This month, I've shifted my focus from Summer cookout food to something a little more soothing, but amidst a San Francisco Indian Summer, I'm not quite ready to plunge into full-blown Fall fare just yet. So in addition to treasuring those timeless staples, I've also looked for recipes that fall (pardon the pun) right in between those two seasons. One such gem is this slow-cooked dish of chicken Read more

We love repurposing leftovers, and from the looks of it, Lauren does too. Here she shares the story of pork two ways. I had picked up pork at my local butcher, but wasn't completely sure how I wanted to prepare it. Using what I had on hand and of course, not measuring, I browned the meat, caramelized onions and garlic, and roasted/cleaned two poblano peppers. For even more flavor, I ground up Read more

Although I would love to be the proud owner of a tagine, a special cooking pot with origins in Morocco, at this point in my life, I don't have the funds or space for this utilitarian cooking vessel. That doesn't mean I don't enjoy a homemade tagine every now and then — I simply use my slow cooker to braise the meat for a long period of time. This lamb version is my current favorite tagine. It Read more

It's freezing in San Francisco, and I think it's high time I broke out my slow cooker. It's a wonderfully useful kitchen gadget that makes cooking a dinner for a crowd easy — while filling your house with an amazing fragrance. I'm not the only one who is interested in slow cooker experimentation, reader dreamalittledream recently asked the YumSugar Community for crockpot help. She says, "I Read more

This year, I haven't been able to resist making savory berry recipes: first strawberry spaghetti, then cherry-stuffed tenderloin and blueberry-glazed ribs. And, in my desire to incorporate blackberries into an entrée, I came up with this recipe for pulled pork sandwiches using a blackberry purée. Not only do the ingredients make this dish perfect for the Summer season, but it won't heat up your Read more

When it comes to Mexican cuisine, there's nothing quite as satisfying and succulent as carnitas. Delicious in everything from soft tacos to nachos to quesadillas, the juicy pulled pork dish is one of my absolute favorites. A traditional carnitas recipe consists of pork shoulder that's simmered in lard for a long period of time; the resulting meat is shredded and literally melts in your mouth. Read more

I've always cooked with canned beans over higher-maintenance dried beans, but after seeing PartySugar make a beef chili that required no preliminary bean soaking, I decided it was high time I followed in her footsteps. The perfect place to start? A simple, yet flavorful Cajun stew of andouille sausage, veggies, and Great Northern beans that requires no soaking whatsoever. Just pop it into the Read more

After a long week of admittedly too much partying, I'm in the mood for an easy, nourishing meal. Tonight, I'll be using my slow cooker to make a bacon-flecked stew with white wine and a whole cut-up chicken, reminiscent of the French countryside favorite coq au vin. Hours later, when the scent wafting from the crockpot tells me that dinner's ready, I'll enjoy it at the table with the rest of the Read more

After falling in love with a Cuban-inspired crockpot chicken, tonight I'm cooking along the same vein with a beef and pepper braise that conjures up images of dinner in Havana. I'll serve the fork-tender flank steak and bell pepper medley over steamed white rice, avocado, and my favorite herb, cilantro. Ready to make your own one-pot Latin meal? Then keep reading. Read more