There are a few times a year when it seems almost obligatory to BBQ – either BBQ yourself or attend one. And those times are Memorial Day weekend, July 4, and Labor Day weekend. That’s not to say you can’t BBQ all summer long, if you so desire. But it’s around those holidays that you see the grocery stores pull all their grilling items to the front of the store so you can’t miss the charcoal, the sodas and the chips and dip. (more…)
Because I’m always on a diet (or so it seems), I’m constantly trying to find ways to make veggie sides more interesting. Sure, I could steam broccoli and asparagus, and sauté spinach until is comes out of my ears. But in reality, how appealing do steamed veggies sound? That’s what I thought. I’ve recently starting grilling veggies. Yes, it’s winter and it’s too cold to be outside using a grill. That’s where my stovetop grill comes in handy. I’m telling you, I’ve becoming a grilling fanatic, minus the smell of food that lingers in the house long after we’ve devoured dinner. (more…)
Cheesy nachos at any Mexican restaurant can put a serious dent in your daily calorie count… if you’re counting. Step away from the cheesy nachos and look for something better. Before you start freaking out and guilt-tripping yourself out of cheesy nachos for life, try making your own. Oh the horror! Not having someone prepare it and serve it to you on a silver platter. Before you go complaining about how everything that tastes good isn’t good for you, try these cheesy white bean nachos. I promise, you won’t be slaving away in your kitchen for these. They’re easy for snacks or for an addition to Mexican night. (more…)
The great thing about having 7 aunts and uncles is that they and their children provide so much diversity to the family dynamic. Yes, we’re all essentially Arab/Middle Eastern, but we’ve grown up all over the world, some of us are American, others are Italian, Australian, Dutch, Jordanian, Egyptian, Algerian, English and Brazilian. And some of us have lived in places like London, Malaysia, Kuwait, Dubai, Oman, and Singapore. But we all bring something to the table – literally and figuratively. We may face some language barriers and be able to hold a conversation, but we all understand good food. And with so many cuisines to choose from, we’re lucky enough that our table is always full. (more…)
Thanksgiving this year, much like every year since I can remember, we had our annual get together at my parent’s house. That means mom took over all the major dishes from the Turkey to green beans to stuffing and mashed potatoes, while she farmed a dish or two out to me. I can just imagine my mom at home working the turkey with the Thanksgiving Day Parade on in the background. It’s seriously tradition. The Turkey wouldn’t turn out if he didn’t spend all morning jamming to the parade with my mom. Then everyone arrives a couple hours before meal time to set up and put the finishing touches before all is devoured and no one can move because of a food induced coma. (more…)
Making delicious food doesn’t always mean you have to make it from scratch. It needs to be balanced, though. You can’t buy store-prepared food and try to take credit for the entire meal. It’s a balancing act. Full disclosure – I think the smart ones are the ones who can pull off a multiple-course dinner combining their own cooking, with some boxed help. It doesn’t make you a bad person … it makes you a smart entertainer. Spending all day in the kitchen prepping for a dinner doesn’t leave you much energy to do the actual entertaining. (more…)
