Bucatini with Vodka Cream Sauce

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 […]

Dirty Rice

Dirty Rice Makes 6 servings 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 pound ground pork 1 medium yellow onion, chopped 1 medium pablano pepper, seeded and diced 2 celery stalks, diced 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon […]

Red Beans and Rice Soup

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 […]

Watermelon “Steak” Salad

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

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 […]

Spicy Orange Beef Stir-Fry

Spicy Orange BeefMakes 4 servings Marinade1 tablespoon soy sauce1 teaspoon sesame oil1 teaspoon cornstarch1 teaspoon baking soda1½ pounds New York strip steak, thinly sliced crosswise Sauce¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice2 tablespoons soy sauce2 tablespoon hoisin sauce2 tablespoons oyster sauce2 […]

Grilled Salmon Tacos with Avocado Crema

Grilled Salmon Tacos with Avocado CreamMakes 6 servings 1½ to 2 pounds side of salmon filet, skin on1 tablespoons fresh lime juice1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 teaspoon lime zest½ teaspoon coarse-ground pepper.2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and […]

Pickled Jalapenos

Pickled JalapenosMakes about 1 cups ½ cup white wine vinegar½ cup water1 tablespoon sugar 1½ teaspoon kosher salt1 garlic clove, smashed5 teaspoons black peppercorns5 teaspoons coriander seeds8 ounces jalapeno peppers, thinly sliced Combine the vinegar, water, sugar, salt, garlic, peppercorns, […]

Pickled Onions

Pickled Onions Makes about 1½ cups 1 tablespoon sugar1 teaspoon kosher salt½ cup white wine vinegar¼ cup rice vinegar1 garlic clove, halved5 black peppercorns3 small thyme sprigs1 medium red onion, peeled and thinly sliced Bring 3 cups of water to […]

Small-Batch Blueberry Jam

I love being a vendor at the Matthews Community Farmers Market. Not only do I have the best customers on the planet, but I also meet and talk to the most interesting people. This summer I worked alongside the cutest […]

Short Rib Shepherd’s Pie

Just when I thought Shepherd’s pie couldn’t get any better, I discovered that shepherd’s pie made with short ribs is magical! Not only is it tasty and comforting, it can make husbands compliant. When I told Big Daddy that I […]

Rotisserie Chicken Tortellini Soup

This soup is a hearty spin on classic chicken noodle soup. The recipe comes together quickly using rotisserie chicken and fresh tortellini. It’s the perfect soup for a cold winter evening. Not that I would know anything about a cold […]

Espresso Brownie Mousse Cake

This chocolate mousse cake is decadent and super easy to make. This recipe elevates a simple box brownie mix to a luscious dessert that makes the perfect ending to any Valentine’s Day meal. Let me know when you make this […]

Green Curry Shrimp

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 […]

Apple Crisp Bread Pudding

This is my Food Network winning recipe! It smells and tastes just like Christmas! This bread pudding is hard to resist, and we ate it before I got a photo. That’s why I had to borrow the Ultimate Recipe Showdown […]

Pimento Cheese Potato Skins

Pimento cheese elevates basic potato skins to the perfect indoor tailgate party food. Let me know when you make this recipe. Take a picture and hashtag it #QUEENCITYKITCHEN. I can’t wait to see what you post! Pimento Cheese Potato Skins Makes […]

Fall Harvest Stir-Fry

Now that North Carolina’s second summer is finally coming to an end, I can begin to enjoy all the comforting flavors of autumn without getting overheated. When it’s over 80 degrees outside I’m not too interested in eating something that […]

Three-Bean Turkey and Pork Chili

October is National Chili Month, and my contribution to this 31-day food holiday is my famous Three-Bean Turkey and Pork Chili. I know there are a ton of people out there with their version of a world-famous chili, but what’s […]

Sausage and Parmesan Stuffed Zucchini

With summer winding down, now is the time to use up all that seasonal zucchini readily available. Whether from the market, local farm stand or, my neighbor’s back yard, zucchini is my favorite vegetable for stuffing. Filling fresh produce with […]

Blueberry Peach Cobbler

My mom used to make the best peach cobbler on the planet, and to this day, I have yet to find peach cobbler better than hers. When I was growing up, peach cobbler was her go-to dessert for family barbecues […]

Tuscan White Beans and Shrimp

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 […]

Bangers and Mash Stew

Bangers and mash is classic pub grub popular in England and Ireland. It’s a super easy dish that marries delicious pork sausage with creamy mash potatoes. This union is bound together by a rich onion gravy. I always like to […]

Maple Apple Crisp

When my kids were little guys, my husband and I would take them up to the mountains to pick apples. It was a family tradition that announced the arrival of Fall. We’d get a few apples picked before they started […]

The Delicious Chicken Sandwich

Most of us, no matter how diligent we are about our meals, have a soft spot for fast food. There’s just something about fast food that makes us happy. It’s convenient, cheap, and reminds of childhood. I must confess, my fast […]

Basil and Spinach Pesto

When my kids were little guys, we planted an herb container garden on the deck every spring. They were in charge of watering the seeds and picking out any debris. They’d watch the pot every day, anxious for a green […]

Chicken Florentine

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 […]

Spring Pasta Salad

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 […]

Steak (Not) Nicoise Salad

There is no rhyme or reason to the recipes I select for my cooking segments on Charlotte Today. Inspiration can come from anywhere. I’ve been inspired while watching Food Network or PBS, sitting in car line, reading a book, folding laundry. […]

Chicken and Dumplings

Last week I got a text asking me to sum up my cooking style in one sentence. I never really thought about my cooking style, I just like to cook. Tell me what you want to eat, and I can […]

Korean BBQ (Bulgogi) Tacos

My boys started spring ball, and life is going to get crazy. For the next twelve weeks, two nights a week and every weekend we will be consumed by basketball. I don’t have the necessary time management skills to properly […]

Blood Orange Ricotta Cake

A few weeks ago, my mother gave me a bag of blood oranges that were sent to her in error by the grocery store. She ordered regular navel oranges but got blood oranges instead. She had no use for them, […]

Boston Cream Icebox Cake

By no means am I a Patriots fan. But it only seems fair that I include something on my Super Bowl menu that represents the opposing team, since I have a dish celebrating the Eagles. Boston cream pie is the […]

Cheesesteak Nachos

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 […]

Posole Rojo

We’re finally getting a taste of real winter in North Carolina. A couple of weeks back, the local news even warned of an impending winter storm that was set to “blanket the Charlotte region with up to five inches of […]

Steak Pizzaiola

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 […]

Grown-Up SpaghettiOs

For New Years Eve, we had a few friends and their kids over for dinner and Spades. It had been a while since we were all together, and I thought good food and spirited competition would be fun. When I […]

Creole Shrimp and Grits

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 […]

Red Velvet Shortbread Cookies

I recently posted a picture of some red velvet shortbread cookies in a food group on Facebook and received several requests for the recipe. Since it’s the season of giving, I am more than happy to share. These are showstopper […]

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

I have been too busy these past few months that I totally forgot to post a recipe I prepared on Good Day Charlotte back in October. My brain is so fried that I can’t even remember the story that inspired […]

Creamed Chipped Beef

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 […]

Sweet Potato Pie Bread Pudding

I’m the official Thanksgiving cook in my family. I’m also forbidden to go outside of the Thanksgiving dinner guidelines as laid down by my sisters many years ago after I decided to go all Bon Appetite with the menu. I wanted to […]

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

As someone who cooks for a living, I spend most of my time in the kitchen. Each day I do my best to turn out great food for my clients. I have made thousands upon thousands of dishes over the […]

Apple Crostata

 A crostata is an Italian baked tart. It’s a rustic dessert made with seasonal fruit wrapped in a simple pastry dough. It’s also an uncomplicated dessert that doesn’t require special baking technique or training. A crostata is an easy way […]

Classic Stuffed Shells

I was born and raised in South Jersey. And whenever I feel nostalgic for my home state, I crave Italian food. Cheesy, saucy, Nona-inspired Italian food. No chain restaurants, please. I’m talking a mom and pop corner trattoria, where the […]

Homemade Marinara Sauce

I learned how to make marinara sauce back in high school. I was studying at a friend’s house, and his mother invited me to stay for dinner. As a teenager with good home training, I offered my help in whatever […]

Triple Chocolate Fudgy Brownies

On Saturday, August 12, 2017, Queen City Kitchen will be a vendor at the Love Desserts Charlotte dessert festival. This will be my first festival, and I’m really excited! I love getting out in front of people and talking about […]

Dulce de Leche Banana Pudding

I used to be a volunteer cook for Wednesday night supper at my church. Every week for several years, I helped prepare 300+ meals with a group of retired men and women who kept the kitchen running smoothly and me […]

Homemade Croutons

Fresh homemade croutons are the best way to add a crispy texture to a fresh salad. Unlike their store-bought counterparts, homemade croutons are packed with flavor and have a delicate crunch. Store-bought croutons are usually dry and tasteless, and tend […]

Key Lime Pie

Thirteen years ago, I started my culinary journey at the Charlotte Regional Farmers Market. I had no clue what I was doing when I set my first batch of baked goods on that weathered wooden table in the outdoor market. […]

Asian Shrimp and Noodle Salad

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 […]

Tex-Mex Rice Pilaf

I make this rice whenever Tex-Mex is on the menu at my house. It’s my version of the tomato based rice found in Mexican restaurants across the country. I basically modified Mexican rice to suit my taste. I’m not too […]

Chipotle Cheerwine Chicken Tacos

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 […]

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

I can’t believe it’s already May! I feel like I just took down my Christmas tree, and it’s already Cinco de Mayo. I’m not Mexican, but I appreciate the significance of this holiday. Cinco de Mayo honors the Mexican Army’s […]

Sauteed Sugar Snap Peas

Spring is here! And along with it comes crops of amazing seasonal vegetables, my favorite being sugar snap peas. I first discovered this crisp, sweet vegetable when my oldest son was an infant. Since I was an overly obsessive new […]

Bourbon Bacon Meatball Sliders

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 […]

Fettuccine Alfredo

When I think about a romantic dinner for two, my mind immediately drifts to that famous Bella Notte scene in Lady and the Tramp. I just love how those two infatuated pooches interact with each other. She flutters her eyes at […]

Carmelita Bars

I remember the first time I ever had a carmelita bar. It was when I made my inaugural visit to the Whole Foods in Charlotte, North Carolina during the store’s grand opening week about four years ago. At the time, […]

Andouille and Corn Chowder

Last February, I had the opportunity to present a workshop at the first annual When The Heart Dreams conference in Charlotte, North Carolina. This event was an opportunity for romance readers and authors to mix and mingle for the weekend. […]

Stovetop Popcorn

Yesterday was my last day on the Daniel Fast, and I feel so much better. After consuming an obscene amount of rich and indulgent food over the holidays, I was in desperate need of an eating overhaul. For twenty-one days, […]

Berry Almond Oatmeal

When I think about oatmeal, I think about the bowl of sweet, creamy goodness my Nana used to serve me and my sister when we visited her for the summer each year. Nana could transform a bland, boring a pot […]

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

I think my husband was the only kid in the state of Ohio who loved Brussels sprouts. He couldn’t get enough of them, especially when his dad cooked them. “He made them just right,” Big Daddy has said on more […]

Shrimp Fra Diavolo

Fra diavolo translates to “brother devil.”  It’s an old-school Italian sauce that didn’t originate in Italy. It was actually created at a restaurant in Little Italy, New York in the early 20th century. Lobster was the seafood of choice for […]

Chicken Tortilla Soup

After consuming all that rich, heavy food on Thanksgiving, followed by consuming several days of holiday leftovers, I am pretty much tired of eating. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed every delicious moment and every delectable bite, but there comes […]

Pumpkin Crumb Muffins

I’ve really embraced the whole pumpkin spice thing this year. I’ve made everything from pumpkin spice bread to pumpkin spice granola to pumpkin spice rice krispie treats since autumn began. And there’s no sign of stopping in sight. That is […]

Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto

Risotto has a reputation for being fussy and time-consuming. It requires patience and about 30 minutes standing at the stove, stirring almost constantly. When I need a moment to decompress and enjoy a glass of wine in peace, this is […]

Broccoli Salad

Much of my life can be chronicled by food. I fell in love with Big Daddy over a pan of leftover rice and tomatoes at some diner in West Virginia. A lemon cake introduced me to the world of competitive […]

Aunt Frankie’s Applesauce Cake

My mom and her sister, Evelyn—aka Aunt Frankie—are the best cooks I know. They both have their specialties, but no matter what they prepare, it’s always good. My Aunt Frankie and her family (shout to my Uncle Kenny, aka Uncle […]

Baked Apple Chips

I love it when I learn how to make something new. I started baking my own apple chips about five years ago when I was looking for dried fruit to go on a baked brie platter I was making for […]

Homemade Applesauce

It’s apple season! And ever since my boys were little, we have made the two-and-a-half hour road trip up to Flat Rock, North Carolina to go apple picking in the mountains. Some of our best memories as a family were […]

Potluck Fried Rice

Friday is potluck night at my house. I pretty much cook dinner every night, and there is always a little something left over from each meal. By the time the end of the week rolls around, a bunch of little […]

Red Beans and Rice Salad

My mom is a pretty cool lady, and everyone who meets Mae Belle—that’s what we call her—falls in love with her. She’s kind, funny, sometimes a little cuckoo for cocoa puffs and the most generous person I know. She is […]

Motel Joes

Last week, my cousin passed away after a long battle with lung disease. This post is in honor of her and a little on the long side. Evelyn “Bootsie” Bell was one of a kind, and she meant the world […]