Summer has arrived a little early in my house — as usual, we are spending spring break down in Kiawah, South Carolina at my in-law’s place, and it has not taken us long to get into vacation rhythm. That goes for the bike riding and general sun-lizarding, but mostly I’m talking about dinner-making, which is to say grilling. Why do I… Read more »
Andy: Office is closing early. Be home by 3:00. Me: OMG. CAN YOU PLEEEEASE MAKE DINNER TONIGHT? Andy: What do we have? Me: I bought ingreds to replicate that tofu wheat berry salad we had at Honeygrow last week Andy: OK, done Me: YASSSSSSSS. Be home by 6:00. Can you also do the track carpool? 🙏🏻 🙏🏻 🙏🏻 Loaded Wheat Berry Salad with Tofu and Pickled Peppers Serves… Read more »
Today I am delighted to cede the floor to my dear friend and mother-of-three Naria Halliwell. Astute readers might remember her as the first person to convince me to eat raw kale or the one who media-trained me for my first television appearance so many moons ago. (Fun fact: I was her very first client and now she’s coaching VIPs… Read more »
A week ago, I did something I’ve never done before: I loaded up my car with a few groceries, kissed my kids goodbye, and drove a few hours north to attend a five-day artist residency at The Spruceton Inn in the Catskills. As I pulled on to 87 North, I flashbacked to the last time I was away from my… Read more »
I know what you’re thinking: Please, Dear Lord let this not be another butternut squash soup recipe. I’m sorry to say that it is, but but but but…please stay awake! Because I think you’ll be happy about this particular version: A curried butternut squash soup boosted with coconut milk. The google search for “butternut squash soup with coconut milk” will… Read more »
I didn’t make any resolutions this year. I don’t know if this is because I’ve gotten lazier and grumpier as I’ve gotten older, or if it’s just that I’m more of a realist about these things working out. But it’s a slippery slope from realist to cynic, something I’m resolved (!) to never become in any part of my life,… Read more »
The Scene: Wednesday, the first school/workday back from winter break The Scene, pt 2: Always the longest, most exhausting day of the year The Characters: Family DALS 5:30 Walk in door. Girls already home, one of them doing homework at kitchen table instead of cloistered in her bedroom, which brings me unspeakable joy. (Literally unspeakable — if I express this out… Read more »
So like a lot of you guys out there, we’ve cut back on meat in our house pretty significantly in the last few years, which probably seems pretty obvious to anyone reading this blog with regularity. For the most part, it’s been a gradual process, one that has been helped along by the ever-growing body of research on the environmental impact… Read more »
I could’ve probably come up with a slightly more enticing name for this recipe, especially since it was one of the better meals I’ve made in the last few weeks. But that would be seriously detracting from what makes it DALS-worthy. You know that stunning Margaret Wise Brown baby book The Important Book? Where she poetically itemizes the characteristics of common… Read more »
Hey guys! I did a jarred pasta sauce taste test over at Cup of Jo, and invited Phoebe’s cross country team to partake in the judging. We had such a good time — you’ll never guess who won. (Actually you probably will.) I plan to do more of these tests, so let me know if you have any strong opinions… Read more »
I used to feel the same way about tofu that I did about squash. I didn’t exactly crave it, but it wasn’t offensive, and it was as good as whatever I seasoned it with — especially when the “seasoning” included a generous amount of fat, i.e. butter or oil. These days I crave it. I love how I feel satisfied,… Read more »
It’s September, which means it’s time for another recipe from Leah Koenig, my go-to source for the Jewish holidays and beyond. (Remember her fattoush? I make that throughout tomato season.) I’m pleased to let you know that this year, Leah herself is making a cameo on DALS, talking about a favorite topic of mine (family traditions) along with what is soon… Read more »
I went on vacation just as my backyard romas and cherry golds were blushing from green to red, but it was hard to feel very sorry for myself considering I was headed to Italy, the land where tomatoes come in only one variety: extraordinary. I picked up most of mine on roadside produce markets in Sicily or from open-air market… Read more »
Forgive the radio silence over on my end. Those of you who follow me on instagram likely know by now that we are traveling in Italy (Sicily via Rome) and eating our weight in pasta, gelato, and pizza everyday. It’s the trip of a lifetime, and I know I say that every time we travel, but what can I say?… Read more »
Last Thursday, at around 5:00, I text Andy: What’s in the CSA bag today? We do a farm share through his office every other Thursday and I always try to plan dinner around it, even though it’s usually a little of a lot, not a lot of a little. 5:01 His reply: One piece of squash, one bunch of broccoli, three spring… Read more »
Old-timer readers will take one look at this photo and recognize that main dish as DALS MVP Spaghetti with Clams and Extras. It’s on page 56 of my first book, Dinner: A Love Story, and has made countless appearances on my summer table and instagram feed. I would be willing to bet almost anything that if you check back with… Read more »
One of the things I love about my “job” as a food writer is that people email me all the time with questions, mistaking me for some kind of expert. Where do you eat when you’re in Nashville? They ask. Or Can you recommend a good food mill? I see you have marble countertops, do you worry about stains? I… Read more »
The drill-down on my cookbook round-up continues as I present to you Vietnamese Tofu Salad, this year’s recipient of Recipe Most Likely to Join the DALS Rotation, and one of the many dishes I’ve made from Ilene Rosen’s Saladish that have slayed, as the kids say. (Do the kids even say that anymore?) As I mentioned in my official review,… Read more »
Welcome! I’m Jenny, author of Dinner: A Love Story and Dinner: The Playbook More
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