• Recipes,  Something Savory

    Fluffy Avocado Cottage Cheese Pancakes

    I love this recipe because I adore pancakes, but I rarely choose them because they can usually run up some serious calories. My boyfriend set out to make my favorite Cottage Cheese Pancakes this morning, but with a special twist. We decided it would be brilliant to add diced, ripe avocado to the recipe for extra moistness and creaminess. The result was a huge success.

  • Recipes,  Something Savory

    Ancho Chicken Tortilla Soup

    After returning from a quick jaunt to Mexico to celebrate the New Year, I was determined to recreate the spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup I had at a taqueria in Playa Del Carmen. Bursting with rich spices and fresh, local ingredients, this soup is full of flavor and hearty enough to be a main meal. Although there are dozens of different variations of tortilla soup, my all time favorite is this one, straight from Mexico, and I’m pretty confident my recipe is spot on.

  • Recipes,  Something Savory

    Sunday Egg Sandwiches

    Every weekend my boyfriend makes us mouth-watering egg sandwiches, so I decided to share the deliciousness. The recipe and ingredients couldn’t be more simple, but it’s easy to forget what a fantastic breakfast a simple egg sandwich can be. So here it goes: 

  • Recipes,  Something Sweet

    A Cake Fit For a King… Galette des Rois

    The French are smart. After Christmas, once the endless Bûche de Noëls and truffles au chocolat are devoured and forgotten till next year, the French fill the newly formed dessert void with a brilliant confection, Galette des Rois. In Paris, bakeries reopen on January 2nd with their shelves full of these much-awaited cakes. Traditionally eaten only to celebrate the day of Epiphany on January 6, when the Three Kings came to Bethlehem, Galette des Rois is so popular that pâtissiers usually serve this scrumptious cake the entire month of January.

  • Recipes,  Something Savory

    Apricot Glazed Chicken with Dried Plums and Sage

    I am thrilled to share a fantastic dinner recipe for Apricot Glazed Chicken with Dried Plums and Sage. This dish is so easy to make and so impressive at the same time, you won’t believe it. Perfect for a weeknight dinner or the main dish at your next dinner party, this recipe is gourmet and unique. You can use any cut of chicken you prefer – a full roasting chicken, a mixture or chicken breasts and thighs or even simply just boneless, skinless chicken breasts as I prepared last night for my boyfriend and I.

  • Recipes,  Something Sweet

    Chocolate Crackle Cookies

    Ever since I saw pictures of Martha Stewart’s scrumptious Chocolate Crackle Cookies, I had to make them. As any chocolate-lover would agree, the flaky texture and beautiful cracked tops, oozing with light-as-air powdered sugar, is irresistible. This recipe uses high quality bittersweet chocolate, melted over a double boiler, in addition to dutch cocoa powder to create a rich, chocolate flavor in the form of light, flaky cookies. Dutch Cocoa powder is different than regular unsweetened cocoa powder. You can find it in many gourmet shops or high-end supermarkets such as Whole Foods. I used Whole Foods’ luxurious Valrhona cocoa powder, imported from France. Valrhona is actually the name of a manufacturer based in the small town of Tain-l’Hermitage in Hermitage, a region near Lyon, France, that produces arguably the finest chocolate in the world. Chocolate Crackles make for a delicious chocolate treat during the Holidays or anytime of year!

  • Recipes,  Something Sweet

    Saltine Toffee

    One of my favorite holidays treats is homemade Saltine Toffee. This recipe uses Saltine crackers as a base to make a delicious and easy candy that’s crunchy, salty, sweet and full of rich chocolate. You can be as creative or gourmet as you wish by adding chopped nuts, crushed candy canes, colored sprinkles, dried fruit or drizzled white chocolate to decorate and embellish your toffee. Saltine toffee makes for an impressive holiday gift that any candy lover is sure to enjoy.

  • Recipes,  Something Sweet

    Butterballs

    This delicious recipe for butterballs is another fantastic Christmas classic. Sometimes called “Snowballs,” these rich, crumbly butter cookies are rolled and covered in a generous layer of powdered sugar. The cookies are made of butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, flour and finely ground walnuts. The walnuts give the cookies their subtle, signature crunch. Butterballs are very crumbly, so be sure to be really careful when rolling the cookies in powdered sugar. I hope you enjoy this classic and scrumptious recipe!

  • Recipes,  Something Sweet

    Peanut Butter Balls

    My Mom’s recipe for Peanut Butter Balls is huge hit every Christmas. Of all of the desserts and candies baked for the holidays, these delicious creamy Peanut Butter Balls really stand out for their exceptional flavor and fun, bite-sized shape. The filling is made of butter, peanut butter, confectioner’s sugar and Rice Krispies for crunch. Once rolled and chilled, the balls are dipped in an irresistible combination of melted dark and milk chocolate, creating a silky and glossy chocolate finish. These Peanut Butter Balls taste like a homemade Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup — but better. I highly recommend this recipe for all the peanut butter-lovers in your life. Enjoy!