I'm a total meatball fiend, whether they're of Swedish, Italian, or Southern descent. (Grape jelly ring a bell?) In a sloppy sandwich, meatballs become even more appealing — and doubly so when in "small-bite" slider form. Take my spin on Chicken Parmesan. Chicken meatballs are stuffed with cubes of mozzarella, doused in marinara, and finished off with a generous dusting of Parmesan. Think it sounds like too much hassle for lunch? Check your freezer first.

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Have you ever tried making your own crackers? Your very own crispy, crunchy, seed-topped crackers? My recommendation: try it. Definitely. Crackers are surprisingly easy to make at home with just five basic ingredients, a rolling pin, and a baking sheet. Make yourself a quick batch tonight and have homemade crackers for lunches, snacks, and dinners all week long.

Q: As the resident baker in the office, I've been commissioned to provide baked goods for an upcoming seminar we're holding for clients (20-30 people in all). Any suggestions on what to make? I'd like something that's elegant, easy to eat, not messy, and most importantly, delicious!

Growing up in the middle of Alabama did not encourage too much cross-cultural eating. On the weekends, my mother served country ham biscuits, breakfast casserole, and cheesy stone-ground grits (sometimes all at the same time!). Back then I'd never heard of migas or scrapple, congee or crêpes. I'd certainly never heard of a blintz, and boy was this Southern girl missing out! More

Q: I was wondering if you had any advice on how to create recipes for baked goods. I cook pretty much all meals without recipes, unless I'm trying out something brand new, but when it comes to baking I limit my edits to adding chopped up fruit, a pinch of cinnamon or putting less sugar than the recipe asks for. 

The French home cook is famous for making a delicious, elaborate dinner ... but always buying her dessert from the local patisserie. And very few people in France make their own bread or croissants because that's what the boulangerie is for. But Americans are different. We seem to like playing with elaborate laminated doughs and complicated, lengthy recipes. What about you?

Citrus and poppy seeds go hand in hand, as do muffins and spring. So what better way to welcome in March than with these scrumptious orange-infused poppy seed muffins? The bright and sunny flavors are guaranteed to lift your winter spirits, even if the weather is not ready to comply.
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Q: Help! I'm looking for ways to dress up a gluten-free vanilla cake. My girlfriend's birthday is this weekend and I picked up a package of Bob's Red Mill gluten-free vanilla cake mix (per great reviews), but need some help to dress it up a bit and make it beautiful and birthday-worthy. 

Eggplants were on sale at the market this week, so I picked one up and challenged myself to do something other than fry it. Since fried eggplant is so delicious in dishes like Eggplant Parmesan, I think it tends to be my easy go-to answer. I had something else in mind this time: an afternoon snack with a quick, delicious tahini dip that would carry us through until dinner. More

You've likely heard of buckwheat pancakes or crêpes, but buckwheat is making its way into many different kinds of morning recipes these days. Whether you reach for the silky, striking gray-purple buckwheat flour or the actual grains themselves, buckwheat is throwing a wrench in the oatmeal game in a big way. More