Last weekend our friends, Rachael and Casey, taught us how to make sushi at our monthly dinner club — the first interactive one to date. Rachael and Casey have been making sushi for years, but this was the first time both Nick and I gave it a try. Rachael gave the following instructions: Wet your [...]

I’ve been told I have great buns, but wait until you see my baguettes! As I mentioned in my sourdough post, bread and beer are near and dear to my heart for two reasons: (1) they are quite delectable, and (2) their symbiotic relationship with yeast represents one of the oldest forms of biotechnology. What [...]

Bread and beer share a symbiotic relationship with yeast, a bond that represents one of the oldest forms of biotechnology. However, bakers (and brewers) from long ago did not have access to neatly packaged yeast like we do today, thus they had to capture the wild yeast strains that were floating around in the air. [...]

We eat stir-fry at least twice a month. (Nick would eat it more often, if I let him.) Our favorite version includes sesame oil and oyster sauce, garlic and ginger, mushrooms and bean sprouts, and noodles. However, our go-to dish may now have some competition for the top spot. This recipe comes from Iowa Girl [...]

We commonly cook with beer. We pour it into chili. We combine it with garlic and broth to boil brats. We even add it to cupcakes. So why not cook with root beer now that there’s a pregnant lady in the house? Nick first tasted root beer glazed pork chops while I was in Massachusetts [...]

Yesterday I texted Nick to ask if he wanted to make jambalaya for dinner. Because it was Fat Tuesday. And because he loves spicy Cajun food. It took him less than a minute to respond, “Yes!” He even did the grocery shopping before I got home from work. In addition to the necessary ingredients — [...]

Emily is usually the confectioner in our house, mostly because I don’t like to measure things out when I cook. This recipe, however, is right up my alley, and it was a sweet ending to Challenge Oranges. This delicious cake only calls for one package cake mix, one package jell-o mix, some eggs, a splash [...]

This isn’t the first time we’ve made this dish, and it won’t be the last. In How to Cook Everything, Mark Bittman suggests quick glazing carrots in butter or oil with a variety of herbs for a flavorful side dish. You could use dill and lemon juice, brown sugar and walnuts, or maple syrup and [...]

Well, the other half of The Culinary Couple is writing tonight. I may not have the eloquence of my counterpart, but I do know a thing or two about food. Let’s take oranges, for example. When you think of this sweet citrus, what’s the next thing to come to mind? Probably not fish, but they [...]

I spent the weekend in New England with my favorite ladies and celebrated the upcoming nuptials of one of my dearest friends. It was a fabulous time, although, admittedly, we partied more like almost-30-year-olds than the spry 18-year-olds we were when we first met. Full recap to come later this week, but let’s first wrap [...]