Quick Fresh Pickles

These crisp pickles are high on my list of nibbles and noshes to take on a picnic or a barbecue. They're the perfect cool companion to spicy barbecue or lunch-counter favorites like a thick...

Sesame Noodles

These noodles are one of my favorite things to bring to a picnic. They're a little salty, a little sweet, and only get better once they sit in the fridge overnight. They're super simple to...

Sweet Cherry Jam

I love jam. On toast. In marinades for ribs and glazes for chicken. Warmed up and drizzled over vanilla ice cream. This sweet cherry jam is a fabulous way to enjoy cherries as they come into season. Because this jam has a lot of sugar, I never bother canning it. It will keep just fine in the fridge for a few weeks—if it lasts that long.

Strawberry Brunch Tart with Thyme and Black Pepper

This is not a fancy tart. It's not one of those gorgeous, fresh-fruit-and-custard puff pastry things that looks like a piece of art. I'll make you one of those one of these days. Don't...

Basic Cooking: Perfect Mashed Potatoes

I could eat bowls of buttery mashed potatoes for dinner—which is probably why I don't make them too often. (Hello, carb coma!) There are a zillion recipes out there for making mashed potatoes. Here's...

Spicy Mango Lime Salsa with Asian Pear

Mmm, mmm, mmmm. The combination of fresh mango, lime, and cilantro just screams summer. Food like this makes me want to kick off my shoes and go run through the sprinkler a few times....

Fennel & Jicama Slaw

Summer's coming. This means a lot of things for The Mouse House, not the least of which is a lot more barbecue. Now, I like my barbecue more on the melt-your-face-off-hot side of things....

Cheese Tasting, Part 2: Goat Cheese

Mmmmm, cheese. It has to be one of my favorite topics�and things to eat. Last time we did a cheese tasting, we were nibbling on blues. This time, it's goat cheese. And let me...

Classic Cucumber Salad

I remember versions of this from summer picnics when I was a little mouse. It's one of the first things I love to make when the winter weather starts to break. This salad is a...

Buttermilk Cornbread

Sometimes I bake things, then need to immediately give them away so I don't gobble down the whole pan. You know how that goes? This cornbread is like that. It's sweet, light, and soft�with...