Appetizers

My neighbor across the hall, Marcus, watched me fumble with grocery bags and a crockpot one Sunday morning in October. He didn’t say anything at … Read more

I wasn’t supposed to be at Kara’s house that Sunday. I’d actually stopped by to grab a book I’d loaned her months ago—one of those … Read more

There used to be a sports bar off the 405 in Los Angeles called The Snap that made these jalapeño poppers that were basically legendary. … Read more

It was 10:47 PM on a random Thursday in early November, and I had a sudden, almost aggressive need for something warm, cheesy, and spicy. … Read more

My buddy Marcus asked why I couldn’t just pile everything on one big board instead of using three separate baking sheets. I started to explain … Read more

Introduction “Why can’t we just roll the chicken and sauce inside the dough without cooking the chicken first?” my friend Josh asked one Saturday afternoon … Read more

Introduction The power went out halfway through my Sunday afternoon barbecue, and honestly, I thought the whole thing was going to be a total disaster. … Read more

This was supposed to be a quick snack for a Sunday game night — just some chips and store-bought dips to get us through halftime. … Read more

Introduction Last Saturday afternoon, I was fiddling with the grill, trying to coax some life into a sad bunch of corn cobs I had forgotten … Read more

Introduction The summer I turned thirty, I was wandering through a bustling downtown flea market, juggling a too-heavy tote bag and a half-melted ice cream … Read more