I’m kind of a stickler when it comes to rules—rules set by other people, that is. Unfortunately (or perhaps naturally?), over the course of my graduate school career I’ve gotten a bit lax about some of my self-imposed rules (e.g. making the bed every morning, hanging up my clothes every night, washing all the dirty dishes before going to bed, etc.). But you know which Mara-made rule I always abide ...
goat cheese
Wild Rice and Sweet Potato Salad
After several weeks of plying you (and myself) with holiday treats, I figured we could all use some extra greens. I know, I know…most people don’t want to hear about salads until January, when the cold reality of New Year’s resolutions sinks in, but hear me out, because this wild rice and sweet potato salad is about as cheerful and celebratory as they come! ...
Creamy White Bean Pasta Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette
When I was a writing instructor, I used to caution my students against using sweeping or obvious generalizations to start their papers (“Since the beginning of time…” “Mankind has always…”), but that is exactly what I’m about to do: Sometimes, life gets unexpectedly hectic. ...
Pasta with Butternut Squash, Sausage, and Arugula
According to my mom, squash and yams were some of my favorite foods as an infant. I apparently ate so many of them that the bottoms of my feet turned slightly orange in color, at which point my mom (rightly) became concerned and scaled back my squash/yam consumption. I don’t remember any of this, and oddly, from as far back as my memory permits, I hated squashes and yams. Incidentally, “squash” ...