When I first went to Nashville, I stayed at the Omni Nashville which houses Bongo Java, a Nashville coffee company that makes the BEST cinnamon coffee drink I’ve ever tasted. It’s called The West End and I probably inhaled drank at least 5 of them over the course of 2 days. The balance of coffee and cinnamon was something that my boss and I were fawning over with every sip.
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Fun fact: I do not like black licorice. However I love fennel.
Weird, right?
Using fennel in cocktails is my favorite way to enjoy fennel, even when it’s not in season. The fennel syrup that both flavors and sweetens this cocktail is so addictive. I will simply add it to club soda and enjoy a handcrafted refreshing soda any afternoon. [Read more…]
Toast the season with an Oscar Chambord Royale! Served up in festive style, this simple cocktail is perfect for any watch party you have planned – or even for Valentine’s Day. Cheers!
I look forward to the Academy Awards every year. I love all the outfits, interviews, and speeches that carry on even after they start the music to cut them off. And this year, one of my absolute favorite actors/performers/all-around too talented guys, Neil Patrick Harris, is hosting so you know I’ll be watching every single second.
Out of all the movies this year, The Theory of Everything is my favorite. The story of strength, determination, and inspiration really struck a chord with me. Turning this movie into a recipe seemed nearly impossible when I first thought about it. However because Stephen was and still is so brilliant and complex, that inspired me to go ultra simplistic with the recipe to honor the film and the Oscars. Plus, in reality, Stephen met his wife at a New Year’s party, so it had to have champagne! [Read more…]
Nutella Icebox Stacks are the EASIEST dessert in the entire world! Layers of whipped Nutella, raspberry compote and cookies make these little stacks of heaven. It’s the perfect Valentine’s Day dessert to surprise everyone with!
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If you need a last minute dessert recipe for Valentine’s Day tomorrow, I’ve got you covered!
These icebox stacks come together in mere minutes and freeze overnight, so you can wake up tomorrow morning with an indulgent layered dessert that is sure to impress anyone.
The layers of flavor in these perfectly portioned individual stacks is so heavenly, you’ll end up finding any excuse to make these, even when Valentine’s Day is long gone. I mean, it’s NUTELLA whip layered with raspberry compote and Nilla Wafers (my three favorite things combined in one bite). [Read more…]
Oh holy gooey cheesiness…
I have to admit; I still haven’t mastered potato gnocchi from scratch. BUT this ricotta gnocchi is so simple to make and so pillowy soft, I don’t think I will ever need to learn how to master potato gnocchi. [Read more…]
It’s that time of year again…. SUPER BOWL SUNDAY!!! As an intensely passionate lover of food, this is one of those ultimate food holidays that I can’t wait for. Especially because game day snack usually involve everything fried, cheese, and anything but healthy. It’s another day for indulgence and I relish every second of it!
This year I had to do a Super Bowl Recipe Round Up of my favorite indulgent recipes that I’ve featured over the past 2+ years. Get ready to start drooling and try not to lick the computer screen, folks… [Read more…]
I looooooooove soft cookies.
I know that some of you out there love a crispy cookie, but I absolutely cannot stand it when a cookie is hard and crunchy. I much prefer soft, pillowy cookies that practically melt in your mouth. Especially in miniature form, because that means you get to eat 4 or 5 cookies instead of one big cookie, right? [Read more…]
If you follow me on Instagram you know that I had a whirlwind 24 hour trip to Dallas this week. It was snowing in Denver when I left and it’s still pretty darn cold here after the quick jaunt to Texas, so I am ready to warm up with a big ol’ bowl of this oh-so addictive soup…
The rustic, charred tomato flavor in this soup is exactly what makes me come back to it bite after bite after bite. All to often, tomato soup can be flat in flavor and very one note, requiring me to pair some sort of sandwich with it to feel truly satisfied. [Read more…]
It’s time to brighten things up in here!
Winter can get a bit dreary and I love being reminded that grapefruits are now in season. This is the perfect time of year to indulge in something bright, cheery, and traditionally what I would deem to be more of a summer drink. [Read more…]
Just look at that glorious, utterly gorgeous mess…
A heaping helping of nachos is one of my (many) weaknesses. Probably due to those college nights after one too many vodka tonics on a mostly empty stomach because no one ever thought to serve actual food at the parties I went to (seriously what were they thinking?!). My roommates and I would get home and bust out the nachos as we recounted the night, gossiping like we were back in high school again. [Read more…]
Monkey bread is a long-standing tradition in my life. I remember the first time I ever had monkey bread was back when I turned 22 (wow does that feel like decades ago!). I woke up early in the morning to a thick slice of this caramel and pecan covered magical bread. Within two bites I was hooked, and I have to tell you, I haven’t found a better breakfast since.
For years I haven’t even tried to mess with the classic recipe that I’ve made every year for Christmas. I mean, why try to break a good thing? [Read more…]
It’s about time for a new year, isn’t it? Not that I haven’t absolutely cherished this year, because I definitely have! I just love the feeling of a fresh new year in front of me, ready to be tackled and made even better than the last.
There’s nothing like the feeling of a new beginning and there’s no better way to celebrate it than with a full bar of sparkling beverages! [Read more…]
Getting a healthy, comforting meal into one skillet is my ultimate goal during any work week.
Not only does it make cooking that much easier after a long day at the office, it also means fewer dishes for me to do after dinner. Lately by the time I finish dinner, I am completely dead and heading to bed. So one dish to clean versus three is so much more appealing… [Read more…]
*crunch*
There’s nothing like biting into a fresh homemade potato chip. The crunch and crackle of each crisp chip completely fills your head like the best foodie white noise you could ever dream of.
Or as my husband calls them “spicy crunchy yumminess”… yup that pretty much sums it up. [Read more…]
This is the perfect time of year to take advantage of the surplus of gorgeous, fresh fruit I see everywhere. As soon as the bags of cherries begin overflowing from the bins at the grocery store, that’s when I know it’s finally time to start enjoying all the fresh berries and cherries I can stuff in my mouth.
Nothing does a cherry justice like a warm, gooey crisp. When you pull it out of the oven, all bubbly and golden brown on top, a sweet, tart smell fills your kitchen. I am instantly transported back to those classic 50’s era images of mothers pulling cherry pies out of their ovens to cool on windowsills (just like my American Doll Molly’s mother did! Oh I hope I didn’t just completely date myself with that comment…). [Read more…]
Now that I am back in Denver after a whirlwind trip to Europe, I am really feeling summer.
Not only because of the intense 80+ degree days we have been having, but my body has been craving those brighter flavors of summer. I am especially dying over anything grilled. Our neighbor has had his smoker going every day for the past week and our fan sucks those smoky rich flavors so they permeate throughout our house. You would think I would get sick of the smell, but every-so-often I catch a whiff and I am transported to a zone of complete relaxation. [Read more…]
One of the simplest dishes to make and one of those dishes that always brings me back to my time in Italy.
When I was in Rome, I was a broke college kid who didn’t know much about cooking and I was saving most of my money for travel. My meals were usually made up of the cheapest ingredients I could find so I cooked A LOT of pasta. I was in Italy, so it just made sense! [Read more…]
Fruit obsession? Uhhhh YES.
If I could, I would put fruit in everything I eat. Fruit salad, fruit salsa, fruit sandwiches…. it all sounds so delicious and inviting… [Read more…]
Aren’t these just the cutest things you’ve ever seen?!
These actually came about as a result of me not having a large enough tip to make the classic churros. Instead they came out as these adorable baby churros which are even more amazing! Don’t you love when accidents turn into successes? It’s basically the best feeling ever. [Read more…]
Why helllllloooooo gorgeous…
I am still trying to recover from my candy coma I went into last night. I don’t even have children to blame for bringing candy into the house. Instead I just ate a good amount of the candy I was supposed to give to children… Such a mess, I know… [Read more…]
Mmmmmm apple caramel goodness….
Ok it might not be the most attractive thing to photograph, but regardless, it tastes AMAZING. The most amazing part is the fact that tarte tatin is all made in one cast iron skillet. I mean, you heard about one-dish dinners all the time, but one-dish desserts?? What?! [Read more…]
There’s so much cheesy goodness wrapped up in this little ramekin.
For some reason the idea to try making a souffle popped into my head a few weeks ago. I do love baking but souffles have always been that scary monster in the distance, kind of like making macarons from scratch. [Read more…]
Today is my hubby’s birthday and since he is such a breakfast person, I had to come up with something special for him.
We were watching Chopped a couple of weeks ago and in the dessert round there were ladyfingers. Now inevitably the dessert round brings bread pudding, ice cream, or some form of french toast. This round was no different as one contestant starting making french toast with the ladyfingers. Something clicked and my hubby and I just looked at each other and were like, “Hey! That’s how we should use up those ladyfingers in our pantry!!” [Read more…]
It’s all about cheesy comforting goodness today!
I have been sick this past week and all I have been able to eat is what my mom used to make me whenever I was sick. Grilled cheese was a big one for me growing up, particularly because it was the easiest thing for me to learn to make when I was young. [Read more…]
