FOOD LA LA

Bright orange, buttery shrimp, and smooth polenta combine for a satisfying but light meal.

It’s light, refreshing and a perfect balance of juicy and salty.

Whether or not you make a conscious effort to steer clear of dairy, you’ll find this butternut squash “mac and cheese” comforting and satisfying. The butternut squash blends into the creamiest sauce, you’d barely notice the cheese is missing!

This: your scary-good Halloween dinner! I’ll admit—I was looking for something black.  Something that’s eerie to eat, and even if you are just staying home cozied up tonight, will give you a little sprinkle of Halloween spook.

Straight from The Cheese Queen: Kirstin Jackson chimes in with important grilled cheese reminders, and three unexpected flavor combinations. You don’t have to pick favorites. Try them all.

Give this pumpkin breakfast quinoa a try.  Make a big batch and enjoy it all week.  It’ll keep in the refrigerator for several days.

Remember those preserved lemons I showed you how to make last week? I’ve been scheming fun new ways to use them—cocktails, appetizers, even desserts.  But so far, one of my favorites has been this lemony pea pasta inspired by my friend Shane, the pasta king of San Francisco.

Bread salad.  It’s a thing.  And if you’re feeling fancy, you can refer to it as panzanella.  It’s an excellent way to use stale bread and a fast, satisfying contribution to an end-of-summer picnic.

Shane makes these sauces at the same time: He uses a sprig of basil in the marinara, then blends the rest into a quick pesto.

I’ve been determined to teach myself, then all of you, how to easily make pasta—even without a pasta machine—a recipe you can make in your own kitchen right now.