Can you cook better than a 12th-grader? This recipe honors the original one created by Richard Grausman, founder and chairman of C-CAP (Careers through Culinary Arts Program), a non-profit that works with public schools in Arizona and six other locations nationwide. C-CAP prepares underserved high...

  Cookies are a treat I indulge in on a weekly basis, in moderation, of course. Chocolate chip, peanut butter, double chocolate, and sugar cookies are a few of my favorites. Recently I received a review copy of the Weight Watchers One Pot Cookbook and...

This simple Easter recipe demystifies the preparation of an impressive rack of lamb and will have your guests raving. The key to the complex flavor is the lamb marinade I love to pair this with one of my favorite condiments, Crosse & Blackwell® Mint...

When I worked as a private chef, my boss’s favorite dessert was banana cream pie. This recipe became his healthy favorite and satisfied his craving while keeping saturated fat and refined sugar in check. My “made with love” pudding tastes lots better than boxed mixes filled with mysterious gobbledygook....

Last month I attended the Woman’s Day Red Dress Awards as red carpet correspondent for my client, the National Pork Board. We were celebrating pork tenderloin’s newest “accessory”, the American Heart Association Heart-Check mark. With only 1 gram of saturated fat and 120 calories per serving, pork...

 A toast to spring: Martini chicken As the weather warms up and the days get longer here in sunny Arizona, I’ve been breaking out the running shorts, Skinnygirl Margaritas, and grilling recipes. Ah, the aroma of meat searing on the grill. This lean recipe offers...

  Everytime I make the trip to visit Mom, she asks beforehand, “What would you like for dinner?” I always respond, “Your eggrolls”. When I was a kid, “Eggroll Night” was a special time. Mom’s recipe calls for deep-frying (not that there’s anything wrong with...

Recently I received a gorgeous bouquet of California endive as a gift and was excited to prepare it my favorite way with sweet salad ingredients to balance the leaves’ mild bitterness. Endive is available fresh year round at many major supermarkets and specialty stores. Wrap...

Jack of all trades, master of nothing. That is how I feel about most all-purpose baking mixes. Use them to produce pancakes with additives? I don’t think so. And, how “healthy” are the varieties marketed as such? After years of enduring these inferior products,...

My favorite thing about game days is the food. Fried mozzarella cheese sticks rank in my “top five”, along with bean and guacamole nachos, baked Buffalo wings kissed by ranch dressing, chicken tenders, and 7-layer dip. I feel much better about my version of...