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What's Giving Me Life
The places, people, recipes, traditions, and little moments that are inspiring me lately. Think of it as everything I'd tell you if we were catching up over coffee—or cooking dinner together.
The 2025 Gift Guide
Every item in this guide has earned its place in my kitchen. These are the tools I reach for, the cookbooks I cook from, the pantry staples I buy on repeat, and the gifts I've happily given to the people I love. If you're looking for something thoughtful for the home cook in your life—or simply need a little inspiration for your own wish list—I hope you find something you love. Global Fish Spatula — or any high-quality fish spatula. After many not-so-subtle hints, Frank got m
Maddie Umali
Jul 24
The 2024 Gift Guide
Every year, friends and family ask me what kitchen tools, cookbooks, and pantry staples are actually worth buying. Rather than rounding up trendy products I've never touched, this list is made up entirely of things I use in my own kitchen—items I reach for daily, gift to friends, and would happily buy again. Whether you're shopping for a seasoned home cook, someone just learning their way around the kitchen, or simply treating yourself, I hope this list gives you a few ideas.
Maddie Umali
Jul 24
BBQ Chicken
Sticky, smoky and a little sweet, this BBQ chicken starts with bone-in, skin-on chicken cooked on the grill until crisp and juicy, then gets brushed with a homemade BBQ sauce during the final few minutes of cooking. The sauce comes together with pantry staples and just the right balance of sweet, tangy and savory. Yield: 3 pounds chicken Servings: 4-6 Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 30-35 minutes Total Time: 45-50 minutes Ingredients For the BBQ Sauce 1 cup ketchup ½ cup pac
Maddie Umali
Oct 22 min read
Grilled Salmon with Citrus Chimichurri
This grilled salmon is simple enough for a weeknight but the citrus chimichurri makes it something special. Fresh cilantro and parsley are mixed with shallot, garlic, orange and lemon for a bright, punchy sauce that gets spooned generously over smoky grilled salmon. And make extra chimichurri—you’re going to want to put it on everything. Yield: 4 salmon fillets Servings: 4 Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes Ingredients For the Citrus Chimichurr
Maddie Umali
Sep 12 min read
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