Erica Rains

Throughout history, Americans have fought for freedom, for territories, for religion, and for love. Nowadays, we seem to be fighting for healthier, longer, more fulfilling lives, bringing the revolution home to an internal level. One of the most recent fights on our hand is a confusing one, because it goes against much of what we’ve been taught our entire lives.

If you are a mom, you've probably done the blue box tango. Should you buy that 52-cent blue box of macaroni and cheese because you know your child loves it, and because it's easy and cheap? What if you could recreate a dish that was fresher and healthier?

Wisteria Lane would be proud. Neighborhoods across America are finding themselves again, and a big part of their newfound community interactions revolves around food.

You’ve just been announced as husband and wife and are en route to your reception. Dancing with your grandma to “Brick House?” Acceptable. Uncle Ben’s unsolicited stories of you when you were younger to unsuspecting tables of guests? Embarrassing, but acceptable. Food for all of these fine folks coming up short? Absolutely less than acceptable. 

The holidays are all about tradition. It’s everywhere, dripping from the holiday trees in shopping centers — that were put out way too early, as usual — to family dinners in homes around the world. While we love tradition, wouldn’t be fun if we shook things up?

The chef and I got a little tipsy — and a few pounds heavier — for the research on this article. In our “tour de alcohol,” we discovered some pretty fantastic ideas for pairing foods with an array of spirits, sometimes even literally injecting our chosen cuisine with scrumptious liquids.

It’s 5 p.m., and unfortunately, we all know where our kids are: probably in front of something electronic. That glowing screen is no substitute for the sun, and it’s time to shove them out the door until we ring the dinner bell.

The chef and I are always looking for culinary experiences that are unique, even weird. Taking on the mobile food revolution was right up our alley, and we embarked on the first annual Music City Cart Crawl.

It can happen to anyone at anytime. There you are, minding your business, when BAM—an unexpected dinner party at your home sneaks up. Whether your sister wants to move her birthday dinner to your house in say, eight hours, or your spouse informs you that a new client and his wife are just “popping by for dinner tonight,” you can pull it off.