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Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies

Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies

Posted by | Housewares, Recipe, Recipes | No Comments

Baking is therapy. You have to measure. Be precise. Focus. Distractions can lead to not the sweetest results. Which is why in this uncertain time we are living in, I have spent so much time in the kitchen! Cooking and baking make me happy. Feeding others is a joyful solution to all the scary news reports. And Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies are the magic result from today’s baking adventures. 

Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies

This recipe is made with all the ingredients you already have in your pantry. A good thing given our #stayathome mandate. If you have kids in the house, this recipe would be an activity for them as they get to not only help measure and mix the ingredients but roll the dough into a ball for each cookie.… Read more

finished focaccia bread art

How to Make Focaccia Bread Art

Posted by | Housewares, Recipe, Recipes | 13 Comments

I am not sure about you, but when it comes to stressful times, I need to find a creative distraction. That usually means I am in the kitchen doing something baking or cooking related. However, I have been known to teach myself how to tile a backsplash or fireplace surround in these circumstances as well. Another form of a creative outlet! In this case, I am sharing a focaccia bread recipe that I use as a canvas for my vegetable gardenscape. raw focaccia dough art

The best part is you most likely have all the ingredients in your house for the focaccia recipe. Then get artsy to design the picture you want to make.… Read more

Sustainable Atlantic Sapphire Salmon

Posted by | Foods, Recipe, Recipes, Restaurants | 26 Comments

Did you make a resolution to eat healthy this year? So many of us try to make smart decisions when it comes to food choices but it can get so confusing. We know that salmon is good for us but heard that it is being overfished and thus potentially declining in availability.

Inspiring Kitchen Atlantic Salmon

For that reason alone, I was intrigued to learn about a brand of salmon that is producing a delicious, nutritious and sustainable salmon. We know a number of things about salmon in general. Being low in calories and saturated fats while also containing high levels of protein and omega-3 fatty acids, salmon is considered extremely nutritious.… Read more

mango watermelon mozzarella

Contemporary Caprese with Fresh Mozzarella and Watermelon

Posted by | Foods, Recipe, Recipes | 40 Comments

This contemporary version of a Caprese salad is made with Stella Fresh Mozzarella, mangos, watermelon, basil and balsamic vinegar and is a perfect appetizer for when guests drop by unexpectedly.

One of my favorite things to make when entertaining is appetizers. I love the creativity in mixing flavors, colors, sizes and texture to arrive at a unique combination that everyone enjoys. Today, I am sharing a well-loved and traditional recipe using Italian style cheese that I have updated to include fruit. In every Caprese salad, using only the highest quality, fresh mozzarella cheese will have the best outcome. For me, that means using Stella Fresh Mozzarella cheese to create a contemporary version of a Caprese salad only in appetizer form.… Read more

Cast Iron Skillet Mac and Cheese

Posted by | Recipe, Recipes | 31 Comments

There is nothing like making your favorite comfort food when you are having a busy or stressful week. Plus, add cheese and lots of it, to the dish, and your day suddenly improves.

This easy to make Mac and 3 Cheese recipe will become a staple in your home as it is so adaptable to the cheese you have available in the fridge or simply what you like to eat. Should you want to doctor it up with meat, vegetables or truffles, it’s all up to you.

Cast Iron Skillet Mac and Cheese

What I also really want to share is why making this recipe in a Lodge cast iron skillet is just the icing on the cake.… Read more

Baking With Nielsen-Massey Vanilla

Posted by | Favorite Finds, Foods, Recipe, Recipes | 14 Comments

Vanilla. Fresh. Fragrant. Rich. Sweet. There is nothing as delicious to me as adding a splash of pure vanilla to dishes to accentuate the flavors of the recipe.

When making a recipe with just a few ingredients, using the highest quality  is always your best decision. There are no masking flavors when a dish has just 4 ingredients. I discovered a brand of vanilla that has wowed me with their depth of flavor, variety of vanilla extracts and family story. It is what I have used for many years and what I want to share with you now.

Baking with Nielsen Massey Vanilla

About 5 years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Beth and Matt Nielsen from Nielsen-Massey Vanilla at an event in the housewares industry.… Read more

How to Make Light as Air Popovers

Posted by | Bakeware, Baking, Housewares, Recipe, Recipes | 44 Comments

Cold and dreary day means time for some comfort foods. Today I made a dish that both my Mom and Grandmother made as we were growing up. Popovers.

Inspiring Kitchen Comfort Foods Popovers

If you have never had them before, they are light and airy with an eggy interior and a delicate outside.

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So simple in terms of ingredients but so many uses for it:

  • Brunch
  • Breakfast
  • With a salad or soup
  • Side to main courses
  • Filled with light ingredients – tuna, chopped fruit, diced vegetables

Inspiring Kitchen Comfort Foods Popovers

The recipe is filled with items you already have in your kitchen. The biggest trick is having the right pan.… Read more

Mediterranean Quinoa with Kalamata Olives and Roasted Broccoli

Posted by | Holidays, Recipe, Recipes, Side Dishes | 15 Comments

When it comes to finding delicious holiday recipes for sides dishes, it’s easy to run out of ideas. In my family, we try to create flavorful yet healthy options to go with the sometimes, decadent meals we eat this time of year.

Mediterranean Quinoa with Kalamata Olives and Roasted Broccoli

Instead of using rice or pasta, I’m using quinoa, which doesn’t fill you up as much. Plus, it is filled with wonderful protein that is always good for you. Starting with Mezzetta’s Kalamata Olives, I began adding ingredients to the quinoa that offered different textures, tastes and colors to make the dish so visually appealing that you will want a big serving.… Read more

Tapioca Pudding Parfait with Fresh Summer Berries

Posted by | Dessert, Recipe, Recipes | 5 Comments

Having friends over for a last minute gathering and wondering what to do for dessert? How about a light and creamy Cinnamon, Berry and Tapioca Pudding Parfait? Elegant, colorful and lovely in individual glasses or larger serving pieces. I grew up eating tapioca pudding enjoying the sweet, delicious flavor and pearls of tapioca in each spoonful. With July 15th being National Tapioca Pudding Day, this seemed like the perfect time to share it with my guests.

This recipe is so easy to make using all-ready prepared Kozy Shack Tapioca Pudding layered with the freshest berries of the season. Finish with a dusting of spicy cinnamon and then top with a crunchy cinnamon biscuit.… Read more

Best Southern Biscuits

Posted by | Baking, Bread, Cookbooks, Foods, Recipe, Recipes | No Comments

There is something very warm and inviting when your hostess places a plate of steaming hot, freshly made biscuits in front of you. In the South, this is a tradition that is passed down through families. Not so much here in Chicago. But it should be!

Inspiring Kitchen Best Southern Biscuits

It wasn’t until I received Jackie Garvin’s Biscuits cookbook that I really thought about making biscuits from scratch. As I paged through this cookbook, I discovered so many recipes that I wanted to try. Something great to realize is that most ingredients you need to make homemade biscuits are already in your kitchen. There is a recipe for monkey bread that is always a favorite at celebrations and a double crusted summer vegetable pie that looks ideal following a visit to the farmer’s market.… Read more