Big Macaroni (Baked Penne with Wild Mushroom Ragu)

Wine writer Anthony Giglio’s Sicilian mother-in-law calls my rustic casserole of baked pasta layered with Wild Mushroom Ragu and ricotta salata “the Big Macaroni”. It IS…the delectable sum of 3 parts: pasta + ragu + cheese. You can make the ragu days ahead and use it for a million quick delicious dishes. And you can assemble the Big Macaroni the day before and bake when ready to feed your guests. They will die for its crispy chewy top and molten interior.

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Make Your Motivators Powerful

On my office wall, I tape images that inspire, motivate, and hearten me. Recently, I taped up a greeting card that said PROCEED AS IF SUCCESS IS INEVITABLE. Although the words make great sense, they curiously had little impact…UNTIL something compelled me to pair it with a photo I’d clipped from a magazine: Big lesson in what a MOTIVATOR can be.

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Quick, Improvisational Custom Chai

Masala Chai is the lovely milky spiced tea of Indian Cuisine that has become wildly popular worldwide and is infinitely variable. Long ago, I made my own chai spice mix because I kept encountering ones I didn’t like. I vary the balance of spices according to my mood and embellish it with additional flavorings.  Here’s my basic formula, along with alternate routes and rules you can easily break when whipping up your own

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Honoring Dr. King, 2016

We can’t conceive of a world in which Martin Luther King Jr. had not played so powerful a part. He embodied stunning courage, perseverance and nonviolence against all odds. His words continue to resonate on many levels and have proven to be enduring  guideposts for daily life.

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Cheap + Chic: Crease-Wrinkled Big Cotton Shirt

A fan of the big white cotton shirt, years ago I discovered that XXL MEN’s cotton poplin shirts could be had for about $25 at Target* and looked as good as the much pricier women’s version.  Averse to ironing, I’d drop them off at the shirt laundry and ask for “extra starch”. At about $2 each, I’d live…

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