THE GOOD, THE BAD + THE BUONI
Slather, dip, dunk, repeat! We’re huge fans of sauces, spreads, and dips over here! It makes no difference to us whether it’s a French dessert coulis, Italian béchamel, perfect guacamole, or my Mom’s southern giblet gravy! We like to call them, meal-makers. Because a really great condiment or sauce can elevate almost any dish. From sweet to savory, thick to thin, and mild to spicy, you’ll find just a little bit of everything here.
This quick and easy homemade strawberry jam recipe (aka strawberry freezer jam) is delicious! It tastes as good slathered toast as it does drizzled over ice cream or cheesecake. And it’s what I use to make one of our all-time favorite strawberry desserts — Italian strawberry crostata (and little strawberry […]
This is one of the best toasty Sichuan chili oil recipes you will ever make. I learned how to make this Xiangla Hongyou (香辣红油)f rom Sichuanese Chef Liu while living in Chengdu and it’s still one of my all-time favorite condiments (ever). This highly addictive sesame-flecked red chili oil is […]
This oven-baked easy spinach artichoke dip recipe is creamy, melty, and chock full of artichokes and spinach. It’s ready in about 35 minutes, making this the ultimate hot party dip that’s just as good for game night as it is for your holiday parties and Sunday suppers. Plus, you can […]
If you’re in the mood to make your favorite chipotle recipes like tinga tacos or other Mexican or Tex-Mex dishes but don’t have a can of chipotle in adobo sauce lying around — don’t fret. You can get the same spicy, tangy, smoked jalapeño flavors with this easy DIY version. […]
You may be wondering why you should make homemade pumpkin purée from scratch when you can just pick up a can or two at the store. For starters, this all-natural (seriously delicious) pumpkin purée recipe is probably the simplest thing you’ll do all year. Beyond that, it yields an intensely […]
If you’re a fan of Caesar Salad, (like Chili’s Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad circa the late 90s and early aughts), I think you’ll love this homemade grilled chicken Ceasar Salad recipe. Each component is incredibly simple to make from scratch — homemade Parmesan and herb-coated (featherlight) crispy croutons, umami-rich Caesar […]
Black Italian chickpeas from Puglia and black Japanese sesame paste are the base for this beautifully dark, smooth, and creamy hummus. It tastes just as good as regular hummus but is a bit more dramatic-looking. I created this recipe to close out our “Go Gray in May for Brain Cancer […]
This easy homemade French Onion Dip recipe is tangy, creamy, and tastes just like my whole family’s favorite brand (Hiland French Onion Dip). I use a technique that helps it firm up just like the store-bought stuff without needing any unnatural ingredients. This French onion dip recipe is also free […]
If you’ve ever eaten Tacos al Pastor shaved right off of a rotating trompo (vertical spit), then you know how delicious they are and this authentic recipe does not disappoint. Ok, so we’re not in Mexico City and this recipe will never taste as good as the original tacos from […]
This easy homemade strawberry-blood orange sauce is a super tasty way to top all your favorite cheesecakes, pancakes, french toast, strawberry shortcake scones, and ice cream sundaes. Avoid buying storebought syrups or sauces which can be full of preservatives and loaded with sugar because all you need is fresh (or […]
This naturally (intensely) sweet tomato Passata Sauce recipe is in a word, delicious. We use it for making all kinds of toothsome pasta dishes and in some of our favorite lasagnas. You can use any type of jarred tomato purée for this recipe, but today (and for as long as […]
If you need a quick and easy tomato sauce for pasta this recipe is the most essential (and delicious) of them all. Made with basic pantry staples — a jar (or can) of high-quality San Marzano (or Mutti brand tomatoes), extra virgin olive oil, onion, garlic, and a little carrot, […]