Recipes

Beach Party Cupcakes: The cutest cupcakes ever!

How about one last beach party before school starts? Combining that with National Cupcake Day (well, it was in 2015...apparently it's now December 15)- because who doesn’t love cupcakes?- I decided to feature these amazingly cute cupcakes. Beach Party Cupcakes. My friend Danielle made these for the beach party she organized for the FRG. (If you can’t tell from the... Read More

Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork Recipe

I love BBQ pulled pork. And it is hard to find good BBQ. We're military- so every time we move, the search for a great place starts again. And while smoking the meat is obviously the best method, I don't have a day to dedicate every time I want pulled pork. Plus I don't own a smoker. Then I saw... Read More

Stop Buying, Start Making: Homemade Apple Pie Spice

Apple Pie Spice isn’t just for apple pie. I actually use it in multiple recipes/items, especially the oatmeal I make in the morning. So I was thrilled to find this because I couldn’t actually find apple pie spice in any of the local stores! They had it in South Carolina…but apparently not in Washington? Along with the recipe, I've included a... Read More

Smoked Sausage & Shrimp Jambalaya (made with authentic homemade seasoning)

I love, love, love this Smoked Sausage and Shrimp Jambalaya. Though I have to admit to a fondness for spicy food. So Cajun food in general is something I love. I also love the things I learn while researching recipes and ingredients. Apparently there is this a difference between Cajun and Creole….and it seems that my jambalaya is actually “Creole” jambalaya.... Read More

Perfect Traditional Homemade White Bread (& it works for sandwiches!)

I love bread. Love as in “I could devour an entire loaf with butter in a couple of hours” love. So it’s no surprise that I have a homemade white bread recipe that is delicious. I tried out a few. Then got tired of trying recipes that seemed the same…but not good enough. So then I started studying bread itself- the ingredients,... Read More

Baked Tilapia Veracruz: Healthy, Easy, Delicious

Tilapia Veracruz is one of my household’s favorite. Healthy. Delicious. I can eat the entire dish for under 1,000 calories. (Not that anyone needs to eat an entire dish.) And it’s easy. I’ve been making this for years and it still gets requested on a regular basis! I eat just the fish and veggies. Husband prefers to eat it with... Read More

Homemade Cajun Seasoning

Homemade Cajun Seasoning. You will never, ever buy store-bought again. This super-flavorful homemade spice mix is amazing. When/where to use Cajun Seasoning- while the options are limitless, here are my favorites. • Smoked Sausage & Shrimp Jambalaya • Gumbo (obviously) • Over fish (brush with oil, then add a bit of seasoning) • Spice up ground beef- burgers or (I’ve... Read More

Devil’s Food Cake Bites

In honor of celebrating National Devil’s Food Cake Day (May 19th), I decided to make some more cake bites! Back to our Devil’s Food Cake. The origin of the term “Devil’s Food Cake” is varied. And what makes a devil’s food cake a devil’s food cake (versus a simple chocolate one) is debated. Currently, general consensus- at least according to... Read More

Easy, Fall Off the Bone, Country-Style BBQ Ribs

This probably isn’t the best way to introduce a recipe…but I’m always honest with my dear readers. I prefer grilled ribs. If you’re going to scarf down on great country-style BBQ ribs, it should be grilled. If you can’t get grilled ribs, this is the second best. I’ll confess: they actually win out over grilled on the moist, fall-off-the-bone department. My… Read More

Asparagus Risotto Cakes

I confess. I used to hate asparagus. Loathed it. I would see pictures of it artfully arranged and think “doesn’t matter how you plate it, it still tastes horrible.” But as part of cooking, I make myself try new things. I don’t give up on a food. Seriously. This was the fifth way of preparing asparagus I tried. I loved it. I slowly started... Read More