January 2012
5 posts
3 tags
Hot & Spicy Meatloaf
Each week as I am preparing my grocery store list and planning meals for the week I ask Jordan what he wants to have for dinner that week. He usually says he doesn’t care and loves everything I make (what a great husband I have :). However, if he does request a meal he usually asks for meatloaf. It has become one of his favorites!
Until I got married I had never made meatloaf, but it...
3 tags
Chocolate Fudge Pie
Chocolate fudge pie, need I say more?
If I must, let me tell you about this decadent dense chocolate layer covered with homemade whipped cream tucked inside a flaky pie crust (don’t judge me, but I used store bought).
I got the recipe from Cooking Light so I allowed myself to have two pieces. Then I decided to take the pie into work so I wouldn’t eat the whole thing by myself. ...
3 tags
Goat Cheese Bacon Basil Quiche
I never used to be a fan of quiche. However, on Christmas someone brought into work a cheddar broccoli cheese quiche and I couldn’t get enough of it. Ever since then I have been dying to make one of my own. The great thing about a quiche is that it is so versatile that you can pretty much put whatever you want in it. Any combination of meats, cheeses, and vegetables will do.
I...
4 tags
Whole-grain Blueberry Muffins
Sleep in…check. Morning run with a friend…check. Planning a trip with my husband…check. Whole-grain blueberry muffins…check. This is what made my Saturday morning perfect!
For those of you who are trying to keep your New Year’s resolutions of eating healthy this a recipe for you. For those of you who like me haven’t had the healthiest start to 2012...
2 tags
Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Happy New Year! I hope you all have had a fabulous start to 2012. Have you already broken your resolution? I am not one for resolutions, but I am a fan of traditions. One of my favorite things about holidays is the traditions my family shares. When I got married over two years it was fun learning about Jordan’s family’s traditions, but it has also been fun starting our own...
December 2011
7 posts
Holiday Pretzel Bites
Merry Christmas! I was able to celebrate Christmas yesterday with my family. It was a magical day & I was so thankful for it. Today I could not be with my family because I am taking care of those who are sick in the hospital, some of which have been there for months. Working on an oncology unit always gives me the perspective on how lucky I am that my family and I are cancer free. My...
2 tags
Gingersnaps
When I think about different types of holiday cookies gingersnaps are one of the cookies that always comes to mind. They definitely aren’t my favorite cookie (don’t get me wrong I rarely refuse any cookie), but I feel like many people love them. My husband is one of those people who really loves gingersnaps.
This year December has been so crazy & since we were going to be...
4 tags
Peppermint Bark
This weekend I decided that I wanted to make cookie trays to share, but knew I only had one day off to make everything. Today ended up turning into a baking extravaganza where I made six different holiday treats. I plan on sharing them with you over the next couple of days.
The first recipe I wanted to share was the easiest. Doesn’t it look like a Jackson Pollack? This peppermint...
3 tags
Baked Ziti
This time of year there are lots of get-togethers with families and friends. Trust me you don’t want to be slaving away in the kitchen while everyone is laughing, spending time together, and being festive. I have perfect solution to wanting a home cooked delicious meal that serves lots of people and also takes little time.
It is baked ziti! I have made this recipe many times and it...
2 tags
Caramel Brownies with a Pretzel Crust
Who doesn’t love a sweet and salty treat? I recently had a pretzel topped with a melted rolo and a pecan. It inspired me. Salt, chocolate, and carmel…what an amazing combination.
My baking creativity brought about these caramel brownies. The pretzel crust is made up of ground up pretzels and butter, which I baked to help set. While the crust was cooling I decided to whip up the...
4 tags
Peanut Butter Nutella Cookies
This holiday season one of my goals was to make Christmas cookie trays to give out to friends, family, and coworkers. Now that Christmas is only two weeks away it seems like a pretty lofty goal. There seems like there is so much to do between now and Christmas. Even if I don’t make my trays I still wanted to take some time to try out some new cookie recipes.
I have been a little...
3 tags
Beef Stew
I usually plan my meals out for the week and make a list of what I need to go to the grocery store. If I go without a list I leave the store overwhelmed and always forgetting something. Although I am at the store to get what is on my list I always browse to see what is on sale too. Usually I check out the meat section and buy what is on sale, which helps me plan my meals for the next week.
...
November 2011
7 posts
3 tags
Icebox Pumpkin-Mousse Pie
I have never been much of a pumpkin pie fan. Don’t get me wrong I will eat it, especially if it is covered with lots of whipped, but it is definitely not one of my favorites. However, not having pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving seemed like some sort of sacrilege.
Flipping through a magazine one day I came across a pumpkin mousse pie with a chocolate crust topped with whipped cream that I...
3 tags
Upside Down Apple Pecan Pie
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! My holiday was spent cooking, eating, playing games, and spending time with my husband and in-laws in our small apartment. It was perfect! I was in charge of the turkey and dessert this year. I was very nervous about cooking the turkey, but it turned out to be a hit! I promise to share the recipe when Thanksgiving comes around next year.
For...
3 tags
Crockpot Turkey Fajitas
With the holidays approaching and the business that it brings I wanted to share this easy weeknight meal with you. There is something to be said for throwing a bunch of ingredients in pot and having it turn into a delicious meal. Crock pots are magical I tell you. If you don’t have one please go out and get one. You can thank me later.
For those of you who do have one now you have a...
3 tags
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Who doesn’t love chocolate chip cookies? Sometimes in my attempt to be an adventurous baker I often forget how much I appreciate simple desserts like these cookies. They are probably one of my favorites! I know you all probably have your own chocolate chip cookie recipe, but I thought I would share this one with you. If you are looking to try a new recipe I promise this one will yield...
3 tags
Chicken Pot Pie
As it begins to get colder out it seems that I am starting to crave more comfort foods. I have never been much of a casserole fan, but I have always loved chicken pot pie. I made this lighter version one night last week. I was pleasantly surprised how quickly this meal came together and how much we enjoyed it.
Roasting the chicken brought out so much flavor and made it easy to shred. To...
1 tag
Minestrone Soup
It has been getting cold out and I have been craving a good hearty soup. I am convinced there are healing properties in soup. Trust me on this one, I am a nurse. And if you don’t believe me take a look at this. As flu and cold season is in full swing I thought I would share a this minestrone soup recipe with you.
This soup is chock full of delicious vegetables. It is filling enough to...
3 tags
Pumpkin Bars
Do you remember the canned pumpkin shortage last year? Maybe my fear of another shortage is what has been making me stock up on canned pumpkin. I also take into consideration there is a limited period of time where you can justify making pumpkin items. Some friends recently sent me a pumpkin macaroni & cheese recipe and a baked pumpkin oatmeal recipe that I will have to give a try.
These...
October 2011
7 posts
4 tags
Caramel Popcorn
Happy Halloween! Sadly I did not get the chance to carve a pumpkin or dress up in a costume this year, but that didn’t keep me from making a festive treat in honor of the holiday. A couple weeks ago I attempted a caramel corn recipe I found in a magazine and I was very disappointed. The popcorn was too saturated with the caramel glaze. For the amount of butter, corn syrup, and brown...
2 tags
Roasted Cauliflower
Most of the time I am so preoccupied with what the main course is going to be for dinner that I often neglect what side dishes I am going to have. I often heat up a bag of frozen vegetable and make some boxed rice, but recently I have been meaning to try out some new & exciting side dishes.
This summer some of my college roommates and I had a reunion at my friend Kristen’s house. The...
1 tag
Homemade Applesauce
Jordan is usually happy and thankful with whatever I make. He rarely makes cooking or baking requests so when he does I am glad to oblige. When we were first married he asked if I could make some homemade applesauce. I had never made it before, but knew it couldn’t be that hard.
I came to find out it is one of the simplest homemade items that you can make. After looking at several...
2 tags
Pumpkin Bread
I had some leftover pumpkin from the granola I made and I just couldn’t let it go to waste. I was looking at different pumpkin recipes and decided to make some pumpkin bread. I found a healthy pumpkin bread recipe that I settled on, but was a little skeptical about it. Can a 140 calorie slice of bread be really that good? It can. I was pleasantly surprised! I was amazed by the texture...
2 tags
Pumpkin Spice Granola
I know it has been officially fall for quite some time now, but for me it turned into fall last week when the temperature began to drop. At this point I started pulling out my sweaters, drinking hot apple cider, and admiring the changing leaves. It also meant that I was ready for some fall baking.
This weekend we had the chance to head to western NY to spend time with friends and family, take...
3 tags
Apple Crisp
For the last couple of years I have wanted to go apple picking, but somehow the fall gets away from me and I haven’t been able to make it. This year is no exception. I wasn’t able to pick my own apples this year, but that did not keep me from making some of my favorite apple recipes. One of my favorite fall desserts is apple crisp.
This is one of the easiest dessert recipes. You...
3 tags
Turkey Meatballs
There is nothing like a home cooked meal, especially when you haven’t had one in quite a while. We have been out of town a lot lately which means I have had my fair share of eating out. Although I enjoy eating out I tend to need a break from it. I was looking forward to coming home and doing some fall cooking, but realized after looking at my work schedule that cooking most nights would...
September 2011
3 posts
3 tags
Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies
I worked at a summer camp in Pennsylvania one summer with little phone & internet access. The only thing that got me through that summer was getting lots & lots of mail. I love getting mail. Okay, I don’t love getting credit card offers or bills, but I love getting cards, handwritten notes, and gift packages. It is so much better than receiving an email. I also enjoy...
2 tags
Make-Ahead Macaroni & Cheese
Everyone needs a classic mac & cheese recipe in their collection and I think I find mine. I have tried several macaroni & cheese recipes, but this one is my favorite. Move over Velveeta! The cheese sauce is very smooth with the combination of milk and the variety of cheeses. Cheddar alone can make a very grainy cheese sauce. The cheddar and the colby jack tastes balance each other...
3 tags
World's Best Brownies
Before I knew anything about baking my go to dessert was boxed brownies. They were simple and always a hit. Also, who doesn’t love a brownie ice cream sundae? Over the last couple of years I have tried to stay away from boxed baked goods and challenge myself to make the item homemade. I have tried a couple of brownie recipes, but they ended up coming out too cakey and not fudgy enough. ...
August 2011
3 posts
2 tags
Hot Crab Dip
Who doesn’t love a good dip? I know, I know they can be very dangerous. Before you know it the entire container can be gone. As a dip lover I am always looking for an excuse to make one. To be honest, I am a fan of appetizers in general. Whenever we have dinner guests I feel like it is not a complete meal without an appetizer (and dessert, of course). Yesterday, I had some of my...
2 tags
Banana Bread
Last weekend Jordan and I had breakfast at Flour. If you live in Boston I highly recommend trying it out. I enjoyed an ice coffee and the most amazing breakfast sandwich I’ve ever hand. If I had more room in my stomach I would have had the most difficult time deciding which one of their baked goods to try. As I sat on my bar stool savoring my breakfast I browsed through the Flour...
2 tags
Raspberry Jam Bars
One of the reasons I started this blog is to better keep track of my recipes. My recipe box is kind of a mess. It has a couple recipe cards, but is mostly filled with recipes scribbled on pieces of paper, printed emails, magazine pages, and copied pieces of paper. It is not neat or organized. Oh and in the back is where I keep all of our take out menus.
When I want to try a new recipe I...
July 2011
5 posts
2 tags
Sour Cream Coffee Cake
This week I had to work nights, which not only messes up my sleep schedule but changes my diet too. I often crave soups, comfort foods, and breakfast baked goods. Usually around 2am I indulge in a cup of coffee and a 600 calorie cinnamon scone from au bon pain. Them posting the calories still does not discourage me. For my first night of work I thought I would bring in a homemade baked...
2 tags
Chipotle Chicken Salad
For those of you who don’t know we have been experiencing a heat wave in the Northeast. I think it has finally broken. During this one hundred degree weather my cooking has been limited as we could not bare to turn on the oven or stand outside to grill. Looking for cooler alternatives I ended up trying some new sandwiches and salads. This taco salad was a perfect summer night meal.
A...
2 tags
Watermelon Margaritas
It is almost a 100 degrees today in Boston and I thought it’s the perfect day to share a refreshing summer drink with you. One of our favorite summer drinks is La Paloma and so on a recent trip to the New Hampshire liquor store we stocked up on tequila. With all this tequila on hand and recipes of fruity margaritas popping up all over the place I decided to try one. Choosing which one was...
3 tags
Queso Dip
When I started cooking I had a few kitchen mishaps, like taking a flaming salmon out of the broiler and cutting my figure with a butter knife trying to open a pepper shaker. The other night I had another cooking incident. I proceeded to rub my eye with a finger with jalapeno juice residue on it. I don’t recommend this, especially when you have contacts in. My eyes began to burn and it...
2 tags
Chickpea Salad
This weekend as most of you were outside enjoying BBQs, the beach, and Fourth of July festivities I was working three 12 hour shifts. Every time I have to work for a holiday I try to make the most of it. Everyone who is working tries to bring in a dish to share in order for us to celebrate and for it to truly feel like a holiday.
This Fourth of July when I found out I would be working with two...
June 2011
10 posts
2 tags
Raspberry & Jam Muffins
I haven’t been doing much cooking and baking lately. I’ve been too busy lounging at the beach, going to BBQs, and soaking up summer. Between work, travel, and working on my tan I haven’t had much time to make a trip to the grocery store. I hate days when I wake up and my fridge is empty. This morning was one of those days.
I had no idea what to have for breakfast. Usually...
2 tags
Chicken Piccata
Capers I think are one of those things that you either love or hate. My mom has never been a fan of capers and because she was the cook never made dishes with capers growing up. That’s the rule when you are a cook, you get to make what you like :). Up until recently I have been nervous myself to cook with capers. I begin polling my friends to see if they enjoyed capers and then finally I...
2 tags
Zucchini Bread
Its zucchini season! Recently I have been seeing zucchini recipes popping up everywhere. Since I am trying to cook as seasonally as possible I decided to buy some. My fondest zucchini memories were always of zucchini bread. I have always enjoyed this bread, but have never made it myself. I decided I needed to remedy this situation.
Baking is a science and since I was a biology major I have...
2 tags
Summer Turkey Chili
Chili in the summer? I know it is not a typical summer meal, but the weather this past week in Boston has been unseasonably cool. In searching for some meal ideas I came across a chili recipe I had jotted down years ago when searching through my friend’s cookbooks. I knew it would be a perfect meal for a cool, rainy night we were bound to have this week. I was happy to discover that this...
2 tags
Frozen Lemon Souffle
During the summer I am always looking for no bake dessert ideas and was excited to try this frozen lemon souffle. I never used to be a big lemon fan, but over the years lemon desserts have been growing on me. Cold lemon desserts like this one I have come to find very refreshing.
I have never made a souffle. Although there are not many ingredients in this dessert I did find it a little bit of...
3 tags
Banana Pancakes
In honor of Jack Johnson (listen here) and rainy Saturday mornings I decided to make banana pancakes. I’ve never made these pancakes before, but thought it was a great way to use up some ripe bananas. The version I discovered is pretty healthy as it uses whole wheat flour, oats, flax seed, yogurt, and fruit. I found these pancakes to be extremely fluffy, but also very filling. I wish my...
2 tags
Strawberry Spinach Salad
At one of my wedding showers I received this strawberry set. It was something I never registered for or thought I needed, but once I started using it I found out it was pretty amazing. My friend Em agreed with me when she came over for lunch today. The colander is very cute and makes rinsing the strawberry’s a snap. The corer removes the top with ease and very little waste. The slicer...
2 tags
Grilled Chicken with Mango BBQ Marinade
Last year we decided to use a home depot gift card we had to invest in a grill and boy am I glad we did! There are many benefits to having a grill. A few advantages to grilling are that it makes meal planning easier, allows Jordan to contribute to making dinner, keeps the apartment cool, and the food tastes delicious. When we have dinner guests who don’t have grill access we love making...
2 tags
Oatmeal Craisin Chocolate Chip Cookies & Baking...
Today I decided to make some cookies! While I was baking I was thinking of everything I have learned in my short baking career. Although, I am not much of an expert I thought I would share some of the tricks of the trade I learned along the way.
1. When to replace dry baking ingredients
2. How to properly measure flour
3. Why chill cookie dough before putting into the oven
4. Why you...
3 tags
Blueberry Pie
This weekend I was finally starting to feel better and was able to hobble around our apartment. I missed my time in the kitchen and decided I needed a new baking project. When I saw that blueberries were on sale at the store I knew exactly what I wanted to make. We were headed to a friend’s birthday party on Memorial Day and I thought a blueberry pie would be a perfect contribution, the...
May 2011
12 posts
Strawberry & Lemonade Popsicles
Its been hot out, very hot! We have been enjoying Trader Joe’s fruit frenzy bars to cool off. They are tasty, but then I thought I could make my own!
I make frequent trips to the Family Dollar. I often go there for one thing, but often leave the store with lots of things. I can’t seem to pass up the deals! The other day I went in for band-aids, but thought it was fate when I...
Thank You & Teriyaki Beef
Being a post-op patient this past week has been filled with frustrations & challenges. I could not have made it without all the help and encouragement I received. I was blessed to be able to have both my mom and my mother-in-law staying with me for different parts of last week. They did such an amazing job of taking care of me! I don’t know what I would have done without them.
...
Kettle Corn
I always thought of popcorn as a healthy snack so I was surprised very when I read the Pop Safer article from April 2011 Fitness magazine. The University of Toronto found that the certain chemicals used to coat the inside of the microwavable popcorn bags were shown to break down to PFCAs. These acids are linked to cancer. Also, the bags that contain these chemicals are not labelled therefore...
