I think we can all appreciate that summer is the time when sitting outside on a hammock with a sparkly drink and watching dogs and kids play in little splashy pools is far, far superior to standing over the stove trying to get creative about what we eat for dinner. The problem, for me, is that while I have little to no interest in meal planning and cooking right now, I still want to eat GOOD food....
This post is brought to you by Hidden Valley Ranch®. I was in the mood for burritos so I made them. Minus the wraps and in a bowl. I actually prefer my burritos in a bowl so I can can load them up with veggies, avocado, black beans, and cheese, and not have to worry about my wrap breaking. This buffalo chicken burrito bowl is an easy recipe that’s ready in 15 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights or a quick lunch....
Easiest Pepperoni Pizza Casserole Recipe This pasta casserole recipe is for those times where just one type of carb — pizza OR pasta — won’t do and you need both. I’ve gotcha covered. Pizza pasta casserole is easy, ready in 20 minutes, and is comfort food at its finest. There’s an onion, one pound of ground beef, one pound of pasta, one pound of mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, and everything is coated in 2 cups of pizza sauce....
3-Ingredient Crockpot Jelly Meatballs If you’re looking for the easiest, no-brainer holiday appetizer that every loves, then put these grape jelly meatballs with just 3 main ingredients on your list! Nothing fancy or complicated, but it’s amazing how much flavor these meatballs have. They’ve been a classic since the 1960’s for a reason. It’s because people just adore them. There’s some magic that happens in the slow cooker when you combine the meatballs with the bbq sauce and jelly, and let them slow cook for hours....
Christmas Cookie Ideas I bake cookies year-round, but there’s something so special about gifting them around the holidays. While I’ve never been one to hand out beautifully wrapped cookie boxes — I don’t have enough time or patience for that! — I do love giving my family, friends, and my daughter’s teachers a stack of homemade cookies come Christmastime. To me, a good Christmas cookie is easy to make, requires minimal prep work, and of course it has to taste good!...
If you’ve been wondering how to jazz up a pound of ground beef and a half box of pasta, this easy one-pot recipe has you covered! It’s easy, ready in less than 30 minutes, and full of tons of flavor. This is such a great dish for busy weeknights since it’s ready quickly, and because it’s made in just one skillet, cleanup is a breeze! No need to boil pasta separately and then drain pasta....
With Mother’s Day just around the corner, the pressure’s on. What thoughtful Mother’s Day gifts will you get for the special people in your life? Personally, I think these presents should be HIGHLY personalized and unique, and they should always align with mom’s personality. Does she like to travel? Snag her this Mark & Graham jewelry case that can be customized with her initials! Is she obsessed with working out?...
If you’ve ever wondered how to make your own limoncello, this post is for you. This is by far the best limoncello I’ve ever tasted! There are literally only two critical ingredients needed to steep the limoncello for weeks, including lemons and Everclear (or vodka). Who knew! After steeping or marinating as I like to call it, you combine sugar + water to create a simple syrup, which is added to the strained lemon liquid to balance it out....
Easiest Mashed Potatoes Recipe If you’re a fan of buttery, creamy mashed potatoes that you thought only grandma or a five-star steakhouse could execute to perfection, I’m here to share my tips for success for how to make the best mashed potatoes. Turns out, it’s not quite as easy as throwing some potatoes in water and then mashing them up with butter and cream in order to yield the best possible results — almost that easy, but not quite....
Our house wasn’t ready, our work projects weren’t done, our bags weren’t packed, but our hearts were so there. ♡ After 36 weeks and 6 days of waiting, after lots of tears and sleepless nights and hope and prayers, at 4:52am, our baby girl was placed in our arms. She was 19.5 inches long and weighed a solid 6lbs 15oz. And we’ve since learned that she is sweet, fairly quiet for now, and an avid eater (genetic, I’m pretty sure)....
These oven-baked chicken tenders have so much crispiness on the outside and are tender and juicy on the inside. Why bother frying chicken when you can get so much flavor from baked chicken and it’s obviously healthier. Easy, ready in 25 minutes, and perfect for busy weeknights. I’ve never known a picky kid (or spouse) to turn down chicken fingers, especially when they’re coated with bacon and cheese. How Does The Chicken Get Crispy Without Frying The chicken gets its crispiness from a few things: Shredded cheddar cheese which crisps up in the oven; cooked bacon that turns even crispier while it bakes, and panko breadcrumbs....
Sheet Pan Balsamic Salmon and Vegetables The baked balsamic salmon is flaky and moist, the broccoli remains perfectly crisp-tender, and the mushrooms are super juicy from the balsamic glaze that they absorb. Both broccoli florets and baby portobello mushrooms are perfect little sponges that absorb the runoff balsamic glaze that falls from the salmon, which is why I strategically used them and position them directly next to the salmon. I love how quick, easy, and healthy this balsamic vinegar salmon recipe is!...
Instead, let’s talk about Green Food. This Plate ‘o Green was: *Broc *B.S. *Cukes *Orange Peppers *The Standard Dressing, aka Juice of 1/2 Orange, Agave, Crack Black And this Plate o’ Green was: *Greens (novel concept) *Cukes *Carrots *Orange Peppers *Jicama *And I had not yet added The Standard before photo op Got up this morning and went for a run. Then Yoga. Here I am powered up from last night’s plates of greens doing my morning yoga....
Hot Corn Dip Recipe I love dips and make meals out of them, and this corn dip was one of the best meals I’ve had in awhile. The dip is made with just 5 key ingredients and takes literally just five minutes to stir together, which is the best kind of recipe. You simply combine corn, green chiles, two cheeses, mayo, stir, and bake. So easy! It’s the type of recipe that’ll save you when you need a crowd-pleasing warm and hearty appetizer but don’t have time for anything fussy....
Easy Seven Layer Cookies I brought the flavors and texture of the classic Seven Layer Bars into these cookies, and they’re some of my favorite cookies ever. They have some chewiness around the edges but are soft, squishy, tender and moist in the middle. All the textures and layers of flavors just do it for me. The more, the merrier, and these cookies are loaded with graham crackers, two kinds of baking chips, and coconut....
Less because I was up ambitiously early and more because I never really fell asleep. comment icon 37 more comments I walked outside and sat on the edge of our second floor apartment in my pajamas. It was still mostly dark and already hot. Dogs barking, roosters crowing, old and young people walking down our alley, a few coming back from late night Christmas parties, most just headed home with little pastel plastic bags filled with their early morning market purchases....
Easy Snickers Chocolate Chip Blondie Recipe These blonde brownies with chocolate chips and Snickers are soft, tender, slightly chewy, and diced Snickers add a wonderful texture to the otherwise buttery smooth dough. There are plenty of semi-sweet chocolate chips in every bite to satisfy your chocolate cravings. Whether you call these blondies or cookie bars, they’re addictive. I added a generous bit of kosher salt to the dough for a salty-sweet effect....
Chocolate Cream Cheese Cake Bars Happy April Fool’s Day. These chocolate cake bars with cream cheese filling are not a joke. They are 100% real. Really sinful and easy. Just the way I like my desserts. What we’re working with here is a base layer of Devil’s Food Cake chocolate cake. Topped with white chocolate chips and dark chocolate chips. A can of sweetened condensed milk is mixed with cream cheese and poured over the top....
It’s decadently chocolaty, very rich, and if you’re having one of those days where your inner chocolate monster is screaming at you, make this to quiet her down. There’s a buttery, chocolate graham cracker and almond crust that’s topped with a silky smooth chocolate and honey filling. The filling is sweet enough but not overly sweet. If you like salted chocolate desserts, sprinkle the tart with sea salt before serving for that salty-sweet flavor....
Chocolate Cookies with Peanut Butter Chips If you think the world’s most perfect food pairing is chocolate and peanut butter, you’re in for a real treat. These cookies combine chocolate and peanut butter, twice. You can never have too much. There’s dark chocolate chunks and cocoa powder, with peanut butter chips and peanut butter. They’re soft, chewy, gooey, and oh yes, full of chocolate and peanut butter. I’ve used cornstarch in these cookies, and in about 20 other cookie recipes....
