clean plates. [parmesan & pesto crusted halibut in crazy water w. zucchini, tomatoes & orzo]

I’ve been fighting a cold all week, so I’m just now posting the dinner I made my mom and family for Mother’s Day. My mom requested I make this dish, as she made it for a dinner party and said it...

something different. [lime angel food cake w. lime glaze & pistachios]

I’ve always been a sucker for angel food cake. The slightly crispy exterior and fluffy interior make for a heavenly combination. But until now, I’d only made the boxed version of the cake. Much to...

taco time. [crock-pot shredded chicken w. corn, black beans & jalapeno in a homemade crunchy taco shell]

Happy Wednesday, everyone! I wish I had exciting news to share, but there’s not much happening over here–just working away and spending lots of time in the kitchen. This crock-pot shredded chicken...

facing fears. [creamy lemon risotto w. peas, asparagus & parmesan]

Up until now, I’ve been too scared to make risotto (silly, I know). I assumed my attempt would result in a mushy disaster, even though I’ve watched my mom cook the rice over a dozen times. But good...

lighten up. [baked mozzarella bites w. homemade marinara sauce]

If you know me well, you know how much I love cheese. I mean, LOVE cheese. So naturally, I’m a fan of mozzarella sticks. Though delicious, they’re greasy and caloric, and always make me feel guilty...

reduced guilt. [black bean & quinoa veggie burger w. southwestern yogurt sauce]

Whoa, two posts in one week? Can’t remember the last time I did that. This week was a little less crazy with work and whatnot, so I took advantage and got to cooking. After seeing a photo of these...

all aboard. [zucchini boats stuffed w. couscous, bell peppers, mushrooms, feta & toasted pine nuts]

For some reason, I’d never made zucchini boats until now. Not sure why, considering they were unbelievably easy to make…and delicious! After perusing the Internet for recipe ideas, I decided to...

back in action. [avocado, chickpea & quinoa salad w. lemon-mustard vinaigrette]

I was in Miami for work most of last week/weekend, so I wasn’t able to post until now. Although the trip was extremely busy, we were able to relax a bit on Friday night and watch both of our...

keep ‘em away. [banana cupcakes w. peanut butter cream cheese frosting]

I’m doing everything I can to get these cupcakes out of my apartment as soon as possible–they’re sinfully delicious. I brought a few to work today for my co-workers (who devoured them), and am...

throw it together. [ground turkey & quinoa tacos topped w. crispy kale chips & honey-lime Greek yogurt]

Happy Friday! I hope everyone had a great week. Mine had an unexpected, but wonderful start–my roommate and I decided to foster a kitten! He’s been battling a virus for a few weeks and wasn’t able...

that’s a first. [tricolor quinoa and black bean salad]

Not having work on Monday really threw me off this week–I can’t believe it’s already Wednesday. I did, however, enjoy the long weekend and spent part of it at home with my grandma. We had a...

what’s love got to do with it. [pomegranate & blood orange champagne punch]

Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope everyone had or is having a wonderful day, filled with lots of love, chocolate and wine. I plan on spending my night cooking a homemade meal with my roommate, then...

late to the game. [stuffed jalepenos w. sausage & parmesan]

I’m a little late, but I hope everyone’s Super Bowl Sunday was a blast (aside from the 49ers losing). My roommate and I had a bunch of friends over to watch the game, eat mass amounts of food and...

addicted. [kale & quinoa salad w. dried cranberries, walnuts & feta]

No joke, my roommate and I have eaten this salad four days in a row–it’s that good. It’s also one of the easiest and quickest recipes, aside from the time it takes to cook the quinoa, which is all...

pop ‘em. [goat cheese, parmesan & pancetta stuffed baby bell peppers]

Even though we had a long weekend, this week is going by miserably slow. At least work is busy, so that helps! I remember Giada making these stuffed peppers in an episode of Giada at Home a while...

forget about it. [chicken breasts w. lemon-mushroom cream sauce]

Disregard those New Year’s resolutions–just for one meal. I promise it’ll be worth it. Though this dish is a bit heavier than most meals I cook, it was absolutely delicious. The prominent earthy...

back on track. [quick broccoli cheese soup]

Happy New Year! Hope everyone had a great one. I’m just getting back into the swing of things, as I had two weeks off work. I spent most of the break at home with my family, then flew up to San...

sweet start to the new year. [scotcheroos]

Hope everyone had a wonderful and relaxing holiday with family and friends. I hate to keep this so short, but I’m hopping on a plane to San Francisco for New Year’s. So, with that said, have a...

new & improved. [mini gingerbread cupcakes w. maple cream cheese frosting]

I’m still processing that Christmas is in exactly one week. This month, rather, this year, has flown by. It’s been a fantastic one, but I’m ready to see what 2013 has in store. I went to my boss’...

let’s get festive. [roasted red pepper, artichoke & cream cheese dip]

I’m back…and extremely behind on blogging! I was in D.C. all last week for the National Christmas Tree Lighting for work; so, needless to say, I didn’t have any time to cook. Since Christmas is...

indulgence. [apple cider & bourbon cake w. pumpkin seed brittle & homemade whipped cream]

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I’m still recovering from all the turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, dessert and copious amounts of wine. I’m honestly not sure how we were able to eat...

dinner for 12. [three-cheese lasagna w. bolognese sauce]

I’ve pretty much given up on the possibility of chilly weather this holiday season. But that doesn’t mean I’m not embracing hearty and comforting fall recipes. This classic lasagna is absolutely...

playing catch up. [crock-pot shredded chicken in poblano cream sauce]

I was in New York this past weekend for work, so needless to say, I’m behind on blogging. Even though the trip was quick, I was able to see a couple of friends and spend a few hours perusing the...

spooky treats. [Snickers peanut butter-filled black velvet cupcakes w. cream cheese frosting]

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Hope everyone has a wonderful and safe holiday. Check out more Halloween-themed cupcakes here–please forgive the photos, that was two years ago! Cupcake recipe: 4 tbsp. unsalted...

my kind of remedy. [spiced pumpkin bread w. walnuts]

Baking is the perfect outlet when I have a lot on my mind. It’s sometimes even more therapeutic than a heavily poured glass of wine, believe it or not! I recently realized that I hadn’t posted a...

a nice change. [roasted tomato soup w. lemon arugula pesto]

Since having dental surgery last week, my diet has consisted of frozen yogurt and soup. But one can only eat ice cream and Ramen noodles for so long. So, after a few days of recovering, I decided...

hint of fall. [cremini mushroom & ricotta cheese toasts]

hint of fall. [cremini mushroom & ricotta cheese toasts]

It’s finally starting to feel like fall–there’s even a chance of rain this week. Hard to believe, but let’s hope it stays that way. Maybe I should have saved the chili for this week. Ever since my...

maybe I’m crazy. [crock-pot pumpkin & turkey chili]

I’m sure anyone living in Southern California is saying, “Chili? In 90 degree weather? Are you crazy?” Maybe. But it is fall, after all, and I’ve been itching to cook with pumpkin. I also purchased...

out of the (blue) box. [mac & cheese w. crispy prosciutto & fresh parsley]

I’ve finally mastered homemade mac and cheese (bold statement, I know). Though I’m a sucker for Kraft blue box, it can’t touch the pasta made from scratch. I kept this recipe relatively simple,...