Monthly Archives: October 2014

Crunchy Butterfinger Cookies

Posted in Cookies & Desserts, Holidays, Vegetarian by

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Happy Halloween, candy fiends! Before you and the kiddos embark on your day of rowdy parties, twilight trick-or-treating, and massive sugar consumption, I want to impart you with some knowledge. The quickest way to rid your house of excess Halloween candy is to bake it into cookies. That’s right folks, you know as well as I that every year we end up with gobs of candy that will take our little pirates and princesses weeks, maybe months, to get through (or eventually get toss out). Which is why I thought up a recipe that will put some of those confections to better use. These flourless peanut butter cookies are generously studded with hunks of Butterfingers and pack a candy-worthy crunch! Seriously, these guys are so good that your monsters won’t even bother with the Dum-Dums and Smarties in the bottom of their trick-or-treat bag. Continue reading →

Healthy Greek Pasta

Posted in Eating Healthy, Main Dishes, Pastas, Vegetarian by

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Halloween is only two days away which means I still have time to sneak in another healthy recipe before for the proverbial candy hits the fan. This Greek inspired dish is fiber rich which will sustain you through hours of trick-or-treating, flavor packed to help you avoid dipping your hand into the candy bowl, and takes less than 15-mintues to make allowing you to focus your time and energy on dressing your little ghosts and goblins! Continue reading →

Pumpkin Soup

Posted in Eating Healthy, Holidays, Soups, Vegetarian Modifications by

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Pumpkin soup is one of my favorite meals this time of year. To me it feels like I’m getting away with something, almost like I’m eating pumpkin pie in liquid form – just without the sugar. (Incidentally, I made a pumpkin pie one Thanksgiving and forgot to add the sugar. I have yet to live it down.) Now, like pumpkin pie, this soup is bursting with warm autumn flavors like cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, but unlike pumpkin pie, it’s incredibly healthy. So this Halloween why not put your conscience to rest, fill up on this festive soup, and leave the candy bowl to the trick-or-treaters. (Oh, who am I kidding, go ahead and stuff your face – it’s Halloween!) Continue reading →

Buffalo Chicken Wings

Posted in Main Dishes, Parties! by

I’m sure many of you already know (or can at least deduce from the name) that these red-hot chicken wings originated in the great state of New York, city of Buffalo (my dad’s hometown). When my husband and I first married, we took a trip back east to spend Thanksgiving with my dad’s family. My husband, being a connoisseur of bar food, was determined to order Buffalo chicken wings in Buffalo, so my dad took us to one of his favorite local joints. We grabbed a pitcher of Genesee from the bar, and when the waiter came to take our order, my husband asked for a dozen wings. He, like me, can tolerate some pretty spicy food, but since we were in the birthplace of the hot wing, he decided to play it safe and order the medium spiciness. The waiter nodded for a second, then said in his thick New York accent, “I can tell you’re not from around here, so I’m gonna bring you a plate of mild wings, and if they’re not hot enough, just send them back and I’ll getcha the spicier ones.” Looking slightly offended, my husband agreed. Continue reading →

Gingersnaps (Two Ways)

Posted in Cookies & Desserts, Holidays, Vegetarian by

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Well hello, stranger, long time no see! It’s been a couple weeks since I posted anything to my blog and I have a good excuse for that (or lots of little excuses that add up to one good excuse). What started out as me taking a single week off to battle the plague which brought my entire family to its knees (seriously, even the cat was sick), Continue reading →

Caramelized Onion and Gruyère Flatbread

Posted in Breads and Breakfasts, Main Dishes, Vegetarian by

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Some weeks I head to the grocery store with a solid plan of what I want to make. I have a detailed list and a mission. I walk in, get what I need, and leave. And then there are those weeks when I have no idea what I want, and I cross through the sliding glass doors feeling completely purposeless. I spend more time than I’d like aimlessly meander through the aisles looking for inspiration, hoping that something spectacular will jump out and grab me. Last week was just such a week. Continue reading →