Category Archives: Uncategorized

Brown Sugar Baked Peaches are my new favorite dessert.  It’s an easy recipe to follow and a delicious way to prepare peaches.  The peaches are perfectly ripe and juicy, slathered in a combination of brown sugar and other spices, and baked to perfection (aka the peaches become very tender and warmed through).  Top with some vanilla or cinnamon ice cream and you have the perfect pair! The recipe can be found here. Start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees F.  Slice the peaches in half and remove the pits.  Place the peaches face-side up in a baking dish. Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a small bowl.  Place 1 Tbsp of butter in the center of each peach.  Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture evenly over the top of each peach. Bake (uncovered) for 12-16 minutes or until the peaches are tender.  Transfer to individual plates for serving and top with a scoop of ice … Continue reading

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Fall is here!  AKA pumpkin spice season has begun.  It officially started a few weeks ago and I’m behind but don’t worry, I’ve been participating in the craze and am ready to share my recipes with you 🙂 My first recipe for the Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Blondies.  I call these “blondies”, but they have a more cakelike texture than a traditional blondie and are quite dense.  They are thick, chewy, soft, and moist, and hard to not eat all at once!  It’s the perfect combination of flavors with the pumpkin spice and chocolate chips. The recipe can be found here. Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F.  This part is optional, but you can line a 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper or you can skip this step.  The parchment paper helps lift the blondies out of the baking pan when cool and ready to slice but you can … Continue reading

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I recently posted a blog for Halloween food called Ghouls, Ghosts, & Goblins Alike but now it’s time to talk cocktails!  I think cocktails can be the highlight of any party or holiday gathering and are often overlooked.  Most people tend to opt for beer or wine, something that’s simple to serve and comes in a variety of flavors.  I like to explore cocktails that are on theme to the event, easy to make, and don’t require a lot of ingredients to prepare.  That’s what I have for you today. WITCHES BREW COCKTAIL This cocktail is sweet, citrusy, and festive.  You probably have most of the ingredients on hand already but if not, they are pretty standard cocktails ingredients, so they are worth the purchase. I admittedly thought the cocktail would be more purple in color due to the combination of grenadine and blue curacao, but it actually turned out to be blacker in color.  To be honest, that’s OK … Continue reading

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Spooky Season is upon us and it’s something we look forward to at our house every year!  We decorate for Halloween pretty early in September, start making themed food and beverages all throughout October, and enjoy watching all the Halloween / Horror movies we can find.  This year I got a head start on some recipes and want to share them with you today.  The recipes can be enjoyed as a standalone meal (if you consider dessert a meal), or you could combine them into one big meal.  The hand pies can be an appetizer while you make and bake the pot pies to enjoy with a side of skull cornbread, finishing off with cookies for dessert.  Try them all! SPOOKY CHEDDAR & JALAPENO SKULL CORNBREAD These are both fun and festive and make a great accompaniment to any soup, chili, or stew.  The cornbread is perfectly crumbly, the jalapeno adds a bit of heat, and the cheddar … Continue reading

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Grilled Cheese and Bacon Stuffed Mini Bell Peppers are a fun appetizer to enjoy all summer long!  They are quick and easy to make, don’t take long to grill, and taste great.  This was our first time making them, but we were pleased with how they turned out.  We paired them with some grilled brats to complete the meal. The mini bell peppers are soft and tender and are filled with a lovely combination of cream cheese, bacon, and cheddar cheese.  They are very creamy, cheesy, and a little salty from the bacon. The recipe can be found here. Start by preheating the grill to 350 degrees.  You will want to use a grill pan, like a jalapeno popper grill pan, to make this recipe.  I think it’s worth having the pan if you like to grill and enjoy experimenting with different recipes. Cook the bacon according to package instructions.  Remove the bacon to a paper towel … Continue reading

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Greek Chicken Wings with Lemon & Feta are the perfect combination for a light weeknight meal.  These crispy chicken wings have a wonderful lemony flavor and are inspired by Greek/Mediterranean cuisine.  They do need to be marinated so plan for timing, but you won’t regret your decision.  It’s a delicious recipe that can be enjoyed as an entrée, appetizer, or side dish. The recipe can be found here. Start by marinating the wings.  Whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, crushed garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and oregano in a large bowl.  Add the wings to a large Ziplock bag and pour the sauce over the top.  Seal the bag and toss to coat.  Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to 12 hours if you want to prepare these waaaaaay ahead of time 😊 Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Remove the wings from the marinate (use … Continue reading

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Farro with Chicken and Tomatoes is a one pot meal that is ready in about 30 minutes, making it great for a busy weeknight meal.  It’s warm and comforting without being overly filling so it’s something you can enjoy year-round.  This recipe is essentially a healthy grain bowl that’s packed with protein.  If you aren’t familiar with farro, it’s a bit heavier than quinoa and a bit chewier in my opinion, with a similar texture to rice.  It has a nutty flavor and is a perfect plant-based alternative to meat (if you have dietary restrictions) and is packed with protein and fiber. These bowls have warm farro, tender chicken, juicy tomatoes, and plenty of cheese to top.  With a few changes, you can make these vegetarian or vegan.  Swap the chicken for chickpeas, substitute dairy-free cheese or perhaps use nutritional yeast and skip the cheese.  You could also add some mushrooms, peas, chopped bell peppers, you name … Continue reading

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Baking with blocks of feta cheese recently became all the rage on TikTok.  I admittedly tried the Baked Feta Pasta recipe from a TikTok post, and it was phenomenal!  This blog, however, isn’t about pasta.  It’s about mashed potatoes.  Baked Feta Mashed Potatoes to be specific.  They are just as easy and effortless to make as the baked pasta and have a wonderfully creamy texture with a hint of tang from the feta cheese.  It’s the perfect recipe for a weeknight side dish (with leftovers to spare), to serve at a holiday dinner, or perhaps bring to a potluck.  It’s a foolproof recipe I’m sure you’ll love! The recipe can be found here. Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees F and spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.  Next, wash, peel, and chop the potatoes, chop the chives, and slice the butter. Add the potatoes to the baking dish and pour the half & half … Continue reading

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Shrimp Scampi is a classic seafood dish that is widely popular.  It’s considered Italian-American cuisine and consists of shrimp that is cooked in a butter, garlic, and white wine sauce.  It’s wonderful to eat on its own or can be paired with rice or pasta.  It can be served as an appetizer or can be a main course.  I love how effortless and simple it is to make.  You can whip it up for a quick weeknight meal or impress guests at a dinner party because it looks like an elegant meal.  It requires few ingredients to make but the sauce is the key because that’s where all the flavor blend together and give you the lemony, garlicky, buttery combination. The recipe can be found here. Start by marinating the shrimp.  You can use frozen or fresh but if you do use frozen, make sure it is completely thawed, and drain any liquid from the packaging before … Continue reading

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Sometimes I like to cook with chickpeas.  I know they aren’t for everyone, but they are a wonderful meat substitute in many recipes.  Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are beige in color, pea shaped, and part of the legume family.  They are very versatile and packed with protein. Chickpea Bowls are wonderful.  They are easy to prepare, come together in 20 minutes or less, and can easily be customized with the toppings of your choice.  Wonderful weeknight recipes that are healthy and light but will still fill you up. The 2 recipes I want to share with you today are as follows: VEGAN ORANGE CHICKPEAS are sweet and tangy with a lovely citrusy flavor, similar to orange chicken from a Chinese restaurant. VEGAN SESAME CHICKPEAS are sweet and have a slightly roasted flavor with a sticky sauce, similar to sesame chicken from a Chinese restaurant. Both recipes are vegan.  Feel free to substitute ingredients or add toppings that are … Continue reading

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