History repeating itself, one delicious meal at a time. Was there ever a time chicken pot pies didn’t exist? Food historians trace meat pies with poultry to the Roman era, and in America the dish appears in cookbooks in the early 1800s. Even Laura Ingalls Wilder mentions chicken pies in the… Read More

How did November get here so quickly? Conventional thinking suggests that a year has four seasons – spring, fall, summer and winter. The reality is a bit different. There’s actually a fifth season, the holiday season. It’s a force of nature too and calls for certain navigational strategies to make… Read More

All together now. The story of gumbo is the story of America itself. It draws its essence from the coming together of people and foods in new ways, each bowl an acknowledgement of the contributions of many cultures and traditions. Far from a singular dish, gumbo varies according to the… Read More

What’s in a name? Macaroni and cheese seems entirely self-evident. There’s macaroni. And there’s cheese. Yes, there are more than 600 kinds of pasta, so there are plenty of options on that side of the equation. And of course, there’s always another kind of cheese to try. But what if… Read More

The combo of chicken and waffles is purely southern — crisply golden deep-fried chicken that is served alongside tender waffles. Seems like a weird pairing, but it’s surprisingly tasty. Here the chicken is just pan-sautéed, then the skillet is deglazed with maple syrup, broth, and fresh rosemary. Read More

This simple, creamy chowder can be garnished in a lot of ways—try chopped fresh chives, toasted pumpkin seeds, or toasted cornbread croutons. Read More

This richly savory skillet dish is related to the classic French “coq au vin” or chicken braised in red wine. Serve with garlic mashed potatoes for the ultimate comfort food supper. Read More

The heart of a truly good ramen bowl is all about the broth. Simmer a cut-up chicken for at least 2 hours (or longer if you have time) on the stovetop—or give a slow-cooker or pressure cooker a spin to either allow you to leave the house or speed up… Read More

Filé powder, made from dried and ground sassafras leaves that flavor and thicken traditional gumbos, can be found in a well-stocked grocery—but is not essential, but if you do use it stir it in at the end of cooking. More importantly is getting the roux, the cooked mixture of butter… Read More

Noodle shop quality at home. No matter how popular ramen gets or how celebrated noodle shops become (a nine-seat restaurant in Tokyo earned a Michelin star in 2016), there remains one essential truth about ramen and other noodles served ramen style. Nothing warms the heart like home cooking. Home, in… Read More