Valentine’s Day Recipes
Raspberry Peach Coconut Smoothie
We sometimes enjoy smoothies for breakfast, although I more frequently make lunch out of them. For a meal on-the-go, the make-ahead recipes (see drinks and smoothies category) are particularly handy. My kids, on the other hand, often request a smoothie as an after-school snack. New flavors are developed based on the fruits they request —…
Raspberry Almond Baked Oatmeal with Quinoa
Those who have visited my kitchen, virtual or otherwise, are most likely familiar with my penchant for baked oatmeal! Months ago, I saw the idea of combining oats and quinoa from Cooking Quinoa–a fabulous resource for additional quinoa recipes, by the way–and I thought this could be an interesting spin on my standard of using all oats.…
Classic Cheesecake with Chocolate Hazelnut Drizzle
Foolproof classic cheesecake (with a few delicious upgrades!) is easy to make with this recipe and the included helpful tips. First off, Happy New Year!!! It has been a complete pleasure to share my recipes with so many friends, both old and new, in the past year and I look forward to more…
Roasted Peel-and-Eat Shrimp with Homemade Cocktail Sauce
Easy to make and so much fun to eat. This recipe can be made with shrimp that has already been peeled and deveined. Simply adjust the seasoning amount, as noted. There are certain foods my family refers to a “fun foods”. Some of these include crabs, artichokes and anything for which we can use…
Golden Oreo Bark (or Mint or Doublestuff or….)
For my younger son’s last birthday treat at school, he requested Oreo Bark. Treats are to be delivered during lunch, and when I arrived at the appointed time with the small bags we had packaged for each of his classmates (each bag held a small piece of golden and a small piece of mint Oreo…
Salted Hot Fudge Sauce
This tried-and-true chocolate sauce is thick, velvety, and strikes the right salty-sweet balance. It’s quick and easy to prepare and makes a lovely gift! (Small and big batch recipe cards included.) While my family enjoys traditional pies for our Thanksgiving dessert, Christmas dinner is always capped off with vanilla ice cream drizzled with homemade hot…
Royal Icing
Making gingerbread houses–well, actually, graham cracker houses –is an annual holiday event in our house. The first year I thought of doing this, I offered to make enough “bases” for my son’s entire pre-school class. It was a bit overwhelming at first. I wondered what the heck I had gotten myself into! But once you…
White Chocolate Pecan Pie
White chocolate and a graham cracker crust take the classic pecan pie to new heights in this crowd-pleasing dessert that assembles in a mere minutes. While my husband, Jack, does not often cook, there are two or three dishes he prepares quite well. Baking, however, is unexplored territory. So, when he bought the ingredients…
Pumpkin Peanut Butter Skillet Cookie (grain and gluten free)
The last few days have proved to be quite exciting. My recipe for Crunchy Top Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal was in a national contest with Smart Balance and to, my great surprise, it won! The prize is an all expenses paid trip for two to Canyon Ranch Spa in Miami Beach. What’s more, I get to…
Slow Cooker Dulce de Leche
Irresistible dulce de leche is easy to make in your slow cooker. Plus you can control the consistency, making it soft set like pudding or drizzle-able for use as caramel sauce. Over the years, I read several times that simmering a can of sweetened condensed milk on the stovetop for several hours would magically transform…
Honey Sesame (or Flax) Pork Tenderloin
A little kitchen experimenting yielded fabulous results in this easy-to-make, Asian-inspired recipe that’s become a favorite with kids and adults alike. As cooler weather arrives, I am using our grill less frequently and returning to some of my favorite oven and slow cooker meals. The following pork tenderloin recipe is simple yet flavorful and pairs…
Hot Fudge Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie
The winning combination of peanut butter and chocolate make this ice cream pie an instant crowdpleaser. Salted cashews, a drizzle of honey and make-ahead convenience add to the allure! When I come across a recipe that is tattered and food-splattered, I know it must be good! This ice cream pie recipe is one of…
