• a perfect late summer quinoa

    Quinoa is for sure one of my favorite sides.  I love it on its own, with chicken or fish, or mixed into a salad.  One of my latest creations is this Cilantro Lime Quinoa and I am OBSESSED with it!! A side for ANYTHING & ANYTIME!  I love sides that can be used for multiple meals.  For this quinoa I love it it beside some grilled chicken, but the next day I eat it cold for lunch with come chopped avocado & pico de gallo in it.   Yes you read that right, I eat it cold. One of my favorite ways to have quinoa is cold or in a…

  • a summer must…homemade chimichurri sauce

    I am a sucker for sauces.  I love them on almost any dish…heck I love sauces on really anything.  Literally I love a good hollandaise for breakfast, and nice pesto for lunch and something like this Chimichurri for dinner (or anytime of the day). And it is so pretty I first fell in love with Chimichurri Sauce when I went to one of my favorite restaurants ever…Americas.  It is the way cool Latin American inspired steak house.  As you sit down they bring you crispy plantain chips with a light chimichurri sauce, the two pair so well together.  Trust me I could fill up on just those as I drink…

  • a new pesto love

    Are you a pesto fan?  I am for sure…I love pesto anyway, anyhow.  Especially when it is changed up a bit. Arugula for the change-up I am a big fan of basil.  I love using it in my red sauce for pasta or for a simple bruschetta, but for pesto I prefer arugula.  It adds a bit of peppery bite to the pesto without it being overpowering.  I also love the color.  It is not too dark, and not too light…it is the perfect green.  Now I know this is not the traditional option, but then again when do I keep things traditional?  And if you want to be traditional…

  • THE BEST EVER…cornbread that is

    Cornbread is one of those recipes that I seem to have a 1000 recipes for.  Some sweeter than others, some super savory, some spicy, and even some with bacon but this recipe will be my go to recipe from here on out.   Sweet or Savory I grew up with a more savory cornbread and was not really introduced to sweet cornbread until I was in high school and I immediately fell in love, but still went back to a savory cornbread recipe when I would make it.  But over the years I find myself going back to the sweeter side of cornbread…and this recipe is the BEST! A treat…

  • Pistachio fluff?? Yes, please

    Growing up there is one side dish that I always remember being on almost every Holiday table…Pistachio Fluff Salad.  I also remember that I was never a big fan of it (I didn’t like anything green as a kid) but I knew that everyone else LOVED it).   Fluff…yes please!! As I was thinking about our family Easter dinner this year I kept thinking about that green stuff that everyone seemed to love, (& my brother asked for it) so I decided it was time to make it.  Now as I am sure you have realized a lot of childhood memories are a little distorted being that they are from…

  • I could eat it all on it’s own

    It is probably no surprise but I am a fan of garlic.  I use it in almost all my savory dishes…not almost really in all my savory dishes.  I love it in all forms, but Roasted is my MOST favorite!! It all started at a pizza joint Years a go, I mean like many years ago (17 or 18 probably) I went to a super fun pizza place with a dear friend.  I was a little late and when I arrived there was the most interesting appetizer on the table.  It was 2 bulbs of garlic that looked almost burnt and some soft cheese and crostini’s.  I was immediately intrigued, but…

  • some quinoa dinner fun

    OK…now I know that not everyone is a fan of quinoa.  The Hubby is not a fan at all, but it is healthy so therefore I keep trying. Quinoa? Why? There are so many reasons why but just a few are (according to this article)….  Quinoa is one of the best protein rich foods we can eat…I mean that protein rich foods are always a good idea. Quinoa has a ton of fiber…like almost twice as much as other grains.  Who doesn’t need fiber?  Everyone needs fiber…so quinoa is a great option. Quinoa contains iron…iron is always a positive thing to consume. There are so many other reasons as well…it…

  • bacon makes this party dip ROCK!

    One week from today is the SUPER BOW!!  What do you have planned?  Are you starting home with just the family? Planning on having a big party? Maybe going to a party? Well, whatever your plans this dip would be a great treat that everyone is sure to love. A classic…updated So why this dip…well every party we have we always have the Ranch Party Dip.  The little dip packet you find in the salad dressing aisle.  And we love it, just as it is. As much as I love it I know I could take it to the next level and what better to do that than to add bacon.  In my family bacon…

  • A last minute must make

    New Years Eve is here!  I cannot believe 2017 starts tomorrow.  2016 has been a crazy year and I want to make sure to finish it off with a bang, and these Sausage Balls are a perfect way to do that. Bring on the balls These have been a must have at all of our holiday parties since I was a little girl.  They were always a favorite of mine, but especially of my brothers. To this day the minute December 1 hits my brother calls me and asks for this recipe because it is sausage ball season. Simple and so good The funny thing is my mom made this recipe…

  • Mom Dibert’s Corn Casserole

    The sis-in-Law’s mom, Cathleen is an amazing cook.  Everything I have had from her has been so, so good.   She is very well known for her pies, but she is also known for this corn casserole. Bring on the corn When Cathleen said she wanted to bring this casserole to our Early Thanksgiving Pot Luck Dinner I was so excited.  I personally LOVE corn casserole, and my brother had told me how good her was so I couldn’t wait to try it.   A few days before though she told me she wasn’t sure if she could make it as they were having new floors installed and she didn’t…