No-Bake Coconut Bars 3 Ways

No-Bake Coconut Bars 3 Ways

Bespoke. If you want to be a stickler, this term applies only to made-to-measure items you wear, such as tailored Savile Row suits or custom loafers. It draws a faint chalk line between high-end fashion and “built to order” non-wearables. In the worlds of fashion 

Muhammara – Walnut and Aleppo Pepper Dip

Muhammara – Walnut and Aleppo Pepper Dip

Muhammara (pronounced moo-hahm-MRAH) is a classic Mediterranean dish. It’s a dip. It’s a spread. It’s addictive. You have been warned. Pitas are the authentic accompaniment, but I’ve been gobbling muhammara on homemade piadinas to no ill effect. Don’t let the simplicity of the dish fool 

Asparagus and Mushroom Tart with Red Wine Cheddar

Asparagus and Mushroom Tart with Red Wine Cheddar

I know better than to go shopping without a list. I have at least three iPhone apps to help me compile them. Pads of paper cling to the fridge simply so I can jot  down items as I deplete their inventory. Lists prevent wastage, overstocking 

Cherry Cointreau Truffle Puddles – A Modern Mother’s Day Gift

Cherry Cointreau Truffle Puddles – A Modern Mother’s Day Gift

The first Mother’s Day gift I made was a card. It had a flower and stars and kittens on it because I was obsessed with flowers and stars and kittens. Mom was allergic to two of these, but I was young and unable to fully 

Crispy Chocolate Rice Squares

Crispy Chocolate Rice Squares

Swag. It used to mean some sort of garland or window dressing. But times have changed. Ignoring the Urban Dictionary’s profanity-laced first definition, I pieced together other entries and conclude it’s an overused term meaning one’s personal style or attitude. I think it’s the new 

Mushrooms Rockefeller

Mushrooms Rockefeller

I got myself into this and I’m going to get myself out. I did not, repeat not, acquire a one-trick pony of a pan. I could point you to the Indian, Thai, Korean and Japanese variations of the aebleskiver, but really, they’re all just spins on batter 

The Margarita Chicken Compromise

The Margarita Chicken Compromise

Andrew and I are mature, level-headed adults. We can easily discuss our budget, the laundry schedule, and who goes where at Easter. We listen to each other, see the other person’s point of view and devise workable action plans. We use terms like “action plan,” 

Nigella’s Green Beans with Pistachio Pesto

Nigella’s Green Beans with Pistachio Pesto

To paraphrase from Nigella Lawson’s latest book Nigellissima: Easy Italian-Inspired Recipes, this dish is “verdiglorious.” Green basil, green beans, and green pistachios all come together in a “riot” of a pesto dish. What it lacks in authenticity, it more than makes up for in colour 

Cumin Carrots with Cilantro Vinaigrette

Cumin Carrots with Cilantro Vinaigrette

Fool me once, shame of you. Fool me twice (a dozen times), shame, shame, double-shame on me. It took years, but I learned my lesson. No Newspaper Recipes. None. Do not clip them for me. I will throw them out. Do not make them for