Have you ever become so totally obsessed with an ingredient or recipe it completely takes over your life? Because that is exactly what happened when I recently sampled an ethereal Chocolate Hazelnut Torte at a local Atlanta restaurant. That particular sweet and nutty flavor combination is always a favorite, but it was the crispy, creamy wafer crust that had me at hello.

Sharpen your pencil—it’s time for New Parent Math!

New Parent + Baby = Stress

Stress + Sugar = Less Stress

I can’t think of a time when I needed sweets more than during my son’s infancy. I mean, c’mon, there’s actual science that shows eating sugar can reduce stress. But then consider this equation...

Crunchy on the outside, chewy in the middle, a good coconut macaroon is an irresistible thing. It's also a particular favorite for people observing Passover and those who avoid gluten. As long as you have some shredded coconut stashed away in your cupboard and a few eggs that you don't mind cracking, a batch of sweet macaroons can be yours in less than a half an hour.

I have a little ritual when I bring fresh ginger home from the market: peel, grate, freeze. Not only is this a great way to keep ginger fresh longer, but it becomes incredibly easy to punch up a sauce, stir fry, or smoothie any time you want some gingery spice. 

More often than not, I have what I call "throw-together dinners." A few nights a week, I'll actually plan for a more interesting, involved recipe, but on the other evenings I choose from a rotating list of easy meals that I throw together from ingredients I have on hand. They're all easy enough to have dinner on the table in about thirty minutes, but different enough to keep things interesting. More

So things are looking good with you and your special someone. Hooray! Good enough that you've decided it's time to introduce each other to your respective parents. Double hooray! And you've decided that the perfect setting for these introductions would be a cozy home-cooked meal. Um... gulp. Let's talk about a menu that will make sure the whole evening goes smoothly, shall we?

You may be thinking that a recipe for a thick, hearty soup is a bit odd considering that yesterday was the first day of spring. But this Spanish bean soup is not just any soup. Rather, it is a soup sent straight from the soup gods (if the soup gods took the form of my future mother-in-law).

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Q: I am 32 weeks pregnant, and will very soon be the owner of a chest freezer, which I would like to "feed" before the baby comes so that my husband, our three year old, and I can have some decent meals in the first hazy weeks of life with a newborn. What are some good recipes for this task? 

When I think about throwing a dinner party, especially a big one like this polenta supper I'm sharing with you this week, my thoughts immediately go to: What can I make ahead? Last week, I had an easy answer: a shredded, succulent mess of beef braised in red wine and tomatoes, falling apart in its juices. It's a terrific make-ahead dish, since like most braises, this beef gets better overnight, and takes all the stress of a main dish off your hands entirely. Sound good? It gets better. 

Frozen pizzas have their time and place, like as back-up meals when we don't have time to shop and easy heat-and-serve dinners for babysitters. Nothing wrong with a good store-bought frozen pizza in these situations, but making your own homemade frozen pizzas from scratch will probably save you some pennies — plus you get exactly the toppings you want! It's easy to do: just two little tricks and you can fill your freezer with all the made-ahead frozen pizzas you could ever want.