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Cozy Winter
Whether winter brings to mind the peace of a snowy woodland or pine branches brought inside as festive decoration, this is the season of coziness. A walk through the woods is an opportunity to bundle up with chunky mittens and knits. There may be no better time to wear a fluffy pom-pom. Inside there is coziness to be found in a cup of rich hot chocolate and, for a while, the garlands and ornaments that surround us. I’ve always loved winter for the way it calls us to be a little more still, more warm, perhaps even more thoughtful about things we might take for granted in other seasons. Heading…
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Chocolate Pecan Checkerboard Cookies
Slicing cookie dough to reveal a pattern is the most satisfying part of this recipe – until it comes to tasting what you’ve baked. In fact, these little sweets were given the title checkmate cookies by a friend who enjoyed tasting quite a few. With chopped pecans lacing the vanilla squares and rich chocolate flavoring the others, these crisp yet buttery treats serve my take on the classic vanilla and chocolate pairing in a package that’s fit for the holiday table. While many of the cookies I make for Christmas have layers and fillings that make them pretty enough to look like ornaments, these have a cheerful geometric pattern. Their…
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Savory Wild Rice and Cornbread Stuffing
A savory accompaniment to roasted chicken or Thanksgiving turkey, this stuffing combines nutty-flavored wild rice with crumbled skillet cornbread, sausage, and plenty of fresh herbs. Baking the cornbread in a skillet ensures a buttery, toasted bottom crust. Rather than cube the bread, I crumble it before mixing with the rest of the ingredients. Wild rice adds even more texture. Since I will make this recipe many times during the holiday season, I keep fresh herbs on the windowsill for easy clipping. Whether you serve it for a holiday or cozy weeknight dinner, classic Thanksgiving sides like cranberry sauce and roasted vegetables round out the plate. The scent of fresh sage,…
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Create a Restorative Mealtime Ritual
Recently I introduced a class, Cooking as Creative Meditation, in which I share ways that home cooking can be a meditative practice supportive of our well-being. We take a new look at the entire cooking process from meal planning to experiencing a beautiful meal. We also explore gratitude for the many hands that make it possible for us to access and prepare food, a practice to carry out throughout the year. From the farmers who grew the baby potatoes we will roast in the oven to those who harvested them, there are many to thank for the dishes we make. There are those who laid out the vegetables at the…
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Apple Bundt Cake
One of the best parts of apple picking is stopping by the market stand to take in the scent of freshly baked apple desserts. When I want to bring that scent and all those delicious flavors right into the kitchen, I whip up this apple Bundt cake. Made with apple butter and grated fresh apples, plus a pecan apple butter filling, this is my ultimate apple dessert recipe of the season. I love serving cakes that have their goodness laced throughout, as they stand on their own with minimal or no decoration. A Bundt pan takes things even further, as its ridges create a cake that looks just like an…
