Oven dried cherry tomato pesto.

Thanks to some season-long gardening woes, I’m just now harvesting Sun Gold cherry tomatoes. A lot of them. And so I’m making this: Oven-Dried Cherry Tomato Pesto. So easy and so delicious. What do you do with Oven-Dried Cherry Tomato Pesto? It’s great on pasta and in pasta salads. Great spread over grilled fish. Great on turkey sandwiches, grilled cheese or BLTs. Great spooned over sliced tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. Get the recipe over on writes4food.com!

Read More ›

15 summer tomato recipes I’m loving right now.

We’re right in the height of summer tomato season, folks. So in the food blogging world (which is, you know, the only world that matters), it’s time for the listicle of favorite tomato recipes. So here you go: My top 15 summer tomato recipes for all that fresh, glorious, bountiful produce. Get the recipes over on writes4food.com!

Read More ›

Lemon olive oil cake with blueberry compote.

This Lemon Olive Oil Cake couldn’t be any easier (if you don’t have lemon-infused olive oil on hand, use good EVOO). But the Blueberry-Thyme Compote topping makes it extra special. Make this cake your go-to all summer long, varying the compote as different seasonal fruits come along. And if you happen to eat this for breakfast, I won’t judge. Get the recipe over on writes4food.com!

Read More ›

garlicky bean and tomato salad recipe | writes4food.com

Garlicky bean and tomato salad.

This is the perfect thing for lunch (and it would make a great side dish for grilled chicken or steak): beans, cherry tomatoes, herbs, smoked cheese and a couldn’t-be-easier garlicky lemon olive oil dressing. Get the recipe over at writes4food.com!

Read More ›

Beef and cheddar pasta bake.

So, if you’re looking for recipes that will jump-start your healthy eating habits in the new year … well, this is not that recipe. There’s nothing especially virtuous about this Beef and Cheddar Pasta Bake, dietarily speaking—its virtues are purely sensuous: cheesy, comforting goodness. If you recall that recurring menu item from your elementary school cafeteria days, you might think of this as a sort of upgraded version of Johnny Marzetti. I’ve adapted an old Pierre Franey recipe from the 1990s from the New York Times Cooking app—and it’s pretty much what you’re craving on these bitterly cold nights. Add a brightly dressed green salad and a glass of wine, and you’re good to go. Get the recipe on writes4food.com!

Read More ›

Christmas cookie palooza: Salty Marcona almond cookies.

These easy almond cookies are big on flavor, thanks to a salty Marcona almond decorating each one. This is one of my Grandma Dorothy’s old recipes, and its light texture and buttery-almond flavor is perfect for your Christmas cookie assortment. Get the recipe on writes4food.com.

Read More ›

Fabulous Thanksgiving side dishes.

Rob and I are heading to the beach in South Carolina over the Thanksgiving week, leaving our loving family in Indiana wondering what the hell is wrong with us. So it’ll be shrimp and grits for us on Thanksgiving day. Figuring you’re planning something a bit more traditional, I’ll share my favorite Thanksgiving sides, salads and breads to inspire your Turkey Day menu. See the collection of holiday recipes on writes4food.com.

Read More ›

Arizona Mountain Soup recipe | writes4food.com

The Dorothy Project: Arizona Mountain Soup.

This recipe for Arizona Mountain Soup was tucked into my grandmother’s “Kitchen Klips” file of old-fashioned recipes. With hearty beans and rice, this almost chili-like soup is super easy to put together and hearty enough for these first cold nights of the season. Do as the recipe’s originator, Arizona mountain resident Bennie Bennet, does and serve it with cornbread. Get the recipe on writes4food.com.

Read More ›