Summer evenings draw me out of the kitchen, into the soft light and gentle breezes. Our dinners should be effortless and casual.

Some nights it’s just my husband and me, but often friends stroll by, swing in for a drink and stay for something to eat. My only challenge is how to stock up for such sweet spontaneity. What to keep on hand? ...Read more

Like many home cooks, I keep a kitchen garden planted with herbs during the summer growing season.

I have a pretty good hand with basil and rosemary, and my parsley generally does pretty well, too. Yet one of the most prolific — or dare I say dastardly — patches of green contains mint.

The bully of the herb world, mint is quick to take ...Read more

Like a good summer movie, a great sandwich should be full of delightful familiar ingredients sparked with a few good surprises. And like a good plot, the sandwich should be built on a sturdy foundation.

But first, let’s agree on the definition of a sandwich as opposed to a hamburger, hot dog, taco, wrap, empanada or burrito. To quote the ...Read more

DENVER -- Colorado whiskey continues to impress, earning numerous accolades at a recent spirits competition and sweeping the podium for the best American-made single malts.

The International Whisky Competition, founded in 2010, announced the winners of its annual contest in late June and local distillers made an impressive showing while also ...Read more

I hate my wife’s cousin Deb, whom I love.

Deb is the sort of person you would describe as “neat,” if “neat” were still a word that is used to describe a person, which it is not.

She is an old, unrepentant hippie, complete with a stint in a commune on her resumé. Although she lives in a small town in the middle of Ohio, that small ...Read more

These lemon-blueberry oatmeal bars taste like a hearty bowl of oatmeal that you can hold in your hands. Each square is bursting with fresh blueberries and infused with lemon zest. Once you get the hang of this easy breakfast, try them with raspberries or blackberries or swap out the almonds for toasted pecans or walnuts for a different spin.

...Read more

In looking for an alternative to sugar-laden sodas, many turn to sports drinks, energy drinks, and some of the newer “healthy” sodas. But are those beverages actually a better choice to wash down your lunch?

Traditional sports drinks were developed for a college football team practicing all day in the hot sun. They contain sugar, sodium, ...Read more

Here’s a soup you’ll enjoy in warm weather. Mint, lettuce and peas seem made for each other. While peas are often thought of as a springtime vegetable, they are lovely in the summer, as well. I’ve added snow peas to sweeten and enliven the taste of the English peas.

Butter lettuce, sauteed scallions and carrot add an interesting component...Read more

Two of our favorite Chicago restaurants serve amazing caramelized onion dip. One uses labneh (strained Greek yogurt), and the other serves the creamy concoction with homemade potato chips. Both are beyond crave-worthy. I happily brave traffic to indulge.

Admittedly, Lipton’s “California” dip fuels our fascination. Dried onion soup stirred...Read more

There’s no better fruit to serve at breakfast than blueberries. Baked goods and blueberries go hand-in-hand, from blueberry pancakes to bakery-style muffins. That’s why I ...Read more

If you don’t think you like catfish then somebody didn’t do something right. Perfectly fried, Southern-style catfish — whether cooked at a fish shack, at a Saturday night fish fry, or on the banks of a winding river — should ...Read more

Good cooking is all about balance, a delicate dance between salty, sweet, sour, bitter and umami. While we most often see fruit in desserts, it can also bring sweetness and balance to an otherwise savory dish.

Across cultures and cuisines, fruit plays a vibrant role in savory dishes, bringing brightness and complexity to everyday meals. Whether...Read more

In 1898, the French did the most French thing ever. Naturally, it involved food and wine.

If it didn't involve food and wine, it wouldn't be the most French thing ever.

The era of colonialism was shuffling to a close, though no one knew that yet. European countries were still in the business of taking over other lands for the resources they ...Read more

Newspaper readers, generally speaking, seek the truth.

This week’s dose comes courtesy of my decision to take two days off, which in the life of a newspaper columnist comes with a caveat: front-load the things you have to do before you leave or spend some fleet-footed time in The Great Hamster Wheel of Catch-Up on the flipside.

I split the ...Read more

This grilled chicken salad is perfect for summer entertaining. You can make the dressing, marinate the chicken, pickle the onions and slice your vegetables a few hours ahead of time, then just grill and assemble the salad after the guests arrive.

High-Protein Grilled Chicken Salad

Serves 6

Active Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

1 ...Read more

Well intentioned as they are, staying on course with weight goals can be challenging. It takes time and energy to plan, shop, and prepare meals that align with dietary needs in the midst of a calendar already bursting with daily demands. And what about nutrition knowledge and cooking skills? Meal delivery services can help by providing healthy ...Read more

I once received an email from one of my cookbook readers, who shared how this recipe has been the star of every important occasion for her family and friends. She claims it is unspoken that this all-time favorite must be present for any important moment in her family’s life. “Wow,” I thought. That is certainly a nice compliment! I decided ...Read more

The whole fish dish known as pescado a la talla, served at Gabriela Camara’s Contramar in Mexico City, truly transcends a fish lover’s dreams. There, seasoned fish, usually a butterflied red snapper, gets slathered on one side with a green parsley sauce and a red chile adobo on the other. A special filleting and butterflying technique ...Read more