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moroccan-spiced chicken with preserved lemon: the best lessons are the hardest
I will use my jar of preserved lemons. I will. I will. I will. If I say enough, it will happen, right? The unique flavor and pungent taste of lemon preserved in salt make it one of my favorite...
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pistachio cherry granola: bring on the good fats – and the big flavor
In my younger years, I was afraid of anything high in fat, even in so-called healthy foods. Granola? Forget it. Avocados? No way. That was my teenage brain. Thankfully, I finally got the good fat-bad...
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cod with tomatoes, olives, and thyme: a weeknight fave
When it comes to delicious, easy-to-make dishes, I'm a serial monogamist. I'll make the same dish again and again. Some might call it boring; I call it smart. Cod paired with grape tomatoes, shallots,...
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black quinoa with cranberries, turkey, and lime: a delicious power lunch
I cycle, run, and weight-train six days a week so a high-protein diet is important to me. While a lot of work-out junkies munch on flavor-flat protein bars, I say skip the bars, EAT REAL FOOD. It's...
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chicken with cinnamon, almonds, and dates: a weekend indulgence
Simple dishes with fresh ingredients define my weeknight dinners. On the weekends, I want a feast that entails juice dripping down my arms, multiple napkins, and second or third helpings. Lately, I...
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baked oatmeal with blueberries: getting back to my oregon roots
In my home town of Portland, Oregon, breakfast is a big social occasion. On weekend mornings, the popular breakfast eateries sport lines out the door. Nearly every one, including one of my long-time...
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rice pudding with cardamom, pistachio, and rose water: a reason to linger at...
I was always the last kid to leave the lunchroom. After the other kids piled up their lunch trays and ran to the playground, I would spoon lime Jell-O into my mouth, sliver by sliver, until it was...
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merguez lamb pizza with mint pesto, caramelized onions, and crispy kale:...
Spicy, fatty North African Merugez lamb sausage combined with caramelized onions, Bel Paese (semi-soft Italian cheese), mint pesto, and crispy kale, create a gobsmackingly good pizza. I first posted a...
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crispy cumin salmon and braised lentils with tomato-caper vinaigrette: a...
After a week of tight deadlines, doctors appointments, bills, and last minute travel preparations, I needed good food to restore me. Even more: good wine, a nice steep pour. You know the kind of week?...
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whole wheat amaranth blueberry muffins with cinnamon and walnuts: good to the...
I've been on a muffin tear for about two years and have made dozens of variations with different flours, sugars, oils, fruits, nuts, and even liqueurs. Ask Paul. He tries a new one almost every week....
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three-pepper beef chili with corn and queso fresco polenta: a chili to call...
When I was growing up, any dish that simmered on the stove for more than an hour signaled a special occasion. Dad's chili, a hearty, meat-and-bean fest loaded cayenne, was one of those dishes. We...
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fennel fish soup with salami and piment d’esplette: earthy and briny with a...
On a recent trip to Union Market in Washington D.C., I spotted a single, small plastic baggie of piment d'esplette at the spice shop. “Oh my god,” I called out to Paul. “What? What?” He rushed over. I...
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blueberry coconut almond cake: dessert for any time of day
I nosh on this cake at breakfast with a dollop of Greek yogurt on the side, savor it after lunch with a shot of espresso, or linger over it after dinner with a sip of cognac. Remarkably moist with pops...
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honey braised lamb shanks with cinnamon and dates: pressure cooker bliss
When Paul posted to Facebook that we were deploying our pressure cooker for the first time, one friend warned that his mom had used one to make navy beans once when the relief valve blew out. "The...
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Jamaican jerk chicken with serrano lime slaw: bringing the Caribbean home
Certain foods trigger vivid memories. Mexican mole reminds me of spending Christmas with my college exchange host family in Queretaro. A croque madame with a gooey yolk brings me back to my honeymoon...
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braised eggs with pancetta over parmesan polenta: in praise of normal
When I saw Paul step out of his gate at the Baltimore airport, he raised his arms and started toward me in a joyful burst of leaping and skipping, arms out, fingers fluttering in the air as we drew...
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indian-spiced pulled pork sandwiches with tamarind “bbq” sauce
This sweet, tangy sandwich stuffed with shredded pork has me reaching with sticky fingers for extra napkins. But each bite, dripping with zingy tamarind sauce, is worth the mess. I first spotted an...
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gluten-free raspberry oat muffins: health aside, welcome to a better muffin
This morning, I bit into a warm, raspberry oat muffin slathered with butter, and tasted a nutty sweetness with tart berries. I didn't once think about the fact that it was also gluten free. That’s how...
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Massaman chicken curry: epiphany of tannins and spice
As a red wine lover also addicted to Thai food, I’m often bummed that I can’t pair lemongrass, kaffir lime, and tamarind flavors with the earthy tannins of red wine. When I recently spotted a Cook’s...
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Oven-baked apple cinnamon pancake with lemon zest: starting the weekend right
Sleeping in for me means getting up after sunrise. A 7 a.m. wake-up is luxurious. 8 a.m. is a triumph. Paul, on the other hand, sleeps until eternity. While he slumbers peacefully into mid-morning,...
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