a little over a year ago, my other half took me to a cooking class at whole foods for a birthday present. it was, truly, one of my favorite gifts he has ever given me. we went together, after leaving the girls at home with my parents, and cooked an incredible menu with about 5 other couples….
dark chocolate mexican brownies
these might be the perfect brownie. yes yes, the oreo brownies ROCK MY WORLD and the chocolate-ginger brownies are unexpected and lovely, but for a classic brownie, these are just awesome. they are just the right amount of fudgy and they have that perfect shiny, thinly crisp top. my mom (aka “mahm”) sent me her recipe for…
rosemary garlic hummus
thank you, lord, for hummus. really. THANK YOU. hummus is one of the rare things that is on the healthy side, and that everyone in my family loves. i got a tough crowd, yo. i usually buy the store-bought hummus since it’s everyone’s favorite but i have been wanting an outside-the-box recipe… one that’s not too…
central market’s couscous salad with feta, spinach, basil, and lemon
while home in austin for the christmas holiday, my mom and i went grocery shopping at central market (if you’re not familiar, it’s like the best grocery store ever – similar to whole foods). it was a gorgeous afternoon and we sat outside as we ate lunch before hitting the aisles. yes outside. in late december. just…
maple brown sugar oatmeal cookies
i was blazing through target a few weeks ago – the way one does when accompanied by a 4-year old and a 2-year old who are not into shopping the way you are and goldfish snacks are no longer cutting it – and i barely glanced at a display of packaged cookie mixes, all in autumn-inspired flavors….
mexican rice with cilantro + garlic
if you have been to my house, you might have noticed i have a little problem with too many cookbooks. i will admit it, but i am far from getting into a program to help me quit. every time i get a new cookbook, i will curl up with it that evening like i would a novel…
mrs watson’s pumpkin bread
in the fall, i sometimes get a little too excited about christmas being so close. i confess, i begin to listen to christmas music and bake things that remind me of the holidays. all because the temperature has dropped, like, 15 degrees. when we were traveling a few weeks back, we spent some time in…
spiced mixed nuts with brown sugar + rosemary butter
for my family, fall is a big time of entertaining. there is a lot of football to be watched, and with the weather getting cooler, we have a tendency to often gather with friends to eat, play games outside, and then retire to the fire pit for s’mores. while i am cooking and guests are…
homemade ranch dressing
during the summer, my husband directs a family kamp. on saturday mornings, not many people are around and the pool is almost deserted. so we take the opportunity to crash the pool, bringing friends, floats, and snacks – trying to last as long as we can until the kids are all melting down for naps….
vanilla cream scones
one of my favorite memories is my first trip to london with my mom and grandma. my maternal grandparents lived there and my grandma took me there as a gift for my 16th birthday, to share with me a place she loved so much. it was on this trip that i discovered my innate love for rain,…
dark chocolate birthday cake with malted chocolate buttercream frosting
for her last 2 birthdays, the little she has requested a very specific dessert for her party. she has asked for “chocolate with strawberries“. as you know, if you read this blog, she is carazy about sugar. it has been said that sugar is her love language and i completely believe it. chocolate is at…
oatmeal biscoff cookies with vanilla-soaked raisins
biscoff is quickly becoming one of my favorite ingredients. i constantly find myself dreaming of other ways to use the creamy shortbread cookie butter. almost like it’s my job. these cookies were one of the first things i baked with biscoff and they have remained one of my favorites. they have also become my go-to…
she likes to eat 