Almond ricotta lasagna

Almond ricotta lasagna

Baked pasta dishes are some of those classic comfort foods I grew up with. Mom-mom’s lasagna and Grandpa’s baked ziti were holiday staples. Cheesy, ooey, goodness! In fact, lasagna is a Christmas Eve tradition in our family. Mom-mom always makes three or four trays of …

Curry baked kabocha

Curry baked kabocha

I would be remiss if I didn’t blog about my latest obsession. My curry baked kabocha. I have been making it at least 2-3 times per week, and nope, I haven’t gotten sick of it yet! It’s absolutely divine! – spicy, salty, sweet, rich, nutty, …

Preserved lemon vinaigrette

Preserved lemon vinaigrette

One of my favorite healthy ways to jazz up any dish with lots of flavor is with a vinaigrette. Not only do I toss my salads in fresh, homemade vinaigrettes, but I also drizzle them over roasted veggies and use them as marinades for all …

Rosé-raspberry shortbread bars (grain-free, vegan)

Rosé-raspberry shortbread bars (grain-free, vegan)

I’ll be the first to admit that I have never been a fan of shortbread cookies. They’re notorious for being dry, tasteless, and boring, so I usually just write them off and opt for a more exciting cookie, like chocolate chip. But, perhaps I’ve just …

Cacao thumbprint cookies with Christmas jam

Cacao thumbprint cookies with Christmas jam

Ahh, it’s that time of year again, the most wonderful time of the year! I don’t know about you, but growing up, we kept the tradition of baking Christmas cookies. My mom would set aside a weekend early in December to get all of her …

Vanilla bean-pear baked oatmeal

Vanilla bean-pear baked oatmeal

I absolutely love oatmeal. I went through a phase a few years ago where I ate oatmeal for breakfast every morning, Monday through Sunday, all seasons of the year. No matter how hot it was in the summer time, it was oatmeal for breakfast. And …

Blueberry oat bars

Blueberry oat bars

I know it’s not berry season by any means, but there’s never a wrong time for a warm crumb cake fresh out of the oven. Blueberries happen to be one of my favorite fruits that’s almost even better when cooked down and caramelized. I don’t …

Cacao brownies

Cacao brownies

My husband and I have recently discovered brewed cacao beans. Cacao beans ground up and brewed just like coffee beans. Pure genius. Absolutely divine. I only wish we had come up with this idea years ago! It’s still kind of a new thing just emerging …

Lemon-herb rice salad

Lemon-herb rice salad

Do you have a dish that’s requested at every family gathering?….Let me re-phrase that, a dish that is requested of you for every social event? A dish you make so often, you could prepare it with your eyes closed? I certainly do! My lemon-herb rice …

Creamsicle-stuffed French toast

Creamsicle-stuffed French toast

One of my favorite treats growing up was my Mom-mom’s French toast. It wasn’t fancy and it only required a handful of ingredients, but she always made the best. She even used inexpensive, store-brand soft, wheat bread but it didn’t matter. Her eggy, creamy, cinnamon-y …