This is probably one of the better chilies I’ve had recently. I’m sure that it will never please a chili purist, but a chili purist I am not. I think chili can have beans and meat, either or both. It can be flavored and cooked in a myriad of ways. The only thing that should matter in the end is how it tastes – and this tasted damn good.

The smokiness of the chipotle in adobo and the smoked paprika were a pleasant diversion from the standard peppers and chili powder flavors of most chilies. It has a lot of heat – if you’re not one for spiciness I’d highly recommend substituting green bell peppers for the Anaheims and maybe omitting a chipotle pepper. I personally love the contrast of the smoky, spicy chili with the coolness of the sour cream and the richness of the avocado on top.

This recipe does call for a bottled jar of sauce. This isn’t something I usually do for recipes, but I had it on hand for a different recipe that required its use for a contest. I never ended up making that specific recipe, nor did I gain entry into the contest, so there it stood, staring at me from the counter. I didn’t feel like going to the store to grab diced tomatoes and tomato paste, so I used the bottled sauce. I have to admit, it was delicious and I’ll probably use it again in the future. That being said, if you are anti-processed food (and who can blame you after the monstrosity that is Sandra Lee) feel free to compensate by using diced tomatoes, a couple tablespoons of tomato paste plus some oregano and red chili flakes.

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This is one of those perfect weeknight entertaining dishes that looks impressive but is incredibly easy. It's a kind of cross between a chicken milanese and a latin chicken milanesa a caballo. The best part about this recipe is how make ahead friendly it is. You can bread the chicken hours before you need them and pull them out and fry them whenever.

They are exceptionally moist and the truffle salt adds such a luxurious level of flavor - even I was surprised at how well all of the flavors really meshed together. The crispy coated, moist chicken, the umami earthiness of the truffles, the acidic bite from the lemon-dressed salad, and the creamy richness of the poached egg. If you have it on hand I can't imagine that a drizzle of truffle oil would hurt the finished dish, either.

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I don't typically think of myself as a baker. I'm much more comfortable chopping and dicing than I am scooping and measuring. This focaccia, however, is easy enough that anybody can make a beautiful loaf of flavorful, fluffy bread in just about no time flat.

The only required equipment, other than the ingredients of course, is a stand mixer. The dough really needs to take a beating while mixing and hand mixers just aren't going to be able to muster enough power to get the job done properly. My Kitchen Aid, affectionately named Trogdor the Mixinator, makes quick work of it and makes me look like a damn good baker.

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In my mind there are few greater joys in life than being able to grow your own food. Not only is it envonmentally sustainable and fiscally responsible, it's also supremely delicious. Some of my fondest memories as a child are working with my mother in her gardens.

That is, if working was pestering her non-stop and probably being more of a hassle than I was help.

Nevertheless, she always managed to turn out some seriously amazing food - strawberries, raspberries, fresh herbs, and all sorts of delights. Sadly, since moving out of my parents house I haven't lived in one area long enough to really attempt growing anything myself. When we lived in California I made a valiant effort to get some herbs and tomatoes growing, but a dense fog-cover for nearly the entire growing season isn't exactly conducive to bumper crops. By the time the tomatoes had started producing they were already overtaken by the blight.

Since marrying though, I've had the opportunity to sneak into my husband's grandfather's garden on a few occasions and make off with some tasty treats. Last season I missed the majority of the crops, but still managed snag some sexy green tomatoes for fried green tomatoes.

This season I was just in time for a bevy of beautiful delights - the first tomatoes (devoured in a caprese salad last night), the first zucchini (fried up with chiles along side some shredded pork tacos), and nearly two pounds of gorgeous, snappy string beans.

On a side note, be careful when searing a pot roast in hot oil. You may end up a with an awesome scar like the one on my arm above. The only good thing to come out of it is the contest on what the scar looks like. I say elephant, from my view.

The heat forced us inside while harvesting, but after tasting these beauties I'm thinking I could've risked some heat stroke to get a few more.

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My mother-in-law introduced me to a lovely little store called Balducci's last year. I believe it's Maryland-centric, but I don't know for sure. It's a magical place filled with 14 month aged Manchego cheese, Champignon brie, deboned quail, and hard-to-find ingredients like Buddha's Hand Citron.

It is a place where one can find basil that smells and looks like real basil - in January.

Sadly, until I move up there later this summer I've only able to peruse their beautiful aisles on the few occasions I've had to get up there. That lovely mother-in-law of mine, or as I like to call her "The Good Food Fairy," brought me some tasty treats to tide me over in the food wasteland that is central North Carolina.

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