Snow has a way of clarifying things. When the wind chills drop below zero, what you want isn’t just something warm—you want something comforting. A pot that works all day, filling the kitchen with an aroma that promises dinner long before it’s time to eat.…

Red wine braised short ribs weren’t something I grew up eating—at least not in the form they take here. When my mom made braised short ribs, there was no red wine involved, and the result was pretty mild. They weren’t bad food per se, but…

We don’t do Christmas all in one day. There’s the big family gathering at my aunt’s farm, a few quieter visits with friends, and then — finally — our Christmas at home. That’s when I got a new cast-iron skillet. And like any good cook,…

The oven steps up when the weather says “no” to the smoker. Low heat. Some patience. Voilà. Oven-Made Pulled Pork that’s unbelievably tender and tastes like it spent all day in the smoker pit. It’s 19 cold degrees with icy sleet spitting sideways against the…

I didn’t set out to make Spatchcock Cornish Game Hen—well, not at first. In fact, we hadn’t cooked game hen all that often. We’d had it a couple of times over the years, but I’d mostly written it off as more trouble than it was…

There’s something quietly spectacular about a perfectly pan-seared pork chop—especially when dressed up for the occasion. May I present my Pan Seared Pork Chops with Savory Apple Chutney and Blue Cheese Crumble. This dish takes that humble cut and elevates it into something worthy of…

Some recipes aren’t just passed down—they’re lived in. For me, that recipe is authentic Polish pierogi. My earliest memories of my grandmother—my father’s mother—are of her in the kitchen, sleeves rolled up, dusted in flour, humming softly as she shaped those pillowy homemade pierogi dumplings…

I’ve been making this Cast Iron Ribeye Steak with Parmesan-Olive Crust recipe for over 30 years, and—hard as I try to recall—I can’t say exactly where it came from. It just happened—one of those recipes born from the natural rhythm of the kitchen, trial and…

I picked up a spiral-sliced honey-baked ham on sale around the holidays—just in case I needed one. It ended up staying in the freezer a little longer than planned, but a few days ago, I finally pulled it out for dinner. We enjoyed it the…

This Slow-Roasted Boston Butt Pork Roast is fall-off-the-bone tender, and packed with juicy, delicious flavor. It’s the perfect main course for a special family meal, an elegant dinner party, or a holiday dinner. Since discovering the power of slow-roasting decades ago, I’ve used the technique…