Dinner Recipes

My neighbor, an older woman named Clara, watched me one chilly October afternoon as I wrestled with a particularly stubborn acorn squash. I was trying … Read more

I was at my local hardware store last February, of all places, buying a new showerhead. The guy behind the counter—his nametag said “Doug”—had a … Read more

My niece asked why I couldn’t just skip the canned soup and fry the shallots myself. I started to explain why that wouldn’t work—then stopped. … Read more

My sister asked why I couldn’t just throw the squash right into the pot with the pasta. I started to explain why that wouldn’t work—then … Read more

This was supposed to be a slow-simmered, all-day affair. I had this grand vision of a rich, complex chicken tortilla soup that would bubble away … Read more

It was 11:47 PM on a particularly grey Tuesday in October, and I had a craving that made absolutely no sense. Not for chocolate, not … Read more

I wasn’t expecting cooking advice from my accountant, but there I was, sorting through a pile of receipts in his cluttered office, listening to him … Read more

Thanksgiving dinner was in four hours and I had completely forgotten I was supposed to bring a salad. My sister-in-law, Karen, had texted the family … Read more

I had this thing about squash for years. I mean, a real thing. I’d walk right past the butternut at the farmers market, eyeing the … Read more

Halloween was in about four hours and I’d completely forgotten the school party. Honestly, I was knee-deep in laundry and wondering if I could just … Read more