You guys! Are you getting excited about summer?? It’s so close I can taste it. And the fact that it SNOWED in April has only made me more eager for its arrival. With summer comes so many fun chances to have family and friends over. Graduation parties, celebrating Father’s Day, the Fourth of July . . . so many fun times! So my family and friends tend to love having burgers on the grill, but can I tell you a secret?...

The screen to our front door is on a metal frame, and it has gradually been ripping off for several months. Mostly this is because little kids keep pulling and pushing on it. (Why do I keep these annoying kids around anyway?) Oh, this is why: Because they’re ADORABLE. Look, she made it! What kind of mom am I that I grabbed my camera instead of helping my screaming baby who’s stuck upside down in a broken screen?...

Why You’ll Love This Recipe Ingredients In Oatmeal Bread Here’s what you need to make the perfect loaf of oatmeal bread Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below. Flour: I used strong bread flour, but all-purpose flour will also work here. Oats: Go for old-fashioned rolled oats, avoid quick/instant oats. Fat: 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter add richness to the bread, and make it soft....

This cheese leeks recipe is undoubtedly one of the best I’ve ever made. Yes, I said it and I stand by it. The combination of mild, tender leeks with a flavorful and easy cheese sauce is simply irresistible. When are leeks in season? Leeks are grown and harvested in the cooler months, with the season typically running from October to May. Embrace French Technique: Leeks Au Gratin This “leeks au gratin” recipe is a classic French method and a beloved way to prepare leeks in the U....

It is said that this dish originates back to 1770 and originally contained meat, boiled beef actually. It wasn’t until around 1951 that the meat was omitted and only potatoes and vegetables started to be used and that has carried on until now. This bubble and squeak recipe is very similar to Irish colcannon (pic below) which is a mix of mashed potato and cabbage, bubble and squeak is cooked again after mixing, where colcannon is served more like mashed potato....

Whatever the occasion, These fluffy scratch-made vanilla cupcakes with buttercream frosting flowers are going to be a hit! I’ll even show you the easy way to pipe buttercream roses and other frosting flowers. You don’t need to be a buttercream wizard to make simple and pretty cupcake decorations. Need more ideas for baby shower cupcakes? Try my Pinata Cupcakes that are filled with sprinkles and fun! I have more cute cupcake ideas in my list of dessert recipes too....

We were over at a friend’s house the other day, and someone offered my 3-year-old daughter Valentine a glass of lemonade. She took a sip, then looked up at me with a shrug and said, “It’s good. But it’s not fresh.” ExCUSE me, child?? I seriously don’t know where this kid got her hoity toity attitude from. Certainly not from me. I am definitely not a foodie, despite the food blog you see here....

Eric has started to make a small “ding!” sound every time I close the sliding door of my closet. I think he figures that if I hear a pleasant “ding!” as a reward for shutting the closet door, I will do it more often. You know, kind of like Pavlov’s dog. (Ring a bell, give food. Eventually the dog salivates at the bell, without the food.) I’m slightly offended to be a mere subject in his psychological experiment, but at the same time have caught myself silently “dinging” myself for all sorts of things now as a mini reward....

I am in love with Indian food. Or at least I think I am; having never actually been to India I wouldn’t really know. But there is no disputing the adoration I have for my homemade versions. Chicken Tikka Masala is the dish that started my love affair. I’m not sure if this recipe is authentic, but it definitely tastes like the kind at my favorite Indian restaurants. (My friend Mir–who is from Hyderabad–once said it tastes like the real thing....

These chili dogs are an older recipe that I have revamped. In this amazing redo of them, I have a homemade chili sauce that we top the hotdog with. Everything is baked up in the oven for the perfect chili dog that you will absolutely fall in love with. Shredding Cheese From a Block For any recipe that calls for shredded cheese that will be melted, I will forever tell you that it is worth it to buy a block of cheese and shred it yourself....

These are simple, delicious, every day chocolate chip cookies. They are pretty fool proof to make with the focus on the chunks and the sea salt. Why chocolate chunks and not chocolate chips? Simply because you get more chocolate than using small chocolate chips and when you bite into one of the melty chunks, you’ll see why. When it comes to buying chocolate chunks, I found quite a few options to buy....

This Sunday is Mother’s Day. Are still looking and wondering what to get mom? Don’t buy something; make something! Making something adds that personal touch. Truffles are easy to put together and make for a stunning gift and presenting them in a chocolate bowl, all wrapped up in cellophane with a pretty bow, you’ll show mom how much you really care. These truffles and chocolate bowl make for a stunning and unique gift and you’ll look like a pro....

Other Big Batch Cocktails for Parties Citrus Sangria Margaritas Crockpot Spiced Apple Cider If you make this easy Christmas Punch recipe, make sure to let me know what you think by leaving a comment below. Even better, we have everything you need to make the batch that is right for you and your crew. Below you’ll find tons of great suggestions and variations. We also have scaled versions so you can make a single glass, a medium batch, or the big batch you see here....

Is there a special type of cookie that you always have at Christmas? If you’re of Italian descent, I bet you recognize these butter cookies as a holiday must-have. There are many variations on this recipe for Italian butter cookies, but this one is perfect. It’s simple, with just 8 ingredients in the dough, and comes together without any fuss. You’ll be enjoying these Christmas cookies even quicker because the cookie dough doesn’t need to be chilled....

What are Overnight Oats? Overnight Oats are Oats soaked in a liquid mixture typically Milk & Greek Yogurt. But you can get creative and inventive with the liquid mixture - Smoothies, Almond milk, Soya Milk , Coconut Milk . Sweeten them with Healthy Sweeteners like Maple Syrup, Honey or whatever suits your palette. Refrigerate them overnight! Whilst these Oats are getting soaked up overnight, all the flavours fuse into each other and enhance the taste all the more....

Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram So we packed up our dessert to go. I lasted about 5 minutes on the car ride home before busting open that cake and digging in with a fork. At a red light, I reach over to feed Eric a bite of the cake. Suddenly Eric looks past me into the car next to us. There’s a guy frantically motioning for us to roll down our window....

So I went to book club last night, and for what feels like the 5th or 6th time in as many months, I hadn’t read a single page of the assigned book. I know, I know! I’m the worst. I totally feel like Mr. Bingley on Pride and Prejudice where he’s trying to explain to Jane that he CAN indeed read, even though he has a huge library and never does....

Using my Instant Pot to cook Mexican inspired dishes is one of the main reasons I love my pressure cooker. The meat comes out super tender when cooked in the pressure cooker. Pressure cooker carnitas and homemade beef barbacoa are two of my favorite dishes. Add some cilantro lime rice, authentic guacamole, lime crema, and Instant Pot pinto beans, and you have a perfect family loved dinner. What Are Carnitas?...

I’ll show you how to make mixed vegetable pakoras in my easy way! About these Easy Vegetable Pakoras: So much better than the takeaways! Call them Veg Pakoras or Vegetable Bhaji; they are a fabulous side dish to serve with Indian fakeaways. Forget just being a side dish; they make fantastic appetisers, a great afternoon tea snack, and a brilliant party food recipe. If you’re looking for local Indian restaurant-style mixed vegetable pakoras, then this is the recipe you need....

They are easier than they look to prepare and can be made ahead of time, which is helpful when you’re cooking a big holiday meal. What are Duchess Potatoes? Duchess potatoes (pommes duchesse in French) are the fanciest way to elevate humble mashed potatoes. Smooth, creamy potatoes are piped into tall, delicate swirls, coated with butter, and baked until they are super crispy. This duchess potato recipe makes for a gorgeous side dish and is perfect for any special occasion....