Life With a Little Spice

This recipe is inspired by a dish at Freshcraft – a Denver restaurant focused on fresh from-scratch food and a strong line-up of craft brews – that was recently removed from the menu, a sad discovery upon a recent visit. Gourmet mac n’ cheese is always a favorite but add prosciutto and sun-dried tomatoes? I was skeptical at […]

Disney Pixar’s Ratatouille is one of my favorite movies not only because it features the adorable rodent Remy exploring his way through the wide world of human culinary craft, but because of the way the storyline celebrates the true art of creating food. Not just any food, but wholesome dishes, made from fresh and simple […]

When we’re feeling down, we often reach for chocolate, salty snacks, or a greasy cheeseburger. There are scientific reasons for why we do this. But when it comes to soothing the soul, nothing comes close to a hot meal cooked with care. In fact, the very definition of comfort food is “food prepared in a […]

The first snow calls for hot food to soothe the soul. As the flakes gently fall and my puppy disrupts the pristine blanket with crazed snow angels, my chuckles are interrupted by my taste buds watering for a bowl of something hearty and slightly spicy. There’s nothing that warms better from the inside out on […]

The garden is plucked of its lush summer abundance, but oh it is not barren – I watch as yet another parade of golden leaves floats through the crisp autumn air, adding to the persimmon cornucopia dripping from my planter boxes. The fall chill makes my mouth water for warm, savory flavors like crisp apples, […]

In honor of my dad’s 60th birthday today, October 2nd, I decided to make one of his favorite dishes: Eggplant Parmesan. In fact, he was the first person who ever made me this melt-in-your mouth epitome of comfort food. So, here’s to you Poo Bear! Yesterday, in preparation for this meal, I donned my sweater, […]

Chicken piccata is one of my favorite Italian dishes, but all too often the breading is either too oily or too crumbly and the salty capers overwhelm the refreshing lemon flavor. This spin on the classic is lower in fat as the chicken is trimmed, pounded, then lightly-breaded, and leaves out the capers to reduce […]

While the cook time may seem daunting, the process of shredding chicken is quite easy. Whole chickens are easy to find at local supermarkets (be sure to look for local or sustainably raised chicken) and give you the best bang for your buck – freeze leftovers or use them throughout the week in salads, sandwiches, […]

If you love spice like I do, sometimes a good sloppy burrito is all that will satisfy that fiery craving. This recipe can easily be adapted for meat lovers (just use shredded beef or pork) or non-meat eaters – use extra-firm tofu, cut into cubes then baked so it doesn’t turn to mush, or just […]

This is a standby recipe in my kitchen and is great whether you’re cooking for one, two, or ten. Pork tenderloin is about the leanest meat you can find, making it a great healthy option for meat lovers. Don’t worry, healthy is not bland; this dish is bursting with flavor and, not to mention, easy […]