Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus, Family Fun

Design Your Own Gingerbread House

Nothing says “Christmas!” like an old-fashioned gingerbread house, and this year, we’re going all out! These cookies are the ideal canvas for all sorts of decorative touches. The dough can be made and baked off in advance and stored in an airtight container until ready to decorate or finish. Use […]

Breakfast and Brunch

Double Cheese Breakfast Burritos

Makes 6 servings Breakfast burritos are a great make-ahead breakfast that can be frozen and reheated whenever you need a quick grab-and-go meal. These are a bit decadent, but you can simplify (and health-ify) with turkey bacon, mashed avocado, black beans, or even just leftover grilled or roasted veggies. Ingredients […]

Desserts

Easy S’mores Ice Cream Bars

Makes 16 bars These bars can be as homemade as you like, from the ice cream to the hot fudge and marshmallow cream. Higher quality ice cream will freeze firmer, making the bars easier to handle, but don’t hesitate to refreeze the bars as many times as needed to make […]

Allergen Friendly, Appetizers, Hors D’oeuvre, and Snacks

Guacamole

Makes 8 servings Ingredients 1/4 cup red onion, chopped 5 Hass avocados 1/4 cup lime juice 1 Roma tomato, diced 4 scallions, thinly sliced 1/4 cup chopped cilantro 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, plus more to taste Kosher salt, as needed Freshly ground black pepper, as needed Directions Soak the red […]

Chef's Blog

Holiday Care Packages

The holidays look a little different this year, but luckily, an interruption in tradition doesn’t have to mean an absence of celebration! You may not be able to join together with your loved ones in person, but with just a little planning, you can craft a curated care package to […]

Chef's Blog

Kid-Friendly Lunch Recipe for Back to School

Back-to-school was always my favorite season. I was never a summer kid, and heading back to the classroom meant cooler weather, new Lisa Frank school supplies, and school friends! Since the day I learned how, I don’t think I have stopped talking. At home I had three older brothers who […]

Chef's Notes Plus

Party-Ready Crudités

Vegetable appetizers are a perfect way to start a meal. They run the gamut from simple dips and spreads like guacamole, made from silken smooth avocados, to complex dishes that are sophisticated enough to feature at the most elegant dinner. One of the most popular vegetable appetizers, and one that […]

Breakfast and Brunch

Raisin Bread with a Cinnamon Swirl

Makes 2 loaves This dough is sprinkled with fragrant cinnamon sugar before rolling up, creating a swirl. Mixing raisins into the dough studs the entire loaf with plump, sweet fruit. Although the recipe calls for dark raisins, you could easily substitute dried currants or diced dried apricots or prunes. Ingredients […]

Allergen Friendly, Desserts

Raspberry Granita

Makes 2 pints Ingredients 1 1/4 cup raspberries 1 1/2 cups water 1/4 cup sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice, fresh Directions Push the raspberries through a wire-mesh sieve into a small bowl to make a purée. Stir all of the ingredients until blended and the sugar has dissolved. Pour […]

Chef's Notes Plus, Family Fun

Red, White Chocolate, and Blue Bark

Sometimes cooking is about the journey, not the destination. That is especially true when cooking with kids, and particularly when cooking with kids who have been inside a lot these last few months. For the Fourth of July this year, we’re keeping it simple—and fun!—with some candy crafting. White chocolate […]

Chef's Notes Plus, Family Fun

Snack Sushi

Sushi is generally an outside food, meaning we eat it outside of the house when someone else makes it for us. And for a lot of reasons, this is generally a fine practice. Good sushi fish can be hard to find and hard to store. Plus, who even knows how […]