I know that it’s summer, and I know that I probably should be sharing a berry or peach filled recipe today. It’s the seasonal thing to do. But you know something? Even in the summertime when the fruit is oh so perfect, and oh so delicious, there are still days when you just need chocolate. Really, you do. Today is that Friday in July when we just need to enjoy a chocolate cookie bar, not a berry crisp....

Whenever I’m entertaining, I like to put out a hearty spread of appetizers including favorites such as a relish tray, garlic parmesan wings, shrimp cocktail, baked chicken wings and BLT dip. Stuffed mushrooms are always a great addition to any menu and they’re a total crowd pleaser. Crab Stuffed Mushrooms Ingredients This recipe calls for mushrooms, butter, onions, garlic, lump crab meat, three types of cheese, chives and panko breadcrumbs....

Happiest Saturday everyone! I’m writing today’s post from my hotel room in NYC, and I must say, I’m sad to be getting ready to leave this incredible city. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if I would love the city as much as most, but I have had such a great time on this trip, and am already planning my next trip back (literally). Can’t wait to give you guys all the details in tomorrow’s Favorites post....

Ingredients Extra virgin olive oil Medium, yellow onions Baby spinach/ chopped kale Sliced mushrooms Salt and black pepper Salted butter Garlic Fresh thyme leaves Fresh chopped sage Poultry seasoning Cayenne pepper Cream cheese Heavy cream Milk Cooked wild rice Shredded Gruyere cheese Kitchen Supplies Large skillet Wooden cutting board 9×13 casserole dish Thanksgiving is less than a week away. Not sure how we got to this point of the year already, but the holidays are here....

Look, I am really sorry to everyone who is still experiencing hot weather, but up here in the mountains of Colorado it is fall, and I am embracing it! OK and maybe I just could not wait a day longer to make this Creamy Thai Carrot Sweet Potato Soup recipe. So “souper” exited about it! The recipe comes from Angela Liddon and her new cookbook, Oh She Glows Every Day....

If there’s a soup I make on repeat every single winter, it’s my chicken tortilla soup recipe. Everyone, including my dad, who is not typically someone who enjoys soup, loves this easy dinner. It’s actually one of the very first soups I ever made back when I started cooking in middle school. All I had on hand were a couple of cans of enchilada sauce, chicken broth, and chicken. I threw the ingredients into the crockpot and let everything slow cook with a touch of cumin too....

Today recipe is a delicious curry using Paneer/Cottage Cheese. I have a set of recipes using paneer, mushroom and eggs – as those are my simple special ingredients that can turn an average meal outstanding with little effort. Every weekend I make a special curry and a choice of Indian bread for dinner, distinguishing the regular weekday fare to the weekend indulgence. In a world filled with chaos and work seeping into personal lives amidst the covid lockdown, this is my one way to ensure that the weekends are slightly different from that of weekdays....

At the beginning of the year, I had posted the recipe for a moist banana bread recipe that requires very few ingredients, yields a perfect loaf that is so magical that it is almost fail-proof. By method, it is vegan – uses no milk or milk products and yet, it is very moist thanks to the bananas. I have since made that banana bread many times! Recently I wanted to slightly change the recipe and ended up making this eggless chocolate banana bread....

Who doesn’t like donuts? Spongy, soft and melt-in-mouth donuts glazed with chocolate is what dessert dreams are made of, for many of us. It is very easy to pass by a donut joint and get yourself a cup of coffee and donut. But do you know that it is as easy to make it at home? I have a fool-proof, idiot-proof, fail-proof recipe for eggless donuts that is so versatile....

Classics are always good and most people love them. They never disappoint. This is the story of the way I make lasagna through photos. Be prepared, there are lots of photos, but I think you guys will find them helpful. When I make lasagna I always, always, make my own pasta. To me it is easier than boiling a pot of water, draining and messing with dried lasagna sheets. Of course, I do have a stand mixer that pretty much does all the work for me....

Late summer is getting better and better. First of all, I’m really hoping you guys are not getting sick of seeing all this end of summer produce because believe it or not there is still more to come. I feel like I am on a roll with all the garden veggies, it’s a little crazy. Maybe I am trying to get them all in now because once September rolls around I tend to get infatuated with all things greasy, carby and cheesy....

I’m always up for a big bowl of soup on a chilly day, and this farro soup has become a family favorite. Serve your soup with honey cornbread or garlic knots for a complete meal. This post is sponsored by Village Harvest. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Dinner at the Zoo possible! There’s nothing better than a hearty bowl of soup, and this recipe definitely fits the bill....

Celebrating the weekend with this fig honey thyme prosecco smash. Hey, hi! Happy to be sharing a personal favorite cocktail recipe today! If you know me, than you know I am just slightly obsessed with figs. I’ve definitely mentioned this before on the blog, but you don’t hear about it too often because fig season is pretty short, especially here in Colorado. When the figs finally make their way to my local Kroger or Whole Food’s store I practically buy them all; yes, I love them that much....

I’m in my cozy fireside “era”, literally. As I type away here in New York I am sitting by the hotel fire. It’s cloudy and cozy out. New York really has such a specialness to it this time of year. I love it! Before I left on this week-long work trip, I did my best to get as many recipes tested, photographed, and ready for sharing as possible. The one recipe I really made sure to prioritize was this cranberry margarita recipe....

I bought a last-minute ticket and flew to Cleveland, OH to surprise my brother on his 30th Birthday. I flew in super late on Thursday and flew home yesterday afternoon. It was a fast and jam-packed trip that was both tiring and really fun, but all of the travel and stress were 100 percent worth it to see the look on my brother’s face when I popped out at his surprise party....

There’s really nothing that excites me more right now than sharing these Christmas drinks with you guys. And just like in years past, I’m having so much fun with these drinks. I really love doing them up because… ’tis the season! This Moscow Mule is no exception. It’s actually so simple, yet it feels extra special with that spicy jalapeño ginger kick and sugared cranberries on top. The idea for this drink is a little cheesy, but it was inspired by the snowy North Pole on a super cold winter night....

Giant Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies. These may be healthier, but trust me, these are some of the best cookies! Made with almond flour, browned butter, sweet maple syrup, and a secret ingredient that really makes these cookies better than the rest. Every bite is soft and chewy and so DELICIOUS. Absolutely nothing not to love about these chewy chocolate chunk oatmeal cookies. Perfect with a touch of sea salt....

I am often asked the question, how do I come up with so many recipes? My answer is always the same, I do not know. I ask myself the same question almost every night while lying in bed. Some days it’s literally so easy, and the recipes and new content ideas are flowing, but other days it can be a struggle. I definitely go through periods of being more inspired than others....

You know the thing about noodles - thin or thick, whole wheat or buckwheat, stringy or tubular, hand pulled or knife cut, I have hardly met anyone who doesnt like these little carb packs. There is no denying the versatility with which they marry vegetables, meat, seafood and soak up any kind of sauce you toss them with.Most of the time you will find me mixing them with a tomato based sauce loaded with spices which is a typical example of the kind you will find on indian streets....

With the 4th of July approaching so quickly I’ve decided the days leading up to this fun summer holiday will be all about simple summer recipes. I will not lie, sometimes I struggle with 4th of July recipes. But this summer, I’m so excited for each and every one. Starting with today’s chicken. This is so basic, so easy, and very straightforward, but the flavors just work so well together....