Appetizers

It was 11:15 PM on a random Wednesday, and I was staring into the fridge like it owed me money. The craving hit me out … Read more

This was supposed to be a proper sit-down dinner. I had this whole vision—a beautifully plated main course, candles flickering, everyone gathered around the table … Read more

I wasn’t expecting to find my new favorite game day recipe in the middle of a hardware store, but there I was, holding a bag … Read more

My brother-in-law Mark asked why I couldn’t just bake the whole cheese ball instead of serving it cold. I started to explain why that wouldn’t … Read more

Last Tuesday, I showed up at my neighbor Rosa’s house with a bag of limes I’d bought on a whim at the farmers’ market. I … Read more

There used to be a tiny sports bar on the corner of 8th and Elm called The Rusty Nail that made the most ridiculously crispy … Read more

I was at a backyard barbecue last summer, balancing a paper plate on my knee and trying not to spill ranch dressing on my jeans, … Read more

Introduction I wasn’t supposed to be at that tailgate. My cousin’s neighbor, a guy named Pete who I’d only met twice, had texted me by … Read more

This was supposed to be a clean, respectable spinach artichoke dip for the big game. I had the artichokes, I had the spinach, I had … Read more

My neighbor, a guy named Carl who proudly grows ghost peppers in his garage, swore he hated pickled jalapeños. For years. Every time I brought … Read more