Tag Archives: recipe

Homemade Toum Garlic Dip (Large Batch) 

I am a huge garlic fan. When I first discovered “Toom” (brand name) at our local Kauai Costco about three years ago, it became an instant kitchen staple. Creamy, sharp, and unapologetically bold, it found its way onto everything from grilled chicken to roasted vegetables. Island life, however, comes with supply chain surprises. Toom wasContinue reading “Homemade Toum Garlic Dip (Large Batch) “

The Kitchens That Made Me

Lessons from Grandma Helen’s Kitchen The Kitchens That Made Me is a collection of stories about the people and places that shaped how I cook, eat, and gather. Each kitchen carries more than recipes. They hold lessons about care, creativity, patience, and love. Grandma Helen, my father’s mother, was the quintessential grandmother. She had theContinue reading “The Kitchens That Made Me”

The Missing Garlic in Milan

Food Guru Travel Note Travel has always been my favorite way to understand a place. Not through museums or monuments first, but through kitchens, markets, and the quiet rules people cook by without thinking about them. In Milan, a city known as much for restraint as for style, a small cooking class taught me somethingContinue reading “The Missing Garlic in Milan”

Rustic Tomato–Hominy Chicken Thigh Stew

with Basil, Mascarpone & Red Wine From The Kitchens That Made Me ⸻ This recipe comes from the kitchen of my grandmother, Nola, who cooked from recipes and trusted them — especially during snowy Santa Fe winters, when she’d make a warming pot of chili or stew after we came home tired and hungry fromContinue reading “Rustic Tomato–Hominy Chicken Thigh Stew”

Chesapeake Deviled Eggs with Spicy Pickled Shrimp

I make these spicy deviled eggs every year for holiday parties, and they’re always one of the first things to disappear—the kind of appetizer people hover around and then casually ask, “Wait… what’s in these?”

Travel to Santiago de Compostela, Spain

Last year (October 2021) we took an epic family adventure to Europe. Have you heard of Santiago, Spain? It was one of the stops along our Oceania cruise. Xulio (Shu-lee-o) was our tour guide. The locals speak Castilian Spanish and Galletian (mix of Spanish and Portuguese). The most common trees in this area are oakContinue reading “Travel to Santiago de Compostela, Spain”

It’s Super Satisfying Trimming Meat!

Who doesn’t love a great cut of meat procured for a super great price in bulk? Vegetarians, THAT question was not for you. But seriously, there’s nothing like buying a whole beef tenderloin and getting it home to prep, then after a couple of filet cuts, you hit gristle and you’re like “what the heck?!”Continue reading “It’s Super Satisfying Trimming Meat!”

Dried Chili Salsa

Ingredients 6 oz dried Guajillo Chili 6 oz dried Padilla Chili 2 Tbsp of dried chili Pequins (if you like spicy, if not, then omit) 2 HEADS of garlic peeled 1 sweet yellow onion peeled 2-3 Tbsp sea salt 4-5 limes juiced 1 Tbsp dried Cumin 1 bunch (2 cups) fresh Cilantro 1 Tbsp vegetableContinue reading “Dried Chili Salsa”

Here is a quick and easy way to peel a lot of garlic at once!!

I love to make chili 🌶 salsas! I feel like it takes me back to my Latin American and Indigenous American roots. But with my mass batches of salsa comes a lot of garlic peeling. 😳 Like several heads of garlic at once. I wouldn’t say it’s one of my favorite jobs, but someone hasContinue reading “Here is a quick and easy way to peel a lot of garlic at once!!”