Easy Roast Chicken
Roast chicken has always been one of my favorite comfort foods. Add a side of mashed potatoes, a simple salad, and a bottle of red wine, and I’m yours forever. In addition to being delicious, roast chicken is also a cinch to make; it takes about five minutes to prepare and then you can kick back and let your oven do the rest of the work. It’s the perfect compliment to a cozy Friday night, and the leftovers will keep you happy for days to come.
Yoga Gingerbread Cookies
Believe it or not, sometimes after a long day of work all I want to do is come home and bake. Baking soothes me. I like knowing that if I follow the directions, I’ll create something delicious. And since I’m usually the one telling everyone what to do, it’s a nice change of pace to follow orders. There’s something deeply meditative about following a step-by-step process—if I can commit myself to the recipe, everything else just seems to fall away.
Yogurt Granola Parfaits
I tend to shop at the grocery store for the same items every week. I might have one or two special meals that require ingredients I wouldn’t normally buy, but for the most part I stick to the Chrissy and Billy staples. I have a menu routine that works for us and, with so many other balls to juggle in my life, I’m grateful for the comfort of my familiar groove.
Cucumber Salad with Yogurt Dill Dressing
I think it’s important to revisit the flavors from your past—the tastes and textures that bring back happy memories and remind you of the experiences that shaped you growing up. I loved summers as a kid. I would spend hours outside digging in the dirt, making mud pies and picking veggies out of my mom’s garden. We always had a lot of cucumbers and I remember my mom, desperate to find a way to use the never-ending supply, making cucumber salad.
Zucchini Pasta with Arugula Pesto
Happy Fourth everyone! Inspiration struck at the Union Square Farmers’ Market today as I was thinking about what to bring to my family’s holiday barbecue. I’ve been feeling so relaxed and rested lately that my creativity has been on fire. As a creative soul, it’s hard on me when I feel like I’ve got nothin’ to express, or (and maybe worse) when I have tons of ideas but not enough energy to see them through. But today it’s literally pouring out of me, which is just the most amazing feeling. I found myself at the Union Square Green Market with time (and energy) to kill before teaching my Saturday class and, four hours later, I’m here sharing this recipe with you!
Homemade Brownies
This recipe comes straight to you from my journey into the baking unknown. I left the comforts of a trusted recipe and ventured off into the confectionary wilderness. It was a bold move for a gal who tends to shy away from potential failure in favor of a sure thing. Considering how little I know about the science of baking, this recipe is nothing short of a chocolate miracle.
Spaghetti and Meatballs
It’s no secret that I love to cook, and so it’s no surprise that I’m often asked about my favorite food. I think people expect me to say something fancy like roast chicken, or pistachio-encrusted lamb chops, but the truth is, I’m a simple gal at heart. My last meal would be a toss up between tacos and spaghetti. I can find just about any reason in the world to eat tacos, but there’s something about a bowl of homemade spaghetti that makes me feel at h(om)e.
Pecan Crescent Christmas Cookies
This is hands down my favorite Christmas cookie. One bite and I’m transported to my mother’s kitchen where I can still hear Christmas carols playing on my father’s old reel-to-reel. Now the recipe has been passed down from my mother to me. It’s filed in my recipe book under “Best Christmas Cookies in the World!”
Apple Tart
I’m not cooking Thanksgiving dinner this year; my sister is hosting at her new home in Connecticut and I’m really excited to be a guest! As much as I love to entertain, it’s nice to be on the other side. Thanksgiving is the ultimate culinary balancing act, and although I always learn something about myself in the process, I’m looking forward to a different vantage point, one that lets me enjoy the rhythm of the day and invites me to go with the flow. I’ll have time to play with my niece and nephew, help my sister bake the pies, and watch the Thanksgiving Day parade!