• no cans here….

    This is the second of several recipes from our recent Early Pot Luck Thanksgiving Dinner.  Don’t forget to keep to checking back often for more new recipes that will help make your Thanksgiving something to remember. Still coming…. Let’s talk about the Cranberry Sauce Are you a fan of cranberry sauce?  I feel like you either are or your not.  There doesn’t seem to be too many people out there that are in the middle of the cranberry debate.  Well, I was not a fan either until I started making my own cranberry sauce from FRESH cranberries…thats right there are no cans in this recipe. It is all about the FRESH…

  • The more spicy… the more better

    Are you a sauce person?  I am a HUGE sauce person.    I like sauces on everything from pasta to  dessert, but with fries is a must. Sauce, why? Ok, I understand that not everyone is a fan of sauce with their fries, but I urge you to just try it. There is just something so yummy about a creamy sauce paired with a crispy fry (like these grilled ones).  It just that makes the experience so much better. Spicing things up For fries I like a spicy sauce.  You could use jalapeño peppers, green chilies or black pepper but for this time around I used sriracha.  Lately I have become…

  • Sweet & Spicy = AMAZNG BBQ Sauce

    I have a secret dream.  One that I have never told anyone…EVER!  I dream of winning a BBQ sauce competition. Really? Yes, for reals.  I have a recurring dream (or maybe its a nightmare) that I win a BBQ sauce competition at the Houston Rodeo.  After having that dream for so long, I now have a desire to make BBQ sauce.  I know it sounds weird…and let’s be honest I am a little different, but any chance I get to make my own BBQ sauce I jump on it. Fancy or Simple? Well I have done both.   A simple BBQ Sauce and a Peach BBQ sauce (that would be the…

  • cheesy bread goodness

    For me, one of the best parts of eating Italian food out is the bread.  My favorite is the crusty bread, slathered in butter with mealy cheese everywhere.   There is one small local Italian restaurant that inspired this bread that makes everything homemade.  Their pasta is homemade, their sauce is homemade, their desserts are homemade and their bread is homemade. It’s all about the butter… Butter is what makes this bread so, so good.  I use real unsalted butter (I typically only have unsalted butter in my refrigerator), not the fake stuff but real butter.  To make it easy to spread I melt the butter.  The melted butter seeps…

  • Bacon + Jam = AMAZING

    Bacon & Jam together at last…yes you read that right today is all about Bacon Jam.  For those of you who have not had the distinct pleasure of enjoying this wonderful jam then you are going to be in for the treat of your life (ok at least this week, ok maybe today) but is really is so yummy!! I first came across bacon turned into jam at a local hamburger place.  They were putting it on their burgers instead of slices of bacon.  Now I was a little nervous when I ordered by first bacon jam burger…but all that went away after my first delicious bite.  The jam brings…

  • loving this thai peanut sauce…

    Not too long ago I was strolling the aisles at my local Trader’s Joe and came across a thai peanut salad dressing.  Now I know this doesn’t sound too special but to The Hubby it is was a HIGE find.  You see The Hubby loves peanut butter, he loves thai flavors and he loves sauces so really this was a perfect find for him. Now the Trader’s Joe version is delicious but it does have some things in it that I can’t pronounce so I decided I need to make my own version that The Hubby would love and with ingredients that I know what they are…and then this thai…

  • cornbread that is super cute and sweet

    Cornbread is one of those things that I have 1000 recipes for (kinda like brownies) but I just can’t get enough of them.  Each one is just a little different, making each one super special in its own right.   Over time I have tried so many recipes, some with buttermilk, some without, some with cheese, some without but our favorites is always the ones with honey…we love us some sweet cornbread.  We have also determined that we love cornbreads made like muffins…I mean it is just cute to have little cornbread muffins on the table, but this recipe would work great baked in a skillet or in a pan. For this  latest…

  • no more ranch packets needed

    What is your favorite salad dressing?  Are you Italian all the way? Are you a thousand island fan?  Maybe blue cheese?  Even better are you a fan of the great Caesar?  For me…I am a fan of all listed but my favorite go to is the good ole standby…ranch.  There is just something so comforting about this good ole standby especially when its all homemade!! Not only do I like it for ranch dressing but I am also a fan of it for dips, as a seasoning…really in any way possible.  I have been known to use it on chicken or pork chops to add some herby goodness and also on some…

  • throwin’ a hissy fit for this dip…

    The weekend is almost here & we are springing forward (ok thats not fun) but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have get together with friends and family…right?  I have had a rough couple of weeks and a nice little get together is just what the Dr. ordered and this Skinn(ier) Hissy Fit Dip is a must have. If you have spent anytime on Pinterest you have probably seen several posts for this cheesy dip that is loaded with tons of flavor and yummy goodness!  I mean lets be real anything with cheese, sausage, cream cheese and sour cream has to be good and this dip is not only good it…

  • rich, creamy and oh so good risotto

    Are you a fan of risotto?  Have you made it before?  Were you successful?  Was it worth it (you know all the time and effort)?  Whether you are a pro or not this risotto is a must make, and you won’t believe just how easy it is, you just have to have a little time and some patience…you know those two things you have tons of.  😉   My love of risotto has been a long time in the making.  I always order it if I find it on a menu, and I am always looking for fun new ways to make this favorite treat.  The beauty of it is that you…