Karen is a Virtual Moderator and Class Assistant at The Chopping Block. Her mother was first-generation Italian and her grandparents lived nearby, so eating meals together was always a focus and holidays meant lots of people, courses, and “old country” traditions. This love of good food grew into a passion for cooking, and no matter where in the world she has traveled or lived, Karen has always found that food is what brings people together. She finds the best way to unwind and relax is to spend time cooking or baking, whether it’s trying something new or preparing a “tried and true” meal – her husband says she literally sings in the kitchen! At The Chopping Block, Karen enjoys sharing that joy with guests, hoping to spark that same love of cooking in their lives.
Recent Posts
Seasonal Fruit Curds
I love pretty much anything lemony, and lemon curd is way, way up at the top! I use it on all sorts of things from slathering it on scones and muffins to topping a tart to swirling it into my morning ...
Yesterday I opened a bottle of wine and then mindlessly opened a drawer and tossed the cork in. As I did so, I thought to myself, “Okay, sure, that can go there for now.” I can honestly tell you that ...
As far as holiday dinners go, I think my favorite is Easter dinner. It wasn’t always that way, though. Back in the day, when my sister bought her first house, Thanksgiving quickly became her holiday ...
My birthday was last week, and one of my favorite things to do is to bake my own birthday cake! I get to make whatever I’m craving and it’s just plain fun for me. Sometimes eating it includes ...
My husband & I lived in Beijing, China for three years in the late 1990s. We frequently talk about how, for us, it was the perfect time to be there as an expat. A lot of the old, traditional ways ...
Back in May, I wrote a post about sugared flowers and how wonderfully they can dress up even the simplest cupcake. Well, now that the holidays are upon us, I thought I would talk about another ...
One of the first cakes I ever learned to bake was a pineapple upside-down cake. I can remember Mom explaining to me that the bottom would become the top and that sounded so magical to me! We arranged ...
I have always loved the in-between seasons of Spring and Fall. Everything is changing, from the weather to what we wear. I don’t know about you, but I love getting out my “sweater weather” clothes – ...
I was recently in South Carolina for a reunion with some old gal pals from high school. We stayed at the home of one of the women and while we ate out one night, this gave us the luxury of being able ...
I can remember the first time my husband ever said to me, “I’ll grill some chicken tonight!” “Great,” I replied, “How are you going to do it?” His answer? “Oh, this is my special chicken!” And so it ...
