Our dear friend Atsuko gifted us with a copy of Everyday Harumi, Simple Japanese Food for Family & Friends, during our visit to Japan last month. Harumi appears to be the Martha Stewart of Japan, offering Japanese women a modern take on traditional Japanese foods, all built around her family favorites. The cookbook is fun [...]
Took dinner to two friends last month, and decided to use my slow cooker to help the job along. Followed the recipe in Cook’s Illustrated Best Slow & Easy Recipes for Slow-Cooker Chicken Pot Pie, and gave myself two days to put the recipe together. Day 1 was to do the filling, and day 2 [...]
Marsha invited me over for a cooking play date and we made poached garlic. I had never heard of it before she made the invitation, but apparently it has been around for a while. Nate wrote about it in a Focaccia with Poached Garlic recipe on House of Annie back in 2007! In fact, the [...]
Since the beginning of the new year, I have been rather sickly, so my friends organized themselves to bring dinner over for the family. We have been treated to some real special dishes, all made with love and friendship. Back before I had kids, I remember my friend Karen telling me I should be sure [...]
Last week, at our annual play date with Beth and Amy and the kids, Beth asked for suggestions for school lunches, since she has not ever had to make them before. Before school started last year, I posted a list of 13 lunch ideas. But today, while having brunch with Jen and Bharat today, we [...]
Last week I had the opportunity to test drive the new Lunchbots, stainless steel containers with lids for packing lunch or snacks. Jacqueline Linder, the founder of Lunchbots, responded to my request right away and sent over a Lunchbot Duo for my evaluation. On their site, Jacqueline explains that she started the company after [...]
Villagio Inn at nightWhen the opportunity comes up, my favorite choice for romantic hotels involve great food and relaxing accommodations. For two years now, when my in-laws come to visit, my husband and I have manged to sneak away for two nights to Yountville, California, just north of Napa, in the middle of wine country. [...]
Pickle exhibitThis weekend was the Slow Food Nation conference/meet-up/thingamabob (what do you call a day devoted to food – ah, yes, nirvana) in San Francisco at the Civic Center and Fort Mason, and I was fortunate enough to go both Saturday and Sunday to the Taste Pavilion. Saturday, I volunteered to work at the Welcome [...]
Laptop Lunch BoxTonight was a swim meet for the kids, and since the host team did not have a snack bar, I knew I would need to pack our dinner to go. My two swim hard and eat lots, so I packed a nice healthy (well, sort of!) picnic dinner. I cooked Annie’s Shells&Cheese (check [...]
This morning, I played a little hooky from the BlogHer conference to zip on down to the Ferry Building for breakfast. In fact, I was thinking about this on the way down there – if someone asked me for a breakfast spot recommendation, I would ask them what day they were planning to visit. Monday [...]
