I don’t care if cake pops are the new cupcakes. I despise them. Pie pops I could probably get behind, but cake pops… no. Just no. So I remain convinced that the next best thing since cupcakes is still the French import of macarons. Several weekends ago, I took a “Mastering Macarons” class at Sur La Table. While we may not have totally mastered them (oh, please, we totally did… ok, I guess that will be determined after we make a second go of it), it was fun learning about a treat I knew so little about! Turns out the Read more…

We’re coming in to the home stretch of Cook at Home month with less than a week left! Week three was even easier than week two, as we’ve fallen into a routine {dare I say habit} of cooking at home. Dinners have been a little cheese and carb heavy this week, and for the most part, equally delicious. Week 3 Menu: caramelized onions and blue cheese veggie burgers (2x, I can’t get enough of caramelized onions and blue cheese) veggie lasagna (still eating leftovers of this one) tomatoes Provencal black bean burritos brown rice bowl with shrimp, snow peas, and Read more…

The second week of our cooking at home challenge was so much easier than the first. We weren’t really craving going out to dinner like the first week. Admittedly, it was a little tough going to Dig A Pony for my monthly travel meetup and not being able to get one of their tasty cocktails, but ordering a ginger beer was an excellent alternative. So by the time we were putting together our third week’s meal plan, I was feeling pretty proud of myself. And then… Dear Internet, I have a confession to make. I had a mimosa! What!?! was Read more…

Week 2 of Cook at Home month has me revisiting some old recipes, including Tofu Stirfry Wraps. I originally adapted this recipe to be veg-friendly about five years ago, and as much for my Beastie Boys title tribute, I have yet to buy a wok. My food pictures, however, have improved in the last five years thanks to my kitchen iPhone photography. This recipe is based on an Everyday Food recipe for Chicken Stir-fry wraps, but I use tofu instead. I really like the freshness of this recipe, with the bell pepper, onion and ginger combo giving it a lot Read more…

The month of January has officially been deemed the month of getting back into cooking at home. Sounds tame right? Well, then you add in a few “little” extra rules like no alcohol, no extra sugar/treats (except for cooking, so cookies = no, small amount in a recipe = yes), less dairy (this one might make a liar out of me), no coffee (1 cup of black tea per day allowed), no junk food/snacks, and only going out to eat once per week. What the what?! Yes, January is [self-imposed] Be Healthier: Cook at Home month. So in the name Read more…