FavoritePinShare A delicious taco salad using fresh ingredients and a delicious and easy dressing to go on top! This is the first year that losing weight isn’t one of my New Year’s resolutions. But only because I am preggo and it is actually ok to gain weight. 🙂 But that doesn’t mean that I still want to try to eat healthy and not gain too much weight this pregnancy. I crave a freshly made salad....

I’ve been admiring moody food photography at Half Baked Harvest and White On Rice Couple for a while now… but it was only after getting a few tips and tricks from Diane and Todd at the Food Blog Forum earlier this month in Orlando that I finally decided to try my take on them. Believe me, I’m nowhere close to the amazing photographers mentioned above, but I’m kinda happy with the results, especially because it was my first attempt!...

Who’s ready for some chocolate love? Now, let me be honest with you right from the beginning and tell you that this recipe is a little more elaborate than my usual recipes. But it is not difficult at all! There will be some dishes to be washed and a lot of waiting for layers to set in the freezer, so I recommend doing this on a weekend when you have time to focus on all things chocolate....

A classic French confection, meringue cookies are easy to make, low calorie, and gluten free. Talk about angel food! Meringue cookies are probably the one major French contribution to the world of pastry that doesn’t involve copious amounts of butter, flour, or cream, a fact that made me suspicious of them when I first traveled to France (I headed straight for the French Hot Chocolate and Strawberry Crepes instead). Boy, did I misjudge....

If you’ve never had a mug cake, please allow me to introduce you to what will surely become one of the most delicious, dangerous recipe concepts to grace your kitchen. What makes this particular recipe stand out among the rest is its lineup of ingredients. I dropped the excess butter, oil, and refined sugar you’ll find in most chocolate mug cake and chocolate mug brownie recipes for a healthier lineup: whole wheat flour, peanut butter, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, and, of course, plenty of dark chocolate....

FavoritePinShare Christmas tree pull apart bread is cheesy on the inside, and soft and chewy on the outside! It is formed in the shape of a Christmas tree and baked to perfection. Served with your favorite marinara sauce, this is sure to become your new Christmas tradition! I love making bread. It makes the house smell incredible, and it’s so fun to watch dough turn into a fluffy, delicious ball of bread....

FavoritePinShare A must-make for breakfast or tea time, these flaky almond croissants with a sweet and creamy filling are sure to make your day a little brighter. They’re ready in 30 minutes and taste like you got them from your favorite bakery! If you’re a lover of pastries like I am, here are a few more recipes you’ve got to try out! This apple galette, blueberry scones, or homemade cheese danishes are all great for having with your morning cup of coffee....

At Air Frying Foodie, we show you all of the reasons to own an air fryer. In fact, if you are on the fence about owning an air fryer, you should know that between Becky and myself we own 8 air fryers. You’re probably thinking, why do they have so many air fryers? Well, when Air Fryers first started becoming mainstream, Becky and I were testing out the different brands to find what we thought was the best....

FavoritePinShare Whipped and airy, this cloud bread really fits its name! It’s so delicious and savory that it goes with just about everything. Bake this up and watch it fly off of your table! Homemade bread is one of my favorite things to eat. Try out this homemade bread, this perfect garlic bread, and this naan bread. You will be set with delicious bread for every meal! What is Cloud Bread?...

FavoritePinShare Coconut syrup is going to be your new favorite breakfast addition! It’s creamy, sweet, and will coat pancakes and waffles in delicious, nutty flavor. Making homemade syrup is the best way to elevate breakfast. Once you try it, you’ll be hooked! You’ll have to make blueberry syrup, buttermilk syrup, or imitation maple syrup for your next breakfast feast! Homemade Coconut Syrup Recipe Nothing beats a home-cooked breakfast. Now, I love me a savory breakfast, but sweet pancakes, crepes, and waffles just have a special place in my heart....

Hey there, friends! The weekend is almost here. Anyone have any cool plans? Me and Tim are having some friends over for dinner on Sunday, and I decided to test some appetizer recipes beforehand because, you know, I’m a perfectionist (to the point that I barely enjoy my dinner parties because I’m always running around making sure everything is perfect!). Instead of doing what I usually do – which is calling my grandma – I called my mom (or more like messaged her on Facebook!...

FavoritePinShare Cookie dough is the best and if you love it as much as I do then you are in good company because I LOVE it! Take a look – caution: you’ll be drooling in about two seconds! Seriously, is there anything better than cookie dough? Eat it plain, as a topping or as the main ingredient in any treat and you’ve got yourself a winner! Some of my favorite cookie dough recipes are Almond Joy Cookie Dough Bars, Cookie Dough Cupcakes and Cookie Dough Brownies....

The French really know how to do comfort food right! Beef Bourguignon, Coq au Riesling (which is the white wine version of this stew), French Onion Soup, Cassoulet, Potato Dauphinois… Ooh la la! I can’t get enough of French food! Another day, another sexy recipe! ♥️ Because how else would you describe tender pieces of chicken coated in a dark, rich wine sauce? Sexy! That’s the only word to describe this Coq au Vin recipe....

FavoritePinShare If you’re looking for a delicious, hearty side dish that the whole family will love, cowboy beans are the answer! A variety of beans are simmered together with applewood smoked bacon, garlic, chopped onions, and ground beef, all in a tangy barbecue sauce! Cowboy beans are so flavorful and hearty. They’re perfect for potlucks and barbecues once summer rolls around! A few more similar recipes to try are these tried and true baked beans, bean stew, and my insanely good crockpot chili!...

When flavored with pudding, cinnamon, and white wine, this cake tastes like a million dollars. Vegetable oil makes it incredibly moist, too. It’s baked in a bundt pan, to boot, making it look even more spectacular. Also, did I mention that this cake is drizzled with an outrageously decadent butter-wine glaze? Now that’s what I call a top-notch topping! Because it uses a bunch of ready-made ingredients, this cake is such a snap to make....

It’s time for some Thanksgiving life advice. Do not, I repeat, do not buy canned cranberry sauce or cranberry jelly. I’m saying this because I care. The holiday meal you spend hours preparing deserves the real deal. This Thanksgiving, I’m on a mission to eradicate canned cranberry sauce and demonstrate to all that homemade cranberry sauce is: Easy. Simply dump all the ingredients into a saucepan, stir, and BOOM. Bright, blissful cranberry orange sauce that’s the perfect tart bite against juicy Thanksgiving turkey, Glazed Sweet Potatoes, and Balsamic Brussels Sprouts....

FavoritePinShare Creamy Garlic Steak Bites with Mushrooms are made in the most amazing creamy garlic sauce with melt in your mouth steak bites and mushrooms! We love steak at our house and these recipes are also our favorite! Skillet Garlic Butter Herb Steak and Potatoes, Lemon Garlic Butter Herb Flank Steak, or this Grilled Flank Steak with Avocado Corn Salsa! Creamy Garlic Steak Bites with Mushrooms Holy yum! This meal was devoured by the family....

FavoritePinShare This zucchini soup has an amazing savory flavor, fresh vegetables, and is topped with the perfect drizzle of cream. Healthy and hearty, each spoonful will have you hooked with its silky-smooth goodness! Nothing warms the soul quite as well as a bowl of homemade soup. My asparagus, mushroom, and butternut squash bisque are more tried and true soups ready to ring in cooler temperatures! Without a doubt, you’ll love them all!...

Pepper steak is a classic Chinese American dish that’s named for its two primary ingredients: peppers (bell peppers, specifically) and strips of steak (often sirloin, flank, or round). It’s in a thick, almost gravy-like sauce made with ginger and soy sauce; the sauce coats every morsel with its rich, savory flavor. No dry grains of rice here! Pepper steak is typically served as a fast, stir-fry style dish, but I wanted to see if I could adapt it for the slow cooker....

This healthy crockpot chicken noodle soup is not fancy or sophisticated. It’s not even particularly unusual (unlike my Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup ). But it is very, very yummy. Yummy (along with easy, healthy, and great leftover) is a top-quality we look for in our meals around here. For the parts of us that are grown up, I added an elevated twist to make it one of the best chicken noodle soup recipes you’ll try....