Olivia Hartwell

A Cozy Kitchen Memory My grandson calls this my “hug in a bowl” recipe. I first made it for him after his big soccer game. He was so tired and hungry. His whole face lit up when he took the first bite. That is a feeling I will never forget. It is why I…

The Secret to a Crispy Wing Let me tell you a little secret. The trick to a crispy wing is not the sauce. It is how you dry them. You must pat the chicken wings very dry with paper towels. I know it seems simple. But it makes all the difference. Then, we toss…

A Sauce With a Story My grandson calls this my magic red sauce. I just laugh. It is not magic at all. It is simply good, honest food. Making it fills my kitchen with the best smells. I learned to make it from my neighbor, Rosa. She brought me a jar when I was…

My Kitchen Helper My grandson Leo helped me make this dish last week. He thought breaking the spaghetti was the best job ever. I still laugh at that. It reminds me that cooking together makes the food taste better. The fun you have gets stirred right in. Do you have a favorite kitchen helper?…

A Better Way to Make Potato Chips I have always loved crispy potato slices. The oven never got them quite right for me. They would burn on one side and stay soft on the other. Then my grandson got me an air fryer. I was so surprised. It changed everything for my snack game.…

The Magic of Slow-Cooked Leeks Let’s start with the leeks. We cook them low and slow. This is not a race. We want them sweet and golden. Adding that pinch of sugar helps them caramelize. It brings out their natural sweetness. I still laugh at how something so simple can taste so rich. This…

A Pot Full of Sunshine This soup is like sunshine in a bowl. It is bright orange and so cheerful. I make it every year when the leaves start to fall. It warms you up from the inside out. Doesn’t that smell amazing? The onion and garlic cooking together is the best start. It…

A Sweet Start My grandson calls these his “monkey cookies.” I still laugh at that. It is because of the bananas. He loves to mash them with a fork in my big yellow bowl. It is a wonderful, messy job for a helper. This recipe is a cozy one. It makes the whole kitchen…

A New Kind of Egg Salad My grandson Leo turned his nose up at egg salad. He said it was too mushy. So I had to get clever. I made this new version for him one afternoon. He gobbled it right up. This recipe uses cottage cheese instead of mayo. It makes the salad…

A Cake Full of Surprises My grandson once asked why carrots are in a cake. I told him it makes the cake super moist and sweet. He did not believe me until he tried a slice. He asked for a second piece right away. That is the magic of this cake. It turns a…