Happy 4th of July weekend! I'm a huge fan of getting everyone together, cooking up a bunch of food, and celebrating an array of occasions. July 4th is no exception to this; when I was young, July 4th meant family BBQs at the beach where we would roast marshmallows over a bonfire. When I was in high school, July 4th meant going to my friend's lake house where we would all gather along the shore to watch the fireworks. Now, July 4th is getting together with friends to grill out, play some cornhole, and enjoy the company + day off. ;) The one thing in common all my stages of life have with July 4th weekend is food is the key focus. There is something about gathering with friends + family, everyone bringing a…
- Category: Holiday Eats -
If you're one of those people that is very technical on food names, I feel ya. However, hear me out here. While this recipe might now have the typical crust variable (ehem.. dough..), it does have sauce! and toppings! and CHEESE! Plus, it's cut up just like a pizza is and you can hold it, so I'm calling it a pizza and running with it. ;) I actually made two variations of these pizzas. One savory and one sweet. I did that once before with butternut squash in college and made a competition post of some sorts (check back on my beginner blogger skills if you want to check that recipe out), and had the same plan to do that here. However. Something happened... I could not decide which I loved more.…
Happy 2016! I can't wait to share with you my holiday recap post; we hit 9 states (some multiple times) in 13 days! Our first stop was my mom's place in North Carolina. She lives right on the water, which makes up for how tiny the town is. I'm used to living in large cities so don't know what to do with myself when I'm not surrounded by constant activity options, but it does allow us to have a lot of family time, which is nice since she's just been back in America for about a year. We like to make drinks, play games, watch movies, and catch up on life. We're all a huge fan of ginger so when I saw my mom had a new ginger liqueur, I was excited to play around…
I'm one of those people who seem to be in the Christmas spirit all year around. No offense to Thanksgiving (I love you, I do) but Christmas is so great, I feel that it needs almost 2 months of prep. Peanut Butter Blossoms One thing I overdo every year (if that's even possible) are Christmas cookies. I don't limit myself to just the classics either; I tend to experiment and go with what I'm feeling at the moment. Last year, I pinned this recipe that had an interesting concept of making cookies using cool whip. I've made tons of recipes with modifications that have a similar approach (take these 3 ingredient Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Muffins, for example), so I decided to experiment a bit and make my own tweaks. Guys. These cookies have…
I know what you're thinking.. "the best ever banana nut muffins, really, the best ever?" But trust me on this, I do not use "the best ever" lightly. The muffins will convince you on your first bite; moist and cakey on the inside, a bit of crunch on the outside, all while staying nice and soft for days after baking! One of my friends at work asked me to make him some banana nut muffins, and since I never turn down an opportunity to bake, I dusted off an old bread recipe of mine and turned it into muffin form. I actually didn't tweak anything, but it cut the baking time in 1/2 so I actually prefer this much more than the bread. Muffins are great; they're small enough where you know what a…
I understand that "the tastiest baked brie" is a bold statement, but I am fully ready to stand behind this dish. ;) I also should add that this is the EASIEST. RECIPE. EVER. Brie has a special place in my heart, which may seem like a silly thing to say about cheese, but then again, I feel that fellow cheese lovers would agree. I mentioned in my first Tailgating Thursday post that not every recipe posted would be healthy- and this is one of those "treat yourself" ones! However, to be 100% perfect all the time would be 100% boring, so take some advice from me and make this cheese for your next party. Or when you have a night alone with Netflix and your bed.. this is a judgement free zone [especially when…
The middle of summer is good for a lot of things. Pools, BBQs, beach vacays, longer days... I could go on and on; summer, I am definitely a fan of you! One thing that I love in the summer time is fresh peaches. Sure, I can eat a peach in the winter and be content, but there is something just so magical about a peach in the summer. They're in season, for one, and you can wash the juice off your face by jumping in a pool! Last night, I was craving shrimp. [surprise surprise, right ;) ?] When looking through my past farmers market haul, I saw that I still had 4 ripe peaches I needed to use up. I decided on Grilled Teriyaki Shrimp & Peach Kabobs (recipe coming soon) topped with…
Can you believe it's already July?? Where is the time going! When heading to a neighbor's house, BBQ, beach, or even a simple get together with friends, I always love to bring something along to share. At times, especially when it comes to holiday weekends when you could be traveling, the last thing on your list is a crazy, many steps required recipe. Below I have my Top 10 Favorite Simple Sharable Delectables to bring with you to your 4th of July rendezvous! 1. Healthy (3 ingredient!) Protein-Packed French Onion Dip 2. Mayo-less Skinny Deviled Eggs [half with spiced pecans!] 3. Hydrating Spa Water [tip-- add some citrus vodka for 21+ get togethers!] 4. Light & Creamy Roasted Garlic Hummus 5. Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Muffins [who says pumpkin is only for the…