Jenna Helwig

1 week ago | realsimple.com | Jenna Helwig

Credit: Olga Mazyarkina/Getty Images I’m always a little embarrassed about how bad I am at pie. I went to culinary school, for heaven’s sake, and am the food director here at REAL SIMPLE. I want to be one of those people who throw together fruit pies at a moment’s notice all summer long. But, despite my futzing around with new recipes and techniques, my crusts hardly ever hold their shape, often slumping into a lumpy mess in the oven. The pies still taste good enough, but they’re rarely beautiful.

2 weeks ago | realsimple.com | Jenna Helwig

Credit: Liudmila Chernetska/Getty Images One of the things I love about baking (besides the delicious treats I get to eat) is the magic of humble ingredients coming together to make something far greater than the sum of their parts. Flour, butter, eggs, sugar, baking powder, sometimes chocolate or fruit, and, very often, vanilla can be combined in countless ways to make an endless array of cake, sweet bread, pastry, pudding, custard, and cookie recipes.

2 weeks ago | realsimple.com | Jenna Helwig

Credit: Getty Images Adding fruit to wine isn’t a radical notion. My Italian in-laws pour red wine over slices of perfectly ripe peaches. You drink the wine during dinner and then fork the peaches into your mouth for an instant dessert. And, of course, there’s sangria, wine (and usually liqueur) positively packed with fruit. Cocktails, too, get tons of garnishes, many of them savory. Think olives in martinis and pickles in Bloody Marys.

2 weeks ago | flipboard.com | Jenna Helwig

6 hours agoThis recipe made me like chicken salad. No kidding— I was used to the store bought chicken salad with too much mayo and canned chicken which always made my stomach turn. Decided to make this for my husband’s lunches, as he’s a chicken salad fan. Decided to go as homemade as possible, so found a …

3 weeks ago | realsimple.com | Jenna Helwig

Credit: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless Prep Time:15 minsCook Time:20 minsTotal Time:35 minsServings:4 Leeks shine in this weeknight pasta recipe. Four leeks are thinly sliced and cooked down until silky and slightly caramelized, and when you think it can’t get any better than this, butter, aged provolone, and Parmesan cheese flavor the sauce with a delightful tangy, salty spiciness.