I posted a recipe for Cheesy Puréed Cauliflower about a year ago. Since then I’ve improved the recipe — with a better explanation of key details and a simpler recipe, so I wanted to share the updates with you. Here’s the deal with this dish: You need to cook the cauliflower until it is very, very […]
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Even Easier Mashed Cauliflower

Seven Secrets for Killer Kale Chips
So I’m slightly obsessed with kale. No, not THIS obsessed. But I am definitely on the kale bandwagon of late. Almost overnight, I went from a maybe-Kale eater to a daily-Kale eater after watching this truly fascinating TED Talk about the health benefits of kale and other fibrous, sulfurous vegetables. (Go on … I’ll be quiet here for 17 […]

How to Make Chimichurri
Chimichurri. It is my favorite condiment of late for so many reasons: It’s easy to make. It’s light and fresh. It goes with anything. It adds a vibrant green color to your plate. It’s gluten, grain and dairy free, as well as paleo, vegan, sugar free, and raw! What’s more, the main ingredient — parsley — […]

How to Roast Acorn Squash in the Oven
Let’s talk fall for a minute. Acorn squash. On the outside, it may be dark green, orange, or beige. The ones with dark green skin seem to be more common at our local grocery stores, although Trader Joe’s had some pretty orange ones last fall. I find acorn squash easier to work with than the other amber-fleshed […]

The BEST Way to Cook Bacon
Martha Stewart may not be as popular as she once was, but she is still a genius in my book. Her website is where I learned how to cook bacon the only way I will ever cook bacon ever again ever, ever, ever: IN THE OVEN. Martha calls it “Less Mess Bacon,” which is completely accurate. Just […]

Easy Homemade Graham Crackers!
Now that I’m all into preschool lunches, it seemed like a good time to try out homemade graham crackers. What are graham crackers, anyway? Sure, they come in a blue box with yellow writing … but what makes a graham a graham? According to Wikipedia, graham crackers were invented by Rev. Sylvester Graham, an early pioneer of health food. […]

School Lunch Ideas!
I ran into a chef friend of mine the other day at Las Palomas. He was having dinner with his wife and I was chasing my daughter back to the table. He asked if I was still cooking. I said with a completely straight face: “Well, I’m really into preschool lunches.” Really into preschool lunches. […]

Dulce De Leche Icebox Cheesecake Pie
It’s National Cheesecake Day! Who knew? I didn’t until I hopped on Instagram this morning. (Are you on Instagram yet? Come join me! It’s fun and artistic and inspiring!) As a tribute to this important day, I’m reposting this unbelievable dulce-de-leche frozen-cheesecake-pie thingy with a Teddy-Grahamy crust and Nutella drizzled all over the top. It’s by […]

More Summer Inspiration!
So how is July treating you? Hot? So hot, I know. Well, here are 10 more ideas to cool you down and brighten up your long summer days! If you have other ideas to share, please do! Thank you and happy summer, Marie 1) Make homemade cherry limeade! Pit a bunch of cherries (10-20), and […]

Dad’s Pasta With Clam Sauce
Do you like clams? I have a feeling clams are kind of like oysters and minivans. You love ’em or hate ’em. If you are a lover, oooh have I got a recipe for you. My dad came up with it years ago, and we have been enjoying it ever since. It’s pasta with clam […]

The Easiest Way to Make Pickled Onions
I love pickled onions. I put them on everything … … Barbacoa … Pork verde … Pulled pork … Thai Lettuce Wraps … As well as almost any burger, dog, sandwich, taco or salad. Often, I make them from scratch, which basically just involves soaking sliced onions in a mixture of vinegar, water, salt, sugar, and […]

The Easiest Way to Cook Broccoli
Hi again y’all! Yesterday I posted about the easiest way to cook salmon, and today I’ll share the easiest way to cook broccoli. (Just think, if you make the salmon and the broccoli together, in 20 minutes or less you can have what might be the easiest and healthiest meal on the planet!) Here’s what you do: Place […]

The Easiest Way to Cook Salmon
If you’re not cooking salmon this way yet, you totally should. In the past, my go-to method was to pan-sear salmon with a hot fire on the stovetop. Which was always kind of a hassle because the hot oil would pop all over the place and the whole house would end up smelling like fish. Then I found […]

20 Things to Do This Summer
Here we are already halfway through summer! In Texas, the hottest days are yet to come. If you need inspiration, like we do, for getting through another month or two of the dog days, here are some ideas: 1) Hook up a slip-n-slide and make everyone take a turn (even mom and dad!) 2) Cut everyone […]

Recipe for Pistachio-Crusted Cod
I’m not a meal planner. I tried once, but couldn’t get beyond the days of the week. (See below.) Total fail. Which is why I have to keep recipes like Pistachio-Crusted Cod around. It’s a freezer meal — meaning, everything you need can be kept in the freezer. Next time you’re at the grocery, buy […]

Easy Meat Sauce for Spaghetti or Lasagna
Lately I’m all into this book Simplicity Parenting. As the cover says, the book is about “using the extraordinary power of less to raise calmer, happier, and more secure kids.” It’s a bit counterintuitive because we are such a “more” society, but I am now a firm believer in the power of less. Less clothes clothes […]

Eggplant Lasagna: Super Easy and Gluten Free!
My mom and I used to make lasagna together when I was a kid. While it was always fun to make, it never turned out just right. The noodles were often broken in the box, and then would stick together in the water. For the filling, we used a mixture of frozen (thawed) chopped spinach […]

Pesto-Prosciutto Chicken: Quick and Easy Dinner
Pesto-Pancetta Pork Tenderloin has been my go-to dinner-party dish for years. It’s easy and yummy and a real crowd pleaser, especially if you brine the pork. But who has time to brine pork?! Seriously, people. So lately, for a quick and easy weeknight dinner, I’ve been making the same dish with chicken and prosciutto instead […]

Rice Krispie Treat Easter Nests
I’m actually a little surprised it took me this long to look it up. Here I am 36 years old and I’m just now learning why we tell our children that a big bunny brings eggs on Easter. This is the explanation on History.com: According to some sources, the Easter bunny first arrived in America in the […]

Whole-Grain Snack: Animal Tracks Cookies
Remember that moment in Big when Josh raises his hand and says, “I don’t get it.”? I love that scene. (You can watch it here.) It so perfectly captures the 1980s, and the genius of a child’s mind. I had my own Big moment here at home the other day. Jack had asked to make cookies, and […]