The Grand Canyon offers unparalleled views as far as you can see. We’ll never forget the sights of this National Park treasure. But it’s the Park’s pancakes and cinnamon rolls that motivated our morning hikes.

During a recent visit to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, we ate crispy-edged, light, fluffy, and deliciously buttermilk-y ...Read more

The dark and stormy is one of the very first cocktails I ever learned to make — and also one of the easiest. Made by layering dark rum and refreshing ginger beer together in a glass, it got its name because the dark rum floating on top gives it a cloudy appearance that mimics the appearance of storm clouds.

With only two ingredients (plus a ...Read more

When it comes to comforting soups, I can easily say I have a hands-down favorite: Italian wedding soup. My experience of it is neither particularly Italian, nor is it matrimonial, rather it was one of the first real meals my mother fed me when I was a baby. The legend ...Read more

There's something about fall that just calls out for a great, big, steaming bowl of chili.

And it's not just because it's beginning to get cold outside, though it's true we start to crave warm, comforting dishes when the weather forecast calls for pulling on a jacket instead of shorts.

Rather, I think it's because we have a natural tendency to...Read more

Is there anything that hits the spot better on a busy school night or over-scheduled weekend than takeout Chinese food?

It's fun to eat, and usually it's quick from counter to table, with minimal cleanup because it comes with the requisite rice. And who doesn't love learning their fortune — good or bad — after breaking open the crisp and ...Read more

There’s something about this time of year that sends us in search of cookbooks to find fresh inspiration.

Whether you like to follow recipes exactly or tweak them as you go, a new cookbook can turn your dinnertime into an opportunity for creative thinking and sensory stimulation instead of a dose of daily drudgery.

So we went looking and ...Read more

As much as I love apples for their straightforward, tart-sweet flavors and crisp, snappy texture, they are no match for pears.

Pears are lush, fragrant and elegant. Take the tree-ripened local variety, Luscious. With their rough, tawny skin, they may not look like much, but they live up to the name. A cold, hardy variety, Luscious pears are ...Read more

CHICAGO -- Crust Fund Pizza is not a pizzeria.

“It’s like a pizzeria, but it’s kind of mythical, and mostly exists in my head, except for when it exists in an alley a couple nights a month,” said John Carruthers, who calls himself proprietor, “because it sounds funny and old-timey.”

Carruthers is the founder and serious amateur ...Read more

ST. LOUIS -- A colleague is holding a small dinner party for our department to honor one of our number who is retiring.

We are sorry to be losing our irreplaceable co-worker and friend, of course, but we are also excited by the prospect of the party. The hostess is known to be an excellent cook, and I have it on good authority that dessert will...Read more

An order of McDonald’s McNuggets will only cost you $1, but not for long.

Once per week, customers can get a 10-piece chicken McNuggets for $1 now through Dec. 2, when they order on the mobile app, the fast-food giant said in a news release.

A menu favorite, the nuggets are made with white meat chicken and “no artificial colors, flavors, ...Read more

This cozy dessert features all the flavors you know and love in a pumpkin pie, but without the hassle of rolling a crust. The creamy pumpkin filling is complemented by the warm spices in the pumpkin pie spice blend and maple syrup. Oats and pecans add a lovely crunch to the topping. Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Pumpkin ...Read more

A great alternative to rice, wild rice has more protein than most other whole grains and is a good source of nutrients like fiber, B vitamins, and magnesium.

The folklore

Wild rice looks like rice and is eaten like rice, but this crunchy, chewy whole grain is actually an aquatic grass that grows wild in lakes and rivers mainly...Read more

Here are two of my favorite dishes that always appear on my Thanksgiving table. They may become your family traditions after you taste them.

Rustic Mashed Potatoes with Mascarpone and Chives

Serves 6

One of my all-time favorite mashed potato recipes combines unpeeled Yukon Gold potatoes with mascarpone for an incredibly creamy-...Read more

This Thanksgiving a judicious use of red chile will spark up our holiday table. The dark, tangy robust flavor of dried red chile works well to counter the richness of many of the side dishes. It also proves a welcome change to boring salt and pepper seasoning.

Red chile pairs beautifully with sweet potato. Think sweet and savory ...Read more

After the Thanksgiving feast, chances are good you’ve got a fridge full of the real treat: leftovers! While they’re easy to enjoy as lunch or dinner (or snacks), we’re actually big fans of revamping leftovers into breakfast (think: hearty omelets stuffed with turkey and cheese, or grab-and-go breakfast bars ...Read more

I’m not a huge fan of grapes. Sure I’ll snack on them from time to time, but I never really seek them out. But this creamy grape salad turned me from a grape skeptic into a voracious grape eater. All it takes is a handful of pantry ingredients and a few minutes of effort. It’s fresh and cool and makes the perfect side dish.

Key ...Read more

It's amazing what you find when you (finally) channel your inner Marie Kondo and start clearing your house of junk.

I've been in the same Federal-style colonial for 30-plus years, and having raised five kids there, things have piled up over the years.

Our vacation next week will include filling a dumpster with things we no longer need and, in ...Read more

There are so many different ways to cook vegetables in the brassica family — cauliflower, broccoli, Romanesco, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kohlrabi, bok choy, savoy cabbage. Whether you steam, bake, roast or sauté these hearty veggies, they all will stand up to a range of bold, contrasting flavors, especially the Italianate combinations of ...Read more

‘Tis the season for apples and pumpkins. And we all know apples are the superior flavor. This very affordable frozen dessert pizza is surprisingly full of real diced apples, plus a streusel crumble, cinnamon and sugar.

Once you’ve baked it, drizzle a cream cheese sauce over the top for a delicious dessert. It’s good by itself, but ice ...Read more

Enjoy this light, vegetarian frittata. You can use any vegetables you have on hand and use this recipe as a guide for amounts.

Frittatas and omelets are different things. A frittata is cooked very slowly over low heat making it firm and set, while an omelet is cooked fast over high heat making it creamy and runny. A frittata needs to be cooked...Read more