I said to my husband this weekend, “Well at least now that the Patriot’s aren’t in the SuperBowl, it’ll just be easier to relax and enjoy the snacks, and not be stressed out about them winning” — word of advice: don’t say this to a still-grieving Patriot’s fan. The truth is that regardless of the outcome, I never would have been stressed about the game, and would have been 100% focused on the snacks, because I’m a girl with priorities. In preparation for the big game, I tackled a spin on one of my favorite party-food staples: onion dip! I made my own and used caramelized shallots and leeks in lieu of the traditional onion flavor, topped with tons of fresh herbs and served with flavorful Food Should Taste Good Blue Corn Tortilla Chips (which are all-natural and gluten-free, so it’s like I’ve helped you make a healthy SuperBowl snack, right?). It’s going to a mainstay for Sunday football watching in the future.
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I got a julienne peeler for my birthday (it’s the same brand as my garlic press that I’m obsessed with — I love their tools) and have been so excited to use it. It’s a tiny littler alternative to some of those giant spiralizer tools, which I’ve tried and returned — am I the only one that’s had trouble with getting zoodles to work?! So I put my new kitchen gadget to the test and made these sweet potato corn cakes and have been eating them as a side dish, in the morning with eggs, and snacking on them too! It took a couple of tries to get them to stay together, so make sure you follow this trick in the recipe: squeeze the moisture out of them when you’re packing them into patties to help them hold their shape, and don’t flip them in the pan until one side is fully caramelized — it seals the pieces together. Full recipe below!
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How’s everyone doing with their New Year’s resolutions? I have a practice of not starting my resolutions until Mid-January because that first week back after the holidays is just too much of a bummer to stick a diet on top of; and then my birthday rolls in on the 10th (which is usually a long-weekend of celebrations, I like to drag that baby out), so around the 14th-17th I start to feel that urge to ‘start the year off right’ — two weeks late of course! So while I’m getting my head around goals for the year I figured I could at least start the week with some healthier eating. I made a big batch of these turkey-taco stuffed peppers over the weekend and they’ve been easy to reheat after work for a quick dinner. The lean protein and veggies are a pretty-good-for-you option — I also drizzled a little bit of chipotle sour cream on top — but you can opt to leave it out if you’re watching calories extra closely. Full recipe below!
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When I’m gathering snacks for a lazy Sunday at home I’ve tossed that pre-made pub cheese in my shopping basket on a few occasions, and it occurred to me how simple the stuff would be to make on my own with some fun mix-ins to create new flavors. I worked with Hidden Valley Ranch and Family Circle Magazine on a homemade version of pub cheese in the February issue on stands now, made with lots of sharp cheddar cheese and cream cheese. Fresh chives and Hidden Valley Ranch dip mix give the spreadable cheese dip a bright and tangy flavor that pairs well with rustic crackers and other game-day snacks. I highly encourage whipping up your own batch for Sunday Football viewing sessions! Full recipe below:
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I had such a good weekend — it was my birthday and I had the best time relaxing, celebrating with friends and family, and of course indulging in some birthday treats. I have been craving Thin Mints lately, some subliminal Girl Scout messaging must have seeped into my brain and sure enough the Girl Scouts were waiting at the top of the subway platform on my way home from work last week and the cookie gods had given me a sign that it was time for Thin Mints. Now serving a bowl of Girl Scout cookies would probably have been a welcomed dessert by my family that came over to celebrate my birthday, but you know I don’t roll that way. So I crushed up the cookies and layered them in glasses with brownies and whipped cream, the flavors melded together into a minty, chocolatey sweet treat — it was delicious! Full recipe below:
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Do you have those go-to recipes in your head that you can just make with your eyes closed? You know that pinch of this and a dash of that are the perfect measurements, no need for measuring cups or recipe cards. That’s my chili recipe — honed over the years to be both classic and at the same time totally unique to me. For example, I alway do half beef, half ground turkey — you still get the flavor of the beef but it cuts down on fat; I also feel strongly that all chili should be made with tasty golden kernels of corn (fire roasted is the way to go!) and simmered for hours in a sturdy cast iron dutch oven (I love our Martha Stewart one.). And my secret ingredient — a trick my dad taught me as a kid — is to add a can of baked beans into the mixture for a little punch of sweetness to balance out the spice. A few weeks back my sister pointed out that even though I make this 2x a month all winter long, I never posted about it before on the blog. So here it is, finally written in stone for her to use (and hopefully you too!). 
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I’ve been on a major Moscow Mule kick lately, and have been trying different spins on the classic recipe (like an apple and vanilla vodka version that is amazing!), testing new ginger beers (obsessed with Picketts Ginger Beer Syrup), and all around getting lots of use out of my favorite copper mugs. When I saw that IZZE had a sparkling cherry-lime flavor, inspiration struck for another variation. I mixed this one up with ginger syrup, fresh lime juice, and vodka. Full recipe below. 
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I’ve got one last minute recipe to add into the Thanksgiving mix for tomorrow, a savory, skillet-baked corn bread stuffing with apples and sausage. I didn’t grow up with corn bread stuffing (mom, we need to have a talk about this), but I love it and think it’s got such a savory and sweet flavor combination perfect for your turkey-dinner plate! Full recipe below:
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Countdown to Turkey Day is on! I cannot wait to eat all.the.stuffing. I’m not ashamed to admit it, I love the junky, classic, out-of-the-box stuffing. But one can never have enough stuffing, so I’ve been experimenting with some new recipes for this delectable, carb-y side dish. This recipe uses brioche which gives it a light and fluffy texture, and it has tons of flavor from the maple roasted squash and onions. Plus a little fresh sage adds that seasonal flavor that makes it just taste like Thanksgiving. It was a winner when I brought it to a Friendsgiving party last week so this one has earned a spot in my holiday rotations! Full recipe below:
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This recipe should come with a disclaimer: if you are on a diet right now please immediately close this window and don’t read any further — I can’t be responsible for what you do next after you’ve seen this recipe! At our annual friendsgiving celebration this past weekend I decided to test a fresh spin on scalloped potatoes and they were a hit. I heard lots of mmmms, and ahhhhs, and then a few shrieks when I told my girlfriends that the potatoes were boiled in heavy cream and baked with three cups of cheese in between them. I’m sorry I’m not sorry, but it was worth it. What makes these scalloped potatoes different? I layered in sweet potatoes with traditional yellow potatoes, and gave the dish a distinctive, nutty flavor with a mixture of gruyere and manchego cheeses. Full recipe for the calorie-brave below:
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I'm Kate, and I like to
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