One-Pan Cranberry-Balsamic Chicken Thighs

It's all about the sauce -- in this case a syrupy one full of cranberries, balsamic vinegar and honey.

It’s all about the sauce — in this case a syrupy one full of cranberries, balsamic vinegar and honey.

 

Like so many folks especially in this part of the country, I appreciate being able to eat seasonally — to hone in on what’s best at each time of year to enjoy its peak flavor and revel in its often brief local appearance.

But there’s one item I keep in my freezer nearly year-round, even when its season is long gone.

Cranberries. Frozen ones to be exact.

I know, I know, they’re so fall and winter, you’re thinking. Why in the world would I want to partake of them in spring or summer?

Because their vivid color makes anything special. Because their sweet-sour fruitiness wakes up whatever they’re paired with. And because, how can I resist something that reminds me of the most festive, family-and-friend-filled convivial time of year?

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McEvoy Ranch’s New Lemon and Jalapeno Olive Oils

McEvoy Ranch's 2018 Jalapeno and Lemon olive oils.

McEvoy Ranch’s 2018 Jalapeno and Lemon olive oils.

 

If you’re already a fan of McEvoy Ranch’s olive oils like I am, you’re going to fall head over heels for its flavored olive oils.

The award-winning Marin County producer of certified organic olive oils just released its 2018 Lemon and Jalapeno olive oils. While some mass-produced flavored olive oils get extracts added to them after pressing, McEvoy’s actually crushes lemons and jalapenos together with its estate-grown olives.

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Join Yours Truly and Chef Pamela Keith for a Mother’s Day-Themed Cooking Demo

MacysPamelaKeithMothersDayMake Mom feel extra special this Mother’s Day by bringing her with you to a delicious cooking demo at Macy’s Valley Fair in Santa Clara, 1 p.m. May 12.

Yours truly will be hosting it with Chef Pamela Keith of Taylor’s Bay Cafe and catering company, CuisineStyle, both in Burlingame.

Learn how to make a perfect treat to spoil dear Mom on her big day the following day after the demo. Of course, you’ll get to enjoy samples, along with a printed copy of the recipe to take home.

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Of Moms — And Cranberry Roly Poly

The personality of moms encapsulated  in a baked treat.

The personality of moms encapsulated in a baked treat.

 

It’s been an unbelievable 11 years now since my Mom passed away. I still think about her nearly every day, too.

I’m sure all daughters brag about their mother being incredibly kind, thoughtful and gracious. But mine definitely was.

Still, there were moments that she offered up an opinion that I could have done without at the time, but now leaves me in stitches in hindsight.

When I was a teenager, I once came slinking into the kitchen, feeling thoroughly self-conscious after looking in the mirror that morning, only to have my Mom proclaim loudly, “You know you have a big pimple THERE.” Uh, yes, I do know, Mom. Thanks A LOT, A WHOLE LOT.

There was the time in my 20s when I came home for a visit, and the first thing my Mom said was, “Those pants make you look fat.” Oh, great.

And of course there was the long ago time that I brought a boyfriend over for her to meet, whom I thought she would adore, only to have her tell me afterward, “I don’t like him. He doesn’t put you first.” But Mom, you just don’t know him well enough yet

She may have been blunt, as only an Asian mom can be. But darned if she wasn’t right in every one of those cases — and so many more.

If she were still here this Mother’s Day, I would bake her these “Cranberry Roly Poly” treats. Because she always loved to see the joy I got from cooking and baking. Because cranberries offer up both sweetness and tartness. Because every mother-daughter relationship has moments of both those extremes. And because if you’re lucky, as I was, they will balance each other out in the end, leaving you both with an honest and respectful love.

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Cameron’s Seafood — Plus A Food Gal Giveaway

The "Best Sellers Sampler'' from Cameron's Seafood.

The “Best Sellers Sampler” from Cameron’s Seafood.

 

Time to get to work.

Time to get messy.

Time to get cracking.

Indeed it was when a “Best Sellers Sampler” showed up on my porch last week as a sample to try from Maryland-based Cameron’s Seafood.

The company was founded in 1985 and remains family-owned. It specializes in Maryland crabs from the Chesapeake Bay, where the climate is colder, thereby building up an extra layer of fat on the crabs that burrow into the mud during winter. For crab lovers, that means crabs with flesh that’s buttery, sweet and rich tasting.

The bountiful “Best Sellers Sampler” ($99.99) includes 1/2 a dozen Maryland blue crabs, 1 pound spiced shrimp, 2 crab cakes and 16 ounces of crab bisque.

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