Remember when brussels sprouts were that food you would use to describe what could only be the worst possible meal someone could possible force upon you as a child? Like, ugh, I’ll eat anything but brussels sprouts, yuck! And now I’m 30, and brussels sprouts are having their moment, and I’ve probably said out loud at some point in the last 6 months: “you should really order the pancetta skillet brussels sprouts, they’re the chef’s speciality” or, “I can’t stop thinking about those fried buffalo brussels sprouts with whipped blue cheese mouse from last night’s menu.” Funny how things like that work out, right? So while b-sprouts are in my culinary spotlight, I thought it would be a good time to mix up how I make them at home and tested this recipe with the intention of it being a Thanksgiving side dish.
It’s *almost* a salad — a way to get a little bit of green onto my gravy-soaked plate on Turkey Day. The good thing is that you can make it all on the stovetop — it’s always smart to have dishes that don’t take up precious oven-room on Thanksgiving. The dish also tastes great served hot or cooled down to room temperature. So go ahead, make sure you eat your veggies! Full recipe below: read more
Christmas gets egg nog, New Year’s Eve gets a champagne cocktail — but what’s our go-to Thanksgiving drink? I’m all for mixing up cocktails at family Thanksgiving celebrations, and my friends-giving parties tend to have a few drinks flowing too. A holiday as delicious as Thanksgiving (my second favorite holiday, actually! carbs!) deserves one, don’t you think? I started thinking this week about some of my favorite autumnal flavors that could make up a festive cocktail for friends-giving gatherings and a marrying of pomegranate (fresh seeds + IZZE Sparkling Pomegranate), sage leaves, and the herby flavor of gin felt like the perfect combination when served in festive flutes. Check out the full recipe below!
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The past few weeks have been a whirlwind. In less than a month we bought a house, packed up our old apartment and moved, went to two weddings, helped throw an engagement party, relaunched this website, all while doing all that fun everyday stuff like working hard and trying to get settled into our new home. I may be the only person in the world who thinks her life may actually slow down at the holidays this year. Part of our lives’ recent craziness was rooted in the fact that we were overlapping a few weeks in our house and apartment, which lead to a lot (a lot!) of driving back and forth between the two locations and wondering at which house half our belongings where located at any given time. Our hour-long drives to and from the new house happened after work, in between errands and events, and unfortunately meant we were taking a lot of meals on the road too.
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You didn’t think you could love a mimosa more than you already do, right? Well, prepare to be amazed. I’ve been participating in a little drink recipe contest with Better Homes & Gardens and Simply Juices, and I’m excited to announce I’m a finalist for the best recipe: A Frozen Berry Mimosa — everything you love about frozen drinks, combined with the greatest brunch cocktail a girl could ask for, the mimosa. The recipe for this tasty concoction is below, and if you’re feeling kind please head over to BHG to vote for my drink!
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Sometimes the best inspiration comes from just walking through the grocery store. I found bunch of fresh lavender at my local Whole Foods and I couldn’t pass them — I had to make something with them! Of course my inspiration gravitated towards the ingredients on my bar cart, and a homemade lavender simple syrup was the perfect ingredient to start refreshing new drink idea. Full recipe below!
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It’s National Apple Month — the perfect time for apple picking, and then of course the perfect time for baking and cooking with apples! I realize I have quite the arsenal of apple recipes from this fall and previous seasons, so I thought I’d round-up my favorites to give you some inspiration for what to make with all of your bounty from apple-picking this autumn. Check out the full list below!
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Feel that crisp, cool air? Feels like fall is here! I know everyone gets all pouty that summer is coming to an end, but not me. Bring on the boots and jeans and cozy sweaters, and most of all: bring on the apple picking and the baking! I got the baking bug this weekend and was inspired to test out a recipe inspired by IZZE’s sparkling apple flavor — a flavor full of that perfect green-apple tartness. The result? A mini apple-toffee “pie-let” — the name my husband dubbed this sweet treats when he saw them cooling on the counter. Full recipe below: 
I’ve got a recipe for you today that’s a little bit cheesy, a little bit spicy, and is served in a crispy, carb-y, delicious bread bowl made from La Brea Bakery’s jalapeño cheddar bread. So you know, you’re welcome. The bread itself was the inspiration for the recipe, jalapeño and cheddar are a winning combination in my book! I used those flavors to update a classic baked spinach dip for a savory appetizer with a little bit of a kick. And if you’re not ready for a piping-hot dip just yet, you can refrigerate it and serve it cold too, I tested it both ways and they’re equally delicious. Recipe below!
This hot, steamy, humid weekend called for a serious cool-down concoction. I’ve seen this idea of adding popsicles to cocktails on Pinterest before, and this felt like the perfect time to try it out. In a wine glass I muddled a few mint leaves and sliced peaches, poured in some chilled vodka, and topped off the glass with half an IZZE sparkling peach. Then for the finishing touch, a peach popsicle dunked in to keep things cool! And the best part is that you get to snack on the popsicle while you enjoy your drink! Cheers! 
A trip to Texas this past spring turned me on to jalapeño margaritas, and a recent dinner at Besito put watermelon margaritas on my mind. When Breville sent me one of their powerful blenders to try I thought this was the perfect time to combine the two! It’s got the tang of lime, the heat from the jalepeno-infused tequila, sweetness from a bit of agave, and the pureed watermelon gives you a majorly refreshing taste. I blended up a big batch, which was helpful since they were so tasty they disappeared fast. Now, the real question is, how have I lived this long without a blender in my life? Full recipe for your own summer-cocktail enjoyment below! 
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I'm Kate, and I like to
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