May is National Barbecue Month and what a great time to celebrate! The weather is warm (or extremely hot if you are in Southern California right now), flowers are blooming and people are spending more time outside. Plus, Memorial Day is only a week away and a great excuse for having a cookout. And, what […]

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I like to eavesdrop on people’s conversations and the best place to do that is in the mall food court. I was there recently, sitting at a table sipping on an iced tea (the best drink in the world in my not-so-humble-opinion) and I overheard a 30-year-old woman chatting with her parents over lunch next […]

The post Whole Wheat Crepe Stack with Blueberry Sauce appeared first on Barbara Cooks.

In case you didn’t know, food bloggers network… a lot. And we network with each other most of all. In San Diego, we have a dedicated group of bloggers who meet up regularly, share ideas, inspirations and opportunities with each other. This group is a wonderful resource and many of these people have become dear […]

The post Roasted Green Salad with Chanterelles appeared first on Barbara Cooks.

Thanksgiving isn’t just for carnivores. A delicious feast can still be enjoyed even without the giant bird. Even though the hubs and I partake in the ritual, we have a few vegetarian and vegan friends who thoughtfully shy away from many traditional Thanksgiving foods due to the meat and dairy factor. I always love having […]

The post Best Ever Vegan Mushroom Gravy appeared first on Barbara Cooks.

Growing up in the Midwest, I was not exposed to many different salad dressings. I remember selections being ranch, Italian, blue cheese and well, ranch. Ranch dressing always tasted exceptionally strong to me and I always picked blue cheese to don my greens which, I guess, is also strong – go figure. I remember being […]

The post Creamy Miso Avocado Dressing appeared first on Barbara Cooks.

Is it just me or does everyone else also have a tendency to plan to complete more than they can possibly accomplish in a certain period of time? In business we’re taught that one should always under-promise and over-deliver but what about when it comes to our own personal lives? Why don’t we do that […]

The post Jerk Style Cornish Hens with Wasabi Sauce appeared first on Barbara Cooks.

Right after I took the California bar exam last summer, my wonderful boyfriend took me on a 3 week adventure through Italy, France, Switzerland (a little) and Austria. The whole trip was amazing and we ate exceptionally well. The food I remember most was, of course, along the French Riviera. Numerous cafés and bistros serving […]

The post Mussels in Tomato, Basil and Chickpea Sauce appeared first on Barbara Cooks.

  Have you ever wondered what scallopini really means? I have ordered it several times in a restaurant and always knew what I was going to get when I oh-so-artfully try to fake a horrible Italian accent. But did I have any idea what the word actually means? Of course not. So I, with my […]

The post Pork Scallopini with Kumquat Sauce appeared first on Barbara Cooks.

  Too many people use store-bought pesto. Pesto is so simple to make and a well-stocked kitchen will have all the necessary ingredients to make it. All it requires is some fresh herbs, olive oil, salt & pepper and possibly some garlic, nuts and citrus zest. Blend together in a food processor and voila – […]

The post Pork Tenderloin with Cilantro Pistachio Pesto appeared first on Barbara Cooks.