When boarding a last-minute flight to Rome simply isn’t possible, the next best thing is enjoying a cozy dinner that reminds you of eating in an Eternal City trattoria — a place where the pasta, pizze al taglio, even the fried Castletravano olives, are all right on point. And that’s exactly [...]
People have been raving about overnight oats for a while now, and I desperately wanted to love them. But whenever I tried the recipe, the one that was supposed to convert me from a plain ol’ oatmeal enthusiast to a lover of this surprisingly low-maintenance variety that I could (gasp!) [...]
A pasta dish that originated in Puglia, really the most difficult thing about Orecchiette with sausage and broccoli was learning to spell Orecchiette (I always wanted it to have one more "r" and one less "c."). Even now, the spell check doesn't seem to like it, but I know I've [...]
Once upon a time, Ina Garten made this completely drool-worthy Mocha Chocolate Icebox Cake on Barefoot Contessa (it was one of those moments where I wished I could reach into the television and grab a slice), and she used this impossibly thin chocolate cookies to ensure it set perfectly. I'd [...]
Ok, so it wasn't technically my first lobster roll. I'd tried a cold lobster roll once in NYC, and let's just say, that mayo-drenched plop of lobster salad on top of an equally unremarkable hot dog bun made me wonder what all the fuss was about. Surely there was more [...]
When we need a quick, relatively healthy meal when the pantry and freezer are empty, our go-to is usually a burrito bowl or tacos from Chipotle. It doesn't hurt that the nearest one is roughly five minutes from home, making it insanely convenient. But one day when I found myself [...]
Ask any writer about his/her favorite way to procrastinate when he/she is supposed to be, ahem, lovingly crafting memorable, must-read prose, and you’d probably get a gazillion different answers. For me, there’s always been something oddly therapeutic about making homemade soup. So when the temperature ventures into even slightly chilly [...]
This is one happy girl right here. It's sunny, I'm in Bryant Park in one of my all-time favorite cities, and I'm enjoying incredible Speculoos ice cream. Now I'm not usually a fan of having my picture taken, let alone when I'm eating of all things, but this definitely captures [...]
One of the best things about writing a novel where Italian food plays a starring role is all the delicious research of course. Like a method actor getting “into character,” I was more than happy to sip and savor all that Italian cuisine has to offer. And one of the [...]
Of all the dishes in my regular repertoire, I probably make chicken lettuce wraps the most. They're fast, super delicious, totally customizable, and after ordering them at P.F. Chang's approximately 4,345 times, I still can't get over how much easier (and cheaper) they are to make at home. After trying [...]
