But let’s talk social media first. K. Does anyone else have family dinners and talk about how many followers and likes they have gotten on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram? Well we do, is this weird? Or maybe it is wrong, I mean should we be so involved in these things? I don’t know, but it sure does get the conversation flowing! Hey, at least we are talking and not looking down at our phones!...

When I’m looking for a way to get my family to eat their veggies, I make a fresh and vibrant soup such as Olive Garden minestrone, cabbage soup, or this simple yet satisfying vegetable soup. When I have a lot of odds and ends in the produce drawer, I mix everything together to make this hearty and delicious vegetable soup. Even my kids love this soup, and I love that they’re getting a healthy serving of veggies....

I’d take chocolate chip pancakes too, but today we are just talkin’ waffles. So one day last week I suddenly had a major itch to make waffles. It was probably all the snow. Snow and waffles just kind of go hand in hand, but with or without, waffles rule. Also, if I see another snow flake, I may just have to pick up and move to a sunny warm place for the next three months or so....

Get the school year off to a good start with quick and easy dinners that the whole family will love. At the end of every summer I start counting down the days until the kids are back in school. However, when they are back in school I have to get used to brand new schedules. School nights means busier nights as the kids start up their extracurricular activities and want help with homework....

I am SO excited to finally share this with you all. I mean, I have only been keeping this hush, hush from you guys since OCTOBER. I know, I know. Honestly, a Christmas dinner party…this Christmas dinner party…this POST… I think it’s my favorite one of the year! I’ve partnered with Crate and Barrel to bring you guys this little “how to” on hosting the perfect Christmas Party. Seeing as Christmas is only days away now, I thought I better share this before it’s too late!...

It’s bitter cold outside, snow is typically falling, and cozying up is perfectly acceptable. So go ahead, snuggle up in blankets, read a book, watch a movie, or plan for the week ahead. It’s chill vibes all around and I love it. I’m really into planning this month. I’ve been thinking a lot about the blog and some fun ways to freshen it up a bit. For the last week I’ve been wracking my brain for new ideas for Sunday posts....

My kids are soup fanatics, they’re always requesting chicken tortellini soup, cheeseburger soup and this super delicious alphabet soup. Alphabet Soup Ingredients To make this delicious alphabet soup you will need olive oil, an onion, carrots, celery, ground beef, minced garlic, a can of diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, beef broth, alphabet noodles, frozen corn, frozen green beans and parsley. This soup is perfect for a soup and sandwich lunch....

These chops are the ultimate fall dinner that’s quick to make and always gets rave reviews! Serve them alongside other fall favorites such as sour cream mashed potatoes and roasted parsnips for a complete meal. We eat a lot of chicken, but sometimes I buy some pork chops to mix things up a bit. These apple pork chops only have 6 ingredients but are huge on flavor. This recipe is perfect for a busy weeknight but elegant enough to serve to guests, and the flavors just scream fall!...

Everything is better with bacon, I always find myself making bacon wrapped chicken and bacon wrapped asparagus for dinner. Scallops are delicious on their own, but when you cover them in bacon you end up with decadent little bites that are perfect for any occasion. For me, scallops are one of those special occasion type foods. They tend to be a bit on the pricey side and they’re best purchased from a reputable fish monger....

I know I typically do something of the sweeter variety on Tuesday, but I’m throwing you guys a curve ball today. And hey, we are making tacos!! I mean, it’s Cinco de Mayo week, so I’m thinking extra tacos are surely in order! These tacos though? They are particularly special. Two words: beer battered. OMG. This is going to be SO good! So you guys, I make a lot of tacos....

You can never go wrong with cheese when it comes to party snacks, whether it’s a cheesy pizza dip, a homemade cheese ball or this pastry wrapped brie. Baked Brie Ingredients To make baked brie you will need puff pastry, a wheel of brie cheese, raspberry jam, fresh raspberries, candied pecans and an egg. If you are looking for other appetizers that will impress your friends and family at gatherings and parties try my Maryland crab cakes, mini quiches or my best cheese board!...

Mother’s Day is around the corner, and I’m already planning a simple but very spring-like menu. I’ve only recently started baking carrot cake; it’s not something I grew up eating, so I’m having a lot of fun sharing new recipes! My mom and little sister, Asher, both love banana bread or banana cake. I decided that mixing in carrots and using cream cheese frosting could be fun for this time of year....

No, not with my mental state, although some people may argue this. And no not with my current corn, jalapeño or ice cream obsessions. No I like those just the way they are and to be honest they are probably just getting going. I am thinking they are not gonna fade till I find a new ingredient to obsess over which could be tomorrow, a week from now or months from now....

Mamlette er Torkari – a simple, flavorful egg omelette curry made Bengali style is a perfect side dish for hot steamed rice or paratha. Unlike other egg curry recipes, this is made with egg omelettes. I made this recipe on husband’s insistence, as he was missing his office lunch table and team-mates. He described in great detail, how a simple egg omelette curry from his colleague’s lunchbox would lit up the entire table....

Ingredients: Beef chuck Sweet onion Garlic cloves Carrots Baby potatoes Hot chili peppers All purpose flour Kosher salt and black pepper Low sodium beef broth Red wine Tomato paste Fresh thyme and rosemary Bay leaves White beans Char kale and spinach Apparently this week is all about midwest..ish style comfort foods. With Monday’s Spaghetti Pie and today’s Beef Stew, I’m going back to my Ohio roots. Not sure what’s gotten into me, but I got this idea for a spicy white bean beef stew and really loved the sound of it....

In my opinion, this is the ultimate summer salad. You’ve got sweetness from the fruit, the crunch of the nuts, the creamy cheese and that dressing is just off the charts delicious! Raise your hand if you love the farmer’s market! While I love to shop at the farmer’s market, I don’t go as often as I’d like. Our town’s market is on a Saturday morning and we tend to not want to rush out of the house first thing on the weekend....

I don’t know if this is too basic of a recipe to be sharing, but even if it is, I absolutely love it. I’ve been making these almost weekly with our extra brown spotted bananas. Everyone really enjoys them. They’re a wonderful, wholesome, protein-packed treat! I usually avoid sharing muffin recipes. No real reason, I just make the same ones over and over. Either blueberry, banana, or sometimes a good pumpkin muffin in the fall....

I’m not usually one to jump on food trends. And to be honest, most of the cottage cheese recipes I’ve seen haven’t really excited me all that much. And I’m actually one who adores cottage cheese. But I usually just eat mine with a spoon and some fruit. Simple, but delicious. All that said, cottage cheese is so good for us. Personally, I feel that cottage cheese is a wonderful source of animal protein and probiotics....

I made it to Mt. Hood. The weather is awesome. There is food in the fridge and cupboards. The internet is working. Time goes way too fast. Especially when I am crazy busy (okay, this part is not so awesome). The weather is awesome! Plus, the summer produce here is insane this year. Incredible. I bought berries, melons, peach, nectarines, mangos, corn, zucchini, basically everything, and it all looks so good....

Honestly though, how fun are these fruit salad stacks? I’m kind of excited about them and just slightly geeking out about their fun and festive appearance. Every year when the 4th of July rolls around I like to have a little fun with recipes. Last year I created this layered ice cream cake and the year before this fun star themed fruit tart. This year I have a few new 4th of July inspired recipes I’ll be sharing with you, but these simple fruit salad stacks might just be my favorite....