Category Archives: Uncategorized

We are in the midst of apple season in MN has some of the best orchards around!  Prime apple picking is mid-to-late August through late October and makes for a wonderful family tradition!  Our family went to a local apple orchard recently and it was a blast.  We enjoyed some delicious apple treats, took a nice walk through the orchards, picked out a pumpkin to bring home, and just had an all-around good day. Most people have a favorite kind of apple but with so many varieties to choose from, I think it’s hard to pick.  And different kinds work for different recipes, so you have the option to sample different flavors while you cook and try out new recipes. Not everyone has time to spend at an apple orchard or doesn’t have any locations close to home.  In that case, you probably swing by your local grocery store to … Continue reading

Posted in Breakfast, Dessert, Party, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Apple Harvest

Baguette sandwiches are my new favorite thing!  There is something about a baguette that makes you feel like you are in a French café, sipping cappuccino, and enjoying local fare.  They are crisp on the outside and soft on the inside and make for a great sandwich.   Prosciutto & Arugula Baguette Sandwiches make the perfect meal.  The prosciutto is salty, the cheese is sharp, and the arugula adds some fresh flavor.  Pair it with some mustard or mayonnaise and jam, and you are set! The recipe can be found here. Start by making the sandwich spread.  In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and mustard.  This gives the sandwich a spicy and tangy taste.  You can use only mayonnaise or only mustard or neither, but I like the flavor of both combined. Next, slice the baguette in half.  Each half will make one sandwich.  Or you can slice … Continue reading

Posted in 4th of July, Labor Day Weekend, Memorial Day Weekend, Party, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Prosciutto & Arugula Baguette Sandwiches

It’s that time of year…. fall…. or pumpkin spice season, as some like to call it.  I did a little research on the fall phenomenon that is pumpkin spice and was quite intrigued by my findings.  Did you know that pumpkin spice earned its name because it was originally used in cakes and pies that contained pumpkin?  I didn’t but McCormick (the seasoning brand) started marketing the spice to save consumers the effort of having to make their own homemade version and could instead buy the spice at their local grocery store.  Pretty cool, huh? The spice mix is generally a blend of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and sometimes allspice.  I admittedly have all these spices in my cabinet but understand that not everyone else does, so I can make homemade pumpkin spice if needed, but something the store-bought version is easier 🙂 I also learned that cravings for … Continue reading

Posted in Breakfast, Dessert, Pasta, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on It’s Pumpkin Spice Season

Make tonight’s dinner a fast and fun meal that’s completely customizable with sheet pan nachos!  These are guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser and are super easy to make.  Simply layer your toppings, bake, and enjoy! One big plus of these is they only take one pan to make so clean up is a breeze, and the pan doubles as the serving vessel so you can simply dig in and be satisfied in no time. I have 3 recipes to share with you today: Sheet Pan Chicken Nachos Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken Nachos Sheet Pan Buffalo Chicken Nachos   As mentioned previously, these would make for a great weeknight meal.  Otherwise, serve them at a football party, birthday party, weekend cookout, holiday party, etc.  The options are endless!  The recipes make a large enough quantity that you can feed a crowd. Let’s start with Sheet Pan Chicken Nachos.  These are … Continue reading

Posted in 4th of July, Halloween, Holidays, Labor Day Weekend, Memorial Day Weekend, Party, Poultry, Super Bowl, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Sheet Pan Nachos

If you follow my blog, you are probably aware that I recently wrote a post about Grilled Jalapeno Poppers.  They are a great appetizer, a fun dish for a BBQ or cookout, and are full of flavor and spice!  I recently made a vegan version of the same grilled jalapeno popper recipe and want to share it with you today. The recipe can be found here. Jalapeno Poppers are essentially hollowed out jalapenos that are stuffed with cheese (non-dairy cheese in this case) and spices, are frequently breaded (we are skipping this step), and either fried, baked, or grilled to perfection.  They are a guaranteed crowd pleaser! To make my Vegan Grilled Jalapeno Poppers, you must first make Vegan Cream Cheese. You can buy plain vegan cream cheese from your local grocery store or make your own.  I prefer to make homemade vegan cream cheese.  For the most part, it … Continue reading

Posted in Grilling, Uncategorized, Vegan | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on VEGAN Grilled Jalapeno Poppers

Mediterranean Lemon Garlic Chicken Salad is an incredibly flavorful and filling meal for any time of year!  You want something light and refreshing on a hot summer night?  This is the perfect option.  It’s the middle of the winter and you want a meal that isn’t super hearty and heavy?  Look no further. The chicken is marinated in a lovely blend of lemon juice paired with a variety of seasonings, leaving it perfectly tender and moist.  The chicken is served with a salad, containing only the freshest vegetables, and a side of tzatziki sauce, which if you’ve tasted before, you know how incredibly light and refreshing it is.  The combination of the 3 is absolute perfection! The recipe can be found here. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper.  Reserve 1/3 cup of the dressing mixture and … Continue reading

Posted in Poultry, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Mediterranean Lemon Garlic Chicken Salad

Willkommen (or welcome) to Oktoberfest!  If you aren’t familiar, Oktoberfest is the world’s largest Volksfest…or beer festival and traveling funfair, for those of use that don’t speak German.  It’s held in Germany and runs about 2 weeks, typically from mid-Sept to the first Sunday in October.  You can find traditional German food such as sausages, oversized soft pretzels, mustard and curry ketchup, cabbage and radish salads, dumplings, spaetzle, and obviously, plenty of ice-cold beer!  More than 6 million people from around the world attend the event every year. Unfortunately, the Oktoberfest celebration in German is cancelled again this year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy plenty of yummy food.  So, pull out the decorations, get your house in order, invite some friends and family over, and cook up some delicious German food! I’d like to share with you 5 different ideas to host the perfect Oktoberfest party.  We’ll … Continue reading

Posted in Dessert, Holidays, Party, Pasta, Poultry, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Willkommen to Oktoberfest! 

Tuscan Chicken Alfredo tastes like a restaurant quality meal!  You won’t be able to get over how amazing the creamy sauce is and how each bite just the perfect amount of spice to it.  This dish is loaded with tender chicken, sun dried tomatoes, and a lovely garlic sauce. Not only does it taste amazing but it’s easy to make.  The chicken is marinated before cooking, the sauce whisks together in no time, and the veggies add a little texture to each bite.  You might even find yourself licking your plate clean!   The recipe can be found here. Start by slicing the chicken.  I like to slice the chicken into 1-inch pieces, but you can use strips if you prefer.  Place the chicken in a bowl and pour the Roasted Red Pepper Salad Dressing over the top.  The chicken should be mostly coated but you can push it down … Continue reading

Posted in Pasta, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Tuscan Chicken Alfredo

Sheet Pan Pancakes are like one giant perfect pancake!  Once you make these or try these, there is no going back.  No standing at the counter flipping pancakes for an hour over the griddle!  Simply bake, slice, and devour.  They are moist, fluffy, and easy to assemble. The recipe can be found here. Start by preheating the oven to 425 degrees F.  Generously spray a baking sheet (11×17 size) with cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the pancake mix, milk, and eggs.  Any brand of pancake mix will work just fine. Pour the batter onto the prepared baking sheet.  It might look like the batter isn’t filling much of the baking sheet, but it will rise as it bakes so you don’t need to add additional batter.  If you do, your pancakes will turn out more like cake! Add any toppings of your choice – blueberries, bananas, … Continue reading

Posted in Breakfast, Holidays, Party, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Sheet Pan Pancakes

When I think of crisp and refreshing, I think of caprese salad.  It has juicy, ripe tomatoes, slices of soft mozzarella, and is finished with incredibly fresh basil leaves.  If you add some French bread and a smear of pesto and can turn a lovely caprese salad into a tasty pizza.  It’s bursting with flavor and is to toasted to perfection. The recipe can be found here. Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F. Slice the French bread in half, horizontally.  If the bread is too long to fit on a baking sheet, slice the bread in half so it will fit.  Make sure you look for soft Italian bread or French bread.  You don’t want to use a hearty baguette or anything that will be too hard and crusty after baking. I like to use store-bought basil pesto, but you can make homemade pesto if you have … Continue reading

Posted in 4th of July, Labor Day Weekend, Memorial Day Weekend, Party, Pizza, Super Bowl, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Caprese French Bread Pizza