Yearly Archives: 2009

Dec 23What's Cooking with YOUR kids? Sand Art Br...

Okay, I'll admit it: I am nosy. I like to see what other people are up to, how they manage their day-to-day lives, what they eat, and how well they are organized (or not.) It is for those reasons that I adore reading about Other People's Pantries on my friend Lydia's blog. The best part, perhaps, is that people voluntarily send in photos of their pantries, along with personal stories and comments. I find these stories entertaining, and I love how people are eager to participate. It has...

Dec 21Cookbook Suggestions for Children

About two months ago, I was asked to write an article for iVillage about great cookbooks for kids. Now that we are in the home stretch of holiday gift buying, you might need some great ideas for the young chefs in your lives. Here is a link to the article - it contains information about why I loved these books along with some nifty tips for you and your kids in the kitchen. What's your favorite Kid's Cookbook? Or do you prefer to use your favorite cookbooks with the kids?

Dec 8Holidays = Food + Sharing

I am deeply honored that this post is featured in the Holiday Roundup at Oprah.com. Welcome, Oprah.com readers! Happy Holidays to you :-) Do you remember the song from Sound of Music called "My Favorite Things"? It reminds me of the wintery holiday season, especially these phrases: snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes, brown paper packages tied up with string and crisp apple streudels - sigh. They make me think of cold weather, exchanging gifts and enjoying sweet seasonal desserts. I...

Nov 26Happy Thanksgiving

My family visited the Little Farm in Tilden Park last weekend, and I couldn't tear myself away from this tom. He clearly ruled the roost. He walked around, cool as a cucumber...until he had to put a chicken or duck in its place. What caught my attention was his comb - it was constantly in flux. When he was relaxed, it would droop down over the side of his beak. But when he was acting as the enforcer, it would shrink up and stand like a unicorn's horn. Who knew? Happy Thanksgiving to...

Nov 25Stone Soup: A Thanksgiving Lesson for Kids

I am deeply honored that this post is featured in the Holiday Roundup at Oprah.com. During the past few weeks, my son's class has been reading various versions of Stone Soup. In case you don't know the story, it is an old French tale about three hungry soldiers who use trickery to convince the inhabitants of a village to provide them with the ingredients for a feast. At first, the villagers were afraid, but they were intrigued by the soldiers, who told them that they were going to prepare...

Nov 22Sand Art Brownies: A Great Gift From The Kitchen...

I got a blast from the past this morning when I opened my email. I was surprised to see a note from a mom in my daughter's playgroup 9 years ago! She was writing to ask me about a holiday gift that I had given her way back then...a layered brownie mix I made for friends that year. With the economy in the tank, I am guessing that more and more people will lure their families into the kitchen to make their own gifts this year. Why not give this one a try. After all, it must have been memorable,...

Nov 19Making Homemade Gifts From The Kitchen With The ...

I am sure that my friends will be relieved to know that I am fully aware of my Type-A personality. But even they would be surprised that I started to think our holiday gifts from the kitchen waaaay back in October. But for once, I had a good reason to be prepared so early. A few weeks ago, I went to a gift exchange party with my long-standing Cooking Teachers group (SIG) with the San Francisco Professional Food Society. If I didn't have my act in gear, I wouldn't have had enough time to...