Appetizers

The Super Bowl party was in six hours and I’d completely forgotten I was supposed to bring the main appetizer. Everyone else would be showing … Read more

I was standing in the checkout line at Target last Tuesday when the woman ahead of me unloaded a cart piled high with blocks of … Read more

I was standing in the checkout line at Target last Tuesday when the woman in front of me turned around and asked if I knew … Read more

“Why can’t we just toss the cucumbers in the fridge with some dill and call it a day?” my friend asked one humid Saturday afternoon … Read more

The office Halloween party was in less than an hour and I’d completely blanked on bringing a snack. Everyone else was showing up with elaborate, … Read more

Introduction Last October, while fumbling through a crowded kitchen during a neighborhood Halloween potluck, my neighbor Jessie watched me struggling with a too-thick dough that … Read more

Last Saturday afternoon, I was parking my car outside the local grocery store when the unmistakable aroma of melted cheese and spicy pepperoni wafted from … Read more

There used to be this little Tex-Mex joint tucked behind a faded mural in downtown Austin that made the most unforgettable crispy loaded sheet pan … Read more

Introduction Last Saturday afternoon, I was reorganizing my cluttered home office when my usually quiet next-door neighbor, Mr. Jenkins—the retired plumber who rarely utters more … Read more

Introduction The office potluck was in less than an hour and I’d completely blanked on what to bring. Everyone else was showing up with these … Read more