Seasonal Cooking

Now that grilling season is open, I’m always looking for easy sides that can complement our meals. I want dishes that add to the festivities. This rice salad fits those categories.  It is colorful and flavorful, a great companion for meats or vegetables that are–Read more

Fresh cherries and blueberries have been abundant at the market lately, sure signs that summer and its celebrations are upon us. Recently, we have fallen for a summery cake that is golden yellow and brimming with fresh fruit. Featuring a batter rich in notes of–Read more

My niece has planted her first garden this year and is harvesting beautiful peppers, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Remembering a tempting salad recipe I had seen in the June 1999 issue of Bon Appétit, I asked myself what would happen if some of her Cajun cucumbers met a–Read more

I grew up in southwestern Louisiana, just a few miles from Opelousas, which was then called the sweet potato capital of the South. We ate sweet potatoes often, but they were frequently served in very sugary dishes. My Aunt Dean made her special sweet potato–Read more

I always look forward to the first weeks of spring and the appearance of fresh, local asparagus in the stores. The spears are beacons of the new season and bring beautiful color to meals. This salad that features fresh, crisp-tender asparagus alongside new potatoes, ham,–Read more

I like the irony that we turn to a food called “chili” to take the chill off of a frosty evening.  I’ve been warming our winters with this vegetarian chili for over two decades, using its unusual ingredient—bulgur wheat—to entice even carnivores to dig in.–Read more