After much pleading and prodding, Ole shares his secret sauce: Homemade South Carolina Style Mustard Barbecue Sauce. Or does he? Getting this recipe was like pulling teeth, and I’m pretty sure we have an impacted molar still hiding in there somewhere. Read on for barbecue wisdom. In the summer of 2003 I pulled the trigger. I was a lifelong (26 whole years) resident of Minnesota. I had a college degree, an honest job, a trendy apartment in uptown Minneapolis, but I wasn’t done learning.... more

Radicchio hits the grill and gets drizzled with a honey-sweetened ginger dressing in this easy side salad recipe. There was something about the way they looked that drew me to them, these deep purple variegated orbs sitting amongst a sea of green on the produce department. I added them to my cart without purpose. Once home, they nestled in the crisper drawer, getting cozy with the chioggia beets and rainbow chard that also caught my eye. A few bunches of ramps rounded out the renters, paying their... more

Springtime ramps meet with creamy pasta carbonara in this foraged take on this classic Italian dish. Spring has been slow to start with the snow following us all the way into May this year. Only yesterday I commented that our current weather has more in common with March than the first weeks of summer, and the plants agree. Crabapples bloom everywhere I turn, their white and pink blossoms holding the promise of sunshine. It was just two weeks ago I noticed the first bits of rhubarb sticking out... more

Classic hummingbird cake made with whole wheat flour and sweetened with honey is a quick and easy dessert to whip up for last-minute entertaining this summer. Friday started out slowly with sunshine streaming in through the curtains. Morning light has this effervescent quality and slight bluish undertones that can make everything seem peaceful. It rests on surfaces, illuminates the glassware as you set out the breakfast dishes. Butter and eggs sizzle softer in the early a.m. hours. Before long,... more

A bright and creamy yogurt avocado dressing pulls together this quinoa salad dotted with bits of bell pepper and served on a bed of fresh spinach. Let’s talk about lunch. Back in grade school I started avoiding school lunch. I disliked standing in the line with my red paper ticket purchased that morning from a lady in a hairnet positioned behind a card table with a roll of red carnival tickets and a black metal box handing out rides on the lunch line express in exchange for your white envelope... more

A simple recipe for unleavened whole wheat Indian flatbread also known chapati and roti with a few tips on the process. Sometimes I don’t know what to do with myself. I am a mess. Today I keep turning my head into believing that it is Friday. It is not Friday, a rather unfortunate truth. I also keep thinking that if I ignore the atrociousness of my house long enough that elves will come to take care of it for me. I have yet to see these house-elves appear, and so the disarray remains: A pair... more

Garam masala, coriander, ginger, and garlic flavor this creamy, spinach-based saag dish with seared pieces of paneer cheese. The recipe can be adjusted to be served with chicken, if desired. I was introduced to Indian cuisine a few years after I had left home. It was during a college road trip: cars brimming with bodies, the trunk packed with an assortment of duffel bags as none of us even owned proper luggage at that point nor had the desire to use it. There was a drive across the flat, Midwestern... more