Julia O'Malley

1 week ago | adn.com | Julia O'Malley

Rhubarb leaves are unfurling a little early and extra huge over the last few sunny weeks in Anchorage, and the time has come in many local gardens for the first harvest. The sweet/sour season of summer rhubarb recipes is officially on. Our recipe writers have lots of non-pie ideas, including cocktails, a shrub, tiramisu, and a tart inspired by M.C. Escher.

3 weeks ago | adn.com | Julia O'Malley

The season of green grass and grilling time is upon us, sending me on the hunt for a light, crispy salad to balance out whatever I’m throwing on the coals. Lately, I’ve been making this one — all green and inspired by a wave of trendy summer cabbage salads in my social media feeds — over and over. I declare it The Official Salad of Summer. This salad goes with anything.

1 month ago | adn.com | Julia O'Malley

Is it Easter without a freaky-looking homemade cake? Can you have a celebratory post-church brunch and not include a mutant lamb on a bed of green-dyed coconut grass? In my family, we observe a bunny cake tradition. Kids love decorating bunny cake. Easy to make and so cute, right? (Lowers voice: But if you mess up the angle of jelly bean eyes, as happens with kids involved, they also can look a little, I don’t know, devious? Even better, I say.

2 months ago | adn.com | Julia O'Malley

When I do my menu planning on Sundays, I’m usually caffeinated and optimistic basically to the point of delusion on the dinner front. I think I am totally going to make Thai curry on Tuesday and flank steak on Thursday and lasagna for Sunday dinner. It’s as if I’m not trying to work while also being a full-time sports practice taxi in a household where on any given day, the dog is puking, my phone is ringing because my mom needs help with her TV and the Subaru won’t start.

Feb 7, 2025 | adn.com | Julia O'Malley

The first time I dunked a french fry in ranch, I was with my cousin at the East Anchorage Red Robin behind the Northway Mall sometime in the late 1980s. The hot salt/cool tang combo struck teenage me as alchemy, a food of the very cool. I didn’t know at the time, though, how Alaska that mouthful was. Turns out a fry dipped in ranch — a favored combo in Super Bowl spreads this weekend — may be more of this place than you think. And I have a great recipe for both. Hear me out.