A Brief History of Tuna Casserole

I wrote a spirited defense (and history) of tuna casserole for Taste. Check it out!

Best School Lunch Ever

Top five favorite school hot lunches, in no particular order: Garfield-style lasagna, square pan pizza (squishy crust), chickenwiches, PPS-style dirty water dogs, and chicken a là king. The last of these is a dish that originated on the East Coast in the 1880s, with various …

Biscuits and gravy are gettin’ above their raisin’

I think biscuits & gravy should be declared the official signature dish of Portland. Not because we invented it or do it better than anyone else, but because it’s who we really are. It may have come from the South, but it was brought here …

Yellow split-pea soup with mint pistou

Yellow split pea soup with ham and a pistou of mint, pea shoots, and pistachio oil, because HOLY SHIT, SPRING, transitions are hard. Best served with torrential downpours, Pinot Gris, and Swedish folk rock. #dinnertonight #springtime #soupweather . . . . #soup #splitpea #comfortfood #f52grams …

Dutch baby Monte Cristo

Who says a Dutch baby must be a sweet vehicle for jam and syrup? Not that there’s anything inherently wrong with that, it’s just a little predictable. With a base so eggy, it may as well be an omelet. Once it’s deflated like some kind …

Gooey Orange Sticky Buns

Today is New Year’s Eve, and instead of planning a healthy regime change in 2012 I am doing the opposite. I say: more bread. More dessert. More DIY sticky-icky. I’m bringing butter and eggs and gluten back. I’m bringing the old bitch back. And if …

Mochi Milk Bread French Toast with Strawberry-Lemon Compote

I know I write a lot about breakfast. Can’t help it. It is, after all, the most important meal of the day, and Portland has such a cultish breakfast and brunch culture (and let’s face it; brunch is just breakfast with alcohol). It might just …

Foodbuzz 24×24—Preparing An Epic D&D Feast

Nerds are not especially known for their good health. When thinking of the classic nerd archetypes, most of us easily picture an overweight, acne-ridden basement dweller or a gaunt, bespectacled rail in a black trench coat. And it’s no wonder—based on my research (and common …

Tomato soup with pancetta croutons

…or, Variation on a Theme I know – I talked about making tomato soup only a few weeks ago. Get off my back! It’s been really rainy! And besides, if you had all these jars of home-canned heirloom tomatoes staring at you from your pantry …

Roast Beef Hash

I’ve been on a bit of a comfort food trip lately. I checked out the Williams-Sonoma Comfort Food cookbook from the library, and in attempt to stave off the winter Kill Myselfs, have been cooking my way through it. Actually, I have been mostly just …