This seems like a chocolate pudding weekend. Anyone else feeling it? Not quite deep winter, but not yet spring. Snow melting, but with no spring break plans in sight. That spells chocolate, and a slow burn on comfort food for me. Not the gooey pasta bakes and endless pots of stew of February, but something a bit more, well, hopeful. The twinkle through my windows tells me it’s not too risky to to cling to the light. And yet it’s not time for peas and asparagus, either.
So, pudding!
Read MoreOne of my Dad’s favorite food stories to tell is about the time he took the whole young family (me, my three-siblings and my mom) to a phenomenal four-star French restaurant 40 stories up in one of Chicago’s iconic skyscrapers. During the meal, the waiter served my dad an expertly executed rack of lamb, then made the rounds doing table side service of the chef’s flawless potato puree (or, mashed potatoes). The waiter dolloped a delicate swoop of puree on my dad’s plate, with flair, and this warning: “And don’t you dare ask for more.”
If you have my first book, you’ve already heard this story, but it perfectly exemplifies how my family feels about a creamy mash, completely lump-less, and luxuriating in butter and cream. But, a flawless mash doesn’t always need to error on total decadence to taste divine.
Read MoreAs satisfying as a spaghetti-and-meatball dinner is a quicker way to get there is a big, bold Bolognese (or Ragu a la Bolognese, a ragu that hails from Bologna), which takes a quarter of the time to reach maximum flavor in a multicooker. I gave a LOT of thought to how much impact I could get from a quick-cook meaty sauce in a short amount of time, before including this recipe in INSTANT FAMILY MEALS. In short, I hesitated. But then, I dug in my heels and worked hard to solve some of the problems I worried about—and added ample amounts of harissa, good red wine and the best San Marzano tomatoes to make sure I could win the flavor equation on this one.
Read MoreI have so much to tell you, I really don’t know where to start—which is why, of course, this post is long overdue! I’m here to announce that my newest book, INSTANT FAMILY MEALS, arrived safely into the world just two weeks ago, and is already changing the way families do dinner.
I say that both sincerely, and modestly—It’s not me, it’s the pressure cooker. It’s a game changer for busy families, especially now. And this book—which is chock full of the favorites I’ve been leaning on in a tough year, coupled with the big flavors of food I miss most from restaurants and take out food—is right on time to help your family.
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