Bucatini with Vodka Cream Sauce Makes 4 servings 1 pound bucatini pasta 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil ½ medium onion, chopped 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 cup vodka 1 (28-ounces) can crushed tomatoes 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon […]
Red Beans and Rice Soup Makes 8 servings 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 6 slices thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces 1 large onion, chopped 2 celery stalks, chopped 1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped […]
Pork Chops with Roasted Brussel Sprout and Sweet Potato Hash Makes 4 servings 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided 1 teaspoon coarse-ground pepper, divided 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, divided ½ teaspoon garlic powder 4 (1-inch-thick) bone-in, center-cut pork chops 4 tablespoons […]
Watermelon “Steak” Salad Makes 4 servings Dressing ½ cup light olive oil ¼ cup canola oil ¼ cup white balsamic vinegar 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon sugar ¼ to ½ teaspoon chili lime seasoning Kosher salt Coarse-ground pepper Salad […]
Roasted Salmon with Peach Arugula Salad Makes 6 servings Salmon 2 pounds whole salmon fillet, skin-on 1 teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon coarse-ground pepper 1 lemon, thinly sliced 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled 1 tablespoon honey 1 tablespoon […]
Last year I was so busy. On top of baking for the Matthews Farmers Market and cooking for clients, I finally finished the companion cookbook to my novel A Second Helping . With this busy work schedule, I found myself […]
As the mother of two teenage boys, I feel like I live in the grocery store. All they do is eat. Sometimes groceries don’t even make it home. My darling children can devour an entire shopping bag of food before […]
As a woman of a certain age, my hormones have become a little discombobulated, so last month I decided to do something about it before I went up in flames. After much internet research, I learned that a diet high […]
This past week, I’ve been listening to Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes, and my desire to visit Italy has been reignited. (SPOILER ALERT: The memoir is nothing like the movie, so there’s no sexy Italian guy whisking anyone off to […]
Like many American families, the Gaskins clan eats a lot of chicken. And why not? It’s inexpensive, versatile, and most important, delicious. I do my best to keep some variety in the family meal rotation, but sometimes it seems we […]
When I decided to sell baked goods at the Matthews Community Farmers Market, I had no idea the impact being a vendor at my town market would have on my life. Not only has Queen City Kitchen been well received […]
It’s Super Bowl weekend! And I have to make something to celebrate the occasion. As a South Jersey girl who grew up across the bridge from Philadelphia, I’m rooting for my Eagles to win. I know New England is the […]
Sometimes it seems like I make the same thing for dinner every week. Roast chicken, tacos, spaghetti and meatballs, and pizza always seem to be in the weekly rotation. The only time there’s a real change-up in the menu is […]
Shrimp and grits is a staple on the menu of many Southern restaurants. Each restaurant offers its own spin on the popular low-country dish. Some places just top a bowl of grits with sauteed shrimp, while other establishments smother the […]
My dad was an MP in the Air Force, and one of the carry-overs he brought to his civilian life after leaving the military was a craving for creamed chipped beef, or as he referred to it, s#&t on a […]
I will be turning 47-years-old in about three weeks, and lately I’ve been nostalgic about the food I enjoyed in my youth. I’m not upset about getting older, I welcome it. With each passing year, I have great experiences, and […]
When I was a kid, my mom took my sister and me to different farms to pick all kinds of fruits and vegetables. At the time, this was not a family outing I appreciated. I was born and raised in […]
Whenever I get the opportunity to cook on Charlotte Today, a local lifestyle and entertainment morning show in Charlotte, North Carolina, I have a blast. It’s the one time in my life when I can dirty a bunch of dishes and […]
Last week I was flipping through a bunch of food magazines in search of inspiration for a recipe I needed to come up with for my next cooking segment on Charlotte Today. I eventually came across an article about the history of […]
This post is sponsored by Ms. C’s Soppin’ Good BBQ Sauce. Since the 1800s there’s been an ongoing feud between Eastern Carolina and Western Carolina for barbecue sauce supremacy, with each region possessing its own distinct style and flavor. Your sauce of […]
This week really got away from me. I am currently in the process of writing my second novel and my first cookbook. On top of that I do cooking demonstrations on a few local news and entertainment programs in Charlotte. […]
