Dolly’s Chicken and Stuffing Casserole
I can still smell oven-warmed sage and butter when I close my eyes. The first time I made Dolly’s Chicken and Stuffing Casserole, I stood at my grandmother’s kitchen …
Pumpkin Protein Balls
I still remember the first time I rolled Pumpkin Protein Balls with my daughter on a rainy Mendocino afternoon. Pumpkin Protein Balls sat between us on a flour-dusted board, …
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
I remember the first time I folded warm pumpkin into batter and stirred in chocolate; those Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins came out of the oven like small, sun-warmed loaves …
Easter Salad
I still remember the first time I set out an Easter Salad on the long painted table in my parents’ backyard, the ocean fog softening the light and my …
Cozy and Sweet Honey Cinnamon Dessert
Hi. The first time I warmed my kitchen with the smell of a Cozy and Sweet Honey Cinnamon Dessert, I felt the house fold itself back into me, like …
Pink Sourdough Bread for Valentine’s Day
I still remember the first time I baked Pink Sourdough Bread for Valentine’s Day — the kitchen smelled faintly of sea salt and roasted beet, and my starter hummed …
Chocolate Cherry Sourdough Bread
I still remember the morning I first shaped a Chocolate Cherry Sourdough Bread loaf that smelled like a small, warm festival in my kitchen. Chocolate Cherry Sourdough Bread felt …
Strawberry Cream Cheese Heart Danishes
The very first time I shaped Strawberry Cream Cheese Heart Danishes into little pink promises, I felt like a kid folding paper hearts for Valentine’s day, but with butter …
Frankenstein Halloween Rice Krispie Treats
I remember the first time I tucked neon-green frosting into the corners of a chewy bar and called it art: Frankenstein Halloween Rice Krispie Treats. I made them for …
White Chicken Chili
I remember the first pot of White Chicken Chili I ever made; the fog had rolled in off the Pacific and my kitchen smelled of citrus and thyme. White …
Zesty Italian Pasta Salad
I remember the first summer I made Zesty Italian Pasta Salad for a neighborhood potluck, and how the first forkful felt like sun through fog—bright, tangy, and somehow nostalgic. …
