Some days I just need baking therapy. Now that I’ve joined the ranks of the laid off, I alternate between working on my book, taking meal breaks (woo hoo!) and looking for jobs. It’s a little draining, and leaves me craving carbs. This week I desperately needed cake, and found the most amazing recipe for Lemon Ricotta Poundcake that came from a Giada De Laurentiis recipe. But I…
I’m at my dining room table staring my mail in ballot. I like the fact that I can vote with hair conditioner on, under an electric heating cap, looking like an alien in a bad 1950s Sci-fi movie. I’d share the image, but am too vain to give you that kind of belly laugh right now. I usually vote in person because my parents did, and took great…
We may push and pull when it comes to religion and diversity in this country, but I hope this moment of clarity, in honoring a remarkable woman, helps us remember how important it is to respect every individual's beliefs, whether we share them, or not.…
I think I might finally be getting the hang of this year – it’s all about waiting. We waited to see what Covid would bring. Then we waited to see if our jobs would come back. Then we waited to see if the protests would really bring about change. We continued waiting to see what Covid would bring after Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and Labor Day.…
Since you’re probably starting to experience fall, I have the perfect recipe for the absolute best cream of mushroom soup. Eat this with a piece of crusty bread and you’ll be transported. Those of us here in the southwest wish we could be transported, having just watched summer dry out into what is now the season of hell. But I digress. At least I still have a place…
I was talking to a friend about the deliciousness of tomatoes this time of year. Our conversation reminded me of rainy days in late summer when my sister and I used to sit in the garage staring out at the rain. She’d eat a tomato sandwich and I’d eat a tomato with sprinkled with salt, loving that sweet, sun-ripened juice running down my chin. Every August and September…
I woke up in a very crabby mood today, in spite of a perfect Los Angeles day with deep blue skies and an actual cool breeze. Maybe it was weeks of 100 degree temperatures, plus two political conventions back to back. Or maybe it’s living alone during five months of furlough with no discernible end in sight. Either way, my grumpiness wasn’t lifting. My usual ventees weren’t available…
Is everyone having a tough time not knowing what their life will be like in a month or two, or is it just me? I think the low-level stress is turning me toward the dark side – chocolate. Not that it was a big turn. But right now chocolate is entirely too satisfying. That’s why I found myself going through the thousand, or more, recipes I’ve collected over…
Life is all backwards now. People who used to have to be dragged into the kitchen are baking and cooking up masterpieces, and people like me, who love to cook, can barely lift a spatula because I have no one to feed. Cooking for myself is nice, but it’s the sharing that’s the fun part. I can make my favorite pasta with shallots, fresh tomato, basil and whipping…
I was relishing the sunshine this morning as I walked, listening to my favorite hip-swaying, tunes,(after listening to the depressing news) when it, again, hit me — hope is our best ally right now. It’s symbol is the sturdy anchor that holds ships in place during rough weather. And I think Covid 19 definitely qualifies as a storm. Hope keeps us moving forward every day. I hate to…