I’ve started meal planning lately (week 1, week 2, week 3, week 4), and — wow — I’m becoming a big fan! There are just so many benefits: less trips to the grocery store, lower grocery bills, less wasted food, less stress during the day about what the heck we’re going to eat for dinner, and of course … […]
Tag Archives | recipes

Fall Menu Inspiration: Easy Crock-Pot Recipes and More!
Happy September! I love fall and football and slow-cooked meals. It’s all so cozy I just want to curl up on the couch with Cookie and Muffin. Not “a” cookie and muffin, although those would be nice, too; I’m talking about Cookie and Muffin. This is Muffin: This is Cookie: They are both very soft and […]

Quick and Easy Weeknight Dinners!
Thank you Silicon Labs Austin (especially Jason, Jalene, and Donna), and thank you MAMAs Austin (especially Amy and Lauren)! What a pleasure it was to speak to your groups about Quick and Easy Weeknight Dinners! And to everyone who attended, thank YOU for your interest, ideas, and follow-up emails. As promised, I’m providing a list […]

Recipe Round-up: 25 Naturally Gluten-Free Recipes
Nothing quite makes my day like meeting a new friend! Like my new friend Laila, who I met on Instagram yesterday. She recently made my Crock-Pot Pork Verde, and even her kids enjoyed it! Laila said that she has recently started following a gluten-free diet. So for her, I’m doing this gluten-free recipe round-up. All of these […]

Recipe Roundup: Food Ideas for the Fourth
You know why I love the Fourth of July? Because I get to break out these bad boys. And these bad boys. And then hang out at a picnic all day. Really though. I do love the Fourth. And not just because it’s like a 24-hour tailgate. I love it because — for just one […]

Salmon Tacos with Cilantro-Lime Sauce
As I’ve mentioned before, if there’s anything I love more than cooking, it’s not cooking (especially when it’s really hot or I’m really hungry). In other words, although I do love to be in the kitchen, very often I just want to enjoy some good food without a lot of fuss. Which is the way Jack […]

Soup When You’re Sick (or Not): Lime Soup With a Thai Twist
Belize is my kind of place: White sand, blue water, rum punch, lime soup. Have you been? I went with my best friend Elissa and our mutual friend Rob back in 2007. We left a few days after Christmas and stayed through the New Year. This was back when John and I had just started […]

On the Mediterranean Diet: A Recipe for Lentils
Did you hear the news? A recent study confirmed what many suspected: A diet rich in olive oil, nuts, beans, lean protein, fruits and vegetables can reduce your chances of having a heart attack or stroke. By a lot. As was reported in the New York Times a couple of weeks ago: The magnitude of the […]

Quinoa with Butter, Almonds and Cranberries
Okay, so I am officially becoming my dad. I am usually in bed before 9 p.m. I have a Japanese car (with light-colored seats!) that gets good gas mileage. I’m an over buyer, especially as to milk and paper towels. I use my blinker like a Driver’s-Ed instructor. I can’t stand loud restaurants. And my […]

Easter Treats: Rice Krispie Treat Nests with Candy Eggs
I rarely know what day it is. Probably because I don’t write checks very often or work a regular job. And probably also because I have a three-month-old and three-year-old at home, neither of whom has any concept of time. (Although I did get a laugh the other day when Jack, the three-year-old, told me […]

Easy and Elegant Recipe for Pork Tenderloin
Isn’t in funny how times change. A decade ago, it was perfectly acceptable for Martha Stewart to provide a recipe that took multiple days to prepare. Whereas, these days, Rachael Ray doesn’t even waste time on extraneous syllables! (EVOO, veg, sammy, delish.) I think I’m somewhere in the middle: I love a recipe that looks […]

The BEST Recipe for Crab Cakes
I made crab cakes last night for dinner. Jack ate two and John ate SEVEN. That’s why John and I are such a good match. As his dad likes to say: “Well isn’t funny that a guy who loves to EAT finds a girl who loves to COOK!” Here’s what you need to know about […]

Ideas for Valentine’s Day Dinner
Hey Guys, have you made plans yet for the big day? No, not the Super Bowl. Valentine’s Day! How about this: A romantic dinner for two (or more) in your own cozy dining room. It’s what John and I have been doing for years. We usually invite over four or five other couples (with kids) […]
Top Ten Super Bowl Party Food Ideas!
The Super Bowl is this Sunday! What are you serving? Here are my top ten ideas (from past posts) that would be fun for game day: Keep ’em Coming Crab Cakes: My favorite party food EVER. Serve with remoulade sauce. Hummus with Veggies or Pita: Easy healthy dip. Good for kids and vegetarians! Is-It-Hot-In-Here Stuffed […]
High-Protein Lunch: Another Take on Tuna Salad
My friend Erica told me this about motherhood: “The days are long. The years are short.” She is so right. For example: The day seems long when I’ve been awake since 5:30 in the morning and now it’s 5:30 in the evening and we are all hungry and sister is fussing and then, a bunny […]
Roasted Beet Salad with Feta and Nuts
Some things are so divisive. Politics. Minivans. Beets. You either love ’em or you hate ’em. Or, you’re like me and just like ’em in small doses. To me, beets taste best roasted in the oven, and then tossed over a green salad with salty cheese, crunchy nuts, and a tart vinaigrette. Do you have […]

Pistachio-Crusted Cod
I am enjoying the cold weather. I am. It’s fun to bundle up in hats and gloves and puffy jackets and venture out with the stroller for a walk. But at the same time, I am already thinking about summer. About my second-favorite place on earth: Port Aransas, Texas. (Austin is my first favorite, if […]

Easy Oven-Baked Chicken Tenders
After a wonderfully hectic Christmas, John and I rang in the New Year with a double-date dinner at one of my favorite Austin restaurants, Fabi & Rosi. Have you been? If not, you must go. The atmosphere is peaceful and romantic. The menu is European with strong German influences. (The owner, Wolfgang, is from Germany […]

Recipe for Peas: Sautéed Peas with Shallots and Mint
So John and I had a dinner party last night. Pretty much everyone who came is either a great cook or married to one, so I was a little intimidated when planning the menu. Here’s what I came up with: Appetizer: Lump Crab Cakes + Cheese Plate + Lil’ Smokies (long story) Main Course: Prime […]