ONE POT CHICKEN AND MUSHROOMS

Two bowls of chicken and mushroom risotto garnished with green onions on a patterned tablecloth.

It’s the middle of winter, it’s freezing in my kitchen and I just want something to throw together quickly that’s tasty and uses the least amount of dishes and bowls so that I can get downstairs as fast as possible where it’s warmer. And bonus – it makes a lot, so there will be leftovers…

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GAME DAY CHILI

A bowl of chili topped with cheese and sour cream, with tortilla chips and a bottle of rolling rock beer in the background.

I love this dish because it’s great to make the day before, it feeds a crowd, and it leaves me free to watch the game with everyone else. And if you have leftovers, you can make nachos the next day. Enjoy! INGREDIENTS (Serves 8) 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey (or beef)…

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SPINACH EGG DROP SOUP

A bowl of soup with shredded cheese, croutons, and greens, served in a blue ceramic bowl on a marble surface.

I’ve been watching this documentary series on NETFLIX, You Are What You Eat, and quite frankly, it’s scaring the bejeebers out of me. Basically, it has convinced me that I eat way too many fatty meats and not enough plant based foods. So, in an effort to balance my foods a bit better, I’ve been…

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PACCHERRI LASAGNA PIE

A pasta dish with a basil leaf on top.

I’m not gonna lie — this recipe takes some time. But it’s quite a fun showstopper for a special occasion. You’ll need a 9” spring form pan and some large hollow pasta tubes like paccherri. And if you make the Bolognese sauce a day ahead, it will make the whole process much easier. The flavors…

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CHICKEN POBLANO SOUP

A bowl of soup with cheese and avocado.

Every week during the cold months I make a huge pot of bone broth. I’m always looking for new soups to make using the broth, and this idea came to me at the end of the summer when our garden had an abundance of poblano peppers. I love these peppers because they give a little…

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CHOCOLATE WALNUT CAKE

Chocolate cake slice with pistachio topping

I had the most delicious chocolate walnut cake in of all places, Penang Malaysia. I’m not a huge chocolate cake fan, but this one was fudgy, chocolatey and very moist. I’ve tried a million recipes to try to recreate it and finally found one that comes very close. I can’t take any credit for it…

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G’s POTATO CHIP FISH KEBABS

Bacon skewers with rice and peppers on a plate.

Here’s an oldie, but a goodie—circa 1968. My childhood and dear friend Janis had the most beloved father on the block. He was a man way ahead of his time. I remember spending countless hours at their house as he introduced us to everything from Fred and Ginger dancing in Top Hat to Mahler’s Symphony…

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CHOCOLATE ORANGE RASPBERRY CAKE

A chocolate orange raspberry cake on a plate.

As many of you know, I’m not the baker in the family. My husband is the one that toils away with the flour and sugar…and chocolate, of course. This is his latest triumph. The cake is moist and the orange and raspberry give it a great zesty flavor. I’m not a huge chocolate cake fan,…

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I LONG TO LIVE IN A NANCY MEYERS MOVIE

A group of movies on a table.

Heading toward the jagged coastline, a mourning dove flies over the terracotta roof tiles that cover the elegant Spanish Colonial homes of Santa Barbara. To the east, the Santa Ynez Mountains rise dramatically from the town, offering majestic vistas of a crisp clear blue sky kissing the aquamarine waters of the Pacific Ocean. Seductive Brazilian…

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CHAR SIU SLICED PORK CHOP

A red plate with meat and rice on it.

I have been known to walk miles in search of good Char Siu (Chinese Roast Pork). Its sweet and sticky sauce is about as naughty as any food should be, but of course, that’s what makes it so irresistible. My friend Grace introduced me to a great place down in NY’s Chinatown (Big Wong) where…

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THE GREAT BARBECUE CRAWL

Southern bbq slow smoked sign.

I’m on a mission to visit all 50 states and I’m getting fairly close. So when a family wedding brought us out of the comfort of our Brooklyn home into the backcountry of Arkansas, I saw an opportunity to scratch off a few states on my list. I convinced my husband that a road trip…

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LASAGNA LOAF

Lasagna in a baking dish on top of a stove.

If you’re like me, sometimes the bargains at Costco are just too much to pass up. The other day I bought an enormous container of ricotta and a one-pound brick of mozzarella with hopes of making a big pan of lasagna. But the party plans fizzled out and as much as I like lasagna, eating…

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