“I'm making lunch. Who wants pasta?" "We have leftover caramelized cauliflower and some cannellini beans soaking," Lois says. "There's a chunk of… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“We shared deep passions. John Hughes movies, the New Romantics, the Chicago Bears. We both loved chicken-flavor Ramen and hated the shrimp… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“I pick up my teaspoon and take a small bite, and am transported. The cake is nutty and moist, the cream with… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“I want coffee to taste of coffee. Maybe a little cream and sugar. I do not want coffee that tastes of potpourri… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“Don't knock homespun. All comfort food is homespun, and according to you and my cooking magazines, comfort food is the trend. You… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“Stirring the pastry cream and putting it in the blast chiller in the island, a total chefly indulgence that I have never… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“Laid out on the rustic farm table that sits to the side of Maria's enormous kitchen island is a lovely spread of… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“Bubbles enters with a plate overflowing with rugelach. The three of us fall silent as we indulge in the small snail-shaped pastries… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“The cake is pretty simple; they didn't want anything too fancy. Two tiers. The bottom is the Frango mint tier from the… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“The feast is family-style, of course. Every six-person section of the table has its own set of identical dishes: garlicky roasted chicken… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“He opens a lower cabinet to reveal that it is a mini fridge, and brings over two plates that each have a… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“I look at the spread on the counter. I took Jacob's advice and went all out on the classic Southern good luck… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“By the time Herman appears at six thirty, I've done a double batch of my version of an upgraded pinwheel, making a… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“What do you want for lunch?" "Jag and I were talking about maybe needing a little Persian fix. What do you think?"… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“Zucchini pasta with chicken and lemon," Melanie says. "I'm using whole-grain linguini, and the zucchini is shredded in long strips the same… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“Elliot, that was amazing." The meal has been spectacular. We started with a salad of fennel, golden beets, and grapefruit. He did… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“There are food stations around the room, each representing one of the main characters. The Black Widow station is all Russian themed,… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“Most tourists, having done some research on Chicago delicacies, order their Italian beef sandwiches "wet," meaning that a slosh of extra meat… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“My daughters-in-law, you know..." she shrugs her rounded shoulders resignedly. "They are such sweet girls, good mothers, kind to me..." "And such… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“The menu is spectacular. Passed hors d'oeuvres include caramelized shallot tartlets topped with Gorgonzola, cubes of crispy pork belly skewered with fresh… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“I sliced the chicken with my fingers and put it into a small skillet to warm, separate a couple of eggs, and… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“A chilled pea soup of insane simplicity, garnished with creme fraiche and celery leaves. Roasted beet salad with poached pears and goat… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“RJ gets to work in the kitchen on the dinner he is preparing, allowing me to sous chef. He seasons duck breasts… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“What is it?" "It's a Thermomix." "That crazy cooking-blender thing you were telling me about?" "The very one." I've been coveting this… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“Caroline has laid out a beautiful spread, which is a combination of some of my favorite things that she has cooked, and… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“I have been all over the world cooking and eating and training under extraordinary chefs. And the two food guys I would… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“I look over the recipe again. It sounds very simple. You boil some rice in water like pasta, I can do that.… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“I cooked with so many of the greats: Tom Colicchio, Eric Ripert, Wylie Dufresne, Grant Achatz. Rick Bayless taught me not one… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“So tonight we are just seven. Seven people, and twelve pounds of pork. I pick a piece of the insanely delicious crispy… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“The nice thing about this menu is that it will keep fine for tomorrow. I decide to finish the potatoes, cutting the… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“In a frenetic whirlwind we chop and dice and mince, turning anything we can think of into a possible pizza topping, and… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“We'll start with oysters on the half shell and homemade salt-and-pepper potato chips, just to whet the appetites. Then a wedge salad… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“I'm going to explode," my dad says, rubbing his stomach gleefully. He's just put down a massive sandwich piled with corned beef,… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“I hacked an old Crock-Pot and turned it into a sous vide machine, and did a turkey breast, and then seared the… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“Life is also about balance, just the way recipes are about balance. When your recipe isn't balanced, it doesn't taste right. Too… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“I love the caraway seeds in the classic rye bread, but I wonder if the rich dough might not also hold up… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“You have to come for dinner soon. Alana seems to have perfected this insane braised chicken with chorizo and chickpeas that is… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“This year I am doing praline pecans, an old favorite family favorite, easy and addictive. And a festive holiday dark chocolate loaf… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“I've been developing killer updated versions of things like Black Forest cake, now with bittersweet devil's food cake, a dried-cherry conserve, and… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“Thursday night is pasta night," I say. "I left you guys a lasagna Bolognese, garlic knots, and roasted broccolini. Ian is going… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“Jack was the kind of guy you could take into any situation and he would figure out how to fit in. Wayne, not so… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“Volnay is prancing, head up proudly; her squat little bowlegs producing a smooth gait that would make the dog show people preen. She carries… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“Deciding that he was essentially useless, I made him a large glass of sangre del tigre- "blood of the tiger"- a lethal Bloody Mary… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“I cooked with so many of the greats: Tom Colicchio, Eric Ripert, Wylie Dufresne, Grant Achatz. Rick Bayless taught me not one but two… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“Last night I read about a dish Gemma made for the staff for breakfast, which sounded really good despite its horrible name. Toad-in-the-hole. Seriously,… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“I'm going to explode," my dad says, rubbing his stomach gleefully. He's just put down a massive sandwich piled with corned beef, pastrami, chopped… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“Miss A-la-na here seems to think that my pork medallion with caramelized-onion pan sauce is a little heavy-handed, that the onions need a lighter… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“Relax, princess. If your prince arrives, I'll vacate. Just keeping you company. Besides, he should know better than to leave a beautiful girl waiting… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“Yeah, just what I needed, a massive three-day Hostess binge, followed by a week of trying to replicate recipes so that if no one… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“Going to the gym...all those people who always told me that you get addicted to it, that endorphins kick in, that eventually you crave… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“This year I am doing praline pecans, an old favorite family favorite, easy and addictive. And a festive holiday dark chocolate loaf cake, with… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
“I pick up my teaspoon and take a small bite, and am transported. The cake is nutty and moist, the cream with the barest… — Stacey Ballis Copy Share Image
