As I was choosing beans at my local hipster coffee roaster the other day and lamenting the fact that I could only pick one, I was struck with a brilliant idea: Why not throw a coffee-tasting party? Yes! Gather some coffee-loving friends, pool our pennies to buy several bags of fancy beans, and get together for a coffee-tasting brunch. It's a two-for-one deal: we get to sample a lot of great coffee side-by-side and we get cake for breakfast. Are you in?

Everyone has probably at some point cooked or eaten a veggie enchilada. Typically, black beans are subbed in for meat, and you cover everything with a tomato-based sauce and a layer of melted cheese. These veggie enchiladas, though — with a roasted carrot sofrito — are something entirely new and fresh. They're the best thing I cooked I last week.

Sometimes in the rush of life, there is nothing better than an old standby to help nourish your soul. The very classic Salad Niçoise does exactly that for me. In the midst of trying out new recipes on a daily basis, this meal is like an old familiar friend — one I can always count on. May it continue to live on in the kitchen!

Some of my best cooking came from accidents. These were often the accidents that were born of necessary substitutions when I ran out of something at home or, literally, from accidentally adding too much or too little of an ingredient only to be pleasantly surprised by the outcome. Such is the case with this genius single-serve muffin. 

With more fresh vegetables arriving every day at the markets, we're now approaching the salad-as-dinner season. Late spring in Seattle means green garlic and ramps, carrots and occasional shelling peas — all an absolute invitation for the perfect salad dressing. 

Lately all of my favorite food websites and blogs have been awash in the bright, fresh colors of spring. From crisp asparagus to sweet fresh peas, there are signs of abundant warm-weather vegetables and salads everywhere I look. And while my senses love it all, on cooler spring afternoons, comfort food is still the order of the day. So last weekend I pulled together this creamy baked orzo to have for a lazy lunch when lofty plans for hiking flew out the window at the first sign of a drizzle. 

Move over, ketchup and Sriracha! When it comes to versatile red condiments, harissa is my absolute favorite. This Tunisian chile sauce is a fantastic shortcut to spice up a meal and can be used with everything from meat to vegetables, couscous, roasted potatoes, scrambled eggs, as a dip for bread ... the list is truly endless. 

With Memorial Day behind us, it is officially open season for flip flops, hammock-naps, and oh yes!, backyard grilling. If you're looking for some new inspiration for your grill this summer, we have four new books that will surely do the trick: Bobby Flay's Grilling Addiction, a giant grilling treatise from Bon Appétit called simply The Grilling Book, a journey through real Texas barbecue in The Prophets of Smoked Meat, and finally, 100 Grilling Recipes You Can't Live Without. Let's take a look!

After having my share of grilled meats and veggies over the weekend, I'm decidedly in the mood for something more compact. Just want a bite or two of something tasty? Here are 10 bite-sized nuggets of inspiration! 

Normally, I'm all for minimizing the number of bowls needed for a single task. But when it comes to separating eggs and ensuring that nary a wisp of yolk touches those pristine egg whites, three is the magic number.