spotted this easy recipe on the blog Homesick Texan, and I doctored it a …

Read More ›