Dinner Recipes

The Friendsgiving potluck was in six hours and I’d completely forgotten. I mean, completely. I was standing in my kitchen at 9 AM on a … Read more

I was at the farmers market last November, clutching a bag of Yukon Gold potatoes like they were treasure, when the woman at the next … Read more

There used to be a little diner called The Rusty Spoon on the corner of Elm and 4th in my hometown that made the most … Read more

My neighbor Sarah asked why I couldn’t just skip the step of browning the butter for cornbread. I was mid-lecture about how the nutty flavor … Read more

My father-in-law had refused to touch dressing for thirty-seven years. Not a bite, not a taste, not even a “just a spoonful to be polite.” … Read more

The summer I turned thirty, my favorite little spot in Portland—a place called The Smoked Oak that sat tucked between a vintage bookstore and a … Read more

Thanksgiving was in twelve hours and I’d completely forgotten about the green bean casserole. My sister-in-law Linda was hosting for the first time, and she’d … Read more

I was standing in the middle of a grocery store parking lot last Tuesday when the smell hit me. Not the usual mix of exhaust … Read more

I was showing my teenage neighbor, Marcus, how to make a proper tomato soup last November. He’s been coming over once a week to learn … Read more

My neighbor, a retired nurse named Carol, watched me fumbling with a bag of groceries on my front steps last spring. I was trying to … Read more