All posts tagged: kitchen Note

I don’t usually make toast, but I do toast bagels—under the broiler, not in the toaster. Sometimes they come out almost burnt, and I love them that way. Burnt toast isn’t a mistake. It’s proof that accidents can taste better than you’d expect.

I thought using a box cake mix was cheating—until I learned the bakery secret: butter instead of oil, milk instead of water, and an extra egg. It was just a box cake—until it wasn’t.

It started with a mystery jar of jam and turned into a reflection on expired expectations. A fridge clean-out, a forgotten frittata, and the surprising peace that comes with tossing what no longer serves you.

Some people resist the world with poetry or silence. Me? I add salt.

I’ve been putting balsamic vinegar on everything lately—even ice cream. I should probably stop, but I won’t. Some obsessions are seasonal. Some are personal.

I remember when the pumpkin spice latte showed up—I thought it would fade. It didn’t. Here’s my homemade pumpkin spice blend that works in brewed coffee and on dinner.

If I’m alone, I don’t sauté—I open a can. This is the no-shame, no-frills recipe I turn to when nobody’s watching (and I’m not using a real spoon).

Before anyone walks in, before the playlist even starts, I confit garlic—not for the recipe, but for the smell. That slow, warm scent that says: you’re welcome here.

What started as a guilty salad became something real: goat cheese, stale bread, a lemon stripped for martinis—and dinner that asked nothing more of me. Here’s why it mattered.

Relaxed cooking is where the best meals begin—no pressure, no perfection. Just instinct, flavor, and food that works without trying too hard.