
Whenever I take a trip to the store, a couple of items that aren't on my grocery list make their way into my cart. When I spotted a California-raised lamb shoulder at the meat counter, I couldn't stop myself from sliding it into the shopping cart.
I was eager to experiment with lamb because of a recent disappointing experience with imported Australian lamb.

A member of the beet family, Swiss chard is a dark, leafy green that's in season now. Chard's somewhat bitter taste can be neutralized by cooking.
In this vegetarian recipe, chard, the stellar ingredient, is sautéed with garlic.

Pasta is an obvious choice for a super swift yet delicious meal. Why? Because an easy and tasty sauce comes together while the pasta cooks.

I'm ga-ga for gratins — especially at this time of year — and got really excited when I found this recipe for a dinner gratin. Usually gratins are served as a side dish because they highlight the flavor of one ingredient. However in this case, beans, greens, and sausage are tossed with fennel, onions, and fresh sage before being baked in the oven.