Shepherd's Pie

Looking for some classic comfort food? This traditional Shepherd's Pie is warm and delicious and made in one skillet 

for easy clean up. The best part is it can be on your dinner table in about 45 minutes!

We are all fans of quick and easy weeknight meals, am I right? Between work, school, sports, and everything else in between, there are days when there isn’t a lot of time to get dinner on the table. I try to pre-plan as much as I can on the weekends, because making home cooked meals for my family as often as I can is very important to me.

One of my favorite types of dinners are one pot meals. They are quick and easy, and there isn’t a lot of clean up involved. Which means more time for other things. Like my sons basketball games. Or catching up on laundry. Or binge watching my favorite show. (Shh, that one is our little secret!)

Apple Browned Butter Tart #SundaySupper

This beautiful tart is filled with delicious Honeycrisp apples and a browned butter custard filling that is simply irresistible! 

Although I love to bake, pies have never been my forte. I'm not exactly sure what it is. Maybe I'm intimidated by the whole crust thing. Or just the precision of everything. Whatever the reason is, I seem to gravitate towards baking everything else other than pie!

When I found out the theme for this weeks' Sunday Supper was pie, I knew I had to get in the kitchen and come up with something special. My creation is this Apple Browned Butter Tart. With it's flaky crust, creamy custard filling, and tender apples, it's a dessert you'll want to make again and again!

Chocolate Espresso Skillet Cake with Fudge Frosting

This decadent, fudgy, and delicious cake is the perfect pick me up any time of the day! Topped with 

a warm fudge frosting and chopped pecans, it will definitely satisfy your sweet tooth!

I love cast iron pans. For Christmas I received a large, 12-inch skillet, and I've been happily using it ever since! I love the versatility of these pans. From searing steaks and seafood to make deep dish pizza to baking sweet treats, there isn't much you can't do in a cast iron pan. 

My sweet tooth was nagging at me last weekend, pushing me to make something decadent and delicious. I had grabbed a Chocolove Coffee Crunch in Dark Chocolate bar from Door to Door Organics with my last order, and I couldn't wait to bake it into something amazing. As my mind was reeling with ideas of chocolate goodness, this Chocolate Espresso Skillet Cake with Fudge Frosting was born and boy oh boy, let me tell you, it's divine!

Quinoa Salad with Apples, Pecans and Dried Cranberries #SundaySupper

This easy, delicious and healthy quinoa salad is full of flavor and makes a great side dish or main dish meal!

Since the start of the new year I've really been focusing on my healthy habit goals. One of those goals was to eat more fruits and vegetables, and another was to eat more whole grains. An easy way for me to fulfill the veggie goal has been eating salads. I LOVE salads, and more often than not I have a side salad with my dinner. Luckily, my kids like salad too, so it's been a great way for us all to up our veggie intake.

I've recently been experimenting with quinoa and recipes to make with it. Quinoa is a wholesome grain that's a great source of fiber and protein. It has a mild taste and a bit of crunch, so it's perfect in many dishes. This Quinoa Salad with Apples, Pecans and Dried Cranberries also has spicy arugula and super flavorful and nutty Gouda cheese in it, and it's quickly become my favorite winter salad.

Cherry Filled Crepes

These delicate and delicious crepes are filled with a homemade cherry sauce and come together quickly 

for the most fabulous weekend breakfast!

I'm beginning to think I should turn this blog into a breakfast blog. I mean, my obsession with breakfast is off the hook right now! Don't you agree? I hope you are cool with this, because I really love creating new breakfast recipes and sharing them with you. And I promise, I'll blog about other stuff too. Like desserts. And quick weeknight meals. But I've got to keep doing this breakfast thing, too. Do we have a deal?

For now, let's talk about these Cherry Filled Crepes. Probably one of my favorite weekend breakfasts right now. Who can go wrong with thin, delicious crepes and a luscious homemade cherry sauce? It's seriously the bomb. My kids agree too!

No Bake Double Chocolate Pie

This rich and creamy double chocolate pie will satisfy your sweet tooth any time of the day! Plus, it doesn't require baking!

A few weeks ago my sweet tooth smacked me in the face and demanded something chocolaty. I wasn't in the mood for cookies or brownies, I wanted something quick and easy, and something a little different. I don't make pies very often, I'm more of the cake, cookie, brownie type, but this particular day my craving was for chocolate pie. And really, you need to listen to your sweet tooth when it's talking to you. Am I right?

This No Bake Double Chocolate Pie couldn't be easier to make.  A few ingredients, a few simple steps, and you'll have this decadent pie in your face in no time!  Since it's a layered pie, I decided to grab my new PushPan® and give it a whirl. The pan is very deep so it's perfect for these types of desserts!

White Chicken Chili

This easy, super flavorful White Chicken Chili hits the spot on a cold winter's night. What's even better is that 

it can be on your table in less than 30 minutes! And who doesn't love a quick weeknight meal?

After going on and on last week about how much I love soup in the winter, I just had to share one of my favorite chili recipes. Don't get me wrong, I love traditional beef and bean chili, but I absolutely adore this White Chicken Chili. Simple ingredients, super flavorful, and a little bit of kick. Now that's MY kind of dish!

I had a terrible, mean, nasty cold bug last week and this chili totally hit the spot for me. So much so that I made a double batch and ate it for lunch several days in a row. It was warm and comforting on my throat and the spice was good for opening my head up. 

Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes

There's nothing quite like a stack of homemade pancakes, and these Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes 

are no exception! Light, fluffy, and filled with fresh juicy blueberries, these pancakes 

are perfect to wake up to any day of the week!

I'm back on my breakfast kick again, but this time it's all about pancakes! It's no secret I love pancakes, and on the weekends I love making a batch of homemade pancakes {or waffles} for me and the boys. I usually make a double batch of whatever it is, then freeze the extra for the week ahead. There's nothing like having a homemade pancake or waffle during the week before work or school. It totally beats the ones from a box!

These Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes are light, fluffy, and deliciously healthy. Buckwheat flour is a good source of protein and calcium, and it contains a significant amount of fiber. It has a nice nutty flavor which is perfect in these pancakes. I also made these pancakes lactose free.

Shrimp Scampi with Linguine

This simple but elegant Shrimp Scampi with Linguine is perfect for a special occasion, 

but it also makes a great quick weeknight meal!

I love seafood, but I don't cook with it nearly enough. {Other than a box of fish fillets...I know, don't judge!!} Cooking with fresh seafood is something I really want to get better at this year. Scallops, shrimp, fish, I enjoy it all! Lucky for me, my kids like it too. 

I decided I wanted to make a really nice {OK, fancy!} dinner for my boys on Valentine's Day. After all, they are my favorite Valentines ever! I wanted this dish to be simple to make, and something that we could have often, not just on special occasions. This Shrimp Scampi with Linguine was the winner, and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out!

Raspberry Swirl Brownies

These fluffy, chocolaty, delicious brownies are swirled with raspberries and have a secret ingredient inside. Can you guess what it is? It's Greek yogurt! The yogurt keeps the brownies incredibly light and tender, and saves us a few calories, too!

Everyone should know by now how much I love yogurt. Whether I'm putting it in my smoothies, eating it for breakfast with granola, or just snacking on a cup, I go through a lot of yogurt in my house! What most people might now know is how much I love to bake with yogurt, too. Adding yogurt to cakes, breads and other baked goods gives them a light, airy texture, and makes them a bit more friendly on the waistline.

I wanted to make a special dessert for my boys for the holiday because, you know, they have my heart and are my true Valentine's. Always. Since they both love chocolate (and so do I!), I decided to make brownies. Not just any brownies, I might add. These brownies are tender and fluffy and swirled with raspberry preserves. To give them even more raspberry flavor, I used a Divine Dark Chocolate with Raspberries bar in the batter, then topped them with a couple of fresh raspberries. It's raspberry love!

Brownie Batter Overnight Oats

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This easy make-ahead breakfast recipe is chocolaty, delicious, and tastes just like a brownie. 
Plus, it's nutritious! Sounds perfect, right?

The first month of 2016 is already behind us and I can confidently say that I'm doing great on my goals for the year. I've been working hard to implement small changes in my life to make a healthier me, and so far so good. One of the biggest challenges for me has been eating breakfast during the week. I used to only have coffee and call it good, and my first true meal of the day was lunch. We all know that's not good for our bodies, as we need nourishment to get our day off to a great start.

You've heard me talk about the importance of breakfast several times already over the past few weeks (sorry for the repetition!), but it is something that I feel really strongly about. With two teenage boys, I have to practice what I preach so that they'll follow in my footsteps, and I'm hoping you'll see the importance and do the same. That's why I'm taking the 7-Day Breakfast Challenge! Starting today, I'm focusing on my first meal of the day and planning to enjoy a nutritious breakfast for 7 days straight. Want to join me?

Minestrone Soup with Kale

Loaded with vegetables, herbs, and crispy pancetta, this flavorful and delicious minestrone 

soup is homemade comfort food at its best!

I love soup, especially during the winter. There isn't anything quite as comforting as a big bowl of hot soup on a cold day. We've had plenty of those cold days lately, so there have been many pots of soup on my stove. Homemade soup is easy to make and most recipes can be ready quickly, so it's a great choice for busy weeknights.

This super flavorful minestrone is packed with fresh veggies, canned tomatoes, crispy pancetta, and herbs. Pair it with your favorite grilled cheese sandwich for an easy dinner that the whole family will love, especially the kids!

Apple Coconut Breakfast Cake

This sweet and delicious coffee cake is loaded with apples and coconut and is perfect for breakfast!

I love cake. Pretty much any kind of cake. But I really love a cake that is made for breakfast. I'll admit, I've had a piece of chocolate cake or birthday cake on an occasional morning with a cup of coffee. Admit it, I know you have too! But make a cake specifically for breakfast and I'm ALL over it.

Recently I received a box of gorgeous Stemilt Pinata apples and although they taste amazing as is, I couldn't wait to put them in a few recipes. This Apple Coconut Breakfast Cake was the very first thing I made and man was that a good idea! Pinata apples are crisp and juicy and have a tropical taste, which pairs perfectly with the coconut in this cake.

Five Simple Steps to a Healthier You!

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I've been talking a lot about my goals for 2016 lately, and being healthier overall is at the top of that list. Like many of you, I'm busy with work, kids, laundry, cleaning house, etc., and I don't often take care of myself like I should. This is the year where I will focus on myself more and make my health a priority, too!

There are a few things I've jotted down in my journal that I am concentrating on so far. Small, simple things that I feel will make a big impact on my goals. I decided if I started with small changes, things I know I can achieve, then I would get the boost I'm needing. And by sharing the 5 simple steps with you, I will definitely feel more accountable!