Chocolate Espresso Chewies

Makes : about 36 cookies | Desserts Dairy Free , Vegetarian

For as long as I can remember, one of my favorite holiday activities has always been the “cookie exchange”. There’s something so festive about leaving the house armed with a batch of cookies and returning with a dozen different types. (Not to mention the benefit to a self-admitted non-baker such as myself: bake one kind, enjoy many!) My daughter (then 5), an avid cookie lover, thought this idea was genius, so a few years ago we started hosting an annual cookie exchange for all the girls in her class and their moms. The girls decorate […]

Turkey Stock

Makes : about 8 cups | Basics Dairy Free

If you ask most people to describe their favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner, chances are they’ll wax poetic over grandma’s famous stuffing, pumpkin pie, or even that oddly appealing green bean casserole. I beg to differ. What’s the single most important part of my Thanksgiving meal? Turkey stock. No, I’m not crazy. I understand that turkey stock will never garner a starting position on your buffet. But don’t underestimate its subtle role in harmonizing the individual players into a spectacular, unified meal. It takes a little bit of planning on your part–I always make it […]

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Roasted Mushroom Salad with Lemon-Chive Vinaigrette

Makes : 4 to 6 servings | Salads/Sides Vegetarian

In the scheme of things, I realize a recipe for “salad” isn’t akin to discovering a new star. Personally, I’ve never been overly enthused by salad since it’s so frequently an afterthought. There’s something so not special about dumping one of those bags of wilted, sopping wet greens into a bowl and topping it with a bottled mix of stale herbs and rancid oil. But this salad–delicate greens tossed with roasted mushrooms, shavings of cheese, and a simple lemon-chive vinaigrette–is special. It’s also easy to make. My original inspiration came from a mound of gorgeous […]

Harvest Granola

Makes : about 6 cups | Appetizers/Snacks , Breakfast/Brunch Dairy Free , Vegetarian

I’m a big fan of eating savory foods for breakfast. And by savory I mean “this could be dinner” more than “how about some bacon and eggs”. It probably started around the time I went gluten free and realized I needed to stop munching on scones, bagels, muffins, pancakes, waffles and other sweet treats for breakfast. (I’ve since discovered fabulous gluten-free recipes for these things, of course.) My replacement for the sweets often revolved around eating dinner leftovers. Breakfast became a plate full of reheated vegetables, maybe some chicken or rice, a few slices of […]

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Roasted Halibut with Green Olive Relish

Makes : 4 servings | Main Dishes Dairy Free

Living in Portland, I feel a touch of panic when raindrops fall in September. It’s not part of the deal. Traditionally September is one of our finest months–sunshine and 60s–and one we all deserve in preparation for the rainy season. The past week has been a bit dark, but I’m determined (and hopeful) that summer will come back for an encore performance, no matter how brief. Since my cooking style always fluctuates with the seasons, I’ve been tempted to break out a big heavy pot and start braising. But I can’t, not yet. So I […]

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Crab and Corn Chowder

Makes : 4 to 6 servings | Soups/Stews Dairy Free , Soups/Stews

I just spent an especially relaxing weekend at the Oregon coast in the company of my husband and our two kids. It was especially relaxing because we literally had nothing to do: no tv, no phones, no friends in tow. We like to call it “forced family fun time”. The kids fought us at first, but within minutes took to the icy cold water–my big toe just barely made it in–with their boogie boards. They splashed around, laughing and giggling, for what seemed like hours. Later we walked on the beach, poking the dried up […]