Last Wednesday was another snow day here in New Jersey, so I invited Kathe and her kids over to play. Since I almost always bake cookies when I’m stuck in the house — it is a natural, comfy thing to do — I checked for supplies. With only one egg left in the refrigerator, I asked Kathe to bring some ...
Kitchen Chronicles
Warming Up
It's been so cold here in Madison, Wi., that schools (which we were told never, ever close for even big snowstorms) were closed two days for extreme wind chill. Eek. So last week, I was thrilled to have Katrina and Lori here, along with their kids (we had a combined kid count of 5) to make a ...
Bus Stop Soup Talk
A lot can happen at the corner bus stop. While waiting to get the little ones off to school, we’ve made play dates, met new puppies and even scheduled cooking dates. Since I hadn’t really had time to coordinate my “Souper Bowl” soup-making plans by telephone or e-mail, I made sure the kids ...
Making a Difference
With Barack Obama's inauguration this week, many of us are thinking about how the world is going to change. We're hopeful, we're excited, and we want to get involved. Here's one important way each us can make a little difference. Cooking With Friends is supporting Share Our Strength's "No Kid ...
“Operation No Kid Hungry”
Did you know that 1 out of 6 children in America -- 12.6 million kids -- are at risk of hunger? Share our Strength, one of the nation’s most committed charity organizations, is dedicated to lowering this horrifying statistic. The organization has reached out to Cooking With Friends, among other ...
A Project for Two
Sometimes, you absolutely have to have two (or more) cooks in the kitchen. I often cook with my husband, one of us choosing a dish and the other re-creating it, sometimes shopping together for ingredients or even just making suggestions on each others' recipes. But this week, as we tried out our ...
And we’re off!
The year is off to a nice cooking start as I try to fill my freezer and cupboards with the basics that will help me get through the work week. Last week’s action-packed cooking agenda included an impromptu granola-making session during my pre-schooler’s playgroup; a big batch chicken tender cooking ...
Foodie Resolutions
It's the first week of a New Year, and like many of you, I have some foodie resolutions. One is to help improve the school lunches at my daughter's school and to learn more about programs like Edible Schoolyard and Farm to School (check out www.farmtoschool.org--it's in 40 states). Wouldn't it be ...
Thoughts from Far Away
An empty container, a kind gesture, and thoughts from a friend. . . While visiting relatives in England, my friend noticed an empty container in her father-in-law’s cupboard. She thoughtfully decided to make homemade granola to fill it with. While doing so, she thought of me, her granola making ...
Seven Fishes
For our New Year's Eve dinner last night, we made the traditional Italian Seven Fishes (well not so traditional as really it's meant to be served Christmas Eve but we make it for one or the other each year). It's a great dish to involve all cooks and guests in your house. I'm half Italian and ...