• Healthy No Bake Protein Bites
    Blog,  Recipes

    Healthy No Bake Protein Bites

    These tasty and healthy no bake protein bites offer big energy without filling you up.  My family enjoys these easy plant based energy snacks most on the go during the morning rush to school or before a workout.  The almond butter provides a healthy protein and, in addition to the oats, works to keep you feeling fuller longer.  I’ve even added a couple of superfoods to boost the health factor. Read on to learn more about the health benefits of each ingredient and links to sources for the nutritional benefits.  To go straight to the recipe click here: Here’s a breakdown of the ingredients and their benefits: Creamy Almond Butter…

  • Clear bowl with whole cranberry sauce sits on a dark marble table with fresh cranberries and cinnamon sticks. Also shown is a yellow plate with turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, brussel sprouts, and cranberry sauce
    Blog,  Recipes

    Kevin’s Brandied Cranberry Sauce

    So we know there are a million recipes for cranberry sauce out there, but this one is special because it’s the ONE dish I do not have to make for Thanksgiving dinner!  A few years ago, Kevin asked if he could help with anything and of course I said “YES”.  That is when Kevin’s Brandied Cranberry Sauce was created and I was able to check cranberry off my holiday prep list forever. Ingredients Fresh cranberries:  A superfood filled with nutrients and antioxidents, cranberries are one of the only commercially grown fruits native to the US.  If you’re going to pick a fruit to accompany your Thanksgiving dinner, this is it.…

  • Honey glazed roasted brussel sprouts with pancetta, pecans, and cranberries shown in a mustard colored serving dish with silver spoon that sits on a rustic grey wood table surrounded by pecan halves and fresh cranberries and a festive napkin.
    Blog,  Recipes

    Honey’d Brussels with Pancetta, Pecans, and Cranberries

    This side dish of honey’d brussels with pancetta, pecans, and cranberries was created to add some pizazz to your Thanksgiving table.  The sweet and the tangy are right up my alley and, quite honetsly, work well with the heaviness that the turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes with gravy bring to the meal.  It would also make a great side dish to serve with roast chicken, a cooked ham, or even prime rib dinners. The Ingredients Brussel sprouts are very healthy.  So this side dish is not only impressive on taste, it is packed with Vitamins C & K (good for bones), antioxidents, and fiber.  Being in the cruciferous family, they…

  • Roasted Cherry Tomato Jam Horizontal
    Entertaining,  Recipes

    Roasted Cherry Tomato Jam

    August is tomato season here in my little corner of Northern California.  When the tomatoes come on, they do so all at once and it forces me to find different uses and recipes to create so we can enjoy them for the short 6-8 week time they are available.  Roasted Cherry Tomato Jam is a family favorite! My Tomato Jam is a wonderful accompaniment for many dishes.  My favorite way to enjoy it is over fresh Burrata cheese with crackers as shown in the photo.  If you’re not familiar with Burrata cheese, think soft, creamy, stringy cheese curd with a firm mozzarella shell.  It’s like a mozzarella water balloon filled…

  • A Male hand pours a red Georgia Pom-Pom cocktail into a stemless martini glass
    Blog,  In the Kitchen,  Recipes

    Georgia Pom-Pom Cocktail

    My husband enjoys creating new cocktails for me to enjoy and he certainly hit the mark on this one!  I prefer my cocktails sweet and I do not prefer to taste the alcohol so give me juice and spike it with vodka and I’m good to go!  Kevin’s Georgia Pom-Pom Cocktail is the perfect mix of sweet and tart with a kick! What’s In It Pomegranate Juice Here’s the deal, I like to use pomegranate juice in a lot of my recipes, like my Solar Sauce (healthy alternative to 1000 Island) so we usually always have it on hand.  Pomegranate juice is a very healthy juice that has more antioxidants…

  • maple pecan scone pink
    Blog,  In the Kitchen,  Recipes

    Maple Pecan Scones

    This post contains affiliate links where I earn a small commission if you purchase through my website.  This income helps me provide great content so I appreciate your thoughtfulness and purchase. If you don’t know by now, I am all about anything semi-homemade.  When I found Sticky Finger’s Bakeries Original Scone Mix, I knew it was heaven sent.  Here’s a mix you literally just add water to and get a simple scone, perfect for any occasion.  Add any ingredients you like and you’ll have a personal creation that makes you feel like a Master Baker.  My Maple Pecan Scones have the warmth of cinnamon, the sweet of maple syrup, and…

  • Whole30 Peach BBQ Chicken
    Blog,  In the Kitchen,  Recipes

    Whole30 Peach Barbecue Chicken

    This post includes affiliate links of which I would earn a small commission should you choose to purchase the item.  I’m always on the look out for delicious recipes that I can adapt to fall under Whole30 criteria.  Originally created by Ree Drummond, aka The Pioneer Woman, as Peach-Whiskey Barbecue Chicken, this sweet, tangy comfort food recipe caught my eye!  With just a few adaptations, I could take her recipe and create my take as Whole30 Peach Barbecue Chicken; A clean, healthy meal that my family and I could enjoy. Whole30 Substitutions On Ree’s original recipe, there are only 3 items that could not be used.  For those and all…

  • Lemon Scone Portrait w/Plant
    Blog,  Recipes

    Simple Semi-Homemade Lemon Scones

    This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here. Scones are my weakness.  Give me a warm scone and a creamy espresso drink, and I am one happy girl.  I don’t care to take the time to measure and weigh out baking dough. I’ve found a scone mix that gives me the ease and simplicity I long for with the taste and texture of a scone I dream about.  Sticky Fingers Bakeries Original Scone Mix is the base I use to create my simple and semi-homemade lemon scones. I love to entertain, and I love providing tasty options for my family and guests to munch on.  Sticky Fingers Bakeries Scone…

  • Whole30 Bacon Wrapped Shrimp
    Blog,  Recipes

    Bacon Wrapped Shrimp with Pesto Aioli

    This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here. Bacon-wrapped Shrimp with Pesto Aioli is a 5-ingredient appetizer that goes way back in my recipe archives and is resurrecting itself with a Whole30 spin!  Not on Whole30? No problem, substitute products you know and love.  I hope you enjoy this simple, yet impressive, Whole30 quick and easy 5 ingredient appetizer. I use large-sized shrimp labeled as 16-20.  This label indicates there are 16-20 shrimp allocated per pound.  If the shrimp do not already come cleaned, remove the shell leaving the tail on and clean the shrimp by deveining it.  For a video on how best to do that, click here.…

  • Cucumber & Lox Bite Ingredients
    Blog,  Recipes

    Simple Whole30 Cucumber & Lox Bites

    This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here. You cannot go wrong with these simple Whole30 Cucumber and Lox Bites.  The five healthy ingredients are quick and easy to work with, making this recipe an appetizer that hits all the marks.  Besides the fresh, creamy, salty, and crunchy bite you get, it’s healthy, does not require much skill, and it sure looks classy when presented to guests. Being dairy & sugar-free is a big bonus.  For Whole30 and Paleo diets, I used Kitehill chive flavored almond milk cream cheese.  I also found smoked salmon at Trader Joes without sugar in its ingredient list.  Not on Whole30 or follow a Paleo…