At the Immigrant's Table

I've cooked enough holiday meals to know that the dishes people remember aren't always the ones that took the most work. They're the ones that make everyone linger at the table, reach for seconds, or ask when you're making that dish again. That's how I think about Rosh Hashanah too.

Start with the traditions, bring in the sweetness of apples and honey, then choose ...

I love a Labor Day cookout, but there are only so many times you can put the same burgers and hot dogs on the grill before everyone starts looking for something new. This is where grilling around the world gets really fun.

A different marinade, spice blend, sauce, or cooking tradition can completely change what you're putting over the fire, whether it's smoky chick...

Somewhere along the way, casseroles got a little unfashionable, which is funny because we never really stopped wanting the things they do best. They're warm, filling, easy to put together, and very good at feeding a table without asking much from the person cooking.

I've made enough old-school casseroles to know that the best ones don't need much fixing, just a fre...

Future me is tired, so present me is doing her a favor. There have been plenty of evenings when I've opened the fridge at 6 p.m. and immediately regretted not thinking about dinner earlier.

Make-ahead dinners solve that particular problem beautifully: do the chopping, assembling, or cooking when you actually have the energy, then let tomorrow-you reap the benefits....

Let's be honest: the grill gets plenty of attention at a Labor Day cookout. But I've been to enough gatherings to know it's usually the side dishes people keep going back for.

Give me a really good potato salad, something crisp and fresh, a creamy scoop of this, a little smoky bite of that, and suddenly the burgers aren't the only thing disappearing. These are the ...