Red & White Summer Wines

Happy almost 4th of July! Jack and I just got back from a long week in Chicago so didn’t have time to get my flag-cake on… (not that I’ve ever made a flag cake, but there’s always next year). Since the internet seems to be blowing up with food coloring, I thought I’d take a different approach to “red and white” and share a few of my favorite summer wines. These are all very food-friendly. I’ve made some pairing suggestions but, really, they’re very versatile – perfect for any weekend picnic or cookout. (Also, they’re all under $20). Available at…

TO THE POST >>>>

Feta & Harissa Fattoush Salad

I have a confession to make: I’m obsessed with feta cheese. Growing up, my mom used to make spanakopita, (carefully wrapped phillo dough triangles stuffed with spinach and feta), every year for my birthday – it was my favorite thing and that tangy creamy flavor is still one of my fondest food memories. Of course, that’s a lot of work to do for every day meals, so nowadays I get my feta fix on salads. That tangy salty bite has a way of turning on-hand ingredients into tasty cohesive meals. Sweet potato and pomegranate, watermelon and avocado, strawberries and quinoa,…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Dinner Party w/ The Yellow Table

When someone asks you if they can come over and throw a dinner party for you and your friends, you say yes. Resoundingly, yes. To be honest, I struggle with throwing dinner parties – they’re a LOT of work and at the end of each one I always say to Jack “let’s just meet friends at a restaurant next time.” My friend Anna – from The Yellow Table – however, is a pro. She’s on a mission to make this year “the year of the dinner party.” She just spent a month driving from NYC to LA throwing 8 (EIGHT!) dinner…

TO THE POST >>>>

Tomato, Peach & Avocado Bruschetta

It’s peach season over here! (I know, it comes early here in Texas). But when it’s peach season I have just one objective: Eat as many peaches as possible until it’s not peach season anymore. On Saturday, I came home from the farmers market with these beautiful heirloom cherry tomatoes, sweet peaches, and my favorite nine grain (Easy Tiger) bread. I truly believe summer food should be simple, so I made this easy bruschetta for dinner along with a huge salad. It was perfect for a hot summer evening along with ice cold white wine. I used creamy avocado this time…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Raspberry Polenta Cake

What do you make with leftover polenta and leftover raspberries? Cake, of course! But not just any cake – cake in a skillet. Because skillets = summer. Aside from the little bit of butter I used to grease the pan, this cake is vegan and made with coconut oil. It’s naturally sweetened with maple syrup and, of course, the sweetness that comes from the raspberries. (note: you can grease your pan with coconut oil). It’s a (smaller) version of this peach cake I made last summer – in my 10-inch skillet this cake is just 4 servings, but you can…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Peanut Butter Bourbon Milkshake

It might not be summer everywhere yet, but here in Texas, it’s hot. Lately our weekend afternoons have consisted of long sweaty walks followed by sweet frozen treats. This ice cream has been our treat-of-choice over the past few weeks – mainly because when you experiment with new recipes, you make a lot of versions. And thus, a lot of ice cream. It’s not a bad problem to have. This recipe is a 2-parter, you can stop at the ice cream, or go a step further and make it into a milkshake. Instead of our regular coconut base, we did…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

A Trip to New York with Samsung

Join me in New York to preview some amazing appliances at the Samsung Living Atelier and chat with some pretty major Michelin star chefs.

This past week, Samsung flew me out to New York as part of their Club de Chefs collaboration. I had the opportunity to preview some amazing appliances at the Samsung Living Atelier (like a pop up shop), and chat with some pretty major Michelin star chefs. Along with fellow bloggers, I had the chance to sit down and chat with Éric Fréchon of the restaurant at the Hôtel Le Bristol in Paris, Christopher Kostow of The Restaurant at Meadowood in Napa, Michel Troisgros of La Maison Troisgros in Roanne, and (surprise chef!), Daniel Boulud of the restaurant Daniel. They were…

TO THE POST >>>>

Mango Matcha Smoothie

This mango matcha smoothie recipe is a healthy breakfast or snack. Mango makes the smoothie sweet & creamy and matcha makes it healthy & green!

I’m not sure if you all noticed, but Jack made his 3rd post a few weeks back. (Check out his Blueberry Smoothie, if you missed it). This guy, I tell you, is crazy about smoothies. If he’s the smoothie king around here, then I am the matcha mistress. But both together? Well that’s just a match(a) made in heaven. (I know, bad pun, I just couldn’t help myself…) If you look at this recipe, you’ll notice that I leave out a common smoothie ingredient: banana. That’s because fresh mango works as a nice thickener on its own, so there’s no…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Mango & Zucchini Lettuce Wraps

Filled with sweet & spicy components & dipped in a bright sauce, these lettuce wraps are the perfect combination of simplicity & bold flavor.

As the temps have been rising, I’ve been craving food that’s lighter and colder. Lately we’ve spent most evenings dining al fresco trying to live it up before the 100 degree weather sets in. Chill evenings call for chilled food and these lettuce wraps are just so refreshing…. a beautiful appetizer, or (in our case) a light dinner. The thing I love about eating these lettuce wraps is that you can eat lots of them without feeling too guilty. For me, eating light is never about eating less food. But the most important thing you need for outdoor dining is…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Grilled Polenta & Zucchini Salsa

Today, we’re taking homemade polenta to a whole new level… (way beyond skipping the stuff that’s sold in the tube). I ground up my own polenta from popcorn! Who knew it was as easy as that? This recipe comes from The Homemade Flour Cookbook, by Erin of Naturally Ella. Erin is one of by best blog friends (BBF’s forever!), and I couldn’t be more proud of her and her beautiful new book. She breaks down the basics of making your own flour out of all sorts of grains, seeds, nuts, and legumes. It’s also packed with recipes for each type…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Summer recipes & some link love

Happy Friday! I don’t usually do link-y posts like this, but there’s been a lot going on lately – here are just a few tidbits I wanted to share! I wrote this fun guest post on A Couple Cooks about food & design. Check it out if you’re in need of some inspiration to get your creative (green) juices flowing. It’s always a good mail week when, not one, but two cookbooks I’ve been excited about arrive at my door. (Stay tuned next week for some sneak peaks) – The Homemade Flour Cookbook by Erin of Naturally Ella – Vibrant Food by Kimberley of The…

TO THE POST >>>>
A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.