With Super Bowl Sunday, Mardi Gras, Valentine's Day, and the Oscars, February happens to be one of my very favorite food months. It's just a shame it comes right after a month of many folks' diet and exercise resolutions. If I could give you only one festive (and Super Bowl-appropriate) recipe this month that is absolutely, positively worth a few extra hours in the gym, this crazy-good, decadent crawfish dip would be it. More

For as long as I can remember I've loved broccoli. It went with about everything...steak, chicken stir-fry, pasta, or even turkey and dressing. My mom didn't have to remind me to eat my veggies when broccoli was on the plate, and to this day, I'll eat right through a big bowl of it. Not everyone has a love affair with vegetables though. For those less enthused about nature's catch of the day, here's a quick stove-top method for turning almost any vegetable into a dynamite weeknight side dish. More

This winter, I've become an oatmeal connoisseur. I'm that woman who orders oatmeal when eating out at relatively nice restaurants or on vacation to see just how they do it. When on a train trip a few months ago, I became quite enamored with Amtrak oatmeal and would look forward to it each morning (it was a long train trip). Like you, I'm sure, I've had really great oatmeal and my share of pretty awful bowls, and I've learned a lot in between those experiences. More

A dear friend recently celebrated his birthday by hosting a big night out on the town (his extravaganzas more often than not end with very late night dance parties). I am more of a homebody myself, so I opted out of his wild and crazy festivities and offered to cook him a quiet dinner instead. Planning a heartfelt meal is the easiest way for me to show I care. More

We think we know oatmeal, but according to food historian Anne Mendelson, we do not. Old-school oatmeal (and she means truly old-school) bears little resemblance to the thick, chewy, raisin-studded porridge that most of us know and love. But Mendelson insists that the pioneers had it better. More

Eggs and I have a hot-and-cold relationship. Some months I can't stand them and then, suddenly, I find myself in a phase where I find them deeply satisfying. Maybe it's the chilly weather or the desire for simple, inexpensive meals, but this is one of those "put an egg on it" moments when I'm inclined to top any lunch or dinner with some sunny protein, especially when that meal involves braised lentils and silky ribbons of chard. More

We're deep in it. Soup season, that is. And in my opinion, there's not much more comforting than a steaming bowl of creamy tomato soup. But is there a way to achieve that blissful flavor without the heavy cream? More

If you've avoided cooking beans at home because you've heard that they are troublesome, finicky, or complicated, it's time to leave that behind. Cooking beans is no more bother than filling a pot of water and letting it simmer happily on the back burner all afternoon. In fact, that's basically all it is. Ignore the naysayers; it's time to cook some tasty, creamy, totally tender beans at home. More

Cooking for my family during a holiday visit to Seattle, I came up with this chowder as a light yet comforting weeknight dinner to give us a break from the rich holiday meals we had been eating. The broth skips the usual milk or cream and is instead thickened by pureeing cooked potatoes and aromatics into a creamy, flavorful base studded with chunks of mild white fish and soft vegetables. Warm, satisfying and not too heavy, this dairy-free soup is the perfect meal for a chilly January evening. More

Light yet satisfying, grain salads are the perfect meal to eat while recovering from a month of heavy holiday food. They are also very adaptable, incorporating the hardy vegetables and warm flavors of winter as easily as the bright, fresh flavors of summer. These eight recipes mix whole grains like farro, brown rice and quinoa with the fruit and vegetable stars of winter, including Cara Cara oranges, maple roasted acorn squash and golden beets. More