The world/internet has some disagreement about what “gingerbread” is…is it a house? A runaway man? Or is it a dense cake full of warm spices, preferably topped with large dollops of whipped cream? I vote #3.
Recipes
Easy Lemon Pie.
I made this easy lemon pie (aka: lemon icebox pie) for the first time over the summer (okay, fine, the first couple of times) – and the bright citrus flavor is so fresh and summery! But even though lemons are available year-round, they do have an actual season – late fall through the winter. It’s…
Giada’s Meatball Stew.
We love a cookin’ show around here, as my 4-year-old calls them, and I saw the episode of “Giada at Home” where she makes her hearty meatball stew a few years ago on vacation. (There’s something magical about having access to cable TV on vacation, I’m just saying.) Even though it was summer and we were…
Whole Wheat Banana Bread.
Breakfast is my four-year-old’s least favorite meal of the day. She has her mom’s grumpy reaction to low blood sugar (sorry, kiddo – and if you’re reading between the lines, that makes two of us who aren’t much fun before breakfast). Instead of being eager to eat one of the Many! Delicious! Choices! I offer…
Chocolate Cake (aka The Birthday Cake).
I’ve always loved to bake, and a few years ago I decided to part ways with cake mixes. I mean, making a cake from scratch has to taste better, right? Um, not necessarily. I’ve tried a lot of recipes and while they’ve all been “good” in the “I’m eating chocolate cake” sense, I haven’t always…
Chicken Caesar Wraps.
**This Faster-than-Fast-Food post brought to you by my sister, Laurie!** When I was in college, one of my favorite meals from our little food court (affectionately knows as the Furman P-Den) was chicken caesar wraps. I haven’t thought of them in years, but all of a sudden last night I was consumed with the need…
First Taste: Copycat Outback Bread.
I made a pot of this ham, potato, and corn chowder (incidentally, I made it without ham – and no one missed it, because bacon), and my initial plan was to make a batch of no-knead bread to go with it. When I was getting out the ingredients, though, I noticed a box of vital…
Homemade Spaghettios.
Awhile ago, I made a recipe category for “faster-than-fast-food” meals, and promised that I was going to fill ‘er up. As it turns out, I might’ve made things a little too strict (shock-er, I know) with all the must-start-from-scratch and dishes-count-as-time-spent rules. Homemade spaghettios might break that rule, but it’s BARELY more clean-up than a box of…
Veggie-Packed Baked Burritos (for the freezer).
I’m just going to say it: I love a chimichanga in a painful, star-crossed-lovers kind of way. I know in my head that stuffing a big tortilla with stuff cheese and deep-frying it isn’t, y’know, exactly sensible, in a caring-about-your-health kind of way, but in a crispy, cheesy, delicious way – in my heart, in other…
Apple Cake.
I’m not immune to pumpkin fever this time of year. I made a double batch of pumpkin bread last week (why yes, that is 4 loaves) and it was glorious. But you know what else can give you all the happy cinnamon-spicy fall feelings? Apples. In many forms…applesauce…apple pie dip with cinnamon sugar pita chips…and especially, especially,…
Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup (with crunchy baked tortilla strips).
I’ve been wanting to add some more crockpot recipes to my repertoire…and according to the survey, that would help a lot of you, too! (Thank you so much for your feedback! If you haven’t responded yet, it would be a huge help!) To be honest, I tend to feel a little uninspired in my crockpotting….
The Best Oven Fries.
These aren’t just good-for-homemade oven fries. These are my favorite fries in all the land. They’re crispy and salty, thick but not stodgy…and you don’t have to peel the potatoes (which saves time and obviously pushes us to the right on the junk food<—–>health food continuum).
Grilled Chicken (the only recipe you’ll ever need).
This is the grilled chicken of my childhood. My dad loved to cook out, and it’s one of the ways I picture him – standing over the grill in a white t-shirt. Like this:
Homemade Pizza Part 3 – Homemade FROZEN Pizza.
Being able to make pizza dough at home (and pile on glorious amounts of whatever toppings you want) doesn’t necessarily diminish a person’s need for takeout and frozen pizzas. (Or…delivery. Delivery is, like, the unicorn of pizza options.) Because sometimes you don’t have the time…or the energy…or the relevant ingredients. Your people need dinner stat! You’re going out…
Homemade Pizza Part 2 – The Toppings.
Pizza crust is important, and if you missed Part 1 about making easy and delicious homemade pizza dough, read up! But we’re really here for the toppings, amiright? Here’s a rundown of ideas for bringing your homemade pizza to the next level!
Homemade Pizza, Part 1 – The Dough.
Pizza is #1 (by, like, a mile) on the list of “meals my whole family loves”. (Umm, now I’m trying to think of what else would be on that list. Anyone? Bueller?) And it’s a good one to be able to make at home on the cheap, and a little on the healthier side, so you…
Four Ingredient Fudgsicles.
Need a super easy summer treat? (I don’t care if school started back, it’s STILL SUMMER and we can eat fudgsicles if we want to. We might even deserve them more?)
Paleo Granola.
Our new neighborhood has a pool, and it’s really fun to be able to walk there with the girls! It only takes a few minutes, but somehow on the way home everyone suddenly realizes they’re comPLETELY starving and can’t possibly obey basic safety rules/sit in the stroller/survive. So pool snacks have become a must for…
Easy Cheesy Quiche.
Before our move, some dear friends had us over for dinner and served us this delicious quiche (and a kale salad with mandarin oranges that I want.to.eat.right.now). Obviously I begged for the recipe, and I’ve made it twice! It checks a lot of food love boxes for me: perfect any time of day, makes great…
Rustic Tomato Bake.
One summer…a pre-kid summer…Jay and I joined a CSA and got a box of fresh summer produce each week. We were all giddy and idealistic at the beginning, but with just the two of us it got pretty overwhelming. We had tomatoes for days. We had a refrigerator shelf dedicated to eggplant. There were POUNDS…
Blueberry Peach Cobbler.
This recipe is from my friend Jessica. She and her husband Forde were some of our first couple friends in Charlotte, where we moved when we got married and Jay started seminary. We had just left our college bubble and the constant companionship of living near all our close friends (I wonder if I’ll ever stop…
Pita Pizzas (a Faster than Fast Food Meal).
We have officially completed Phase 1 of our move! Everything we own* is out of our house and in storage, and we’ve moved in with friends in Raleigh. Eventually we’ll be house/dog-sitting for them, but for now we’re just taking up a lot of their space. Phase 2 is a teeeeny rental place in Wilmington…
Pasta with Peas and Bacon.
I went out to dinner with friends the other day, and got a pasta dish with pancetta, mushrooms, and peas. (We don’t have to talk about how it’s one of the last few times I’ll get to see those girls before we move. Waaaah!) I brought some leftovers home and gave them to Jay (an…
Chocolate Chip Granola Bars.
I love to bake, but lack the self-control to have homemade sweets around on a regular basis. (Oh, I’m in the kitchen, it must be time for a snack to hack off another piece of this cake/snitch another cookie/try not to let the kids see that I’m chewing something….) That’s why I’m so into zucchini snack…