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Category: Party Foods

Roasted Garlic and Beet Hummus

Roasted Garlic and Beet Hummus 1

Hot on the heels of summer is this rosy-hued snack: Roasted Garlic and Beet Hummus!

How rad are you going to be when you enter the next soiree you’ve been invited to with hummus in hand that is a) homemade; b) bright magenta; and c) totally delish TIMES INFINITY? You’re going to be the coolest kid up in that joint!

Packed with a roasted beet, a whole head of roasted garlic, gobs of tahini, and of course – the star of the show – chickpeas (that mighty legume!), this Roasted Garlic and Beet Hummus is not just vibrantly hued: it’s also vibrantly flavored.

Garlicky Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

Garlicky Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes 1

OK, you know how mashed potatoes are just generally awesome? Well, these Garlicky Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes up the awesomeness ante by BUNCHES!

It’s that time of year that is known for upping the ante. The HOLIDAY SEASON is practically here, all! And I know for many of you out there, that means shopping, coordinating, rushing around, going bananas in the kitchen whipping up this dish and that dish for this potluck, that family event, this kiddo’s school shenanigans . . .. It’s enough to make a person want to curl up in a corner and cry “Bah-Humbug!” to it all.

At this busy time of year, we’re seeking shortcuts, we’re seeking allies, we’re seeking whatever kind of help we can get to maintain our sanity – including the help of easy recipes. Whether we need to cart a crowd-pleasing side dish to that umpteenth holiday potluck or are seeking a straight-up comfort-food to eat by the bowlful when we’ve had it with the hustle and bustle, these Garlicky Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes have our backs!

Quinoa Garden Pasta Salad

Quinoa Italian Pasta Salad 1

Hi, guys! After five weeks away from the blog, I’m so excited to be bringing you a (revamped) summer stand-by, Quinoa Garden Pasta Salad!

What was I up to for those five weeks? For half of it, I was busy prepping for and then going on a getaway to English and Switzerland. Highlights included visiting beloved London for the first time in 10 years and meeting the Swiss Alps, chocolate, and cheese!

Gin-and-Soda with Blackberry-Sage Honey Simple Syrup

Gin-and-Soda with Blackberry-Sage Honey Simple Syrup 1

Hi guys! Spring is almost here for reals now, and with spring comes blackberries. I’ve been enjoying them in abundance over the last few weeks with them being cheaply priced at my local grocery store, validating my desire to develop this Gin-and-Soda with Blackberry-Sage Honey Simple Syrup and the recent Greek Yogurt Breakfast Parfait with Blackberries, Honey, and Almonds. There is nothing like sweet, tart, antioxidant-rich blackberries mixed into your morning yogurt or oatmeal or eaten on their own – or, of course, incorporated into a cocktail. 

Ricotta Bacon Date Dip

Ricotta Bacon Date Dip 1

We’ve got a good one today, guys: a Ricotta Bacon Date Dip that is creamy, sweet, and savory all in one! Better yet, it’s a snap to make.

It’s not the time for elaborate meals right now. It’s Big Game weekend here in the U.S. (am I as a lay person not even allowed to use the term “Super Bowl”? I never know.)! Time for beer and wings and nachos, silly TV ads and Gaga’s halftime show, betting games like squares! And football, of course.

For many of us, the football is incidental. I am not a football person. But I like having an excuse to loll on the couch in my sweatpants eating insanely rich foods – like dips!

Garlic Roasted Almonds

Garlic Roasted Almonds 1

Happy Friday, my dears! It’s the W-E-E-K-E-N-D! And to celebrate, today I have this Garlic Roasted Almonds recipe for ya. 🙂

Having a Monday-through-Friday day job in corporate America (for now, at least!) that doesn’t quite vibe with my personal interests, I very much savor the weekend, a.k.a. Real Life, as I call it. During Real Life time, I have the space to do all of the stuff that my heart sings at doing, such as developing recipes for this blog (utilizing the precious daylight that is so scarce this time of  year and oft missed when I’m corralled inside my cubicle), visiting new restaurants with my pals, and dozing off in front of the TV in my fleece sweatpants (seriously one of my fave pastimes. I am not a napper except when it’s dark and I’m in front of a TV). And snacking – lots and lots of unbridled snacking.

Tomato, Onion, and Feta Pizza

Tomato, Onion, and Feta Pizza 1

Gilmore Girls, guys.

I know everyone has been talking about Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life online lately. What they are saying, I’m not sure, as I’ve been intentionally avoiding any feedback on the recently-released four-part miniseries because I haven’t finished it yet. I’ve only watched the first two episodes so far. But I’ll be watching the other two tonight!

I became obsessed with the show my junior year of college, when two friends of mine who were Gilmore Girls‘ junkies lent me their DVDs so I could catch up. Between the two of them, they had all six seasons that were released at that time, so I was able to watch the seventh and final season as it aired on TV. Every Tuesday after a long day of class, I would scoot over to one friend’s house near campus to watch it with her and her roommate, who was equally as obsessed as we were. We would sit there enthralled for the hour, then go to one of our favorite bars, The Cabin, for drinks and pizza and post-episode discussion. This was where my friend introduced me to the magical pizza combination of tomato, onion, and feta, for which I’ll be forever grateful!

Tomato, Onion, and Feta Pizza – oh, how I adore thee! Seriously, this pizza is BOMB. The acidity from the tomato, the savoriness of the onion, and the tangy bite of the feta go so well together. Savoring this delightful pizza makes the fact that I pretty much abhorred these first two new episodes of GG go down a little easier.