My husband, Tad, likes a party. He will chat, man a grill, tell jokes, and in general have a great time. What he does not like is a party all about HIM!

Today’s Side Dish, photographer Ted Thomas, my longtime creative partner-in-chaos, is sharing what really happens behind the scenes of a food shoot.

In this round of Will It Risotto?, I leaned into a combination that already feels indulgent and comforting: Thai Mango Sticky Rice. Inspired by the classic Thai dessert, with its soft, slightly sweet coconut rice, ripe juicy mango, and that irresistible coconut drizzle, I couldn’t help but wonder what might happen if this Thai favorite took a little Italian detour. It felt like a natural crossover. A familiar dish, reimagined. But as always, I went in curious, wooden spoon in

The other night as I was cooking dinner, absentmindedly stirring, I started thinking about the popular trend “Will it focaccia?” I was making one of my favorite things to cook—risotto! Which naturally led to the question, “Will it risotto?” The answer so far is… yes, yes it will! A LITTLE LOVE FOR RISOTTO Risotto is one of those wonderful foods that elevates dinner and makes it feel special. While it takes a bit of patience, it is essentially (as my girlfriend likes to say) j

I’m sharing some of my go-to, the behind-the-scenes tricks we rely on during cookbook shoots and events to keep everything running smoothly. The best part? These hacks aren’t just for photo sets and professional kitchens. They work beautifully at home, too, helping you entertain with less stress and a whole lot more ease. #1 FREEZE AHEAD Puff pastry is a delicious, elegant product that can really be a life saver when it comes to entertaining. It also makes for great make ahea

Making soup is such a perfect way to slow down and enjoy adding a little witchcraft to your everyday cooking. Ingredients go into the pot one way, alone and maybe simple, and come out changed, bonded to others, and often elevated. The options are endless, the basics are simple, and the time is fluid. Many come together quickly but the real magic is when you let them simmer. You’ll enjoy the benefits of passive cooking time, the knowledge that dinner (never ending house guest

A LITTLE BACKGROUND Before I get to the epic tale, with its ups and downs, warnings, and eventually happy ending, let me give you a little background. At heart I have always loved rules: processes, catch phrases, figuring out who, what, and why they were made, and of course sometimes whether or not I thought they applied to me! So many, many, many, many, more than 30 years ago when I met my soon-to-be military husband, BOOM! I was introduced to a ton of new rules, processes,

First of all, you can do hard things and second, it’s not that hard! Both things can be true. When I talk to people about cooking and baking, the SKILL it takes to do something often gets confused with the TIME it takes to do something. Most things we need for holiday baking don’t take special skills; they just take some patience and setting aside the the time. So let’s treat pie and pie crust like a yoga class, a walk in the woods, or a meditation session. Set aside the time

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