breakfast and brunch

Easy Instant Pot Monkey Bread

January 2, 2019

This easy pull-apart bread starts with frozen dinner rolls that rise overnight and are then baked in the Instant Pot pressure cooker for a sweet and fast cinnamon sugared breakfast or brunch treat.

I’m not sure who made up the name for this sweet, sticky pull-apart bread, but whoever did nailed it on the head. Because just like monkeys who are known to pick, pick, pick at their favorite things, this cinnamon, brown sugar, and pecan-laced monkey bread is the perfect sweet breakfast or brunch finger food.

This overnight monkey bread is made with frozen yeast dinner rolls so be sure to plan ahead and allow time for the rolls to rise overnight.

The unique part of this recipe is that instead of being baked in the oven, this monkey bread is baked in the Instant Pot pressure cooker. Yes! You can bake in the Instant Pot, and successfully do so too.

The other part of this recipe I love so much is the “balls” of the monkey bread are cut in half before baking to make smaller bites, ensuring that every single nugget is lathered in that classic sticky, cinnamon and brown sugar goodness.

Half the size means you can enjoy them all year long, whether it’s Christmas breakfasst, or New Years brunch, or any time you’re craving that sweet treat any monkey would put his hat on and dance for.continue to the recipe… about Easy Instant Pot Monkey Bread

14 Days of Healthy Breakfast Recipe Ideas

October 29, 2018

What can I cook for breakfast? It’s a question repeated by millions every single day. And I bet you’re one of them.

I talk a lot about my cravings for easy, healthy breakfast recipes, because, hey, it’s the most important meal of the day, right?

Why is breakfast important? Because eating breakfast helps with weight loss, brain function, and keeping you moving all throughout the day. That’s why I am ALWAYS on the lookout for easy breakfast recipe ideas to keep this healthy habit fresh and fun. Because as we all know, breakfast is too easy to skip, and too often breakfast is boring too.

This list of 2 weeks, or 14 days, of seasonal and simple healthy breakfast recipe ideas offer up WAY better than average starts to your day and make eating breakfast a habit you’ll actually enjoy.

These breakfasts focus on all the flavors of fall, with some geared toward on-the-go and others for easy weekend breakfast or brunch. They’re seasonal but simple recipes for eggs, breakfast sandwiches, simple frittatas, oatmeal, avocado toast, and protein pancakes will make breakfast your favorite meal of the day.continue to the recipe… about 14 Days of Healthy Breakfast Recipe Ideas

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

October 4, 2018

This easy Lemon Poppy Seed Muffin recipe gets a healthy boost with almonds and yogurt to make a moist muffin everyone will declare the very best.

Healthy Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

You know how there are some ingredients that you just can’t say no to when it comes to a particular food?

Like, for me, the only cake that’s worth its weight in birthday candles is German Chocolate Cake. Or if I’m choosing an artisanal cheese it’s going to be a stinky, gooey, triple cream.

So when my Ali Smudge wanders through the bakery section of the grocery store, I don’t even have to wonder what request she’s about to pose. Because it’s always the same. And it’s always for a Lemon Poppy Seed Muffin.

continue to the recipe… about Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

31 Days of Comfort Food Favorites to Make Now

September 30, 2018

Comfort food cures all our cooking cravings, and there’s no better time to cozy up to hearty soups, easy slow cooker meals, and comforting pastas, than the 31 days of October.

It feels good to fall into fall, don’t you agree?

While I fiercely LOVE the summer months, there is a totally cozy nostalgia that comes with changing leaves, a chill in the morning, and the don’t-want-to-admit-but-I’m-getting-excited-thrill of the holidays peeking just around the corner.

Whether you’re looking for a new killer chili recipe to bust out at your next tailgate party, a simple throw-together weeknight meal, or a healthy-fill-you-up breakfast, these 31 tasty recipes are what you should be making this month.

And since we are in the 31 days of October, don’t you dare forget the pumpkin recipes!continue to the recipe… about 31 Days of Comfort Food Favorites to Make Now

15 Easy Healthy Breakfast Recipes to Get You Through the Week

August 26, 2018

This list of 15 easy and healthy breakfast ideas will have you out the door and on the go in no time.

We’ve heard it and know it by heart—the oft-repeated mantra, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”

But too often the back-to-school rush of packing lunches, figuring out dinner plans, choosing healthy snacks, etc., breakfast can get left behind in the shuffle.

Even if you’re not sending littles (or bigs) out the door, I’m all about having options to mix up my healthy breakfast eating routine, because you KNOW I’m not one to skip any meal, but most importantly not breakfast and my daily time-to-be-just-with-me quiet time.

This list of 15 easy breakfast provides three weeks worth of weekday breakfast options that will get you out the door quickly without sacrificing your diet, sanity, or valuable hair blow-drying time.continue to the recipe… about 15 Easy Healthy Breakfast Recipes to Get You Through the Week

Healthy Homemade Egg McMuffin

July 22, 2018

Grab and go breakfasts can be the saving grace of any weekday morning. The eggs in this homemade Egg Mcmuffin sandwich recipe can be batch cooked in the oven, on the stove top, or in the microwave, and make eating a healthy breakfast your easiest decision of the day.

This recipe is brought to you by Kroger

We’re all guilty of it. The alarm blares at some ungodly time of the morning (no matter what time it is) and our first reaction is to fumble about and emphatically hit that snooze button for just.10.more.minutes.of.I.NEED.MORE.SLEEEEEP.

And that my friends is how you your morning time table suddenly becomes irrevocably out of whack. So what’s the first thing to go in your morning routine? Breakfast.

You think to yourself as you hustle out the door, “I’ll just grab something later,” or “Here honey, just eat this pop tart,” and load everyone into the car and buckle up for your day.

But that muffin/bagel/donut you impulsively picked up as your cruised through the drive-thru with your grande skinny latte is loaded with sodium, fat, and calories? Where’s the skinny or the healthy in that? Or worse, you don’t grab anything at all so you overeat at lunch. And your kid finds herself starving thanks to those empty carbs before 1st period is even over.

That’s why having a stash of make-ahead breakfasts ready to run out the door along with you is the secret to your morning’s success.continue to the recipe… about Healthy Homemade Egg McMuffin

Red White and Blue Watermelon Blueberry Fruit Salad

June 24, 2018

Juicy watermelon, sweet bursts of blueberries and crunchy jicama dressed with a simple honey and lime dressing make this red, white, and blue salad a favorite worthy of all the fireworks all summer long.

This is a guest post from my mom. We wrote together while on a family vacation in the iconic epicenter of the USA, Yellowstone National Park in 2013 and I’m giving it a little update today. Back then I was pondering what to write about this tasty Red White and Blue Salad, and so my mom helped me brainstorm what to write. She’s good that way.

I think she pretty much summed it all up, so I’m writing it verbatim, from mom’s mouth to daughter blogger’s post. She’s my biggest cheerleader, and in every way she can, makes my job as a blogger that much easier.

Take it away mom.

continue to the recipe… about Red White and Blue Watermelon Blueberry Fruit Salad

Blueberry Oatmeal Quick Bread

June 6, 2018

This incredibly easy blueberry bread (it takes just 10 minutes to mix!) gets an added dose of healthy with the addition of Greek yogurt and oats, making it an even better option than banana bread or blueberry muffins, too.

This quick bread recipe is a favorite I originally shared back in 2013. Lately I’ve been making it over and over again—it’s that perfect food gift for welcoming the new baby (hello baby Max!) or saying hello to new neighbors. So while I was at it, I took new photos to share again here.

This recipe came about after standing at the kitchen counter one day with a half dozen super ripe bananas, swatting my husband’s headed-to-the-garbage-can-hands in an attempt to quell their discarded fate.

I knew by the super sweet smell and the mooshy touch—not to mention Smudge’s squinched up expression each time she passed them by thanks to their rather unattractive state—that I’d be lucky to squeeze even one more day in before my opportunity to make banana bread would be gone. And just like that, it was.

That’s when blueberries came to my quick bread rescue, for a quick bread worthy of any breakfast, brunch, or treat.continue to the recipe… about Blueberry Oatmeal Quick Bread

Asparagus and Mushroom Frittata with Goat Cheese

May 17, 2018

Frittata egg breakfasts are usually a meal to share, but this two-egg, single-serving recipe packed with fresh asparagus, mushrooms, green onion and a sprinkling of goat cheese is the perfect way to enjoy a quick and healthy breakfast idea for one.

When I used to hear of people making frittatas, it sounded so glamorous, so exotic. It was a recipe you’d save to serve for company at a languid weekend brunch with mimosas and sunshine. Sure, frittatas can be exactly that. But they can also be one of the quickest, easiest breakfasts for one you’ll make all week, and that’s why a version of this ingredient combo hits my breakfast table at least once or twice a week.

When I started making frittatas for breakfast it was entirely by accident and purely because as a distracted multi-tasker who put my standard scrambled egg combo of asparagus, mushroom and green onion to cook on the stove, then started doing the dishes, and promptly forgot all about my eggs.

And so when I turned around I was happily surprised to see there was a sight to behold, a puffy mass of softly souffleéd egg cooking gently away in my pan.

This egg scrambling “mistake” wasn’t the first time I’d made a frittata (this one is SO GOOD!) but it is the one that made me realize this frittata-making situation just might be the easiest, hands-off way to make a fresh and fast, healthy grab-and-go breakfast each and every day of the week.

continue to the recipe… about Asparagus and Mushroom Frittata with Goat Cheese

Instant Pot Oatmeal Recipe for Steel Cut Oats or Rolled Oats

April 17, 2018

I’ve made oatmeal fast in the microwave and low and slow in the slow cooker and overnight in the fridge, but this oatmeal recipe made in the Instant Pot electric pressure cooker makes make-ahead oatmeal such a cinch, and so convenient, that it’s become my new favorite method. And even better, it works with both steel cut oats or rolled oats, for a healthy breakfast that I can make different every day of a week that doesn’t require any babysitting or tending as it cooks.

Today I’m sharing how to make Instant Pot oatmeal with both steel cut oats and rolled oats plus 10 flavor combinations—from fruit or kale, to chocolate chips and nut butters—to make this oatmeal totally your own.

This recipe is brought to you by Blue Diamond Almond Breeze

My family has a long history of eating oatmeal for breakfast. As a kid, I never even knew you could make oatmeal on the stove top, because my mom would always buy the instant quick oats oatmeal packets, placing them easily within our elementary school arm’s reach so my little sister and I could boil the water for the packet of oats and mystery ingredients to make our own breakfast before school.

My mom was smart that way. We learned how to fend for ourselves and she earned herself a little extra mom time in the morning with her coffee and the Today Show.

As I moved on in life, I sort of fell off the oatmeal-for-breakfast train and favored scrambled eggs, or cottage cheese and toast, or my fave microwave egg whites and spinach toasted bagel as my made-in-the-office breakfast instead.

But then last year when my sister served me her recipe for Instant Pot steel cut oats oatmeal alongside her famous latte, I made the return to dosing up on my own morning oatmeal once again.

This Instant Pot oatmeal has been perfected by my sister. If there’s one thing that Holly does and always does right, it’s making sure that she measures, that she takes notes, and that she makes it perfect. She’s a scientist, and that’s why she is such a good cook. Because sure, cooking can be art, but it all starts with science.

But Is Instant Pot Oatmeal Actually Easier to Make? Yes!

The Instant Pot is still enjoying its run as the trendy appliance of the season or two, but here’s one more validating reason it’s worth the cupboard space: I like making oatmeal in the Instant Pot rather than over the stove or in the microwave because there’s no monitoring involved to be sure it doesn’t bubble over and cause a mess like mine does in the microwave 50% of the time, or stirring to avoid it sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Instead, you simply set it and walk away until the timer rings. And even better, it’s awesome for making a big master batch to keep in the fridge and warm up anytime with your favorite fixins’.

Cooking steel cut oats the traditional way can take up to 30 to 40 minutes of cooking time. But when you toss them into the Instant Pot, the cooking time is cut to 3 to 4 minutes with the resting time of about 10 minutes where the grains continue to soften. Be sure to allow time for the pressure cooker to come up to heat, about 7-10 minutes more.

I’ll take that for $500, Alex!continue to the recipe… about Instant Pot Oatmeal Recipe for Steel Cut Oats or Rolled Oats

37 Easy Healthy Breakfast Recipes to Jumpstart Your Day

April 16, 2018

What’s the best thing to eat for breakfast? All the good things! This roundup of 37 quick and easy, healthy and delicious breakfast ideas will give you all the sustenance and energy you’ll need to keep you going all day long.

When the alarm goes off in the morning, rudely interrupting your peaceful slumber to alert you it’s time to get going, breakfast is likely the last thing on your mind.

But it should be.

Food is fuel, and after being asleep all night, we need a major refill come AM. It’s time to get the energy we need to be alert and power through our day (with a little nudge from our friend caffeine, of course).

Whether we eat breakfast or not, and what that meal might be determines how we’ll feel for the next several hours — dazed and confused, or energized and ready to slay the day. We think we’ll take the latter.

But let’s be real for a minute. We admit, we’re not always on top of our breakfast game, especially on hectic mornings as we wait out traffic. On other frenzied mornings, it becomes something we sacrifice all together for five more minutes of sleep. And as delicious as those few extra z’s may be, they’re nowhere near as delicious as a hearty breakfast burrito or a piping hot bowl of oatmeal with all the fixins.

We know we can do better, we just need a little inspiration and a game plan.

Even if you’re not a morning person, with a bit of planning, it is possible to hit the snooze and have your breakfast, too. And if you’re not a breakfast person, we bet you will be after browsing through these easy, healthy, and totally tempting recipes.

So let’s rise and shine with this list of yummy brekkies!

How to Make an Easy Breakfast On the Go

We all have mornings where we’re lucky if we can get out the door on time, and with matching socks no less. On mornings like those, breakfast tends to get demoted to the bottom of the priority list, or something that escaped our attention entirely.

That’s where these dishes come in.

You can whip them up on the fly, and some can even be prepped the night before, so no matter how early your AM wake up call, you can just grab and go!

Microwave Egg Caprese Breakfast Cups from FoodieCrush

5-Minute Pesto Arugula Breakfast Sandwich from A Couple Cookscontinue to the recipe… about 37 Easy Healthy Breakfast Recipes to Jumpstart Your Day

Easy Chilaquiles with Eggs Recipe

April 12, 2018

Thanks to Taco Tuesday’s Mexican-fest that left you with an extra bag of tortilla chips, salsa and hopefully avocado, all this recipe needs to add is a super simple homemade tomato and chile enchilada sauce and sunny side up eggs to make chilaquiles at home for one of the quickest breakfast or brunch recipes that you’ll totally be making for dinner too.

The first time I spied chilaquiles on the menu was when I actually was IN Mexico, because until recent years, it wasn’t a very common item at any of the Mexican American restaurants I’d been to.

The thought of mixing chips with enchilada sauce and then topping it all with eggs may not sound as compelling as beef and butternut squash enchiladas or 5-minute chipotle shredded chicken taquitos with my homemade creamy avocado salsa verde but because you can have this entire meal-in-one cooked and on the table in less than 20 minutes, that’s more than compelling to me.

The recipe archives here on FoodieCrush have a well-stocked list of Mexican favorites, but there’s been a hole just waiting to be filled with this skillet breakfast nacho recipe. That’s why when I was leafing through one of my favorite food bloggers new cookbook, The Minimalist Kitchen: 100 Wholesome Recipes, Essential Tools, and Efficient Techniques by Melissa Coleman of The Faux Martha, this recipe was just one that leapt from it’s beautifully, but simply, designed pages.

I’ve known Melissa for years and have first hand seen her work her recipe-making magic in her minimalist farmhouse kitchen and totally enjoyed the labor of her foodie love.

I remember looking at the spices in her kitchen cupboard and thinking to myself, “Really? Is that all she has to flavor everything she cooks with?” And when she asked me to hand her a spatula, I was surprised at the contrast to my own kitchen when I opened the drawer and there in Melissa’s drawer I found just.one.spatula.

But oh the magic Melissa can make when living, and cooking, with less. And not only cooking, but baking the best things, too. She lives what she preaches and does it with ultimate style and loving grace.

What you won’t find in The Minimalist Kitchen are recipes with a laundry list of ingredients or take all day to make. That wouldn’t be very minimalist, now would it? Instead what you’ll find along with 100 recipes for her famous pizzas, easy to succeed at desserts and her make-every-day-of-the-week-hummus, are Melissa’s tricks and tips to making and keeping a minimalist kitchen yourself. This is just one of the ways The Minimalist Kitchen stands out among the rest.

How to Create a Minimalist Kitchen

Here are a few of Melissa’s minimalist tendency takeaways I’m totally working toward myself:continue to the recipe… about Easy Chilaquiles with Eggs Recipe

17 Recipes to Make with Leftover Ham

March 28, 2018

From ham and bean soup to ham fried rice, these 17 irresistible leftover ham recipes are the perfect way to put those smoky Easter leftovers to good use.

If you’re lucky enough to find yourself with leftover ham this Easter (this is one of my favorite recipes), that means spring pastas, soups, fried rice, and more are just a bite away. Of course it takes a whole lot of restraint not to just channel our inner caveman and snack on the remaining ham straight off the bone — the porky goodness is just way too tempting.

Baked hams are a celebratory food. Since we tend to make them for holidays and special occasions, they’re typically not something we have on a regular basis, so when we do, we know there’s a wealth of yummy ideas for repurposing that ham are at our disposal.

From classic split pea soup made in the pressure cooker, to gussied up grilled cheese, these round-two leftover ideas are so good, they’ll give your holiday ham dinner a run for its money .

So let’s carve in, shall we?

Pressure Cooker Split Pea Soup with Ham from Skinnytastecontinue to the recipe… about 17 Recipes to Make with Leftover Ham

The 20 Most Popular FoodieCrush Recipes of 2017

December 27, 2017

I published many recipes on FoodieCrush this year, and while I thought they were all good, this is YOUR list of readers’ top 20 favorites.

The best recipes are the ones we come back to time and time again — the ones that are the heart of of our ever-expanding repertoire and the ones that keep them asking for seconds.

This last year I tinkered and tested, made a lot of messes, and whipped up tons of winners along with a fair share of losers that you never even got to see. Hopefully I’ve inspired you to make memories in the kitchen and to make something good, because honestly, what’s better than enjoying a stellar meal with the ones you love?

I’m happy to bring you YOUR list of the 20 most popular recipes chosen by readers as your favorites. These are the recipes that were most clicked on/bookmarked/and hopefully cooked with by FoodieCrush readers in 2017. Some are new, some are favorites you obviously keep coming back to for more, but all of them were FoodieCrush favorites.

Happy eating, friends. :)
continue to the recipe… about The 20 Most Popular FoodieCrush Recipes of 2017

Ham and Cheese Breakfast Casserole

December 18, 2017

Breakfast for a crowd has never been easier thanks to this incredibly easy to assemble, make-ahead ham and cheese breakfast casserole that some may call a soufflé or a strata, but we just call delicious.

This recipe has been on the blog since the beginning, because it’s one of my very favorites. But just like everything worth keeping around, it was time for it to get a refresh and update.

My family isn’t steeped too deeply in legendary traditions. As kids, we didn’t go to the same summer vacation spot year after year nor did we play the perennial party games at the annual family reunion.

But we did always gather together on Thanksgiving and Christmas. And that’s why it’s my favorite time of the year. Memories of grandmas and grandpa, all the aunts and uncles and cousins too, together to eat, share, arm wrestle—and beat—my boy cousins and watch TBS’s 24 hour A Christmas Story marathon.

Each and every Christmas morning of of my 29 ‘plus’ years, I’ve had this ham and cheese breakfast casserole we assemble the night before and then bake on Christmas morn in all of its gooey, cheesy, ground ham you’ll breakfast ingredient lovers union.

And this casserole is special, because this casserole never makes another appearance at any other time of the year than on Christmas morning. We simply don’t ever want it to lose it’s special shining sparkle.continue to the recipe… about Ham and Cheese Breakfast Casserole

31 Instant Pot & Slow Cooker Holiday Recipes to Make in December

December 3, 2017

These 31 Instant Pot and slow cooker holiday dishes are perfect for easy meals when company calls, hearty breakfasts when extended family crashes, and fun treats for all of your holiday mingling this month.

Happy December!

Are you scurrying around like little elves, trying to get your holiday shopping done? Is the Instant Pot on your wish list? If not, it should be! It was the most sold item on Amazon last year, and it’s expected to do the same this year. That’s because this appliance is a beast. It functions as a slow cooker or a pressure cooker, slashing most cooking times in half, and leaving you with minimal cleanup.

Isn’t that magic to the ears, especially during the holidays?

That’s why our latest and last installment of the 31 day what to cook series is all about holiday dishes you can whip up effortlessly in your Instant Pot or or slow cooker. From crowd favorite appetizers and hearty breakfasts to soul-warming soups and beverages, we’ve got you covered this holiday season.

continue to the recipe… about 31 Instant Pot & Slow Cooker Holiday Recipes to Make in December

31 Pumpkin Recipes to Carve Into This Fall

October 15, 2017

This round up of 31 favorite sweet and savory pumpkin breakfast, pasta soup, and dessert recipes will get you in the fall spirit.

What ingredient is a better beacon of fall than the pumpkin? The seasonal return of this dimply, round squash is marked by PSL’s on coffee shop menus, and neat rows of Libby’s, prominently displayed on endcaps in groceries everywhere. It’s a sure sign that autumn is here, which means full-fledged pumpkin mania can now ensue.

Like stores racing to put out Valentine’s Day paraphernalia as soon as Christmas ends, hardcore pumpkin fanatics start tinkering with recipes in August, if not sooner. Pumpkin cinnamon rolls on a 90-degree day? That’s love. The general consensus seems to be that late September is when it’s socially acceptable to open up that can of pumpkin (in case you were asking for a friend).

While our Thanksgiving tables would be pretty lackluster without the appearance of that classic slice of whipped-cream dolloped pumpkin pie, there are so many more ways to enjoy pumpkin. We love roasting it for salads, puréeing it into soups, and baking it up into sweet morning treats.

Here are 31 sweet and savory ways to enjoy it this fall.

continue to the recipe… about 31 Pumpkin Recipes to Carve Into This Fall

Microwave Egg Caprese Breakfast Cups

September 5, 2017

This hot homemade ham, egg and caprese-flavored breakfast can be in yo’ belly in just two minutes thanks to a quick cook in the microwave. Yes, this is how you can easily cook eggs in the microwave.

Hi! I’m Heidi and I’ll be serving you today. What can I get you?

One of the recent requests here on le bloggity blog is for more easy recipes for quick breakfasts please!

I totally get it. We all know that a good breakfast is the key to setting up your day for success so if you could create a weekend-tasting breakfast in the time it takes to pour a bowl of cereal, I’m betting you’d totally be into this breakfast that fully supports your snooze button needs. (Have you seen my list of 19 healthy breakfasts when you don’t have time to eat?!!)

And that’s why the microwave is your egg cooking friend.

continue to the recipe… about Microwave Egg Caprese Breakfast Cups

Summer Melon Cous Cous Salad with Avocado, Grapes and Mint

July 10, 2017

Hail all things green! Pillowy pearl couscous provides the bulk of this fresh honeydew, grape, cucumber, and avocado salad tossed with fresh herbs laced in a a ginger lime dressing that goes from breakfast or brunch to lunch and dinner with loads of summer’s seasonal flavors.

While I’m not one to watch much daytime TV, the other day I sat down to lunch and flipped the old telly on while I ate my ad hoc salad made from random tidbits of dinner from the night before. I swear, if anyone bore witness to some of the combinations of odds and ends I toss together for my daily lunches I would surely lose all of my food blogging cred.

If you haven’t watched daytime television in a while, you aren’t missing a dang thing. After trolling up and down all 687 channels trying to avoid marathon episodes of Hoarders!, I flipped over to The Cooking Channel where an episode of The Kitchen was airing. There I saw always poised and perky Katie Lee sharing a recipe with GZ for an exceptionally green quinoa salad, but not green with lettuce as one would expect in the traditional way.continue to the recipe… about Summer Melon Cous Cous Salad with Avocado, Grapes and Mint

Puff Pastry Smoked Salmon and Goat Cheese Quiche

May 11, 2017

Thanks to a few staples you can keep in your fridge and freezer, this quick and simple quiche comes together fast thanks to a puff pastry crust filled with custard-ey eggs, smoked salmon, and crème fraîche or goat cheese.

This post has been updated with new photos and a few tweaks to the recipe. Enjoy!

Keeping long-lasting basic ingredients on hand in the fridge, freezer, and panty easily solves the “what’s for dinner” question. And with this super simple, quick quiche recipe, you won’t have to ponder that question for breakfast, brunch or lunch either.

We’ve definitely been on a breakfast kick and quiche has been top of mind. And I don’t mean breakfast for breakfast, but for dinner instead. One of my favorite things growing up is when my dad would break out the big electric frying pan in the evening and sauté mushrooms and bacon for Grandma’s Eggs. What kid doesn’t think breakfast for dinner is some sort of cosmically altered universe? And it’s an easy way for mom and dad to look like we’re ‘breaking the rules’ and going against society.

What rebels we are.
continue to the recipe… about Puff Pastry Smoked Salmon and Goat Cheese Quiche

Avocado Toast with Tomato and Hard Boiled Egg

April 10, 2017

Healthful, nutritious, and filling, this avocado toast with hard boiled egg is an easy to assemble open faced sandwich ready for eating on the go.

Are you over the “put an egg on it” movement yet? I know. Me neither. It seems like it’s the mantra for making any favorite recipe a little harder to resist.

It’s the most popular way to sexy things up. Simply top whatever you’re making with a golden drippy yellow yolk that oozes down the edges of whatever it’s topping and BAM! You have one Instgrammable dish. I’m certainly a fan of the egg drip over anything and everything, but it can be a bit of a mess, and far from being hand-held fare.

To make my egg topped avocado toast a little less napkin-needy, I’ve taken to topping it with the simple but mighty hard boiled egg. And this time around, this egg gets a shave. continue to the recipe… about Avocado Toast with Tomato and Hard Boiled Egg

The Best Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

April 5, 2017

Finding the best homemade cinnamon roll recipe has been my mission for more years than I can count on two hands.

Strike that.

Finding the best homemade cinnamon roll recipe and actually making it, now THAT is what has been my mission for that number of years.

I’ve Pinned hundreds of recipes on Pinterest, and liked all of them on Facebook. I’ve torn out every recipe from every magazine that’s shared cinnamon rolls deemed fit to bake. And it seems that just about every week of Friday Faves has one more recipe for the perfect cinnamon roll included in it.

Not that I’ve ever made any of them.continue to the recipe… about The Best Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

Bacon Broccoli and Potato Frittata

March 29, 2017

Invented to be the perfect vehicle for any sort of leftover lounging in the fridge or flavor combination you can’t get out of your head, the essence of this frittata’s baked egg goodness is delivered in each and every bacon, broccoli, and potato-filled bite.

This post is brought to you by Kroger

Frittatas are a meal that leads a double life, possessing the wow factor of the uppity and far more finicky egg soufflé with the utilitarian goodness of a hardy egg omelette. They’re comfortingly adaptable. You can add meats, cheeses, and veggies of any sort. You can serve them hot, or serve them cold. You can eat them on fine china or from a napkin in your hand, in the car, on the way to work.

It’s true. Frittatas may just be the ultimate all-in-one food.

Even better, once you have the method and the proportions down, you can customize these custardy skillet bakes to your food craving’s content, making for a delicious breakfast, brunch, lunch, and even dinner that serves a crowd with minimal fuss.

Minimal fuss. Now, THAT is what I call the ultimate crowd pleaser.
continue to the recipe… about Bacon Broccoli and Potato Frittata

German Chocolate Banana Bread

March 27, 2017

My favorite banana bread recipe gets a nutty chocolate chunk upgrade, making this quick bread a dessert lovers dream.

To say I have a fetish with German Chocolate anything and everything is a severe understatement. Proof in the chocolate pudding is right here.

I could try and blame it on my German heritage, but let’s just say it like it is: I am a load-it-up-with-all-the-nuts-chocolate lover and I have no willpower when this flavor-bomb combo is in sight. I mean, have you ever had Baskin Robbins German Chocolate Cake ice cream?

Has chocolate ever been considered a part of our DNA? Apparently so! Who-da thunk that someone (not me) was likely to investigate?

My favorite part of this banana bread is all the additional fixins, but the secret is what lies under the toppings, and proof that beauty is more than skin deep.

continue to the recipe… about German Chocolate Banana Bread

Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Bread

December 28, 2016

Garlicky chunks of bread are mixed with cream cheese, spinach, and artichoke hearts, then stuffed back into the shell and baked for a show-stopping appetizer everyone will want seconds of!

This post is in partnership with Arla USA

Like so many of my favorite recipes, I keep the originals in my tattered, over stuffed, recipe book I bought when we were first married. It’s filled with the hand-written recipes I’ve discovered have been handed down to me by my mom and grandmothers or shared with me by friends.

This is a variation of one of those special recipes. Its title in my much-better-penmanship-then-than-now-because-all-I-do-is-type is Mark’s Yummy Bread. Mark was the post college boyfriend of one of my besties. He and Julie aka Flash (whose nickname came about because she is so smart and such a thinker she is the opposite of fast) made this stuffed cheese bread for us at a friend party we hosted at our house. Ironically, about a year later, Mark actually bought that house from us. Apparently, we really know how to throw a house party.

And now, even more years later, we still talk about this bread. You could say it became legendary.continue to the recipe… about Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Bread

Pull-Apart Cinnamon Pecan Rolls

December 20, 2016

These super easy but delightfully delicious cinnamon pecan pull-apart rolls with a brown sugar and butter caramel sauce are perfect for any weekend or holiday brunch.

This post is in partnership with McCormick

I am a nut about Christmas traditions.

Even today, I still make sure the garish Christmas ornament I made in third grade from a paper plate wrapped with red and green yarn to look like a wreath and sporting a photo of my Brownie Scout-buck-toothed grin hangs in its place of glory, in the same spot, every year, on my mom’s elegantly decorated Christmas tree.

When it comes to holiday traditions, it’s the little things that count.

For our family, one of the most revered traditions is our Christmas morning breakfast. In fact it’s so special, we only serve it once a year, and this Cinnamon Pecan Roll bundt breakfast treat is a favorite part of it. continue to the recipe… about Pull-Apart Cinnamon Pecan Rolls

Slow-Cooker Mediterranean Egg Casserole

December 13, 2016

This hearty, filling slow cooker egg casserole recipe with Mediterranean flavors, goat cheese, and prosciutto is simple to put together and can be assembled the night before so it’ll cook while you sleep!

This post is in partnership with KraftRecipes.com. As always, thank you for reading and supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. All opinions are always my own.

We can all breathe a collective sigh of relief because the finish line is close. The end of 2016 is drawing near and holiday reverie is slowly slipping from our candy cane-grubbed-grasp.

There’s just one downside to the holidays. Okay, make that two.

The first one is that the holidays eventually come to an end. I’m a Christmas girl so holiday time for me is honestly the most wonderful time of the year.

The second—and the one we need to watch out for the most—is the supreme pressure we put on ourselves to make the holiday perfect. We overcommit, over-extend and over-do. This year I say we cut ourselves a little slack and take an easier way out—especially when it comes to cooking. How? By taking a few shortcuts to create a homemade holiday from the heart.continue to the recipe… about Slow-Cooker Mediterranean Egg Casserole

19 Healthy Breakfasts for When You Don’t Have Time to Eat

October 17, 2016

You know what they say.

The early bird gets the worm.

You may not be a morning person (confession: I’m not a morning person), but waking up with the sun is one thing, skipping breakfast is another. I know, the struggle is real, but regardless of what time your alarm clock rudely interrupts your peaceful slumber, forgoing the most important meal of the day is just no way to start the morning.

I know what you’re thinking. “But I’m busy, I barely have enough time to put myself together in the mornings, let alone build a well-balanced, Instagram-worthy breakfast!”

Come on. Can we be real for a sec?continue to the recipe… about 19 Healthy Breakfasts for When You Don’t Have Time to Eat

Cherry Berry and Banana Overnight Oats

July 13, 2016

Oats, cherries, berries and banana soak in almond milk overnight in the refrigerator to create a no-cook red, white and blue layered, healthy on-the-go breakfast in a jar.

This year I’m partnering with Blue Diamond Almond Breeze to share healthful recipes made with almond milk, like these easy, no-cook overnight oats that will help you serve up your best.

This summer our days have been jam-packed. No lazy days of summer here. She’s been a busy 12 year old with one camp or another almost every week this summer.

Golf camp. Soccer camp. And to continue carrying on my sport-loving legacy, she had her first volleyball camp too.

continue to the recipe… about Cherry Berry and Banana Overnight Oats

How to Make a Blended Iced Mocha

June 8, 2016

This decadent homemade version of everyone’s favorite blended coffee drink with mocha is made lighter with almond milk, and is so easy once you get the ratio right. Here’s how.

This year I’m partnering with Blue Diamond Almond Breeze to share healthful recipes made with almond milk, like this coffee-infused, frosty chocolate treat of a drink.

Because I may have made a mistake in my mothering tactics.

Earlier this year I introduced my Smudge to the wonderful world of ice blended mochas. Oh man, I LOVE THEM! But at almost $5 a drink, and a whole lot of calories that I we don’t need, I’m not sure what I was thinking.

And so, now, just every single time we get into the car, she smiles that million-watt-just-got-the-braces-off-smile and as sweet as sugar asks me, “Can we go get a MO-KA?”

And then she winks. And then I cave.

I’m such a sucker. I fall for it just about every time. But now, I’ve come up with a solution that’s going to be a lot easier on the old wallet (this ones my fave because it’s so small), and still serve her craving.

AND! My “borrowed” sips are lower in calories, too. Score one for misfired mothering tactics!

continue to the recipe… about How to Make a Blended Iced Mocha