Entries tagged "easy"

Cranberry-Almond Oatmeal

I used to hate weekends. Sounds crazy, right? But it's true. I used to work a corporate job that had me stressed out every day of the week. Weekends were crammed with...

Marinated Roasted Red Peppers

Marinated Roasted Red Peppers. They are a staple of the Italian table, whether as a side dish or as part of an antipasto spread. This recipe is my favorite way to eat...

Honey Cayenne Cornbread Muffins & New Goals

Hello again and Happy New Year! I hope the first few days of 2012 have gotten off to a great start for all of you. I've enjoyed my blogging break, but as...

Parsley & Pecan Crusted Salmon Ball

Photo credit: Tracy D As you can see from the photo, this Parsley and Pecan Crusted Salmon Ball had already been half-devoured before my cousin's lovely mother-in-law snapped a picture of it. It's...

Sugared Ginger Cookies

Today is the last cookie post of the week before I bring you tomorrow's savory appetizer recipe. These Sugared Ginger cookies are another regular addition to my cookie gift tins. I love...

Chocolate Crackles

Aren't these cookies pretty? I love making Chocolate Crackles for my cookie gift tins. It's another very easy cookie dough to make and they have that "wow" factor after they come out...

Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Today's cookie recipe is one I started making last year: Cranberry White Chocolate Chip. I found this recipe on the My Recipes website, and during the holidays, I love to browse the site...

Jam Thumbprints

Every year, I send out cookie gift tins to family and friends. It's one of my favorite activities of the holiday season because I get to combine my love of baking, cookies...

Cranberry-Pomegranate Relish

This week, I ate pomegranate arils for the first time. I know...where have I been? Not under a rock, I assure you. I've known about pomegranates for a very long time. I've...

Black Bean Soup

I have owned my slow-cooker for as long as Peter and I have been married--twelve years. The ironic thing is that during most of this time, I never held high opinions of...

Homemade Croutons {Flavia's Fundamentals}

Hello again! I've gotten completely off-track with my blogging schedule in the past few months, and it's been a while since I've written a "Flavia's Fundamentals" post, so it's time to bring...

Almond Torta with Chocolate Chips

This past weekend, I traded suburban life for country life. It was just what I needed. No chores. No errands. No busyness.  My in-law's have a country house in a small town just...

Swiss Chard Aglio e Olio

I've been thinking a lot about writing lately. How much I love it. How much I (sometimes) hate it. Why I sometimes can't get all the ideas swirling in my head out...

Jicama Salad

It's happening. It's not that obvious yet, but Fall is coming. It will be late as usual. Summer doesn't give up without a fight down here in Texas, but eventually, Fall will...

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies and a Tribute

This week, the food blogging community all over the country and the world has been rallying around Jennifer Perillo, a wonderful and very accomplished food blogger who lost her husband suddenly and...

{Flavia's Favorites} Guest Post by Lori Dunbar :: Spinach & Spring Vegetable Frittata

We're off to California for a little vacation this week, so this month's Flavia's Favorites post is coming to you a day early.  I am happy to welcome Lori Dunbar of Marzipan, Inc.,...

Caramel Sauce {Flavia's Fundamentals}

It's been a while since I've written a "Flavia's Fundamentals" post, and I couldn't be more excited to show you how to make this caramel sauce. You'll never buy the jarred stuff...

Tortellini Pasta Salad

When Peter and I were first married and we started inviting friends and family over for dinners, cookouts and holidays, Peter was always perplexed at how I did much of the preparations...

Ginger-Lime Flank Steak

Last week, I was shopping at Sur La Table, and when I went to check out, I handed the salesperson my "Culinary Professionals" discount card (did you know food bloggers count as...

Carrie Vitt's Chocolate Chip Cookies

When I first started blogging, I finally felt like I had found the place in the universe where I could start being creative again. It had been so long since I had...

Baked Panko-Crusted Asparagus

    I've been trying to work through a particularly gnarly case of writer's block lately. It's frustrating; annoying, even. But you know what? I like it. It's a challenge I willingly tackle because...

Pico de Gallo

Life with a new puppy has been busy to say the least. Busy, but a lot of fun too. It's also changed my routine around a little. I'm getting up earlier in the...

Caramelized Onion Dip

This is a recipe I made a little over a month ago and meant to post much sooner. I made it for the farewell dinner that Peter and I hosted for our...

Pancakes for Dutch

We’ve all heard the saying, “Things happen for a reason”.  It’s easy to believe this when good things happen to us.  It’s not so easy to believe when we’re faced with difficulty, challenges and sadness. ...

Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

Last week, I was unwinding upstairs in our TV room, flipping channels and reading my Twitter feed on my iPhone.  I came across a tweet posted by the lovely Hannah of Honey &...

Lentil & Swiss Chard Soup

This soup isn't very pretty.  It's plain and homely looking.  It's murky-colored, and non-descript.  But what it lacks in looks, it more than makes up for in flavor.  Trust me, you want to...

Grapefruit & Avocado Salad {Flavia's Fundamentals}

I have never eaten a Grapefruit and Avocado salad before.  I've come across dozens of recipes and I always tell myself I have to make that! and then never do.  Grapefruit and avocados...

Cinnamon Whipped Cream {Flavia's Fundamentals}

I feel kind of silly writing a post on how to make whipped cream since it isn't exactly a difficult thing to make.  But given the countless times I've seen the store-bought variety...

Roasted Butternut Squash & Apple Soup

I love soup.  I love making soup.  I love eating soup.  I love thinking about soup.  I make a lot of soup once the temperature starts to drop below 70 degrees, because there...

Baked Stuffed Tomatoes

I had all but forgotten about this dish until my Zia Franca made these baked stuffed tomatoes for us one night for dinner when we were in Italy back in September.  It had...

Butternut Squash Puree

Earlier this week, I was reading my Facebook newsfeed and saw an announcement by Jamie of My Baking Addiction for Butternut Squash Puree.  I am a huge fan of Jamie's blog and I...

Farro Salad

  Have you ever heard of farro?  It's becoming more well-known, but this hearty grain is still under a lot of people's radar.  Maybe I can help...

Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread

I'm sure most of us have had very bad cornbread (I know I have!).  And don't even get me started on how bad the boxed cornbread mixes are.  Convenience doesn't always equal flavorful...

Banana Bread

Ohmygoodness, life has been a little hectic these past couple of weeks.  In a totally good way, but hectic all the same.  There's just been lots to do and I put cooking and...

Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins

Tucked away in a corner of my imagination is a dream I have of someday owning my own bed and breakfast. In the twelve years I have lived in Texas, I have grown...

Apricot Jam Tart

I have a confession to make: I have a tendency to be fickle at times.  It's a little embarrassing to admit because being fickle isn't exactly a flattering personality trait to have.  Fortunately,...

Pesto alla Genovese

Last week, my friend and next-door neighbor, Allie, called me to say hi and catch up.  While we were talking, she mentioned that her basil and other herbs were growing prolifically and that...

Pizzelle

Last year, I started a tradition of baking myself something sweet for my birthday.  As much as I love a good birthday cake, I think it's a lot more fun to make a...

Penne with Broccolini

Italians love their vegetables, especially greens.  For most Romans in particular, broccoli is a favorite.  There's the broccolo romanesco, a cauliflower-like type of broccoli with pointed chartreuse florets, and the well-known broccoletti, a...

Pioneer Woman's Macaroni and Cheese

It's been three days since I made this recipe and have wanted to write a post about it.  Problem is, I've been plagued by a case of writer's block.  I've been reading so...

Buttermilk Waffles

Well hello there.  I know it's been a while since I've been around here.  I've missed blogging and cooking a lot.   That lousy week of feeling crummy turned into two more lousy weeks...

Single-Layer Classic Carrot Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Last week for me was "one of those weeks".  Simply put, it was lousy.  I felt under the weather all week, had no energy, was cranky, and I didn't have much of an...

Amatriciana Sauce

My maternal grandmother ("Nonna") Liliana was from Rome.  After WWII, she and my grandfather ("Nonno") Diego came to the United States, where they got married and settled in Washington, DC.  Although they lived...

Guacamole

One of the many things I love about living in the South is that there are an abundance of very good Tex-Mex restaurants.  Italian food will always be my first food love, but...

Orange Chocolate Chunk Cake

Ever since I started Flavia's Flavors, I quickly came to realize that Daylight Savings Time is one of the biggest saboteurs of food blogger's photo efforts once the clocks fall back an hour...

Rustic Apple Tart

To date, I own 56 cookbooks.  And my collection continues to grow as I find others to add to my almost-full bookshelves.  But I seem to rely on the same handful of cookbooks...

Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

I feel like I've "hit the ground running" as the first week of 2010 draws to a close.  I know the momentum of the year will ebb and flow, but so far, my...

Italian Wedding Soup

I couldn't have asked for a better start to 2010.  It was quiet, restful and a lot of fun.  Peter and I spent New Year's Eve at our friend's house next door,...

Pasta e Fagioli

Meet my favorite soup, Pasta e Fagioli.  I love many types of soups, but I adore Pasta e Fagioli.  When I make and eat this soup, I always think about my grandmothers, who...

Grand Marnier Cranberry Sauce

Every year for Thanksgiving, I volunteer to make cranberry sauce.  For me, it's not Thanksgiving unless cranberry sauce is part of the spread, so to ensure it appears on the menu, I happily...

Split Pea Soup

When Peter and I were first married, my interest in cooking took off and I realized that I was very comfortable and proficient in the kitchen.  It turns out that I had learned...

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

Did you hear that?  That was me exhaling a sigh of utter exasperation.  You see, now that we've turned the clocks back one hour, it gets darker earlier, which means I have no...

Chocolate-Pumpkin Swirl Brownies

I arrived a little late to the blogging world.  Until last year, I didn't really know anything about blogs or how enormous the blogging community is.  So imagine my total amazement when...

Pumpkin Bread

Now that it's almost November and it's finally beginning to feel like Fall in my neck of the woods, I'm able to get more use out of my oven and bake to my...

Minestrone

So the weather has kinda, sorta cooperated and gotten a little cooler.  Which is reason enough for me to get into soup-making mode.  Actually, I've already made two other types of soups...

Iced Pumpkin Cookies

Officially, Fall began on September 22nd.  But not here in Houston.  It's still hot, humid and very un-Fall-like.  Farther north, everyone has traded their shorts and t-shirts for jeans and sweaters, but down...

Apple Butter

Two years ago, when Peter and I moved into our new house, we lucked out and got some really great next-door neighbors--on either side of our house!  We all closed on our houses...

Snickerdoodles

When I started this blog, I thought I'd have an easy time writing posts on a fairly regular basis.  As you can see, that has not been the case.  I love the fact...

Granola

I don't know about you, but every time I've bought pre-packaged granola at the grocery store, I've always ended up disappointed.  I've had granola that is too sweet, not sweet enough, not nutty...

Triple Threat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Over the 4th of July weekend, Peter and I took an overnight trip to Fredericksburg, in the Texas Hill Country.  It was a last-minute decision, but it couldn't have turned out more...

Chewy & Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies

A few months ago, I had a fun conversation with my sister-in-law and her best friend about how they both grew up with mothers who baked just about every sweet treat for their...

Coconut Macaroons with Chocolate Ganache

Today is my birthday.  Yes, it is also the day our taxes are due.  While these two events may appear to be a depressing combination, I actually get a kick out of it. ...

Cranberry-Orange Scones

This past Thursday, I hosted an afternoon tea at our house.  My mother-in-law's sister and aunt were visiting, and since we were all going out to dinner that evening, I thought I...

Pasta with Bechamel Sauce

I love bechamel sauce.  I mean love it.  I could eat it straight out of the pot.  Well, maybe not a whole pot of it, but it's not unusual for me to sneak...