Quick Easy Recipes

Introduction “Why can’t we just soak the banana peppers in vinegar and call it pickled?” my friend asked while I was trying to explain the … Read more

Introduction “Why can’t we just toss the jalapeños directly into vinegar and call it pickled?” my friend asked as I was going on about soaking … Read more

Introduction The other evening, I was at a neighborhood yard sale, sorting through a box filled with old kitchen gadgets when the quiet plumber from … Read more

Introduction My neighbor Betty watched me struggling with a jar of pickles one humid Saturday afternoon and didn’t say anything at first. Then she just … Read more

Introduction The other afternoon, I was reorganizing my cluttered garage when my quiet next-door neighbor, Mr. Jenkins—the retired plumber known for his gruff manner and … Read more

Introduction “You won’t believe what I found scribbled on the back of a napkin at my favorite downtown café last summer,” my friend Mark said, … Read more

Introduction “You know,” my neighbor Linda said one summer afternoon as we both reached for the last ear of corn at the farmer’s market, “buttered … Read more

“I wasn’t planning to bake bread that Sunday afternoon,” I confess. It started when the power flickered off unexpectedly—typical spring storm business—and my usual afternoon … Read more

“You’ve got to try this corn,” my neighbor Carlos said one sunny Saturday afternoon as I was hauling groceries up the porch steps. Honestly, I … Read more

“It was 11 PM on a Wednesday, and the fridge was looking pretty sad—just a lonely can of black beans, some frozen corn, and a … Read more