Merry Christmas Eve, friends! This post is a little late on the draw, but if any of you poor souls out there are concerned that you may have made it on the naughty list this year, I suggest you leave a plate of these cookies out for Santa and hope for the best… Continue reading
Alright, I know that I posted a meatloaf recipe last week so it might seem kind of redundant to post another one this week, but bear with me. Unlike Friday’s Honey Glazed Pear, Sausage, & Sage Meatloaf (which was delicious, but took a bit of hands-on cooking), this meatloaf only calls for three simple ingredients and takes less than 10 minutes to prep. No really. And because I’ve recently been trying my hand at some gluten free cooking, it’s made sans bread — which is great for all of you who have a wheat sensitivity. And for those of you who don’t, I just want to point you back to the “three ingredients” and the “less than 10 minutes to prep” attributes I made earlier. Continue reading
It’s finally December, the best month of the year, which means it’s time to bust out the holiday decorations and start cooking something other than turkeys and pumpkins! And what better way to kick off this joyful season than with a new take on an old favorite. With this thought in mind, I took my standard meatloaf recipe and jazzed it up with some festive flavors like pears and cinnamon, then topped it off with a sweet drizzling of honey. This meal is so festive, that for a spilt second I considered naming it Merry Meatloaf, but opted instead for this much longer and more descriptive (read boring) title. However, that in no way means you can’t be merry while eating it. Fa la la la la, la la la la! Continue reading
Whew! We made it through Thanksgiving! A show of hands, how many people are having a hard time buttoning their pants today? Come on, I can’t be the only one! Okay, now that the big turkey dinner is over, it’s time to concentrate on how to you’re going to put your leftovers to use… Continue reading
Thanksgiving is less than one week away and for all of you, like myself, who are just starting to put together your Turkey Day menus, let me offer a suggestion; why not try something new this year? It’s crazy, I know, to break away from tradition and consider something other than the obligatory stuffing (or dressing, if you’re not putting it into the bird), but I’ve got something else in mind for you. This incredible side dish will go with whatever meat or meat substitute (Tofurky anyone?) is the customary centerpiece at your table. (Side note: I just learned that many Texans serve ribs on Thanksgiving. How awesome is that?!) Anyway, regardless of what other lovely foods grace your plates next Thursday, this savory bread pudding will make you and your tastebuds very thankful. Continue reading
Okay, so Harvest Soup isn’t the actual name of this soup. It’s proper name is Mushroom and Hazelnut Soup, but since my mom only made it on Thanksgiving, my sister and I started referring to it as this (and be grateful, because the runner up was Pilgrim Stew). This is yet another recipe that’s been in the family for years, and we have no idea where it originated, other than one of my mom’s cooking magazines from way back. You see, at one point in the early 90’s (about the time Martha Stewart hit the scene), my mom decided that she wanted to fancy up our Thanksgiving dinner by serving courses. She was looking for something seasonally appropriate for the first course and felt that hazelnuts and mushrooms sounded autumny and elegant. It was an immediate hit with our guests, who, nearly 20 years later, ended up becoming my in-laws; that’s how magical this soup is! (Just kidding. Kind of.) Anyway, since that fateful Thanksgiving, this soup has made a return appearance every single year, but ONLY on the fourth Thursday in November. Continue reading
Okay, this title may be a bit misleading. I don’t want to imply that this casserole is ‘R’ rated or anything, it’s just a little more sophisticated than the 4-ingredient medley that mom used to make growing up. Although now that I think about it, my mom never made casseroles when I was young, and somehow I feel like I was robbed of this very 70’s food trend. Anyhow, the first time I tried tuna casserole I was in my early (okay, mid)-thirties, and my husband and I had just started dating. We had planned to spend a rainy weekend at home and I desperately wanted to cook for him. Still unsure as to what his food preferences were (other than pizza and beer), I asked him what he was craving most. Much to my bewilderment, he requested tuna casserole. I had never made tuna casserole before, let alone tried it, but I was certain that it was something I could handle. Continue reading
A couple weeks ago my family and I took a pilgrimage to IKEA to search for a “big girl” bed for my 3-year old. About 2½ hours into what was supposed to be a quick trip, we all started to show signs of hunger-induced crankiness (hangriness), so we stopped for lunch at the little bistro conveniently located in the center of the store. My husband and daughter split an order of chicken tenders (yawn), while I chose to splurge on a ginormous pile of meatballs (hey, when in Sweeden…). Just as I was tucking into my lunch, my daughter asked for a bite and before I knew it, she had finished the entire plate. Irritated but inspired, I decided that I would make my own meatballs for dinner later that week. Continue reading
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
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
soup bowl recipes 