I love salad spinners. They're one of my favorite kitchen tools, but sadly, I don't own one. I have to wash greens, like spinach and arugula, the old-fashioned way. Here's how it's done: Place a large handful of greens in a colander. Rinse well with water. Roll out a long sheet of paper towels and place on a clean kitchen surface. Alternately, spread out a clean dish towel. Lay the greens in a Read more

We're in the dead of Winter, and that means lots of root veggies and hearty greens are at the farmers market. But there's one ingredient omnipresent during Winter markets that seems to create more than its share of culinary confusion: broccoli rabe. Also known as broccoli raab, rapini, rape, and broccoletti, this confusing little green is actually not related to broccoli at all; it's more of a Read more

There are many ways that I've been trying to eat healthier. I'm consuming less meat and more beans, while incorporating heart-friendly greens into every meal. Normally I'll toss greens with a quick vinaigrette and serve them alongside an entrée like a fried egg sandwich or bowl of soup, but one recent morning, I decided to make my own variation of green eggs no ham. Thanks to the addition of Read more

It's been a long time coming, but this year was the first time that vegetables saw their moment in the spotlight. Call it what you will (bacon backlash?) but in 2010, vegetables were proclaimed to be the "new meat." From Mario's vegetarian cookbook to low-carbon, meat-free restaurant chains, vegetable-driven cuisine simply couldn't be ignored. Is this trend simply recession flexitarianism, or Read more

While holiday roasts will likely be a seminal part of this year's Christmas celebrations, don't forget that 2010 was the year of the vegetable, too. Even if you aren't making an entirely meat-free meal, there are a number of ways you can still make the night's menu vegetable-driven without missing the animal protein. I asked Annie Somerville, executive chef at landmark vegetarian destination Read more

When I was young, my favorite part of Christmas Eve was leaving Santa a big plate of cookies and a glass of warm milk, a tradition that I think a lot of kids still do. But long after the Santa myth was busted for me, I kept on eating "Santa's snacks." While I'm not suggesting that you have a cookie-less Christmas — everyone needs a little gingerbread and sugar cookie love! — it might be a Read more

For some reason, I only make frittatas for special occasions, like a holiday brunch or a bridal shower lunch. I've got to get more into them (and so should you) because they are absolutely delicious and very versatile. A frittata can be consumed at breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and can be filled with tons of ingredients. This recipe uses mustard greens, onions, and parmesan cheese. The flavorful Read more

Sometimes I'll make a hurried salad by haphazardly throwing vegetables and oil into a bowl. Other times, I'll make a leisurely salad with homemade croutons and an elaborate vinaigrette. This amazing dinner salad is the latter, because the vinaigrette has to be made in advance. Don't be intimidated though, once you've reduced the beer, the rest is easy. The ingredients — tangy blue cheese, Read more

This recipe for parmesan chicken is an impressive meal that's easy enough to throw together at the end of the week. You coat pounded chicken cutlets in a cheese and bread crumb mixture, then cook until crispy and delicious. Serve with a green salad dressed with a lemon vinaigrette and you've got a wonderful meal. To make it suitable for entertaining, start with a charcuterie and cheese platter Read more