Roasted Carrot and Parsnip Soup with Pumpkin Bread Croutons

I have a love-hate relationship with carrots. Carrot cake is my very favorite (although I'm not sure that really counts!), and I tend to enjoy hearty carrot chunks in vegetable and chicken noodle soup, but raw carrots just don't do it for me. I always pick around them...

Peanut Butter Protein Bars

I don’t think I’ve mentioned this before, but I’ve always been pretty athletic. I swam competitively from the second grade all the way through college and really excelled in the freestyle endurance races, although I was always trying to convince my coaches to let me...

My First Video: Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Brownie Tart

I have a special post today – my very first video! I’ve been thinking about making recipe videos for some time now, so when Pixability, the company Apolinaras works for, offered to make a wrapper that would open and close the videos for my blog (How cool is that?...

Avocado Ranch Israeli Couscous Salad

I’m not a huge main dish salad fan. It seems like whenever I just have greens with veggies and protein for lunch, I end up with a grumbling tummy only a couple hours later. My outlook recently changed after a lab potluck though. Sima brought in a lovely spinach salad...

Spring Goat Cheese Risotto

What’s one to do with leftover goat cheese and asparagus? Why make a goat cheese risotto with spring veggies, of course! Risotto has been a little controversial on Top Chef lately. Apparently, it’s supposed to spread on the plate and be a certain consistency to be...

Tempura Banana Sundaes with Caramel Sauce

Man, ice cream is hard to photograph, especially when it’s smothered with warm tempura bananas and caramel sauce – major melt factor! I first swooned over tempura bananas in New Zealand at a Japanese restaurant in Auckland. They were crispy on the outside and gooey on...

Boston Cream Pie Mini French Toast Stacks

While I was visiting my parents in Des Moines last weekend, my mom and I put on our aprons and chef hats, and collaborated on this breakfast treat. She’s the first source I go to when I need any advice in the kitchen because she’s an awesome high school culinary arts...

Lemon Birthday Bars

What makes these birthday bars? The sprinkles! I just can't resist desserts covered in sprinkles, and sugar cookies with a nice thick layer of frosting are one of my favorite treats.  I recently decided to bake up some fun sprinkle covered sugar cookies with my...
Southwestern Mini Meatball Salad

Southwestern Mini Meatball Salad

For a couple of years, I was in the habit of buying pre-washed salad mixes. You know, the kind that come in a bag or plastic box. This lead to the donation of our OXO salad spinner to the Good Will, because it was just sitting there collecting dust and taking up...

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S’more Snacks

S’more Snacks

Today’s “recipe” is a bit of a pregnancy cliché. It all started when we were discussing the annual Boston area Fluff Fest at lunch one day. Marshmallow Fluff, also known as marshmallow crème, was invented in my town and is still made in Massachusetts. It’s probably...

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French Onion Phyllo Squares

French Onion Phyllo Squares

Sometimes you have to milk an idea for all it's worth. My French Onion Mac & Cheese is by far the most popular recipe on my blog, so I was recently thinking about what other way I could highlight the same flavors. How about layers of flaky crispy phyllo dough...

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Caprese Bulgur with Chicken Sausage

Caprese Bulgur with Chicken Sausage

Apolinaras is like a kid in a candy store at any establishment that sells tools or hardware stuff. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful he’s so handy and likes to do all the maintenance on our cars and tackle home improvement projects. But, the other weekend I was so...

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Mango Coconut Muffins

Mango Coconut Muffins

Today is Apolinaras’ birthday! He actually doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth and is one of those weirdos who will take all the frosting off his cupcake before eating it. He also prefers fruity ice creams instead of the over-the-top decadent versions I enjoy (Chubby...

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Video: Sugar Cookie Dough Decorations

Video: Sugar Cookie Dough Decorations

Who else looooves the Olympics?! I’ve been doing my best to avoid the web and twitter during the day so I don’t accidently read any spoilers before the broadcasts at night. I just love tuning in and watching all the events, and I want to cheer along and be surprised...

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Cherry Lemonade

Cherry Lemonade

During the winter months, I love to curl up on the couch with a big mug of hot chocolate. I always crave a little something sweet after dinner, but try not to have any heavy desserts on weekdays since I have a hard time resisting snacking on treats at work like those...

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Banana Mascarpone Mousse Trifles

Banana Mascarpone Mousse Trifles

I’ve been on quite the popsicle kick lately. This unbearable heat wave means our oven hasn’t been turned on in weeks, so I haven't baked any desserts. My sweet tooth still needs to be satisfied though, and popsicles are just the perfect low calorie refreshing treat! I...

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Blackened Chicken Breasts with Gorgonzola Sauce

Blackened Chicken Breasts with Gorgonzola Sauce

My recipe for Blackened Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Blue Cheese and Bacon is one of my favorite main dishes on my blog, but pounding out chicken breasts and stuffing them takes more time than I want to put into a meal during the week. So, I recently decided to...

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Individual Breakfast Pot Pies

Individual Breakfast Pot Pies

I’ve been waking up a couple hours earlier than Apolinaras on the weekends lately. My grumbling tummy and earlier bed time (pregnancy can be exhausting!) are to blame. I’ve been putting the time to good use though. First, I devour a bowl of cereal or some yogurt and...

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