I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! What made ours even warmer was the gorgeous weather in Charlotte. It felt like spring time! This was a very special Thanksgiving because my parents and sister and her family all relocated to Charlotte earlier this year. We had a great potluck spread and my sister hosted. [...]

(Polenta cakes served with goat cheese, roasted veggies and hot sauce.) Polenta, which originated in Europe, is similar to grits as both are made from stoneground corn. The type of corn for each varies as does the coarser texture of the cornmeal used to make polenta. I consider polenta to be a great vessel for [...]

Have you seen the bags of frozen sliced peaches and nectarines at Trader Joe’s? They are a nice change from my usual go-to ingredients. Sometimes I need just a little more sweetness and some tartness to complete what I’m blending into my smoothie. I made these two smoothies during my next-day prep last night and [...]