I've long had a love-hate relationship with tortilla strips, those hairpin-thin bites that lend a necessary crunch to black bean soup or taco salad. I adore their crispiness, but they're not easy to find, and if I'm lucky enough to track them down, I never need a whole bag. Although I'd make tortilla strips at home, I'm reluctant to bust out a deep fryer just for a little garnish. Thankfully, Read more

This Summer, I'm all about apricots. Normally I eat more plums than apricots, but after tasting the best apricot of my life, I can't stop eating them! The soft, sweet fruit is ideal for enjoying out of hand, but it's also wonderful in dessert preparations like this easy tart. It's a no-bake tart with a pistachio-shortbread crust and honey custard. Although this tart is simple to make, the custard Read more

If you're a fan of slow-cooked baked beans, you'll love this easy recipe for white beans with bacon, beer, and rosemary. This dish requires time: the beans must be soaked overnight and then cooked in the oven for two hours, so plan ahead. The wait is worth it, though. The beans are rustic but elegant, and absolutely delicious. Entertaining? Serve with roast chicken and a green salad. To get the Read more

Springtime is the perfect season to master an angel food cake. The light, airy, and spongy dessert is wonderfully versatile. It can be served with strawberries and whipped cream for an upscale take on classic strawberry shortcake. Or offer it with coconut ice cream and mango sauce for a tropical-inspired treat. Or plate it with chocolate sauce and raspberries for a decadent dish. Or . . . see, Read more

St. Patty's Day is nearly upon us, and my new favorite holiday dish is this easy Irish beef and stout stew. It's the perfect marriage of late Winter and early Spring. The beef is fall-apart tender from hours of oven braising, while the green peas added in at the last minute are a bright reminder of how gardens are finally awakening. This recipe, which I discovered thanks to Everyday Food, Read more

For a fun departure from the standard pint of Guinness or whisky-laden coffee, try a buzz-worthy riff on the rock shandy, a fizzy, nonalcoholic citrus drink that, according to legend, hails directly from Dublin. There's little to the shandy: simply whisk sugar with freshly-squeezed lime juice, then top it all off with a beer. It's traditionally made with pilsners, but over the weekend, I applied Read more

My current favorite in the weeknight meal rotation is a Latin-inspired soup that I've designated the ultimate essential soup recipe. It's also the ideal fast and easy dinner. This departure from the more conventional chicken tortilla soup is light, low-fat, and gluten-free, yet so imbued with smoky, spicy, bright flavors. Best of all, it comes together in — no joke — 10 minutes! The recipe's Read more

Holiday feasts with the family call for large, important roasts — that's something I learned long ago from the late cookbook author Sheila Lukins. Make it something succulent and impressively large, like a beef Wellington or a rack of lamb, which can be shared and passed around the table. If you're not an expert at roasts, don't dish out valuable dollars on a piece of beef tenderloin that Read more

If the holiday season's left you stretched too thin, don't rule out making edible gifts; simply look for a recipe that'll take less energy and labor. Drop-and-bake cookies are one answer for the time-strapped. What could be more cheery and Christmassy than double-chocolate cranberry cookies? The large, chewy, baked goods take little time to make, and I've found the dough chills well for future Read more

Our 12 Days of Edible Gifts series is here! Over the next dozen days, we'll be sharing our favorite new homemade gifts for the holidays. Make them for loved ones as a budget-friendly heartfelt gift — but be sure to make extra to enjoy for yourself. First up: the easiest edible gift of all, an all-purpose spice rub that comes together in one single, five-second step. Think of this rub as a magic Read more