• Skinny tomato soup and green grilled cheese

    I unabashedly love grilled cheese. But a year of grilled cheeses (and frozen yogurt with rainbow sprinkles) from the cafe on the first floor of one of the Senate office buildings wreaked havoc on my figure, so I needed to cut back. And now I work in the Pentagon, which is completely devoid of acceptable […]

  • Red velvet whoopie pies

    If you watched or read about Saturday’s game, you’ll know that “sad” is an understatement for how I feel. Crushed, perhaps? Forlorn? This piece hits the nail on the head, but if you’re looking for a shorter summary: It was a fantastic game, and Georgia was amazing. Then, when we were less than five yards […]

  • Bourbon sweet potatoes

    Cranberries may be my favorite part of Thanksgiving, but they certainly aren’t the only exciting dish on the table. Sweet potatoes are also a crucial part of the feast for me, particularly when topped with marshmallows. Growing up, the only kind of sweet potatoes I remember eating is the (fabulous) kind my mom made — […]

  • Cranberry sauce with pears

    While most people look forward to Thanksgiving for the turkey, the mashed potatoes or the pie, my favorite thing about turkey day is… the cranberries. I seriously cannot get enough. Every year, I buy approximately one billion bags of cranberries to freeze and make lots and lots of cranberry sauce. And then eat it all. […]

  • Frankencookies

    I had this great idea: Chocolate chip cookies with candy corn. Yum, right? And there are recipes and photos out there of such a cookie. Then I realized they might be overly sweet, so I decided to add some crushed potato chips for balance. Um… it didn’t work out quite how I planned. The cookies […]

  • Cheesy mini pretzel dogs

    There are many wondrous things available at the Amish market in Annapolis. But Toby’s favorite is the pretzel dog. We have our friend Jose to thank for that, actually, because we may never have stood in the ridiculously long line for one if he hadn’t told us about them. Anyway, we don’t live in Annapolis […]

  • Ricotta-stuffed squash blossoms

    Even though we STILL haven’t finished unpacking all the boxes and totally organizing our new house (I know, I know), we do love our new neighborhood. We’re close to a lot of awesome restaurants and shops, a gorgeous running path along the Potomac, and the one of the oldest farmers’ markets in the U.S. Like, […]

  • Cotton candy cloud cupcakes

    After I decided to bake cupcakes for DC Cupcake Camp, I had to decide what kind to make. It wasn’t an easy choice. First, I made a long list of ideas. Then I asked some friends for their input on the options and tested out three of the top options. This was the third one […]

  • Puffy corn omelet

    I’ve been totally lame this summer. I haven’t been giving you nearly enough recipes for the fabulous fruits and vegetables that were bountiful at farmer’s markets and grocery stores, because I’ve been traveling and moving and working and not cooking very much. And also because the light in my new kitchen is not very good. […]

  • Fancy macaroni and cheese

    Not all macaroni and cheese is created equal. Most kinds are delicious, but some — like the type in a blue box, for instance — are more suited for a weekday dinner than a holiday table. This kind, on the other hand, is dressed up with more expensive cheese and a golden crust of buttery […]