Appetizer Recipes

I was wrestling with a leaky garden hose last September when my accountant, Mr. Henderson—a man I’d only ever seen in pressed khakis and a … Read more

A few years back, I was at the holiday farmers market, juggling too many bags and trying to pick out a last-minute gift for my … Read more

I was standing in the parking lot of a hardware store last Tuesday when the smell hit me. Someone had their car window cracked, and … Read more

This was supposed to be a last-minute cheese log. I had a block of cream cheese softening on the counter, a bag of fresh cranberries … Read more

My nephew, a kid who once declared ketchup too spicy, asked why I couldn’t just put the cranberry sauce straight into the egg filling instead … Read more

Introduction My youngest had refused sweet potatoes for years. Refused. We’re talking clamped lips, turned head, the whole dramatic performance that starts around age three … Read more

My neighbor, a retired caterer named Diane, watched me struggle with a massive turkey carcass the day after Thanksgiving. I was standing in my driveway, … Read more

My neighbor Lucia watched me staring at a bag of candy corn in the grocery store aisle last October. She didn’t say anything at first. … Read more

The neighborhood fall potluck was in six hours and I’d completely forgotten. I mean, completely. I was standing in my kitchen at 1 PM, staring … Read more

This was supposed to be a proper Halloween dinner. I had it all planned out—a steaming pot of chili, cornbread shaped like tombstones, the whole … Read more