Recipes

Last week, I got my hair cut for the first time since August. A haircut should be a fun, pampering activity, but I always treat it like an unfortunate task, akin to a pedicure (another necessary evil I’ve heard some people also enjoy). I always feel like I’m losing something, watching my discarded curls fall to the ground and get swept away. Those are curls I’ve spent years growing! Curls that remind me of college, or high school, or childhood.

After the haircut, I want to be soothed, even though I’m happy to feel lighter curls bouncing…

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Since the day we founded Big Girls, Small Kitchen, cooking and entertaining questions have arrived in our inbox and our comments section. At first we were like, “who? us? advice?” But after more than three years of solving culinary problems, we can honestly say we’re here for you. And since you might want to know the answer to other quarter-life cooks’ questions, we’re unveiling this new, ongoing q&a section to highlight your queries and share our responses.

If you’d like to ask us anything about quarter-life cooking, shoot an email with your question to bgsk [at] biggirlssmallkitchen…

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The grilled cheese sandwich is not some idle obsession or Pinterest fantasy. It plays a valuable role in my life.

The grilled cheese sandwich always delivers. There are foods, like soup or yogurt, that automatically lead to a craving for more: dessert, steak, whatever. Technically, the yogurt and the soup provide plenty of calories to satiate a sedentary blogger, but in reality, they’re somehow not enough.

My mom once gave me a piece of advice: only eat what you like. (I’ve written more about staying healthy as a food lover in 

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You’re looking at two Coconut Budinos, the sweetest little individualized desserts ever to be beloved by everybody. They’re gluten-free, dairy-free, and require no skill to make. They’re universal, unless you’re a coconut hater. Democratic, if you will.

A democratic dessert fits perfectly in with what’s going on today, because I want to share some plans with you and ask for your opinions: What are you looking for when you come to BGSK? What are your favorite parts of the site?

I talked on Friday with Rachel, our WordPress designer, about getting into gear to make design changes I’ve been…

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Because I’ve embraced Earth Day in a big way this year–green pizza and a round up of how foodies stay green in the kitchen–I figured I’d round it all out with a giveaway, thanks to our friends over at Full Circle Home.

Anything that makes cleaning a little more pleasant sounds good in my book. (Cleaning’s not my favorite job.) Full Circle uses only sustainable and renewable resources–scrub brushes made with sleek bamboo and sponges from cellulose–so today’s giveaway is an awesome way to pick up on my Earth Day obsession…

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I promised on Wednesday that I wouldn’t get preachy about staying green in the kitchen. In a way, that was because putting together an authoritative guide to environmentally friendly practices sounded daunting — everyone’s lifestyle and priorities are so different.

So, I asked around, on twitter and facebook and by email.

Here’s what some of my favorite food writers, photographers, bloggers, chefs, and eaters do in their own kitchens to keep them on track as environmentally aware food lovers. Read on to be inspired by diligent composters, green cleaners, and the many uses of coffee grounds.…

With Earth Day approaching (it’s this Sunday, the 22nd), I racked my brain for a recipe to share with you guys that felt, well, green. That emphasized saving the planet, or at least eating local.

It took me a few minutes before I felt as dumb as I deserved to for approaching Earth Day totally wrong. Environmental stances are the kinds of beliefs that all of us have to arrive at on our own, like viewpoints on eating meat or strategies for staying healthy. Preachiness just kind of sucks.

A friend once bragged to me…

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INDIAN-INSPIRED: Chicken Tikka Masala; Chai Tea Latte; Carrot-Raisin Raita; Saag Paratha; Coconut-Vegetable Rice Pilaf

There are many culprits for the internet-onset A.D.D. many of us suffer. Some blame twitter, Others gchat. Still others think it’s Cabin Porn’s fault.

I blame tabbed browsing.

For about 10 days, I had this recipe for Purnima Garg’s Eggplant and Tomato Curry up in not one but two tabs: on Food52, where it originally appeared, and on my Everyday Dinners pinboard, which is one of the places I go these…

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MORE BROWN BAG LUNCHES: Curry Chicken Wraps; Cous Cous with Pears and Blue Cheese; Creamy Gazpacho; Crunchy Spicy Hummus Wraps;  Slow-Cooker Tomato Basil Soup; Roasted Beet Salad with Ricotta Salata and Pistachios;

I’m a devotee of the brown bag lunch, and eventually this post is going to wind around and tell you about a new favorite meal I’ve been packing. But, on the days when I find myself walking the streets of Manhattan at noontime without lunch in my bag, you will find me playing Draw Something on my iPhone…

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In most header notes for mashed potato recipes, the Russet, Yukon, or Peruvian Purple comes off as a vehicle for butter and cream–or bacon, chives, sour cream, mascarpone, and cheddar. The existence of roasted potatoes, baked potatoes, and French fries assure us that potatoes taste pretty good on their own. Yet when we go to mash, we bring on the butter.

Last week, in one of the sweetest and best-written essays about food I’ve read in a while, Tom Junod over at Esquire taught me the Mashed Potato Rule. “There is no such thing as bad mashed potatoes as…

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