from my kitchen to yours
River City Shiitake I had the incredible pleasure of visiting River City Shiitake here in Portland, OR with my friends from New Seasons Market. Mary, the lead mushroom cultivator at River City Shiitake shares her experience of pressing her own “blocks” to grow some of…
What’s better than french fries? Definitely Lebanese Street Fries! Lining the streets of Beirut, you’ll find shop after shop selling street food. Mostly anything and everything that is doughy or pita bread filled with delicious sweet and savory foods. From manakeesh (za’atar bread), jibon (cheese…
Say it with me, “nee-SWAZ” , how many of you knew that? I admit that up until a few years ago I completely butchered the pronunciation of this popular French salad. Niçoise Salad is a salad that originated in Nice, France. With it’s beautiful colors,…
Our big family lunches were never complete without a spread of food. Loobieh, fattoush, shawarma, grape leaves, hummus, labneh, baba ganoush…you name it and it was there! Our family always appeared wealthy and we truly were, we were wealthy in family and food. My parents…
The ultimate party showstopper, the Charcuterie Board! I have hosted many parties in my 39 years of life. In the past few years, my dinner party skills have definitely improved. But all in all, you put out some type of cheeseboard and your dinner guests…
Simple. Elegant. Sometimes I struggle to find just the right dish for a brunch or appetizer for a party. How many hummus platters can I truly make? You know? This time of year I really, really start to miss summer, especially summer produce. Fresh plucked…
Thank you Carapelli Olive Oil for sponsoring this post. For more information and a store locator, please visit CarapelliUSA.com and be sure to check out Carapelli’s social channels: Facebook and Instagram. Simple Times If I close my eyes and visualize my childhood it always, always…
It’s been over 20 years since I have made a trip to Lebanon to visit family. Yikes! I didn’t realize how long it had been until I calculated the years. Kind of like me thinking 30 years ago was in the 70s, but actually…
Stop what you are doing right this second and grab a bag of garbanzo beans and take them for a soak! Seriously, you NEED to make this hummus right away and you will thank me. I have strived to get the super creamy…
Thanksgiving, one of my all-time favorite holidays. It’s the holiday where everyone can be themselves, there aren’t any gifts or grand gestures to be made. Just a day to help us remember all that we are thankful for. It’s a day that many share with…